Roadkill

[DigUout]

So I ran over a grouse on the way to work tonight.  He was in the middle of the road on a curve and I had a Coke in my hand with no way to steer and downshift.  I really stomped the brakes trying to stop and thought I could straddle him, but instead I heard a thump-thump and saw a poof of feathers in my mirrors.  They're not very bright, fly only certain times of the year, and make a fine meal.  I never see grouse around here and I was pretty surprised I couldn't get the truck stopped in time (was running 45-50mph).  

  Anyone else with an unusual roadkill story?

[mblrds]

Not a week after I got my truck, I was on the highway on the way to a nearby city to look into getting my bed spray lined.  I was pretty much going with the flow of the traffic, around 65-70 mph.  There were a good number of us on the road and I was in the left lane.

Well, I looked down to check my speed and when I looked up, there were these two dogs crossing the highway.  With a guard-rail off the road on my left and another vehicle on my right I had nowhere to go and no time to slow down enough or stop (not a good idea on the highway, btw).

The first dog made it across and was crawling under the guard-rail, the other one didn't make it.  It ended up going down under the truck where the drivers side fog light is, under the front tire, then under the back tire.  As soon as the dog disappeared from sight I let up on the brakes (wasn't wanting my wheels to lock with the dog under them).

Looked behind me and the dog was rolling over and over to the side of the highway with bits and pieces of my fog light.  The fog light was totally destroyed but the air-dam absorbed the impact and stayed in one piece.

I find it amazing that they made it as far across the road as they did and that it was only one that got hit.

Another thing I find amazing is that people, in general, let their dogs run loose, then they get real upset when its becomes roadkill (I didn't bother looking for the dog's owner).  What did they expect to happen, especially when you live near a highway?

[Jpshostr]

All I have ever hit are skunks.  I've hit four of them, two live, two dead.  The dead ones are worst since you get both the skunk smell plus the rotting smell.  I had one of the ones I hit live get stuck in the front wheel well.  That really was not very fun digging him out, I think my Blazer smelled bad for a week at least.  

Ever notice that after three days roadkill starts to wave at you?

[The Beav]

I was following a Phord Ranger on a twisty country road through a lot of farm/pasture land when he somehow flushed out @ 12 pheasants from the brush along side of the road.  They all scattered, but one flew smack into the side of his bed and hit the pavement.  I don't know if it was dead or not, but an oncoming car kept me from swerving, so it became pheasant pate'.  Strange, but true...