Would you swerve?
Discussion
I live in Spain where you get a lot of stray cats. They're all over the place and I live in the country so you get even more.
This morning a sodding stray cat decided to perform a leap of death in front of my car. Luckily I swerved in time but it meant I hit the kerb damaging my alloy and also knocking the wheel out of alignment. Alloy refurb is quoted at about €50-€60 and I'm getting the alignment sorted out tonight for a further €50. Total damage is about €110 so I'm pretty pissed off about it.
I'm beginning to regret swerving in the first place although I would have felt terrible hitting the cat too.
I'm just wondering how many other people would have swerved or rather just hit the cat? (That would probably damage the car too mind).
This morning a sodding stray cat decided to perform a leap of death in front of my car. Luckily I swerved in time but it meant I hit the kerb damaging my alloy and also knocking the wheel out of alignment. Alloy refurb is quoted at about €50-€60 and I'm getting the alignment sorted out tonight for a further €50. Total damage is about €110 so I'm pretty pissed off about it.
I'm beginning to regret swerving in the first place although I would have felt terrible hitting the cat too.
I'm just wondering how many other people would have swerved or rather just hit the cat? (That would probably damage the car too mind).
The driving gods on here will say aim for the cat.
The truth is, that, when startled (be it a cat, dog, kid etc), your natural reaction is to avoid it.
I found this only recently, when a cat darted out from the bushes. I did not have time to think "It's smaller than a cow, therefore plough on".
Instead, I thought 's
t', hit the brakes, and tried to steer away from it.
Nothing I could have done to have stopped that reaction, in my opinion.
The truth is, that, when startled (be it a cat, dog, kid etc), your natural reaction is to avoid it.
I found this only recently, when a cat darted out from the bushes. I did not have time to think "It's smaller than a cow, therefore plough on".
Instead, I thought 's
t', hit the brakes, and tried to steer away from it. Nothing I could have done to have stopped that reaction, in my opinion.
Yep, rational argument and the Highway code say plough on as if it wasn't there but you natural reaction is to swerve or slow. Hard to fight those reflexes.
I gave the OH and the minihers a scare the other night avoiding a bunny on the motorway. In the split second it appeared in the headlights the car jumped 2 feet sideways with almost no thought from me.
I gave the OH and the minihers a scare the other night avoiding a bunny on the motorway. In the split second it appeared in the headlights the car jumped 2 feet sideways with almost no thought from me.
phil1979 said:
The driving gods on here will say aim for the cat.
The truth is, that, when startled (be it a cat, dog, kid etc), your natural reaction is to avoid it.
I found this only recently, when a cat darted out from the bushes. I did not have time to think "It's smaller than a cow, therefore plough on".
Instead, I thought 'st', hit the brakes, and tried to steer away from it.
Nothing I could have done to have stopped that reaction, in my opinion.
I agree.The truth is, that, when startled (be it a cat, dog, kid etc), your natural reaction is to avoid it.
I found this only recently, when a cat darted out from the bushes. I did not have time to think "It's smaller than a cow, therefore plough on".
Instead, I thought 's
t', hit the brakes, and tried to steer away from it. Nothing I could have done to have stopped that reaction, in my opinion.
I braked for a pheasant that ran in front of the car the other day. Probably wasn't the best move but it happened pretty much instinctively.
phil1979 said:
Nothing I could have done to have stopped that reaction, in my opinion.
It is possible to train yourself out of natural reactions, takes time and effort. On a bike, for instance, if you run off the road onto a verge you have to be able to resist the urge to brake (which is 100% guaranteed to dump you on your arse) and let the bike run if you want any chance of saving it. It's possible, a "mate of mine" 
managed to overcome this and save just such a situation.To be clear, I am not however advocating catricide
I don't swerve. Two pheasants stuffed in the mx5 grill. Both occasions swerving meant bush/ditch oncoming head on with shiny metal. Bonus pheasant for dinner both times.
cat darted infront of car BRAKE. Stopped dead on its head. Poor bugger.
But if something hits the windscreen can't help but duck
cat darted infront of car BRAKE. Stopped dead on its head. Poor bugger.
But if something hits the windscreen can't help but duck
Edited by Petrol Only on Tuesday 25th November 11:34
I have only faced similar situations a few times, and I tend to brake and not swerve.
My thinking is that swerving into oncoming traffic or onto the pavement is a very bad idea unless the area is clearly extremely quiet.
I was in a car with someone who swerved into the pavement and almost hit someone because of a bloody dog! Very scary.
My thinking is that swerving into oncoming traffic or onto the pavement is a very bad idea unless the area is clearly extremely quiet.
I was in a car with someone who swerved into the pavement and almost hit someone because of a bloody dog! Very scary.
Regarding the natural reaction, you're probably spot on. I'm just pissed off as the alloys are brand new and have been on the car for less than a couple of months... 
The kerbing goes around half the entire wheel as I had to swerve and then steer heavily to the left as the road went around that way. I guess I'll just be sure to set my dogs on the sodding thing when I go out for a walk next time.
The kerbing goes around half the entire wheel as I had to swerve and then steer heavily to the left as the road went around that way. I guess I'll just be sure to set my dogs on the sodding thing when I go out for a walk next time.
Early on in my driving career I span my old dear's 1.2 Corsa when I swerved to avoid a rabbit. As I sat on the other side of the road, facing the way I'd just been, I decided I wouldn't do that again.
As an earlier poster has said, I find aiming for the animal seems to work well, though SWMBO's screaming can get annoying if she's in the car!
As an earlier poster has said, I find aiming for the animal seems to work well, though SWMBO's screaming can get annoying if she's in the car!
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff