Dog Suicide

[Polar]

Going to work today, on cruise control at 55 mph, a medium sized mutt (maybe 40 pounds) ran flat out of the grasses onto highway. And, BOOOM, I nailed the beast HARD under my passenger side wheels. My first reaction, after a yelp and the collision, was to look in the rear view; and there was mans best friend, V shaped, spinning like a boomerang across the road. What I thought was my tire tread was flying in the air as I drove undulating having been shunted onto the shoulder. At that time, I thought my whole front axle and front wheel were destroyed. But, after some steering correction and teeth gritting I came to a stop; and alas very little damage. I lost the right front wheel well cover and the right front plastic air damn. Also, there was dent on the front bumper, that I popped out and that is now a small 2" dent, and a 3" crack to that same bumper filled with dog bristle. So far as I can tell there is no mechanical damage, no vibration, noises, or pulling. Although, after that impact I suspect something may wear or fail prematurely. Now, I know it's true, Toyota's are tough; go Yaris!

Sorry, no pics because there's not much to look at. Would have been a cool video. Any advice about replacement parts or avoiding road kills would be appreciated.

[kargoboy]

Glad you're ok, a lot of bad could have happened if you'd reacted in a more panicked manner, but dude...a cool video?

[PETERPOOP]

Originally Posted by Polar

Would have been a cool video. .

sick freak! lol

[1NZYaris1]

Originally Posted by PETERPOOP

sick freak! lol

your just jealous he beat you too it

[eric81]

I hit a raccoon in Kentucky about a month ago while attending a wedding, and I was doing over 80 mph. Man was it loud, and did it tear up my car BAD. The entire middle of the bumper was dented in (yes, it actually got the dead center of my car) and there was blood underneath the body of my car. I never found the raccoon or the parts it broke off my car (those little plastic things that hold the bumper to the frame, right under the lip of the hood), but there was plenty of evidence I hit something. Can't imagine a 40 to 55 lb dog... that must have sucked. Glad you are ok though.

[manlyyaris]

I was going about 25mph one day driving home late. Just barely nicked a bear. I hit his rear end with the right side corner of my yaris. All it did was pop the plastic fender well out of place. Zip-tied it back together and good as new! The Yaris is a BEAST! lol

[Loren]

My first car accident when I was 16 was rolling my mothers car as a result of trying to hit a dog. Lesson learned: Hit the dog!

I've got one better than your suicidal dog, though. I was driving past a busy shopping mall when I saw this kamikaze cat come flying across 3 lanes of the oncoming traffic and ran into my driver's door! Poor thing snapped it's neck and was back there flopping in the street. :(

[GeneW]

Thought that a Yaris would not take medium sized animals. This proves my supposition.

My pet dog got smacked by a car when I was a kid. He had a depressed skull fracture, unevenly dilated pupils, was bleeding out of his ears and leaking cerebral spinal fluid too. When we came on him he was breathing agonally. He died shortly thereafter.

I go to great trouble not to run over any animal. The Yaris won't take it, and little kids who get their dogs smashed don't take it well either.

Gene

[ZING]

Originally Posted by GeneW

My pet dog got smacked by a car when I was a kid. He had a depressed skull fracture, unevenly dilated pupils, was bleeding out of his ears and leaking cerebral spinal fluid too. When we came on him he was breathing agonally. He died shortly thereafter.

Gene

That image must have haunted you for a while.


We hit a deer while driving in Norway once, destroyed most of the cars front. Deer died. Another time hit a Deers behind, he survived, but he broke both his hind legs, poor bastard was crawling the whole time..called some guy, brought the rifle, one shot to the head, dead. And another time we almost hit a damn moose driving around 80km/hr, safe to say that if we hit it I wouldn't be here to tell the story. That's about it.

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by ZING

That image must have haunted you for a while.

I've seen worse since then but at the time it upset me a lot.

Originally Posted by ZING

We hit a deer while driving in Norway once, destroyed most of the cars front. Deer died. Another time hit a Deers behind, he survived, but he broke both his hind legs, poor bastard was crawling the whole time..called some guy, brought the rifle, one shot to the head, dead. And another time we almost hit a damn moose driving around 80km/hr, safe to say that if we hit it I wouldn't be here to tell the story. That's about it.

Where I work is located next to a research complex, whose Corporate owner is run by the spouse of an "Animal Rights" activist. As a consequence the deer there are as thick as flies. I've seen herds of up to six or seven standing placidly along the roads, watching cars.

Last fall the deer hunters came out with bows and arrows in force so perhaps that's not as much of a problem as it used to be.

Gene

[GeneW]

One time I ran over a deer carcass in my Honda CRX. The CRX has a lower ground clearance than the Yaris.

It was disgusting..... ground meat, fur and other trash congealed on the bottom of the car, around suspension parts and cooked into the exhaust system. Damn thing smelled like carrion for days afterwards.

I hate deer.

Gene

[GeneW]

Originally Posted by Polar

My first reaction, after a yelp and the collision, was to look in the rear view; and there was mans best friend, V shaped, spinning like a boomerang across the road.

I used to live along a four lane highway. We would have pets get smashed from time to time.

What astonishes me is how people will go out of their way to run over animals. One time we saw a cat crossing the road, minding its own business. Some guy crossed into the other lane just to hit it.

We heard a soft "crack" as the car passed over it. Shortly thereafter the cat crawled onto the median strip, where it shortly thereafter died. Took the local road crews a few days to dispose of the carcass.

Gene

[R2D2]

Originally Posted by GeneW

What astonishes me is how people will go out of their way to run over animals. One time we saw a cat crossing the road, minding its own business. Some guy crossed into the other lane just to hit it.

This type of behavior makes a loud statement about the moral and psychological status of individuals. Anyone who would go out of there way to kill an innocent animal for no reason is void of empathy to the point they are not fit to walk among us. Imagine how they may choose to treat another human being who has actually wronged them in some way!

R2

[IsLNdbOi]

Lots of sick bastards out there. Why would you go out of your way to run over an innocent animal?

[tomato]

Originally Posted by IsLNdbOi

Lots of sick bastards out there. Why would you go out of your way to run over an innocent animal?

+1

[Yaris Hilton]

A squirrel did itself in under my left rear tire Sunday. Its playmate ran across in front of me, safely. This one had plenty of time to stop and stay on the side, and I thought it was doing that. But it tried to run under the car, and the wheel ran over the back part of the body. I saw it dragging itself away by its front legs. Felt awful about that, but couldn't do a thing about it.

[baked_limabeans]

Originally Posted by Yaris Hilton

A squirrel did itself in under my left rear tire Sunday. Its playmate ran across in front of me, safely. This one had plenty of time to stop and stay on the side, and I thought it was doing that. But it tried to run under the car, and the wheel ran over the back part of the body. I saw it dragging itself away by its front legs. Felt awful about that, but couldn't do a thing about it.

same happened to me. leaving my house to go to work driving about 25 mph. saw a squirrel stop at the side of the road and just right before i pass by it shoots across... or at least tries to. take a look in the rearview and see 2 squirrel tails flapping in the air. apparently it's mate followed it's lead.

[twowheels]

Five squirrels jumped in front of my bicycle today... those things scare me!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bike/76039319/

http://www.bustedcarbon.com/2008/10/road-kill-2.html