Date:         Thu, 2 Oct 1997 10:22:44 -0700
Reply-To:     "sh@interlog.com" <sh@INTERLOG.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From:         "sh@interlog.com" <sh@INTERLOG.COM>
Subject:      VW vs. Deer
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Drove the 82 Westfalia up to Algonquin Park last weekend, and just before
the west entrance, saw a beautiful, large deer doing graceful leaps across
the highway.  I was still about 3-4 seconds away (doing about 80 km./hr)
when she cleared the road.  Suddenly, I saw for only a split second,
another deer leap out right in front of the bus  --  crunch!  Stopped
immediately to see the front lower panel and right front signal light
bashed in, and the mangled, dead deer in the ditch.

It was very sad to see.  We realized how lucky we were that this one was
much smaller & younger (must have been the offspring following the mother).
 If we'd hit the larger mother, there would have been major damage plus
injuries.  Later we saw two, VERY large moose by the side of the road, much
larger that the biggest horses I've seen.  If we'd hit one of these, we'd
be dead, especially with no body or engine in front of us.  When reporting
at the park entrance, they said one of the staff hit a moose with a full
size car - it came right through the windshield into the passenger side of
the car, which was of course, a total write off.

Especially in parks, forests, and reserve areas, at this time of year, be
very alert for wildlife.

Steven Heller
Toronto, Canada