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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:
Toughasoldboots · 07/09/2015 09:56

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SmugairleRoin · 07/09/2015 10:03

Doing 50 at night on an unsafe rural road? That's dangerous anyway.

Am curious as to what your steering wheel looks like if you had to take a hand off to beep - my horn is in the middle of the wheel!

I would have pulled in where safe and gone back to check it was dead, rather than suffering bad injuries.

TenForward82 · 07/09/2015 10:04

I fully agree that hitting an animal can happen (I've had a pigeon divebomb my windshield on a motorway). However the OP has made it VERY clear that were circumstances involved (rural roads, speed, a tailgater) that mean she could have taken some action to make the situation safer, or been more aware.

I've also swerved instinctively before and survived.

Just my two cents. The OP did ask AIBU, after all.

NoahVale · 07/09/2015 10:04

For me it isnt speed, I dont drive fast, particularly along lanes.

BathshebaDarkstone · 07/09/2015 10:06

Grinat peasants!

BathshebaDarkstone · 07/09/2015 10:14

When I lived in Kent and had to get a bus to work, there was a rabbit with obvious myxomatosis (sp?) in the middle of the road, cars and trucks were swerving round it. Our female (I think this is relevant) driver ran it over to put it out of its misery. Most of the passengers were horrified, but I agreed with her. The reason that I think that her gender is relevant is that I don't think many women would be able to do it, even if it was the kindest thing to do. I couldn't even step on a dying cockroach on our doorstep, the poor thing took a week to die. Sad

SlaggyIsland · 07/09/2015 10:18

I appreciate that at times it might be unavoidable to hit something, for instance if it darts out at the last second. What you've described doesn't sound like that was the case here.
I don't get this attitude that you must plow ahead at 50mph at any cost - and seriously, if you feel it's unsafe to take one of your hands off the steering wheel to sound the horn then perhaps you should consider slowing down anyway. How on earth do you change gears going into and out of corners if you're scared to take a hand off the wheel?
If you are being tail-gated, you slow down to effectively give yourself your own and their stopping distance in front of you.
If they are close enough that they will go into the back of you if you brake suddenly, you are being tail-gated and should slow down.
If you weren't doing 50mph, it would have been possible, had no-one been coming in the opposite direction, to safely decrease speed and steer around the fox.
On rural roads, as others have pointed out, there could be anything around the next corner. Dog walkers, riders, cyclists - if you've not left yourself any leeway to avoid a fox then you've certainly not left yourself any leeway to avoid a person.
And not stopping was disgraceful. You could have left the animal in agony.

MeeWhoo · 07/09/2015 10:20

"Am curious as to what your steering wheel looks like if you had to take a hand off to beep - my horn is in the middle of the wheel!"

And I am curious as to the size of your hands and steering wheel if you can beep and keep your hand on the wheel on a steering position.

If I have to press the centre on the steering wheel to beep, then I am obviously steering with one hand only for a couple of seconds.

BlackeyedSusan · 07/09/2015 10:22

I've hit a pheasant. It was pecking about on the verge, well back from the busy road there was a convoy of cars going at close to fifty. PHeasant went from ignoring cars to deciding to run, and actually sped up as it ran out into the road. A thunk and a shower of feathers. Nothing that could have been done without a multiple car pile up.

MidniteScribbler · 07/09/2015 10:22

So if you stop, and find the fox you've hit isn't dead, but is suffering, what do you do then? You won't be able to get it into your car, it'll bite you. Would you kill it? How?

Crowbar, head.

Try having a roo come through your windscreen at 120kms per hour. Stupid creature. And me in the middle of absolutely no where trying to keep the joey alive. I discovered some new swear words that day.

Klaptrap · 07/09/2015 10:22

YANBU not to slow down / swerve if you genuinely believe it was unsafe to do so.

YABU not to even beep the horn at the fox to try and scare it away.

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

That statement is ridiculous, sorry!

MeeWhoo · 07/09/2015 10:24

And after seeing Slaggy's post I will add, I would consider it fine to steer with one hand in normal conditions as you describe, but not when I may or may not be about to hit something or go on a ditch, same way I wouldn't choose to change gears when I am about to go into an unavoidable pot hole, etc.

(I will add that I am a newish driver, so maybe more experienced drivers are fine doing this).

RubyReins · 07/09/2015 10:26

wanderingwondering I failed my driving test for stopping for a pigeon - it was 19 years ago so I don't think you are referring to me! ;) Squashed a squirrel yesterday... A grey one in red squirrel territory so I feel ok about it.

MaidOfStars · 07/09/2015 10:28

I don't carry a crowbar in my boot. Would a wheel jack do?

Actually, if I had to, I'd rather run over the animal again than bash its head in with a heavy implement.

Anyway, I agree with *Slaggy^ 100%. I'm also slightly aware that, IMO, the story isn't quite gelling; it reads more like a retrospective justification for perhaps freezing up.

Toughasoldboots · 07/09/2015 10:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Celerysoup3 · 07/09/2015 10:29

I live rurally.

Swerving and harsh breaking would be out of the question. Driving slightly slower would be better

TenForward82 · 07/09/2015 10:29

Slaggy is spot on.

OP is taking zero responsibility for her part in this but she's a vegan so it's ok

specialsubject · 07/09/2015 10:34

here's the choice - you or the animal. You may have dependents (Ok, perhaps the fox does too). You may end up injured, costing yourself or those dependents a lot of money, trouble and pain.

sorry, but people are more important than foxes.

BTW if you have a tailgater, slow down until you find a place to let them pass. Then let them head off and hopefully drive into a tree.

Celerysoup3 · 07/09/2015 10:34

I agree that if you are being tail gated, you slow down

TheFairyCaravan · 07/09/2015 10:36

I live rurally. I've killed one pheasant because it ran out of the hedge into the side of my car.

DS2(18) was driving me to the doctors last week when a twatty driver came hurtling down the narrow, rural road in the opposite direction. He commented that the twat wasn't driving for the conditions and wasn't prepared for anything like a tractor or animal to be on the road around the corner!

It's a speed limit not a target!

ScarletRuby · 07/09/2015 10:38

In theory if there was absolutely no way for you to avoid it then obviously it couldn't be helped. But this would upset me unbelievably. If you made absolutely no attempt to miss it I would be re-evaluating my friendship with you, however I fully accept that most people would find this unreasonable.

colley · 07/09/2015 10:53

If you can't stop safely on a rural road, you are going too fast, or the car behind you is too close.

SirVixofVixHall · 07/09/2015 10:58

I'm with TenForward82 on this. I don't drive, partly because I worry about just this situation, DH drives and he goes slowly on roads known for animals, and would rather pull over and let the idiot pass than be tailgated. He takes extreme care at dusk and night. So far we've not hit anything. We live in a rural area, with some roads that people drive stupidly fast on. I hate being in a car with any other driver, other than my brother (who damaged his car swerving to avoid a fox, much to the amusement of the blokes in the pub he went in to wait for the AA).
I am really shocked that you didn't go back and check the state of the fox. There is no guarantee it was dead, and to injure an animal and not check whether it needs vet attention is callous.

SirVixofVixHall · 07/09/2015 11:00

I also agree with SlaggyIslands post. i hadn't read it when I posted.

Dawndonnaagain · 07/09/2015 11:07

If you can't stop safely on a rural road, you are going too fast, or the car behind you is too close.
Nonsense. There are roads here where you can just do 20, despite being labelled as NSL, there are times when it would be unsafe to stop on these roads.
OP I live rurally, you did the right thing, and I suspect that most of us who do live rurally are in agreement with you.