OK....me and my car's fight with the cat and the mailbox (1 Viewer)

[Kelly]

So, I touched on it here....
http://www.nitromater.com/general-chat/12636-houston-s-adrl-race-march-7th-8th.html#post124311

Sunday night, I was driving home from watching the Daytona 500 with friends. So, I'm about 5 houses away from my house and there are cars parked along the on-coming side of the street. It's ALWAYS bad in that stretch. About that time a cat ran out in front of me from the driver's side and from behind those vehicles. COMPLETE REACTION...I swerved to the right. I was still looking for the cat! I hear a crash....pause....crash.

I stop, catch my breath and then notice my windshield. F$@&! Then I hear the sprinkle of glass and look back at my rear passenger side window. GRRRRR!!!!

I hit a mailbox with my windshield. It was on a hard plastic post and ledge. I apparently caught the ledge of it and damage insued! I guess the rear side window got the brunt because of my correction to the left.

I almost stopped, but it was late. I fretted about it all night, but decided to stop by in the morning instead. The homeowner wasn't home, so I stopped on the way home from work. (AFTER spending $230.00 for two windows.) Anyway, she was super sweet and just astonished that I even 'owned up'. She just wanted it fixed.....which my Dad did the following afternoon. It was unrepairable and he replaced the whole thing for her.

Hey, she's single and retired and so is my Dad. Hmmmm.....maybe things DO happen for a reason.

All in all....I'm fine and the cat's fine (for now).

Oh, I had Vent Visors on both windows.....GONE!

<sigh> I hope that cat's owners appreciate that he/she is still alive. I really, really wish that pet owners would keep their pets contained! It's for their safety as well as others'!

 

[.]

If that would have been me that cat would probably be dead now. I don't swerve for animals, it's a sure way to get into an accident, which you found out. Having grown up in Iowa I've read and heard about too many people being killed swerving to miss deer.

 

[Greggo]

Dang Kelly... you need to stay away from that nascar stuff.

Glad you're ok!

 

[Jenn]

If that would have been me that cat would probably be dead now. I don't swerve for animals, it's a sure way to get into an accident, which you found out. Having grown up in Iowa I've read and heard about too many people being killed swerving to miss deer.

Same here, I love my cats but it's not worth risking a human life for it. I hit a chihuahua once because thankfully, I had the presence of mind to know that there was a car next me so i didn't swerve. Dog went right under my tire. I felt bad of course but having riding motorcycles for years, I've come to appreciate knowing my surroundings.

Feeling bad for the dog was nothing compared to how I'd have felt if I hit a vehicle with a child in it, or a motorcycle rider.

 

[Kelly]

I know....and on the freeway, it would have been a different issue. But overall I knew my surroundings and I didn't kill it and it cost me just a bit of trouble. Eh, we're all safe and at least I didn't scuff a rim. LOL Oh, did I mention all the mailboxes stick out from the curb WAY too much?

 

[Kelly]

Dang Kelly... you need to stay away from that nascar stuff.

Glad you're ok!

EXACTLY! See...you SO get me!

 

[Bullet]

Ummmm... Kel..... when I'm down in Houston for the race..... I'll walk to the track...

 

[Kelly]

OK...that'll take you about half a day!

 

[Greggo]

OK...that'll take you about half a day!

I'll drive.

 

[Bullet]

I'll drive.

Oh no... another lunatic from I-635....

 

[Greggo]

Oh no... another lunatic from I-635....

No no... just on the tollways!

 

[none]

Kelly you need to think faster. Here's the way it would go for me.
Price of the windshield vs. Price of a new cat

Simple as that really, sorry about your bad luck there fluffy-LOL
Alan

 

[Kelly]

Ugh! I can't say I wouldn't do it again. It was just instinct, but I'll be sure and kill somebody's pet next time.

 

[Alan]

Kelly, was this the cat??

 

[ProStockJunkie]

<sigh> I hope that cat's owners appreciate that he/she is still alive. I really, really wish that pet owners would keep their pets contained! It's for their safety as well as others'!

Amen, Kel. If people want a pet, keep it inside where it's safe.

Hitting an animal that is running loose hurts not only the family that owned it but the driver (well, it SHOULD hurt at any rate) who hit it. Very easy to avoid the pain for all. Keep your pets off the streets and out of harms way.

Glad you're ok Kel, sorry about the car.

 

[G'ginna]

Keeping them out of streets and other hazards will also help them to live longer. I love my animals, but would never want to be the person responsible for endangering someones life because they were trying to avoid one. What if there had been a child running out in the direction Kelly had swerved because she was missing the cat?

There are just too many bad things that can happen not to keep pets safe and in their yards or homes or on their leashes.

 

[Kelly]

I'll drive.

Are all y'all staying with me in 'south dallas'? OK...I'll let you drive!

Loder that was classic!

Jackee and Ginna.....ugh. It's a major dilemma. There are always teenagers walking down the street since we don't have sidewalks. I do frequently scan my driving zone, but I don't always see them since they like to wear dark clothing at night. It could have been MUCH worse!

 

[Jenn]

Are all y'all staying with me in 'south dallas'? OK...I'll let you drive!

Loder that was classic!

Jackee and Ginna.....ugh. It's a major dilemma. There are always teenagers walking down the street since we don't have sidewalks. I do frequently scan my driving zone, but I don't always see them since they like to wear dark clothing at night. It could have been MUCH worse!

Thankfully it wasn't.

One day I was driving through a back road and this little terrier ran right in front of me and just stopped right in the middle. It was a blind corner so I didn't want to go onto oncoming lane, and there was no shoulder because it butted up against a small hill. So I positioned the Explorer to try and run 'over' it and when I went 'over' it, and luckily at that moment I noticed somebody coming the other way so my decision to not swerve was a good one.

I looked in my rear view mirror and saw it in the middle of the road lying with his feet straight up. I KNEW I didn't 'hit' it, unless possibly the axle hung down lower on my truck than I thought.

So I turned around and so had the person that was coming the other way and the dog was fine, it'd just passed out from shock! We got a box and moved it out of the way, and called the number on the tag, she ran out and was actually furious that I'd run over her dog. The dog was fine though and the guy who was on the oncoming lane took my side saying that the dog should have been properly contained.

 

[The Swegian]

Damn, Kel, you certainly have an interesting life. Perhaps your reaction times are hampered by your banged up shoulder from your motocross accident. Yep, that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Seriously, though, kudos to you for stepping up to the plate with the mailbox owner. You did the right thing.