Thankful
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I have yet to hit a dog...hopefully I never will. I have hit cats, possums, and turtles (due to inattention). I have relatives that have hit deer. Those will tear up a car rather well. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
I've hit many animals while driving. In the highlands it is almost impossible not to hit a few rabbits on a holiday up there. The two incidents I remember most are hitting a phesant in the Scottish Borders. It was a long straight road with nothing coming the other way and there was a phesant wandering into the road so I gently moved to the other side of the road, the damned phesant followed. I still had a couple of hundred metres to go so I moved back to my lane. It followed me again. My (now ex-)girlfriend was horror struck and put her hands over her eyes as the front of the car hit it and caused confusion for the car behind as an explosion of feathers was released from the back of the car. I was doing about 60MPH (~100KMH) The second incident was just outside Edinburgh. I was, again, with my (now ex-)girlfriend and it was dark. I was doing a recce for a job interview the next day (I always travel the route a day or two in advance so I ensure I know exactly where I am going). Anyway, I pull off the main road on to the slip-road and a rabbit jumps out in to the full glare of the head lights. Normally I would just keep going as I was taught* but she screamed. I guess I interpreted that has an exclamation that I was mistaken and it was actaully a small child and so I slammed on my breaks as hard as possible. By the time I had re-interpreted the situation and realised that there wasn't going to be a loss of human life I had to hit the accelerator again because the stupid eejit behind was travelling way too close for the speed was was centimetres off my back bumper and still closing. The fact that he then spent the next half a kilometer blaring his horn at me caused my ex to go into a rant about my driving!!! Huh!??! I was shaken a little after I'd realised how close we'd actually come to having a real accident caused by a non-driver screaming at me. * When I was learning to drive I spent a two week holiday up in the Highlands with my dad where I had the chance to run over lots of rabbits and so I am some what immune to the idea of the killing a soft furry fluffy bunny-wabbit.
My: Blog | Photos "Man who stand on hill with mouth open will wait long time for roast duck to drop in." -- Confucious
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My oldest son was on his way home from church Sunday, when a small animal, possibly a rabbit, ran out in front of him. His reflexes took over and he took one of my cars on an off-road excursion through a loose dirt field and hit a rather large piece of equipment similar to this.[^] He hit it head on barely missing parts of the machine that could have taken off the top of the car and piles of gravel that could have caused the car to flip. He came out with some air bag rash and marks left by the seatbelt, but nothing serious. I believe that God was watching over him and protected him from serious harm...and I thank Him for it. The car is a total loss, but it's just a car. I told him when he first started driving that if a cat or a dog or similar animal ran out in front of him that he should go ahead and hit it unless he could avoid it safely. I told him to do everything possible avoid hitting a child. I guess that reflexive instinct comes to you first. I know that I have had to override my reflexes several times when it would have put me and my family at risk to avoid hitting an animal. It is a hard lesson to learn and it is something that you have to purpose in your mind before you are in that situation. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
Glad your son made it through. that is the most important thing. Reflex actions come from long before cars were around. It's important to recognize that reflex is a safety reaction, but often a safety reaction that does not take into account the environment. Sounds like you are doing well not badgering your son on the accident. The rest takes time and effort. I don't like running over animals, but I cannot avoid it when I drive at night. Too many, too often. So I try not to drive at night. But it takes an effort to learn to grip a wheel and push on through (something), for safety sake. The same instinct will get you on black ice too. Jeff _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
I had to replace the plastic frame in the front (I think it's called the muffler)...
Unless you are driving one of those airport refueling trucks, the muffler should be located in the rear.
"Take only what you need and leave the land as you found it." - Native American Proverb
DavidCrow wrote:
Unless you are driving one of those airport refueling trucks, the muffler should be located in the rear.
Sorry - wrong word :-)
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DavidCrow wrote:
Unless you are driving one of those airport refueling trucks, the muffler should be located in the rear.
Sorry - wrong word :-)
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
Sorry - wrong word
I would go for bumper as in bumper bar. Michael Martin Australia "I controlled my laughter and simple said "No,I am very busy,so I can't write any code for you". The moment they heard this all the smiling face turned into a sad looking face and one of them farted. So i had to leave the place as soon as possible." - Mr.Prakash 24/04/2004
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My oldest son was on his way home from church Sunday, when a small animal, possibly a rabbit, ran out in front of him. His reflexes took over and he took one of my cars on an off-road excursion through a loose dirt field and hit a rather large piece of equipment similar to this.[^] He hit it head on barely missing parts of the machine that could have taken off the top of the car and piles of gravel that could have caused the car to flip. He came out with some air bag rash and marks left by the seatbelt, but nothing serious. I believe that God was watching over him and protected him from serious harm...and I thank Him for it. The car is a total loss, but it's just a car. I told him when he first started driving that if a cat or a dog or similar animal ran out in front of him that he should go ahead and hit it unless he could avoid it safely. I told him to do everything possible avoid hitting a child. I guess that reflexive instinct comes to you first. I know that I have had to override my reflexes several times when it would have put me and my family at risk to avoid hitting an animal. It is a hard lesson to learn and it is something that you have to purpose in your mind before you are in that situation. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
Gary Kirkham wrote:
I believe that God was watching over him and protected him from serious harm...
Together with all the people who worked on making driving safer over many years. There was a very good television program about passenger safety and it showed in the 30s cars usually serious survived accidents but the passengers usually died. Now it is the other way around. The tigress is here :-D
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I've hit many animals while driving. In the highlands it is almost impossible not to hit a few rabbits on a holiday up there. The two incidents I remember most are hitting a phesant in the Scottish Borders. It was a long straight road with nothing coming the other way and there was a phesant wandering into the road so I gently moved to the other side of the road, the damned phesant followed. I still had a couple of hundred metres to go so I moved back to my lane. It followed me again. My (now ex-)girlfriend was horror struck and put her hands over her eyes as the front of the car hit it and caused confusion for the car behind as an explosion of feathers was released from the back of the car. I was doing about 60MPH (~100KMH) The second incident was just outside Edinburgh. I was, again, with my (now ex-)girlfriend and it was dark. I was doing a recce for a job interview the next day (I always travel the route a day or two in advance so I ensure I know exactly where I am going). Anyway, I pull off the main road on to the slip-road and a rabbit jumps out in to the full glare of the head lights. Normally I would just keep going as I was taught* but she screamed. I guess I interpreted that has an exclamation that I was mistaken and it was actaully a small child and so I slammed on my breaks as hard as possible. By the time I had re-interpreted the situation and realised that there wasn't going to be a loss of human life I had to hit the accelerator again because the stupid eejit behind was travelling way too close for the speed was was centimetres off my back bumper and still closing. The fact that he then spent the next half a kilometer blaring his horn at me caused my ex to go into a rant about my driving!!! Huh!??! I was shaken a little after I'd realised how close we'd actually come to having a real accident caused by a non-driver screaming at me. * When I was learning to drive I spent a two week holiday up in the Highlands with my dad where I had the chance to run over lots of rabbits and so I am some what immune to the idea of the killing a soft furry fluffy bunny-wabbit.
My: Blog | Photos "Man who stand on hill with mouth open will wait long time for roast duck to drop in." -- Confucious
Colin Angus Mackay wrote:
so I am some what immune to the idea of the killing a soft furry fluffy bunny-wabbit.
:laugh: It isn't like they don't...well...breed like rabbits. There will be thousands more to take his place. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
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Interesting read. Back around 1987 I was coming home from a church dinner and I was going down the freeway in the rain doing the speed limit (55 MPH) when I rear-ended a highway patrol car that was stopped in the fast lane. The officer was out of the car setting up cones and flares to divert traffic away from a tipped semi trailer truck that had spilled large metal pipes all over the freeway up ahead. Now, if the officer had been in his car when I had hit it, he would have likely been killed. If I had hit the pipes up ahead, I would have likely been killed. As it was, his car was totalled and my nissan sentra was totalled. I had some sprained thumbs and a bruised nose - and this was before airbags were commonly in cars. Fairly miraculous, considering the more probably outcome had events unfoldered the same only moments earlier. Indeed, at the end of the day, I had to confess it is only two cars and not a single life lost nor any detectable permanent serious injury - except I became a Windows software engineer :~
I can almost beat that. I was driving down a 4 lane highway in the right lane. There was a truck closing in the left lane about two car lengths behind me. We came around a curve that was partially shielded by trees. As I came out of the curve I noticed that a car was stopped in the right hand lane and the passenger side door was open. A young teenager was hanging out of the car trying to pick something up out of the road. It became quickly obvious that I wouldn't be able to stop in time. So, in one motion I checked the location of the truck and changed lanes just in time. It could have ended very badly. If the truck had closed the gap and pulled up beside me I would have been forced to hit the car and the teenager probably wouldn't have survived it. I wanted to go back and unload on them, but they were probably oblivious to the whole thing. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
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Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
Sorry - wrong word
I would go for bumper as in bumper bar. Michael Martin Australia "I controlled my laughter and simple said "No,I am very busy,so I can't write any code for you". The moment they heard this all the smiling face turned into a sad looking face and one of them farted. So i had to leave the place as soon as possible." - Mr.Prakash 24/04/2004
Michael Martin wrote:
I would go for bumper as in bumper bar.
No, it wasn't the bumper - this was the plastic grill just above and behind the bumper. The bumper was low enough to escape unscathed.
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Michael Martin wrote:
I would go for bumper as in bumper bar.
No, it wasn't the bumper - this was the plastic grill just above and behind the bumper. The bumper was low enough to escape unscathed.
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
No, it wasn't the bumper - this was the plastic grill just above and behind the bumper. The bumper was low enough to escape unscathed.
Then that is called (funnily enough) the grill. Michael Martin Australia "I controlled my laughter and simple said "No,I am very busy,so I can't write any code for you". The moment they heard this all the smiling face turned into a sad looking face and one of them farted. So i had to leave the place as soon as possible." - Mr.Prakash 24/04/2004
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My oldest son was on his way home from church Sunday, when a small animal, possibly a rabbit, ran out in front of him. His reflexes took over and he took one of my cars on an off-road excursion through a loose dirt field and hit a rather large piece of equipment similar to this.[^] He hit it head on barely missing parts of the machine that could have taken off the top of the car and piles of gravel that could have caused the car to flip. He came out with some air bag rash and marks left by the seatbelt, but nothing serious. I believe that God was watching over him and protected him from serious harm...and I thank Him for it. The car is a total loss, but it's just a car. I told him when he first started driving that if a cat or a dog or similar animal ran out in front of him that he should go ahead and hit it unless he could avoid it safely. I told him to do everything possible avoid hitting a child. I guess that reflexive instinct comes to you first. I know that I have had to override my reflexes several times when it would have put me and my family at risk to avoid hitting an animal. It is a hard lesson to learn and it is something that you have to purpose in your mind before you are in that situation. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
Glad to hear he is OK. I subscribe to the view that you should be observant, anticipate what is ahead of you, if something or someone runs out in front of you stop in a straight line, don't swerve. If you swerve you risk killing not only the occupants of your car but anyone else you may hit, i.e. someone behind the hedge/wall or someone walking on the pavement (sidewalk) etc. Should you be unable to stop and hit the person/animal in front of you, it is their 'fault' for being there, assuming of course you are driving safely and correctly at the time I speak as someone who was hit by a car 30 odd years ago and I am still feeling the effects now. Although I was the innocent party it still hurts!
"An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't." - Anatole France
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My oldest son was on his way home from church Sunday, when a small animal, possibly a rabbit, ran out in front of him. His reflexes took over and he took one of my cars on an off-road excursion through a loose dirt field and hit a rather large piece of equipment similar to this.[^] He hit it head on barely missing parts of the machine that could have taken off the top of the car and piles of gravel that could have caused the car to flip. He came out with some air bag rash and marks left by the seatbelt, but nothing serious. I believe that God was watching over him and protected him from serious harm...and I thank Him for it. The car is a total loss, but it's just a car. I told him when he first started driving that if a cat or a dog or similar animal ran out in front of him that he should go ahead and hit it unless he could avoid it safely. I told him to do everything possible avoid hitting a child. I guess that reflexive instinct comes to you first. I know that I have had to override my reflexes several times when it would have put me and my family at risk to avoid hitting an animal. It is a hard lesson to learn and it is something that you have to purpose in your mind before you are in that situation. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
Gary Kirkham wrote:
I believe that God was watching over him and protected him from serious harm...and I thank Him for it.
I would have been more thankful if God had stopped the rabbit from running out in front of your son in the first place... Asynes yw brassa ages kwilkynyow.
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Glad to hear he is OK. I subscribe to the view that you should be observant, anticipate what is ahead of you, if something or someone runs out in front of you stop in a straight line, don't swerve. If you swerve you risk killing not only the occupants of your car but anyone else you may hit, i.e. someone behind the hedge/wall or someone walking on the pavement (sidewalk) etc. Should you be unable to stop and hit the person/animal in front of you, it is their 'fault' for being there, assuming of course you are driving safely and correctly at the time I speak as someone who was hit by a car 30 odd years ago and I am still feeling the effects now. Although I was the innocent party it still hurts!
"An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't." - Anatole France
I agree with everything you write, but with one minor caveat.
Ted Ferenc wrote:
it is their 'fault' for being there, assuming of course you are driving safely and correctly at the time
I think that if a child runs out in front of me I will probably swerve to avoid hitting him. Even though his parents are technically at fault. It is still a tough call. I guess that if I had my grandchild in the car with me I might make a different choice. It is an aweful lot to think about in the heat of the moment. That is why I made the point that it is something you should think about before you are in that situation. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
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Gary Kirkham wrote:
I believe that God was watching over him and protected him from serious harm...and I thank Him for it.
I would have been more thankful if God had stopped the rabbit from running out in front of your son in the first place... Asynes yw brassa ages kwilkynyow.
But then I wouldn't have been given the opportunity to trust God to provide for my needs (new car, increase in insurance rates, etc). And I wouldn't have been given the opportunity to show my son grace during a time when he was sure that I was going to "kill" him. :) Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
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I agree with everything you write, but with one minor caveat.
Ted Ferenc wrote:
it is their 'fault' for being there, assuming of course you are driving safely and correctly at the time
I think that if a child runs out in front of me I will probably swerve to avoid hitting him. Even though his parents are technically at fault. It is still a tough call. I guess that if I had my grandchild in the car with me I might make a different choice. It is an aweful lot to think about in the heat of the moment. That is why I made the point that it is something you should think about before you are in that situation. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
I would agree than instinct is to swerve, but you should 'never' be in that situation. Reminds me of a recent case a c. 6 year old child was walking with his parents, he ran to a pelican crossing (a light controlled pedestrian crossing) stopped to press the button and then ran out into the road, he was killed by a car. The car driver was exhonerated of all blame, I would hope in that situation I would have seen the child and expected him to possibly run into the road and would be driving accordingly. Don't forget you have seen the child, when you swerve, do you know what is in front of you? I hear of too many cases when swerving to avoid something kills or injures several totally innocent people.
"An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't." - Anatole France
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But then I wouldn't have been given the opportunity to trust God to provide for my needs (new car, increase in insurance rates, etc). And I wouldn't have been given the opportunity to show my son grace during a time when he was sure that I was going to "kill" him. :) Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
It sounds like you are happy that God let your son be involved in what could have been a fatal car crash, just so you could be grateful to God that he *didn't* die? :confused: I can't get my head around that. Asynes yw brassa ages kwilkynyow.
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Glad to hear he is OK. I subscribe to the view that you should be observant, anticipate what is ahead of you, if something or someone runs out in front of you stop in a straight line, don't swerve. If you swerve you risk killing not only the occupants of your car but anyone else you may hit, i.e. someone behind the hedge/wall or someone walking on the pavement (sidewalk) etc. Should you be unable to stop and hit the person/animal in front of you, it is their 'fault' for being there, assuming of course you are driving safely and correctly at the time I speak as someone who was hit by a car 30 odd years ago and I am still feeling the effects now. Although I was the innocent party it still hurts!
"An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't." - Anatole France
Ted Ferenc wrote:
if something or someone runs out in front of you stop in a straight line
And check behind you first! Some years ago in Plymouth (UK) a driver braked hard to avoid hitting a dog and caused a six-car pile-up behind him... :doh: Asynes yw brassa ages kwilkynyow.
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Ted Ferenc wrote:
if something or someone runs out in front of you stop in a straight line
And check behind you first! Some years ago in Plymouth (UK) a driver braked hard to avoid hitting a dog and caused a six-car pile-up behind him... :doh: Asynes yw brassa ages kwilkynyow.
In the UK that is a normal occurance. Some time back my mother stopped because the traffic in front was stationary on a dual carriage way bridge, actaually it was single track at that point, 70 mph limit, the car behind stopped, the rep 2 cars back did not even brake. She was surprised that anyone survived from the middle car, it was totalled, I would have though the police would have booked the rep, after all what defence does he have? But needless to say they did nothing. Our car just sustained minor rear end damage, tow bars are great items!
"An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't." - Anatole France
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It sounds like you are happy that God let your son be involved in what could have been a fatal car crash, just so you could be grateful to God that he *didn't* die? :confused: I can't get my head around that. Asynes yw brassa ages kwilkynyow.
viaduct wrote:
It sounds like you are happy that God let your son be involved in what could have been a fatal car crash
I never said that. I would have preferred that it didn't happen, but I also know that God didn't cause it to happen. He could have prevented it, but He chose not to do so, and I don't fault Him for it because I know that what He chooses is for the best because, I am His child and He loves me and my son...who is also His child. I know that it is a hard thing for you to get a handle on, but I trust that he will use what happened for my good and the good of my family...even if my son had died. And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
