[Drivingforfun]

I saw this coming home yesterday, @Rolebama may recognise the road.

It was stumbling around in the middle of the road, it had a lame leg, maybe just been hit? Trying to jump into the verge but not making it and falling back down, really pitiful to watch. Then just curled up at the side of the road crying out and shivering, so I parked there to stop people hitting it...

Our vet said to call the police which I was anxious about but he was really nice and they said putting the humanity aside it's a traffic hazard so it's a legitimate thing, as someone might hit it or swerve and have an accident

The funny thing is after sitting there for about 25 mins, about 30 secs after the police officer arrived it hopped away so we were a bit embarrassed 😆 I guess it'd been stunned and recovered enough to run away

[Rolebama]

I do recognize that road, although I don't travel it that often. I have often had to slow to allow deer to cross the road generally. The cynical side of me wonders why, if it was hit by a car, (highly probable, as you say), did the driver not attend to it. Callous or thoughtless?

[Drivingforfun]

@Rolebama it was holding its leg up like a dog does, but didn't seem injured elsewhere... I wonder if it was a glancing blow and the driver just thought "that was close" and didn't realise?

I could well be making excuses, I know!

[Nick]

Thanks for sharing @Drivingforfun - and I'm glad it eventually headed on it's way. shame that the driver didn't stop if it was hit by a car but good on you for stopping where you did.

I used to see quite a few claims back in my motor insurance claims days where cars had hit, or been hit by, deer and other wildlife. I always recall being quite surprised by the amount of damage that could occur by a badger!

The perils of semi-rural driving!

[Drivingforfun]

@Nick

You'd be surprised, I think! I remember asking, on here actually, as quite a new driver whether my dad's police training - ease off for a pigeon but don't brake - was still relevant, and was told no, if not for the humanity then as they can damage a modern car quite badly

Not that either internet advice nor anecdotes from an ex detective who failed the police driving test are to be taken as fact, but was interesting to hear!

[olduser]

Let's hope it recovered, it is difficult to know what to do in those circumstances, a visit to vet make sense but then will it's mum except it if it smells of humans?

In Norfolk, where traffic tends to be slower, birds tend to chicken out first (good pun there?) but I did see a car that had hit a Seagull head on, it looked like a new front fender (well, wing would have been too many puns), headlamp cover, grill, and radiator would be needed.
I suppose modern cars are made of thinner steel to save weight and cost.

In wooded areas Deer were a risk and the odd escapee from Deer farms.

Biggest shock I can remember was pulling up nose to beak with an Ostrich, we looked at each other for a while, then it took a fancy to the Wipers, I reversed, I turned the wipers on, so now we have reversing car, followed by Ostrich head going side to side pecking at the wipers.
A Squirt of the washers puzzled it enough for me to turn around and visit the farmer, I told him, and he opened the car, looking for it?

I gave him a lift back to the the Ostrich, it followed him back to the farm like an obedient dog!

Once on the front at Hunstanton, we saw gulls take a dislike to a car; the owners were walking their dog on the clifftop.
Passers-by tried to shoo the gulls off but the damage was done, the car had a remodelled roof covered in gull poo.

Normally the gulls amused themselves stealing fish and chips as people came out or, stealing ice cream.

[Drivingforfun]

I imagine new cars are safer for everyone but a lot of the bodywork is "sacrificial" to absorb impact, not to mention crumpling to make hitting a pedestrian less severe

I think I remember reading my parents' Aygo was very safe for the size of car but the engine formed part of the crumple zone

[Rolebama]

Some years ago I was overtaken by a car whilst driving through Ashdown Forest. He was going very fast is all I can say. I saw a 'family' of red deer start to cross the road in front of him. He hit one, and the car went off the road and slammed into a tree at the side of the road. I pulled over and went to check occupant(s). It seems that the car took out the legs of the deer, and it's body came back through the windscreen. Both the driver and front-seat passenger were dead, along with the deer. This was before the days of compulsory seatbelt wearing, although I don't think that was relevant. As I was alone, I had to drive to the next village to phone the Police, who asked me to return to the site. When I arrived back I was surprised to find an amount of cars pulled up on the verge, and there were two men holding up small children to look at the bodies through door windows. They were not a pretty sight. Happily the Police arrived and shooed the ghouls away.

[Drivingforfun]

Lots of things worthy of commenting on there but most of all, I get (but don't agree with humouring) the curiosity of people who haven't been exposed to disaster before, but can't imagine why they'd want to show the children