A distasteful subject - deer strikes

[KingNine]

Deer strikes. It happens. It happens a lot. It happened to me-twice,once in a Suburban (Bridgeport,California)and once in '68 Roadrunner(Smith Valley,Nevada). I was thinking about that tonight driving the Smart. The center of a good sized deer's mass is just about the height of the middle of the Smart's windshield.
Man,I don't even like thinking about it. Where are the air bag triggers located in the Smart? How's that plastic going to hold up with an oblique angle strike? I don't want to hear deer strike stories,but I'd like to get some thoughts on the potential ramifications.

[dagwodzz]

Been there done that........................SLOOOOOO down in a known infested area

[Orphan-Beggar]

Isn't there a yellow Pure sans A/C for sale that we can test in a deer area?

[nex1]

Deer whistles!

[Mish in AZ]

Originally Posted by Orphan-Beggar

Isn't there a yellow Pure sans A/C for sale that we can test in a deer area?

now THAT's FUNNY!!

[Dave Van]

My folks have hit two deer with deer whistles on the car...the air powered kind and the electric powered kind. I have clipped two in the past 4 years in my Concorde so its a issue here....but I have gotten to knnow pretty well the when and were they are. I don't want a first hand test....

[SmartBob]

Deer whistles have been Myth busted.....no worky. I'd never let deer stop me from buying the car I want unles they were paying for it. hehehe

[a2jack]

Orphan Beg. I think that one was in Atlanta. Not sure if it was yellow though.

A2Jack.

[Orphan-Beggar]

Venison with your peaches?

[Old smart]

The VA Division of Game and Inland Fisheries has studied this problem as Virginians suffer a lot of injury and damage annually (and in VA, automobile insurance companies do not cover animal collision damage**). They determined that plenty of light at night (high beams as oft you can use them) is your best defense. Deer are no more immobilized by bright light as moderate light, and it is better that you see them as far ahead as you can. Deer are most active and on the move, and willing to cross pavement, during the hours before sunrise and after sunset. Rutting season in November is particularly dicey. And "deer whistles" DO NOT WORK. It is a defensive driving matter.

** I was "fortunate" that we were in NH when I hit a 1500# bull moose with a 1200# Caterham! We were lucky with no injuries (the Seven had a homologated F.I.A. roll bar, somewhat like the smart's tridion); the Seven wasn't so lucky and went back to England for a re-build. The moose was less lucky still, and was put down by the Jackson police. It happened just after sunset in a mountain valley approaching Pinkham Notch.