This is why you don't swerve to miss a deer.

[stealth1290]

I got a call from my buddy at 1:30am this morning, I assumed it was drunk dialing and went back to sleep. I guess I was wrong. Apparently when he swerved to miss a deer (NOT SUPPOSED TO DO THAT!!!) the rear end came off the ground, hit a tree, flipped twice, took out a stop sign and another tree. Oh, he wasn't speeding, which amazes me, going 55 in a 55. Thanks to a harness bar he and his passenger survived (they walked away). He's a lucky SOB. Check out all the pictures of the car in the junk yard today

Edit: I sent the story in to Jalopnik and they picked it up!

[Topgearfanatic]

So you are supposed to hit the dear then, why not decelerate as safely and as quickly as possible and drive around it.

[stealth1290]

@topgearfanatic, the general rule of thumb (so I've been told) you're supposed to hit the deer, it's safer. Granted, I have no idea if that's true or not, and I think anybody whos been driving for any length of time knows your reflexes take over and you swerve to avoid it.

[TroyWK]

So you are supposed to hit the dear then, why not decelerate as safely and as quickly as possible and drive around it.

all well and good if it jumps out 100m in front of you, but 5m i dont fancy your chances

[LeVeL]

First of all, the rear "came off the ground"? You mean the car oversteered and he did not correct the slide? Second of all, just a note: the harness bar doesn't help at all in rollovers. Harnesses are worse in a rollover than regular seatbelts (assuming you don't have a roll bar/cage) because you can't dive out of the way of the collapsing roof.
That said, glad your friend is ok. Idk about deer, but you should avoid hitting moose at all costs - those huge f*ckers will fall on your car and crush you.

[bartboy9891]

So you are supposed to hit the dear then, why not decelerate as safely and as quickly as possible and drive around it.

It depends on the size of the deer and the speed you are going. But they tend to just jump out into the street to run across. It's safest to brake as quickly as possible and hope the deer runs out of the way. If not at least try to keep the damage to the car to a minimum by slowing down as much as possible. I've heard of someone swerving but hitting the deer anyway because the deer kept running in the path that he swerved.

[stealth1290]

the harness bar doesn't help at all in rollovers. Harnesses are worse in a rollover than regular seatbelts (assuming you don't have a roll bar/cage) because you can't dive out of the way of the collapsing roof.

Two things on this, first, the outward force of a car flipping at 55mph won't allow you to move anything. You're along for the ride at this point. Ever been on a really fast roller coaster that does a flip? Could you dive? Could you move at all?

Second, I don't think you understand what a harness BAR is. It's a metal bar that runs behind the front bucket seats. It's the bar that the harness's hook in to. It, as I'm told, kept the roof from collapsing in on the driver and passenger (kept the car just a tinge more rigid).

[Nabster]

Brake and steer to the rear end of the deer, don't swerve. Although it may be hard in practice.

[Rokovak]

I concur with the idea of not swerving. It sucks for all parties involved, but it's one of those "every option sucks, but which sucks the least?" kind of scenarios. If all goes reasonably well, maybe you'll end up with Bambi tucked neatly into your engine bay. That'd be better than the alternatives.

[Dogbert]

So you are supposed to hit the dear then, why not decelerate as safely and as quickly as possible and drive around it.

Well, sometimes you can't.

I would much rather hit something I know is there (a deer) than swerve and take my chances with other things.

[MadCat360]

Bambi tucked neatly into your engine bay.

What the hell? Was the dude going 200 MPH or something?

[Top Geek]

It depends on your vehicle. If you're driving a redneckmobile (pick-up truck ), definitely brake has hard as you can and just hit it. You'll win.

But, in my low-slung-mobile, I'm better off trying to steer around, otherwise it would just have it's legs snapped off and it would come hurling through my windshield.

[geezerman402]

Just a note, the animal in the BMW is a fox.

A bit more believable than it being a deer.

EDIT: And I think it was on the autobahn.

[ChelsDS]

Poor subbie!!



Today is the day of accidents it seems, or you just notice more when you have one yourself

Personally I would not want to hit the deer because of the hooves come through the windshield first.. you're fucked. That or the antlers. Ooooor live in an area where there are no signs of large wildlife

[Polygon]

Two things on this, first, the outward force of a car flipping at 55mph won't allow you to move anything. You're along for the ride at this point. Ever been on a really fast roller coaster that does a flip? Could you dive? Could you move at all?

Second, I don't think you understand what a harness BAR is. It's a metal bar that runs behind the front bucket seats. It's the bar that the harness's hook in to. It, as I'm told, kept the roof from collapsing in on the driver and passenger (kept the car just a tinge more rigid).

It's not the bar that's the issue. He's talking about the harness itself. It hold you upright and in the case of a rollover a three point belt will allow for you to come to the side. Now, I'm not saying that you have much control over that. However, the four point systems are dumb because they allow you submarine in a frontal collision and the five point increase the risk of death in the rollover.

There are a lot of mods that don't really take safety into account for street cars as you should only be running a cage with a five point. You shouldn't be running a four point. Also, if you're running a cage on the street you should really use a helmet unless you want you head to possibly burst like a watermelon when it hits that bar it a collision.

As for the deer. It's normally better to just hit them. Most people react by swerving and then can't correct or hit another car. Just hit the brakes to minimalize the impact.

[nsx_23]

Is that one of the rare carbon fiber WRC replica kits imported from Japan on that WRX? (Lunespeed or something. Can't remember the exact name of the guys who make them).

[Vambeer]

First of all thank god your friend is ok...Second too bad the car isn't. I've heard that "don't swerve, hit it" theory but only for small animals (dogs, foxes etc). I guess it depends on the size of the animal, your speed and your ability not to panic!! Although i am very surprised about that "rear end came off the ground" thing at 55 (i guess mph). I mean he must have done something terribly wrong...(no offence to your friend)

[D-Fence]

Damn......

but still.

Swerving an animal in a 4WD car with wide tires & a low center of gravity making the rear end go into the air? Something went terribly wrong there, has he fiddled with the suspension? I swerved around a spinning car at 160km/h with my FWD Econobox and it didn't flip. Skid, yes, flip, no.

[prizrak]

Damn that sux ass....

[YF19pilot]

You guys worrying about how big a deer is ought to knock if off. One of the most common deer in America, the White-Tailed, at max weighs 300 lbs, probably for a full grown buck. So at worst, you're running over a fat person or a linebacker.