Oh Deer and more...

[Unka Bart <mendicant@buddhist.com>]

Hi Avrum, fellow qheads,

> .... 1)  Do NOT swerve to avoid deer.

> Bart-  Would one infer from this quote that the advice continued along the
> lines that one should aim at where the deer is so that by the time one gets
> there the deer is somewhere else, as we are trained to do wrt spinning
> vehicles in front of us?  And that, therefore, the old saw about "the deer
> frozen in the headlights" is to be taken with a grain of salt on the venison.

I'd leave the salt-shaker on the table, Avrum, amigo.  But I assumed that
all would understand the advisability of *Braking* HARD as soon as the deer
is spotted.  As to the advice for the spinning vehicle, that's not bad, but
I'd modify that somewhat.  Given the unpredictable nature of deer, I brake
*hard*, straight ahead.  Works for me.

In fact, in deer territory, I always drive as if I *expect* to see a deer
dart in front of the car.  I often do, too, since I live in forest country
very heavily populated with both deer (and other wildlife) and lots of
tasty little two-lane, twisty, lightly traveled roads (many of which
started life as colonial coach-roads).

I got a squirrel about 10 years ago as a result of being insufficiently
attentive.  Made me feel terrible (still do, when I think about it).  Did I
mention that we have a huge tree-rat population also?  We also have a fair
population of box-tortises.  They don't exactly *dash* out in front of you,
but if you don't stay alert, you can crush one of these little creatures
easily, and I don't know about you, but that would flat *ruin* my day for a
long time to come! (I go so far as to stop and pick 'em off the road and
put the well into the forest on the side of the road they were headed for,
whenever I see one.)

You have to closely watch the edges of the road (scan *both* edges and the
entire width of the road) for the little varmints at *all* times.

The key to avoiding furry critters (and those not so furry) is to be
*alert*. and not overdrive your ability to *see* them and stop in time.
That, and not the twistiness of the road or my car's road-holding ability,
is what determines my own ultimate speed limit on these delicious roads.

Illustration:  There's a very tight little chichane on one of my favorites,
not far from the house, situated in a pronounced dip in the road that
begins and ends at the entrances of the chichane from either end.  You
can't see if the chichane is free of traffic until you reach the entrance
(from either end), but when you hit the entrance and see it clear, you can
clip both apexes nicely and safely.  I hit it at 60 in the 911, but limit
it to 50 in the V8Q.  The difference is not in ultimate cornering ability
(for both could probably go faster), but in *BRAKES*

Not long ago, the Faire Dora and I were returning from lunch out in the
911.  Seeing the chichane clear, I blasted into it.  Uh oh...

There's a drive way at the exit.  A service van of some sort backed out
into my path without looking.  Expecting the unexpected, I merely
*stopped!*  No fuss, no muss. (Gotta *love* them 911 binders, eh Eliot...?)

Well, not on my part.  I do believe that the other driver had a sudden need
to change his laundry...and I suspect that he will be a bit more attentive
to the need to *look*, before backing out into the road, but I digress...

If anyone thinks this level of attention is too demanding, then I suggest
that that person never even *consider* throwing a leg across a motorcycle...

Yer kindly ol' Unka Bart