animals

GTC

With regard to hitting a child with your car, the blame will be apportioned by the courts after a file has been submitted to the DPP, if the investigating Garda/i decide you were in some way wrong. To be honest, more often than not, the child has been 100% wrong and the driver, much the worse for the experience, is not charged.

TBH, the scarring that these drivers suffer is immense.

As for hitting the dog/cat I'm not really all that sure, will post something soon.

Savman

Other half hit a badger d'other nite driving Vivaro van, twas pitch black around 2am. Engine stalled, vehicle wouldnt re-start and had to be towed, repair cost at €600 and rising.
Never knew the fat little feckers could do so much damage.:mad:

saobh_ie

Yup, badgers are built like brick siht houses. I nearly killed myself off one on the bike but I managed to get past him. Poor thing got wasted on his way home (I presume) later in the night. Badgers are so cool, best animal we have in this country. =D

Fey!

Savman wrote:

Other half hit a badger d'other nite driving Vivaro van, twas pitch black around 2am. Engine stalled, vehicle wouldnt re-start and had to be towed, repair cost at €600 and rising.
Never knew the fat little feckers could do so much damage.:mad:

Fox vs my 520 = €2,000+ (100kph)

Savman

Fey! wrote:

Fox vs my 520 = €2,000+ (100kph)

:eek:

I don't think you can really learn from the experience to stop it happening again other than to "be more alert" :rolleyes:

Fey!

Was alert; had a tailgater so couldn't brake!!!

saobh_ie

You were in a 520!!! What were you being tailgated by?!? lol

Actually... I wonder... if somebodies tailgating you and you hop on the brakes and they go into the back of you, surely the impact speed would be less than somebody not tailgating you going into the back of you?

And in a 520 you'd probaly stop yourself and them in plenty quick time.

Lemming

There was a case last year of a young lad (20-something) somewhere out in the west of Ireland iirc, who swerved to avoid a dog or a cat I think - can't recall which and gave his own life in doing so when his car collided with a tree. As tragic as it was, I have immense respect for the lad in trying to protect the life of a defenceless creature.

Personally, I'd try my utmost to save an animal's life (and would that include stopping, bringing an animal to the a vets, etc). But I'm personally of the attitude that if you wont try protect an animal from harm by your actions, why should you do any different for a child? That may sound callous and clinical, but I love animals and I am sick to f*cking death of the attitude of wanton cruelty (not just motor-related) that is displayed in this country towards them.

As for people rear-ending you, that's why you [as in 'you the tailgater'] are supposed to be driving defensively at all times, instead of tail-gating 5ft behind some someone's bumper like a w*nker at 80kph.

maidhc

Lemming wrote:

But I'm personally of the attitude that if you wont try protect an animal from harm by your actions, why should you do any different for a child?

I must go out in half an hour and feed a few calves. I will make sure they are OK, have fresh straw, and so on and so forth. Hopefully they will spend the next 24-30 mths living as happy a life on the farm as livestock can. Then however they will be killed and eaten by humans. Such is life.

While, of course it is wrong to inflict pain or suffering on any creature, the life of a person is far more valuable. I certainly would never put my life, or the life of any person in the slightest bit of risk to save the life of an animal.

Stark

While I would do my best to brake for an animal and bring it to the vet or whatever if it was hurt, I would not endanger my own life to avoid hitting it. I love dogs, they're cute and loveable but they are also bloody stupid creatures. I have this one dog whom I often encounter on the way home from work and always thinks he can play chicken with the cars that come towards him. I'm not going to wrap myself around a tree just so he can play his games with the next car.