Put on the breaks-turtle crossing

[LilyWDW]

It is not safe to slam on your brake to avoid hitting an animal.

It is not safe to stop your can in the middle of the road to move an animal (if nothing else, pull OFF the dang road).

It is not safe to swerve to miss hitting an animal.

An animal is not worth the safety and lives of yourself, your family, or anyone else on the road. I doubt very many people actually TRY to hit an animal, but I refuse to cause a dangerous situation to avoid one.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

I don't think I have ever seen a turtle on the road in this area.

I haven't either. While I appreciate the sentiment in the OP, at least around here the roads are very busy with lots of curves to accommodate the terrain. Even something as simple as stopping would be very dangerous on these roads. If I can safely switch lanes to avoid an animal, I will, but sometime it is unavoidable.

As for the squirrels... My family calls those PSD's (Poor Squirrel Decisions)

 

[wenrob]

You can get killed swerving to avoid an animal in the road. Know a guy who rolled his car three times trying to avoid a jack rabbit. If it's at all possible, absolutely stop but it's not always feasible or safe.

 

[Katieinwonderland]

I did stop once and move a tarantula that was sunning itself on a road on Ft. Huachuca.

There are many animals I will stop to help cross the road - tarantulas are not on that list! They can make that trip all by themselves!

I just saw another turtle today, I was going to stop but it was a fast little critter, made its way across the street by itself before any other cars came along. Around here, the main animals I see squished are possums and racoons - I think it's because they're nocturnal, no one sees them at night.

 

[SandrA9810]

I've helped turtles on side streets. And one time, i got out to scare it to the other side, it ran right under the car. Of course i had to leave my door open and the dog jumped out.... Ohh it was a huge fiasco.

The other day, i hit a duck with the windshield. I was in the far right lane, and i saw it standing on the side of the road. It straightened it's neck out long and the next thing i know, it decides to take off flying. Well he was too close to the road and didn't get high enough. I tried slowing down, but i only got about 5mph slower and heard a thud on the windshield. I felt so bad for the stupid duck, but i didn't have the nerve to turn around to check on it. I don't do dead well. Although there were no signs of it the following day, so maybe it survived.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Here in MO, you do your best to avoid the wildlife. Unfortunately, many casualities. You really can't stop to let an animal cross or you will be run over.

I see box turtles on the side of the road all the time.

 

[Eeyores Butterfly]

Here in MO, you do your best to avoid the wildlife. Unfortunately, many casualities. You really can't stop to let an animal cross or you will be run over.

I see box turtles on the side of the road all the time.

Sadly the wildlife here can be unavoidable. Several years ago 5 deer ran across highway 63 in a line. There was no way to avoid hitting a deer. I felt awful for the deer, but I was aslo a little mad at the deer. My friend and I ended up on the side of the highway in Renaissance garb at 6:30 am waiting for the highway patrol and the tow truck as my entire front half was staved (stove?) in up to the engine. It's a miracle my car wasn't totalled. We got many an odd look from the passers by. We had been on our way to the Ren Fest in KC and were definitely dressed for the part. I always wondered what people thought when they passed us.

 

[Planogirl]

It's not safe to swerve but it sure isn't safe to hit a deer either. One caused some pretty extensive damage to my car and he actually ran into the side. Even worse is hitting a cow that's gotten out.

 

[scrapquitler]

It makes me so D*** MAD when I see one ran over buy a car.C'mon people you can't spare 5seconds of your life to go around them?Much less pull over and move it to the grass?

I try not to hit any critters in the road, but I'm sorry, if the choice comes down to hit the turtle or get myself or another person injured, that turtle is going down.

I've been in a situation where I hit a cat that ran into the road But the choice was slam on the breaks and get rear ended, swerve and hit someone head on or hit the cat. I did pull over and move the cat out of the road and look to see if there were tags to notify the owner (there weren't).

I am not risking my life to avoid hitting a turtle. If I can safely avoid it, of course I will.

 

[luvmy3]

I will avoid animals on the road only if its safe. I had to stop for a family of geese crossing the parkway this weekend, luckily there were no other cars on the road and I saw them early enough to stop. If not, then I would have not swerved to avoid them, or slam on my brakes and would have felt bad, but not guilty.

We have a turtle that likes to sun himself on the side of the road into our development. I have never seen him in the middle of the road, but if I did I'd move him to the side since the road isn't very busy.

 

[Allison]

It is not safe to slam on your brake to avoid hitting an animal.

It is not safe to stop your can in the middle of the road to move an animal (if nothing else, pull OFF the dang road).

It is not safe to swerve to miss hitting an animal.

An animal is not worth the safety and lives of yourself, your family, or anyone else on the road. I doubt very many people actually TRY to hit an animal, but I refuse to cause a dangerous situation to avoid one.

Exactly. I'm not going to cause a dangerous situation by doing these things.