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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To run over an animal without a second thought and not swerve

199 replies

Kimbomc · 07/09/2015 08:49

I drove a friend back on Saturday , through a rural area nsl A road but quite narrow. A fiox came out in front, I took my foot off the accelerator but didn't brake as a car was too close behind me. Surprise surprise it didn't move and I heard a thump so we know what happened to it.

Friend seemed quite shocked that I didn't swerve or brake sharply, I said its just not worth it as could be very dangerous.

When these things happen my first thought is to hope it moves out of the way but to just remain as I am and don't do anything harshly. I do run over a lot of peasants that I don't feel great about but they do just wonder into the road.

So we were just chatting on what's app, she was saying she feels sad about the fox (we're both vegan) and I'm trying to explain how dangerous it would have been to do any different but she really doesnt get it.

I was right to do that right?

OP posts:
flanjabelle · 07/09/2015 08:51

I'm hoping you meant pheasants.

Original poster
Kimbomc · 07/09/2015 08:52

BlushBlush yes

OP posts:
PaulAnkaTheDog · 07/09/2015 08:53

Totally right. I'm sure if you were going slower and there were other cars around you would probably stop? In your circumstances though it would have been downright dangerous to do anything other than what you did.

AnyFucker · 07/09/2015 08:53

Arf @ peasants

I would do the same though. What is the alternative ? Veer off the verge, drive into oncoming traffic, cause a pile up behind me.?

Nah, the fox gets it.

PaulAnkaTheDog · 07/09/2015 08:53

Grin at peasants.

MakeItACider · 07/09/2015 08:54

I hope you meant pheasants too!!!

But yes, you were right to do that. Swerving to miss an animal is quite dangerous.

But, I caveat that with advising to seriously try to swerve around a BIG animal - you really don't want a deer through your windscreen, or to go straight into a cow.

flanjabelle · 07/09/2015 08:54

In response to you actual op, yanbu, that was the safe thing to do, but I personally can't help trying to stop. Instinctively I hit the brakes or swerve, but actually I would rather I didn't.

Thelushinthepub · 07/09/2015 08:54

Can't believe I just googled fiox. Even google knew you meant fox

Yanbu in terms of it being dangerous to stop or swerve but I would feel quite traumatised at killing an animal

WidowWadman · 07/09/2015 08:55

Yep, you did the right thing. I once hit a pheasant at 50mph and he lived to tell the tale - when I arrived at my destination a rather startled but otherwise OK pheasant sat in the front grill of my car - it was quite tricky to free him, but he then hopped off into freedom.

Kraggle · 07/09/2015 08:57

In that situation with a car right behind you no, perfectly reasonable. However I hope you do actively avoid running anything over when it is actually safe to do so?

Birdsgottafly · 07/09/2015 08:57

I'm Vegan and of the opinion that we are encroaching on the territory of Foxes, so should respect them.

However, I agree with you. It's dangerous to swerve, or break.

You could link to injuries that have been caused to pedestrians and other road users, because someone has swerved to avoid an animal. I know of at least one toddler that was killed, in the last couple of years.

The death of the Fox in your case, is just part of the circle of life.

She's focusing on the witnessed outcome, the Fox dying and not the possible outcome, a multiple car pile up, with human casualties, as well as the Fox.

MythicalKings · 07/09/2015 08:57

YANBU, it's the only safe thing to do.

nipersvest · 07/09/2015 08:57

lol at peasants! there have been occasions when i have swerved to avoid roadkill, and occasions when i have not if its been too dangerous to do so. an infamous one was when i hit a duck, dd was in the car and was distraught, but there was nowhere for me to go other than into oncoming traffic to avoid the poor bird. haunts me to the day though Sad

SmugairleRoin · 07/09/2015 08:57

Why not beep the horn at it?

coveredinsnot · 07/09/2015 08:59

Totally the right thing to do and driving instructors will teach you as much when you're learning to drive. Stupid fox! Must have been ill or had something wrong with it not to have moved out of the way of a.massive great big glary metal thing.

Birdsgottafly · 07/09/2015 09:00

I'm amazed that enough Pheasants survive to keep the species, going.

You have to make a massive effort not to run them over, they are the stupidest creatures alive and won't be shoo'd out of the road.

coveredinsnot · 07/09/2015 09:01

However I would also have stopped to see if it was dead or just injured.

NoahVale · 07/09/2015 09:05

I slowed down to avoid a rabbit, but he must have judged his crossing, and I ran over him,
I also ran over a pigeon, and the woman in the car behind me stopped her car and got out Blush to check.
I got my comeuppance when I then had problem with the car due to feathers on the underside.

Fantasyland · 07/09/2015 09:07

Surely it's human instinct to swerve to avoid anything in the road?

Im sure people will say it's dangerous to swerve or to slow down but isn't it built in your reactions to just automatically do it?

To not give it a second thought is weird and shows you don't have empathy towards animals even though it was an accident.

I would have also pulled over when safe to do so after hitting the fox and checked to see if I could help it rather than let it die in pain.

Seriously you are a vegan and you didn't give that fox a second thought ?

wanderingwondering · 07/09/2015 09:08

My friend failed her driving test for stopping for a pigeon. 15 years later it still makes me smile!

coveredinsnot · 07/09/2015 09:12

Yes the bit I'm surprised about is the combination of veganism and not stopping to see if the fox was actually dead or not. Why didn't you stop to check when safe ?

Original poster
Kimbomc · 07/09/2015 09:12

Beebing would have been dangerous, need to take a hand off the wheel for that.

My instinct was saying "oh my god, don't swerve" obviously I'm not happy about killing the fox. The second thought was about not swerving not the life of the fox.

In a rural area this just happens a lot.

Maybe I should of stopped - no where do stop on that road and I was doing close to 50 so by the time I'd found somewhere to stop and ran back there it would either be lifeless on the road or hobbled off somewhere where I couldn't find it.

OP posts:
coveredinsnot · 07/09/2015 09:13

Maybe I'm making too many assumptions about vegans Grin

Original poster
Kimbomc · 07/09/2015 09:13

I'm amazed that enough Pheasants survive to keep the species, going.

They don't, each year they breed and release millions more :(

OP posts:
Original poster
Kimbomc · 07/09/2015 09:15

Thanks birds for your post, happy to hear from another vegan with a rational mind.

OP posts:
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