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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:
colley · 07/09/2015 12:35

Kimbomc - You didn't say a fox jumped onto the road, you said it was standing there. That could have been an adult. If you can't stop in time when someone is standing in the middle of the road, then yes you are going too fast.
Rural roads commonly have speed limits of 60, the national speed limit. In practice you have to judge what the safe speed to drive is. I have driven on very windy roads where although the speed limit is 60, it would have been very dangerous to drive at that speed.

TenForward82 · 07/09/2015 12:35

I personally delight in slowing down when I'm being tailgated, as I know it's pissing off the twat behind me even more.

CaptainKit · 07/09/2015 12:39

I personally delight in slowing down when I'm being tailgated, as I know it's pissing off the twat behind me even more.

This. Whenever safely possible to do so, I do this!

Original poster
Kimbomc · 07/09/2015 12:42

Yes it came out of the bushes and stood there rather than carrying on across.

Anyway this might out me but it was here. A36

goo.gl/maps/P1Kk6

Very safe to do 50.

OP posts:
Original poster
Kimbomc · 07/09/2015 12:43

Well I don't do anything to try and piss people off when I'm driving as I'm an adult. I just drive safely.

OP posts:
SlaggyIsland · 07/09/2015 12:45

Kimbomc why didn't you stop afterwards to make sure it was dead and if not, put it out of it's misery? Do you not feel horrendously guilty that you potentially left an animal in extreme pain and distress?

SteveBrucesNose · 07/09/2015 12:46

Having been in an accident last night that caused major damage to 3 cars due to someone slamming on for no reason (burst irrigation pipe meant about 5mm of water on a motorway so the idiot slammed on and stopped), whilst I'd feel rather shitty about having done it, I'm totally with you. I was the car travelling behind so technically it's gone down as my fault. I wasn't tailgating, I just reacted slightly slower than the prick in front.

CaptainKit · 07/09/2015 12:47

It's actually the safest course of action, to slow down if you think the person behind you is too close - they will then either also slow down or will find a way of getting past you.

If it also puts a grin on your face because you've not bowed to the will of a selfish road user then that's not exactly a crime.

To continue driving when you are sure the person behind you is posing a risk in any instance of emergency braking is more unsafe than taking careful action to improve the situation.

TenForward82 · 07/09/2015 12:51

I just drive safely.

Oh, the irony.

The road you posted - definitely would have been driving slower on there at night while being tailgated.

And no, it won't out you, Christ. How many people live / drive / travel around that area? Hmm

colley · 07/09/2015 12:51

Safe to do 50 on A36 I agree. But I have driven on a motorway where traffic had to stop totally because of a low flying goose. Nobody swerved or crashed. You still need to be able to stop.
It sounds like you assumed the fox would carry on walking, so didn't have time to stop when it didn't? In which case it is your driving to blame.

Original poster
Kimbomc · 07/09/2015 12:53

Because there was no where to stop and wondering around on a road where the speed limit is 60 at night and narrow isn't particularly safe.

Especially not if I'm carrying a crowbar to finish it off. I might get arrested.

Sorry to hear that nose hope your all ok. I agree that if someone does an emergency stop in front it is very possible to still hit them if your reactions aren't as quick, even if your not tailgating.

OP posts:
MaidOfStars · 07/09/2015 12:53

Was there traffic coming in the opposite direction?

ReallyTired · 07/09/2015 12:57

I feel you need to kill your speed. What would you have done if it was a cyclist or a pedistrian or a young child on the road? It is not a national requirement to drive at the speed limit. Given that fox hunting is illegal, road deaths are the only thing that control fox population.

Since none of us were in the car we cannot judge whether you should feel guilty for killing the fox.

Toughasoldboots · 07/09/2015 13:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

colley · 07/09/2015 13:02

If you follow the streetview linked to, very soon there is a tractor. Tractors often go very slow and you need to slow down for them without crashing. If you can do this, you can stop for a fox, or at least blast your horn.

sanfairyanne · 07/09/2015 13:29

The entire point of a safe braking distance is that it is whatever distance needed in the conditions of that moment (including your reaction time) to avoid hitting the car in front if it stopped suddenlt!

sanfairyanne · 07/09/2015 13:33

Sorry i should say 'safe stopping distance' as it is made up of
Thinking distance
Plus
Braking distance

(Bangs head on wall)

munkisocks · 07/09/2015 14:10

Sorry but Grin at peasants! My driving instructor told me I would fail my test if I braked for an animal. I told her she'd have to fail me then coz I'm not running any over. I'd hate if someone run over one of my cats.

SmugairleRoin · 07/09/2015 14:12

MeeWhoo, my hand is still above the wheel and I can do it very quickly - as previously pointed out op needs to be able to change gears, so presumably she must take her hand off occasionally.

And if she really can't take her hand off for a few seconds I'd be questioning why she was going so fast.

Sparrowlegs248 · 07/09/2015 14:39

That your aware of? Lots of erratic drivers around here are fully unaware of how their driving affects others.

No, i meant what i said. I have never been involved in or caused an accident as a result of not killing wildlife.

Drive according to conditions, road type etc. My road is rural, single track. Nsl doesn't mean aim for 60mph.

I am shocked that anyone claiming to be vegan would kill an animal without a second thought.

Obviously if an animal ran out in front of me and the house was a head on with another vehicle or not swerve, then i wouldn't swerve. But i try to avoid having to make that choice but appropriate driving.

TenForward82 · 07/09/2015 14:48

Plus she essentially came on here to AIBU because her friend was giving her a hard time and she wanted people to say her friend was out of order. Yeah, real animal lover.

HolgerDanske · 07/09/2015 14:52

Ahahahah at pheasants... Grin sorry, no YANBU, but god that was just a brilliant typo!!

sykadelic · 07/09/2015 16:40

Yes, YABU to hit an animal "without a second thought". I drove over a snake about 6 months ago and I'm still thinking about it because I feel awful about it.

It seems from your postings that you're a bit of an inexperienced and nervous driver and you might benefit from a defensive driving course.

Removing your foot from the accelerator does not put the brake lights on (there is one car that does that I'm aware of). So, with this car "too close for me to brake" you decelerated without ANY warning. That is unsafe driving. You should, at a minimum, tap the brakes to let the driver behind you know you're decelerating so that they're aware of it and able to act appropriately.

Beeping. If you find it unsafe to move your hand an inch to the side to press the horn, you were driving too fast for conditions. If the conditions are how you later defensively described them when others commented on your speed, then pressing the horn for a second wouldn't be unsafe.

You're right that swerving at high speed isn't safe but sometimes it's necessary. It could have been anything in the road, and if it had been a bigger animal (cow, horse etc) or hard debris (wood poles etc) you would have HAD to swerve. Again, I think you'd benefit from a defensive drivers course.

But the end result seems to be your friend doesn't think you care about the fox, and from your posts it's obvious that you don't. So I think she's reacting to your callous reaction and if she thought you actually gave a toss, but didn't have a choice, she'd be less bothered by it (while obviously still upset).

claraschu · 07/09/2015 17:02

Well said sykadelic

Topseyt · 07/09/2015 17:06

I find your thread title offensive and disturbing. It almost sounds as though you are happy to run animals over. I assume you aren't, but the title is goady and "don't care".

Of course, if an animal pops out at point blank range and the alternative to hitting it is ending up in a head on smash with oncoming traffic, wrapping your car around a tree, being rear-ended at speed or ending up in the ditch then you may not be able to avoid running it over. If, however, you could see it from some distance away and did not or could not react then you are at fault in my opinion as you either didn't bother reacting at all or you were going too fast.

My parents live on the edge of a large forested area which is home to lots of deer. They are big animals and the stags often have long antlers. The speed limit on roads throughout the forested area has been revised downwards from 60mph to 40 for that reason. Deer can do a lot of damage in a road accident, and not just to themselves. The impact does vast damage to cars and to their occupants. Some years ago a man was killed when the car he was driving collided with a stag. The stag was tossed upwards, landed on the windscreen and its antlers impaled the man to the driving seat, killing him instantly.

Slow down when you are driving in an area where there is a significant risk of wildlife or other large animals on the road. Hit cows or sheep and you could easily write your car and yourself off too.