While driving my kids to school a car in front of me ran over a duck. It sucked seeing a group of ducks on the side of the road watch one of their own get creamed. The part that angers me is the driver didn't ever hit their brakes and just kept rolling. Now I'm not a PETA idiot but I care about animals. It was a two lane blacktop and the driver in the other lane had stopped. I stopped hit my flashers and once I saw the car behind me and the one behind it had stopped I got out. I was hoping to help the duck get off the road but the little guy was mangled badly and died in front of me. What a shitty way to start the day.

Good on you for stopping to help; I can imagine that little guy could sense your empathy at his last moment.

Damn, that sucks!

quote:

Originally posted by stickman428:
The part that angers me is the driver didn't ever hit their brakes and just kept rolling.

Accidents happen, but that would piss me off. That's the kind of thing that, if I had a dash cam, would compel me to join FB and Twitter just to spread the video as far and wide as possible, hopefully shaming the driver into a life of hermit-like solitude.



Good on you for trying to help.

-Rob

Ummm... Color me callus. What can reasonably be expected to be done for an animal struck by a car? If I hit a person, then I am stopping, rendering aid, calling 911, etc. I would probably even stop for a dog, because dogs are honorary members of the human family.

But a duck, snake, squirrel, or possum well honestly, I'll just keep driving. I would try to avoid hitting it of course, though not at the risk of causing a crash. Once hit, it's the responsibility of the buzzards and VDOT road crew.

He was moving quite a bit and struggling to get off the road right after being hit. It was hard to watch. That is why I stopped. Sure I should have expected the end result but I guess at the time I was trying to be optimistic.

I'd stop to make sure that it dies promptly. Did that about 15 years ago.. hit a buzzard on I-10 and I stopped. He was still alive so I took a big rock and smashed his head .

I despise folks who hit animals while driving and do nothing. Driving comes with being responsible. At least it used to. If you make a mess, clean it up.

quote:

Originally posted by coloradohunter44:
I despise folks who hit animals while driving and do nothing. Driving comes with being responsible. At least it used to. If you make a mess, clean it up.

There is no way that I am risking my life cleaning squirrel meat or other road kill off of a busy street. Driving (and life) requires a little common sense.

I've been watching a family of fox every evening around 6:30 to 7:30, which den behind a house in town. I got pics of the male papa from 150 feet away. I watch the 3 pups acting like pups, jumping over top one another. Just 10 minutes ago I find a dead pup laying in the 40 MPH zone. Could have been hit last night. The home owner said the adult pair have been there for 8 years. Poor lil thing. It happens stickman. A friend just a block down said the snapping turtles have picked off every last of 9 baby ducks. I tend to think these fox may have taken some of them.

quote:

Originally posted by Fenris:

quote:

Originally posted by coloradohunter44:
I despise folks who hit animals while driving and do nothing. Driving comes with being responsible. At least it used to. If you make a mess, clean it up.

There is no way that I am risking my life cleaning squirrel meat or other road kill off of a busy street. Driving (and life) requires a little common sense.

Indeed.

I mean wow. Come on, folks. Get a grip. We may have a deal with the pigeons (unless you're George Constanza), but as far as I know we don't have any such deal with ducks. Or squirrels for that matter.




Link to original video: https://youtu.be/Zs0X5J7NA70

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:
A friend just a block down said the snapping turtles have picked off every last of 9 baby ducks.

David you and your neighbors are better naturalist probably better people than me too, because in my world cute always beats ugly/nasty/advantaged.
I would rimfire, pellet, fish the hell out of those turtles the first time I saw one take down a duckling.
I am just not that good/wise of a person to let nature take it course. For sure snapping turtles make my skin crawl. Yeeeeshhh!!
Mother nature is a cruel thing I get it.

Very sorry to hear about the fox pups too.

HK Ag

Not quite your situation, but there were several accidents caused last Spring by drivers slowing down or stopping for ducks on the interstate or busy surface streets. MSP went on TV and asked drivers to not do that.

Watched a neckbeard in a monster truck drive off the road to run over a bear cub
People are shit

quote:

Originally posted by HK Ag:

quote:

Originally posted by David Lee:
A friend just a block down said the snapping turtles have picked off every last of 9 baby ducks.

David you and your neighbors are better naturalist probably better people than me too, because in my world cute always beats ugly/nasty/advantaged.
I would rimfire, pellet, fish the hell out of those turtles the first time I saw one take down a duckling.
I am just not that good/wise of a person to let nature take it course. For sure snapping turtles make my skin crawl. Yeeeeshhh!!
Mother nature is a cruel thing I get it.

Very sorry to hear about the fox pups too.

HK Ag

I am told this morning that bass will take ducklings also.

Just be careful.

Would hate to cause a human tragedy to save a couple animals.

Humans > animals.

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/f...or-alleges-1.1850997

-----------------------------------------

Probably texting and never saw the duck coming. Way too much of that lately.

I got a smile about a year ago watching from a front row seat as all four lanes of a local main drag stop for a mama duck and and her five ducklings to cross the road. I wasn't that surprised when the guy next to me stopped for them, but when both lanes on the other side stopped while they were still in the slow lane on my side, I had to grin.

I was always taught you don't brake or swerve for small animals and birds in the road as it puts PEOPLE at risk around you.

If I can safely brake or come to a stop I will but I certainly won't slam on the brakes or swerve for any animal or bird.

I'm all about animals but people come first in my book.

What I want to know is why can't Canada keep their national bird at home?

Damn things won't go back home any more.

Have you been there? It's cold and depressing...I understand why they are reluctant to go home.