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Date:         Fri, 12 Oct 2001 18:28:34 -0700
Reply-To:     Jere Hawn <jbrschawn@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jere Hawn <jbrschawn@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: Deer Strike & Stories
Comments: To: Matthew Pollard <poll7356@UIDAHO.EDU>
In-Reply-To:  <Pine.GHP.4.30.0110121133200.8885-100000@falcon.csrv.uidaho.edu>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="Windows-1252"

HI all,

IMHO, after living in Wyoming for 4 years and hitting 2 in one year I have learned a lot.

1. If it is small enough to roast whole and serve at the table... don't bother with any emergency maneuvers it is only the contents of the van that will suffer (people too)

2. The same goes for larger animals when traveling above 70 mph, the physics of the whole thing puts you in greater danger than a dear bouncing off the front of the van. (If an elk or moose just start praying, bear and mountain lions are low enough to the ground so as not to pose much of a hazard)

3. If a deer runs out in front of you and you can react (think about your speed first) then if it is ok to maneuver head for the butt of the deer... deer don't back up and it will be out of the way by the time you get to the position where the deer was.

4. Remember deer always break both head lights on both sides and grills

5. when getting it repaired don't forget dealers can be idiots too... like leaving the van out in a rain storm (so heavy it killed 2 people in Ft. Collins) with out a windshield)

6. the paint job, no matter how professional is never as good as the original paint.

7. the clearance that the water from the windshield sprayers is so close to the wipers, check to make sure it sprays correctly before you sign for the work.

8. Over spray is poor workmanship and should be cleaned up

9. mirrors attached to the windshield are an extreme hazardous flying object when hit by a deer from the outside while driving at 80 mph.

10. windshield are more expensive away from home and I should have driven home the 150 mile with out one.

11. vanagon headlights aren't worth a #$% unless you have to replace one

12. the flat front of a vanagon really messes up a deer

13. when the deer count exceeds 20 road side sighting per mile at 70 mph.... You get used to it

Jere 90 GL 88 GL

-----Original Message----- From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of Matthew Pollard Sent: Friday, October 12, 2001 11:38 AM To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Re: Deer Strike & Stories

Almost hitting a small army of deers is what gave me confidence in my brakes. Here goes: I was driving into yosemite valley via HWY 120 at about 2am. I came out of one of the tunnels on the last descent into the valley and a car was coming towards me. As the car coming towards me was about 1/8 mile away a small army of deers ran out on the roads. I skidded and slide to the on-coming traffic lane. The other car did the same and we passed each other on the wrong sides of the road. No deers got hit by me. The scary part about this whole scene is that to the sides of the road are two 500' cliffs- one going up, one going down. I could have been just as good as an envelope under a half a ton a garbage on thanksgiving.

Coffee time

Matthew Pollard "Racing with the wind and flirting with death Dept. Of Chemistry So have a cup of coffee and catch your breath" University of Idaho www.uidaho.edu/~poll7356

On Fri, 12 Oct 2001, Spooner, Robert E. wrote:

> Hey all, > Had the displeasure of whacking a deer on the way to work this morning. > Almost missed her, she came from right to left and I just clipped her > hind quarter with my left front corner. Didn't kill her, though, she > was able to continue to run off through the woods...no venison tonight > for me. > > Anyway, the strike wiped out the front-left turn signal, pushing is > backwards through the body work. It kind of looks like a basketball hit > the corner of the van real hard, except for all of the hair stuck to the > van. The hit is above the bumper, doing no damage to that, and outboard > of the headlights and upper grill, doing no damage there either. the > van still drives straight, so I suspect that there is no alignment > issues. Not too bad, considering what could of happened if I was a > split second faster, and took the deer smack in the front. > > My insurance company is sending me to a body shop for an estimate. Is > there anything in particular I should point out to these fellas? Can a > corner piece be purchased for a replacement, or is this a hammer and > fill job? > > Thanks for any input. > > Bob Spooner > Environmental Engineer > Middletown Generating Station > Middletown, CT >


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