I have had a very bad night

[gooby]

I have just returned from a drive. Going down the new road to Swanage, doing about 40mph a large doe deer literally lept out of the hedgerow in front of the car. Impact must have been 20 - 25 mph.

I stopped, put the hazards on and went to to check that the poor animal was dead.

She wasnt. her back legs were horibly smashed and she was trying to make her getaway by dragging herself with her front legs.

I cant stop crying.

I cant leave her to suffer like this and there is no way I can get her to a vet. The injuries are fatal. Her hips were smashed. Even with those injuries it could take hours to days for her to die and I couldnt inflict that suffering.

This is probably the hardest thing I have ever done. Her eyes were so full of panick and pain. There were no tools in the car. The only thing I could do was to kick it in the head, then pulverise its skull. I waited for the last of the death spasams to subside and checked for heartbeat and breathing. They had subsided and I put the body on the side of the road.

As I got back in the car, I could hear the rest of the heard calling.

I drove home.

There are still tears rolling down my face and I cant stop shaking. I feel so bad, which is pathetic.

I suppose I will check the car tomorrow.

[///m-power]

never nice! hope you're ok and the damage isn't too bad. You did the right thing.

[philygumbo]

Sorry to hear that, it must have been a shock. Try not to dwell on it.

[Janitor]

Hell... not nice fella

You did the right thing - no real choice

[shangani]

Oh dear Gooby. Not what anyone wants have happen. My sympathies indeed, but you did the right thing. I have had to do that with antelope that had been hit by cars ahead of me. Really gives one a major knock. All the best hey - let's hope this is the last blip on what I hope will be an otherwise much better year.

Cheers

[DanH]

Horrible. You are a brave man finishing her off though, I'm not sure I could.

I ran over a rabbit before christmas at perhaps 80 units and whilst I was fortunate to not be knocked off course, it was pretty sickening as I felt the wheels go over it - a time I wasn't grateful for a communicative chassis. Obviously thats nothing like as bad as a deer.

It isn't your fault though, so you shouldn't beat yourself up about it.

[Esprit]

Never nice seeing an animal suffer like that... and never nice to have to finish it off.... had to do a similar thing to a stray cat a while back, it was in a lot of pain and its rear end was so mangled there was no way it was going to survive. Still haunts me, but in the end animals are savaged and killed in the wild all the time by other animals, it's just part of the circle of life... you did the right thing mate, it wasn't your intention.

[just1]

Bad luck mate, its not nice when that happens, but sounds like there was nothing that you could have done. It shows what a strong person you are to go back and do the only thing you could for the animal, dont think i could have faced it.

If you need a hand or a coffee and a chat i am about most of the day tomorrow,


Just

[zaktoo]

Sorry to hear that. Not a good situation, but you did what I think many of us might not have been able to do...

Cheers

Zak

[drac]

Gooby

You have my sympathy, that would have been horrible, but you did do the right thing. I can't think of any other way you could have ended the situation.

The tears are natural, don't worry. I just hope there aren't too many tomorrow when you see the damage.

[Mrs Triple S]

It really upset me just reading your story.
I can't imagine what it feels like for you.
Lorraine

[pennpromo]

Gooby, not nice ... as all the other guys said you did do the right thing no matter how unpalitable it was. Just hope that there's not too much damage to your car this morning. Unfortunately I fell a call to Westover bodyshop may be on the horizon- again ! Think on the bright side at least you could get the stripes re-done !

[kevin ritson]

You're not pathetic, just very human and that's a good thing. As others have said you did the only thing you could in the circumstances. Hope you've had a very stiff drink in the meantime.

[beachbum]

Sorry to hear about it Gooby, hope you feel better about it this morning.

On a brighter note.
Someone had to mention those sodding stripes.....I've known this guy a year and its the one constant. If he ever gets those things sorted, the BoLOCs will have to find another conversation subject.

Sympathies mate. If you want a chat, beer, coffee, give us a call. Sounds like Just1 interested too.

[Tim Netherton]

Sorry, sad tale Gooby. You did the right thing - I don't think I would have had the stomach to do what you did though.

[Adnic69]

Sorry to hear this. You did what you had to in a situation like that. If you would have got in the car and left her it could have been hours before she died and would have been in agony. That you would have never forgiven yourself for.

[rfoster]

My sympathies go out to you Gooby - terrible thing to have to do. You must have the constitution of a concrete elephant. Hit a deer a few year ago myself, thankfully not in the Lotus. It just got up and ran away. Died in a friends garden later that day.
Chin up mate.

[cheekymonkey]

Sh8t gooby that's nasty! You did the right thing, no point letting it suffer. Hope the car is ok, at that speed you might have got away with no major damage.

keep us posted

[enjybenjy]

Jeez, that's upsetting. I think you may have felt far worse if you'd have left it to die. Was the right thing matey.

[hbaumhardt]

Chap, thats harsh. Good man for doing the right thing.