Feel awful :(

[All that jazz]

Had a night time delivery in my truck which involved driving down a tarmac "track" at the side of a private airstrip. Not surprisingly there was a lot of wildfire wandering about. I'm driving along pretty steady, trying to avoid the hundreds of rabbits running about when 2 badgers loom into view on the grass just off the side of the road. I don't think I've ever seen wild badgers before so it was a nice treat . They seemed quite happy foraging away so I started to ease past them but then one of them decides to wander across the road literally inches in front of me. Too late, I heard the thud as the middle axle tyre rolled over it. Absolutely gutted doesn't even come close. Don't know whether the 'other' one was its wife/husband/mate but now knowing s/he was all alone and I'd just killed their OH was a horrible feeling.

But it gets worse. An hour later when I was leaving I discovered that I'd also hit the other one as well with one of the offside wheels so now 2 of them laying there dead. I know they're only wild animals but it's still sad.

[Simpo Two]

You could view it as two they won't have to shoot...

Though personally I don't have a view on the TB thing as I don't have enough info.

[897sma]

I often used to see badgers snuffling around at the side of the road when driving home. They have no fear of anything and would just walk out in front of you without a care in the world. I always gave them an especially wide berth and passed slowly. This time of year there are quite a few young ones around too which adds to the death rate.

[bexVN]

It is awful but it wasn't deliberate and at least their deaths were quick. Still only natural to feel bad but you're limited it what you can do to avoid such a thing in a truck.

[Willy Nilly]

Good work.

I like badgers but there are probably enough of them and no (legal) way for keeping them under control. The motor vehicle is their only natural enemy.

[Jasandjules]

You didn't do it deliberately. It is unfortunate but don't beat yourself up over it.

[Japveesix]

If you were actually "easing" past them and also enjoying the sight of two wild badgers it seems pretty surprising that you were able to hit them at all to be honest and not just brake and let them cross?

Anyway, it's genuinely always a shame to hit and/or kill something unintentionally.

Some lady driving infront of me recently hit a pheasant leaving it very worse for wear but flapping/crawling across the road (she stopped, then presumably decided she didn't want to do anything about it and zoomed off). I got out to ring it's neck as it seemed cruel to leave it like that. Not very pleasant really.