Warning! Warning! Danger!

[HobbyMan]

I just got back from a Colorado Springs trip to pick up a 81LH. On the way up we hit a thousand pounder. This was a BIG elk. The front end of our Ford Excursion is trashed. The AC condenser coils are pushed back all the way to the Diesel block. The elk was thrown over 100ft. WE are waiting to see if the car is totaled or not. I know that people will be driving late at night during the spring break time and I want to warn you to WATCH OUT FOR ANIMALS. Do not swerve! If we were in any other vehicle, my father and I would be dead. That is a fact. The police officer stated that one. Earlier in the week some people hit one and it rolled over the hood and the driver is in serious and unstable condition and the passenger is now a paraplegic. The excursion was designed to have a "crush" zone to absorb the shock. Everything stopped at the engine which saved our lives. I will have photos later today. I can't express how lucky it feels to be alive. I am sure those of you who have hit animals before feel the same way.

[HobbyMan]

OH yes, I forgot to mention this:
Bring plenty of blankets wherever you go. We hit the elk just before 1am. the deputy arrived more than 45min later. The tow truck arrived 4hrs later. WE were 30 miles from the nearest town and it was in the teens. You can not heat your car without the engine running. It was cold, but we had many sleeping bags which saved our buts. Flares that don't go out randomly and that last more than 15 min are nice too.

[midnight1980]

about 20 years ago i was driving my Suzuki gs 650



over a mountain pass in southern utah around 60 mile a hour two large deers where standing in the middle of the road,
http://www.johnharveyphoto.com/Cathe...EatingRoad.jpg
i didnt have time too even lay a skid, i had too swerve~~ right in between them as the stood still,.

of course it scared the crap out of me at that time

[Dragonrider]

Re: Warning! Warning! Danger!

Originally posted by HobbyMan
I just got back from a Colorado Springs trip to pick up a 81LH. On the way up we hit a thousand pounder. This was a BIG elk. The front end of our Ford Excursion is trashed.

Youch! Sorry about the truck, but glad you guys are okay and uninjured!

How'd you get back?

[Pat Kelly]

They must have loaded the truck on the trailer and towed it home with the mighty XS!!!

[JWSanders]

An Excursion is is a big truck...totalling one is a bad hit indeed.

Glad to hear you're ok.

[Wildkat]

Glad y'all are okay!

I was kind of wondering how you made it back as well...
You'll have to finish this tale...

As for not swerving... I think that pretty much depends on the conditions... but it was apparently good advise in your case...

Again... glad you're okay...

[prometheus578]

i didnt have time too even lay a skid,

of course it scared the crap out of me

If it were me.... It would have scared the crap out of me... and I would have layed a pretty good skid that even the dry-cleaners couldn't get out.

[prometheus578]

I quit using that laundry service after a while. Stuff just wasn't coming back clean.
I kept putting notes in my laundry bag..."Use more soap on underwear"... "use more soap on underwear..."
I got my clothes back with a note from them
"Use more paper on @ss!"
Damned "Hop Sing's Laundry"!

[HobbyMan]

we had to rent a car. Aparantly you aren't supposed to tow trailers with rentals. shh

[dale_1]

ouch

Glad everyone's OK, I too have hit an animal. Christmas 99, year of the cow...... Really ruins your day.

[Wildkat]

Really ruins your day

Probably didn't do a whole lot for the cow's day either...


Okay Andrew... this brings to mind ANOTHER question...
Did the rental car have a tow hitch? I mean... if it DID... then they MUST have wanted someone to use it... right?

and if it didn't... how did you tow the trailer?
(okay... so I'm a bit naive on these matters)

AND... what happened to the elk?

[HobbyMan]

THe car had a tow hitch but it says in the contract that towing is forbiden. They don't carry enough insurance for that. The game warden came by the next day and cut the antlers off. I should have the photos in a few minutes. My dad told me that he started to change lanes but the elk started walking towards our path. There were big ditches on each side. My dad changed course and hit it head on at 70mph. I am glad it was on the way up, not the way back. If it had been on the way back, I would have gotten a face full of midnight speacial as I was laying down in the back. WE did manage to get the bike and we hit the rain storms south of amirillo last night. I was driving and the rain was soo bad that I couldn't see anything 10ft in front. When we got through there was no one on the roads. That was nice to catch up some time.

[HobbyMan]

[HobbyMan]

THe daylight photos are the next day on the way home. You can see that the game warden came by and cut off the antlers