I've just ran over a pheasant :(

[lexiepix]

On a narrow country lane, doing 50, they usually move out of the way but this one stayed right in the middle.

It made such a thud, a huge cloud of feathers afterwards and I've just been picking the feather out of my grill.

I had no idea what way it was going to go so didn't swerve, also I didn't break much as expected it to move as they do 1000s of times before.

I'm feeling really shit about it. Am I a total cunt for not slowing or swerving?

[MaidOfStars]

Yep, they are idiots. I've had to stop many times because they just don't move. One lady was determined that her squashed mate was going to perk up in just a minute, and could possibly be encouraged to do so by pecking at his fresh entrails...I got out of the car to shoo her away, she went to the side of the road, then back again after I'd passed. Car behind me wasn't so thoughtful....

[CMOTDibbler]

Pheasants have had stupidity bred into them - theres no other reason for their incredible attempts to get killed.

BTW, etiquette is that you never pick up that which you have run over - the next person gets it.

[maudpringles]

I would add to the general opinion that they are indeed daft birds.
I seem to remember that you can't legally collect something you have killed on the road but the car behind can??
At least it wasn't a deer.I had one of those jump out and it is terrifying.

[lavendersun]

We have been known to hit more than one a day round here - they are incredibly stupid and when you live amongst them you don't worry so much - slamming on your brakes at 40 mph with a courier van behind you is much more dangerous than hitting a pheasant.

I ride horses and can't really see the comparison tbh (or tractors for that matter). Large slow moving animal, hopefully with something fluorescent or reflective being worn - vs - stupid bird that runs out of woodland/field at the side of the road.

Relax OP.

[SpottyTeacakes]

Fifty on a country lame is fine if it's safe. I do it on parts, other parts i slow right down, depends on the road. I see deer all the time but the only time I've hit one was when it ran into my car on the main road of all places.

[Madamecastafiore]

Bettyboop why are you saying DP has never hit one, is it because you are not a driver by any chance? Country lanes round here are national speed limit so the OP was probably not going too fast at all.

[Thesnowmansnose]

NEVER EVER swerve to avoid an animal - I know someone who died doing this.
It's horrible to kill something though. I agree with others: the lesson is to drive more slowly. If you can't stop in time, then maybe you're going too fast to be safe.

[lexiepix]

Ffs I wouldn't of run over your dd on her horse unless they jumped out from a bush at the last minute and stayed in the middle of the road!

[lavendersun]

But if you spend your entire life on the same 50 odd miles of national speed limit country lanes you know where you need to slow down.

You can't drive around at 30mph worrying about whether a pheasant might decide to make an appearance.

[lexiepix]

Oh they are breed to be stupid, that maybe explains it. I'm just glad I corrected the typo in my op or I would have looked like the stupid one! Peasants and pheasants lol

A deer? Omg that sounds horrendous - they are huge

[GerundTheBehemoth]

I'd be upset too. But a) pheasants are very dim and b) shooting estates release more than 25 million of them into the wild each year (and the species is only here at all because it was brought over to be shot - it's native to Asia), so squashing one isn't an ecological disaster.

[MaidOfStars]

Speed makes no difference to pheasants. You could approach at 10mph, check the road is clear, pull over to go around it and still it would find a way under your wheels.

[lavendersun]

Lexie - the hand that feeds it ends up shooting it, they have to be pretty stupid! Some of them are really pretty though, I counted 6 different types this winter on the road to school.

I hate pheasant, my Dad made us eat it much too often when we were at home as it was "free" tight git. I spent my childhood worrying about biting into a piece of lead shot and wouldn't eat it now if you paid me.

[SpottyTeacakes]

I looooove pheasant. my dads a gamekeeper

[lavendersun]

Spotty - my dad went on a shoot most weeks during the season - did I say that I HATE pheasant .

[Janethegirl]

I'd check your radiator in the morning. They can cause that sort of damage depending exactly which bit of the car hit it.

[ChablisTyrant]

NEVER turn your wheel or swerve for an animal. People get killed every day on the roads for doing this.

We live in hunting and shooting territory so I pass birds and animals on the road every day. I mutter to myself 'don't swerve, dont swerve' as I drive. Slightly crazy, but I value my life more than theirs!

[EveDallas]

One particularly horrible weekend we managed to kill about 7 of the bloody stupid things. Poor DD was traumatised for days.

We got the pressure washer out when we got home, but oh my God the mess. We ended up paying a car wash bloke double to clean the remainder off by hand.

[TheWildRumpyPumpus]

Who are these people who think 50 on a country road is insane?

Do you live in the countryside?

[GallicIsCharlie]

Oh, you can't help it. They are extraordinarily thick. It's why I dislike pheasant shoots - they're so damn stupid, hitting one isn't exactly a challenge.

[BreeVDKamp]

Oh that's traumatic OP! I'd be shaken up too but don't worry about it.

My driving instructor told me off many a time for going too slowly on national speed limit country lanes when I was learning... "The examiner wants to see that you know the speed limit!"

[Tobyjugg]

Would only be worried that you didn't go back, pick it up and sling it in the pot when you got home

That's poaching. Picking up a bird someone else has run down is OK. Picking up one that you hit is just the same (legally speaking) as if you shot the thing without permission.

[TinLizzie]

YANBU. I know they're all over the place and stupid, but I totally get why you were upset. It's a life, pea brained or not. I've managed to avoid all our pheasants (lived on a farm til recently) but I know when I hit a really small bird (sparrow sized) and sent it flying (no pun intended!), I felt bad for YEARS!

Still do

[GallicIsCharlie]

Manina, your story gave me an evil cackle I didn't realise the season had recently finished - nobody's given me any this year! Possibly because I refuse to prepare them myself, mind you. It's one thing handing over a weekend's roadkill or excess trophies, but I suppose I am a bit of an arse to ask that the giver does the dirty work.

[Bluetone]

Well I have never seen so much pheasant bashing. Poor daft birds.

I hit one on a dual carriageway once. I spotted it in the distance crossing the other side making it to the central reservation. It just kept walking into my path. My mum was in the car and we both screamed as I hit it. Phoned dh and told him I'd hit a peasant, he was really confused.