In 17 years of living where I am and driving every day on the roads I describe, I have only had close calls with cattle and horses less than a dozen times or so.

But don't dare believe that hitting a cow or horse at highway speed, even in something like a one ton pickup or suburban won't kill you. IT MOST DEFINITELY CAN.

We're talking about hitting over 1,000 pounds! The impact is something you don't want to try out, airbag or not.

The odds of this ever happening to you are very much in your favor. I only mention this so that you can understand the seriousness. This is serious impact.

If you do find yourself in this situation, don't think that it will be like hitting a dog or a deer. We are talking about at least five times the mass of hitting a deer. Do everything you can to avoid hitting it head on.

I have come up behind others in this situation twice. Both times were full size pickups. One was fatal for the driver and the other was very serious ambulance screaming away type of situation.

Be careful out there,

I'm just saying if you hit it with a 7,000lb+ truck that while it would be messy since the truck & animal are so large but the truck being so tall the animal would probably go under it and not over so it wouldn't be such a risk for the driver. If one was in the road I'd be heading for the nearest ditch at the last moment to avoid it because I know who'd win that battle, especially in a car! I drive like an old woman at night (slooooow) so if/when I do hit something it shouldn't do horrible damage.

__________________
Jeff M.
Mercedes W123 DIY pages are now located here.
1983 / 1984 300D Sold
2000 CLK430 Cabriolet ~58k Sold
2005 Avalanche 4x4 ~66k

Also, you've got to remember that after the initial impact, there may be more serious and potentially deadly impacts.

Just like with motorcycling, it might not be the initial impact that hurts you, but simply puts you more in harm's way.

For example, you hit a deer/bull/horse, then loaded semi hits you from behind at 50 mph. Or you swerve and hit an oncoming car or a tree.

Drive safe...

-Aaron

Sadly, the damage is more that I thought -- took a good look in the light yesterday, and it appears that the deer bounced off the driver's door. Probably why the damage was so light on the front, but now I have two creases on the door panel where the skin was shoved down onto the internal frame.

Probably going to have a body shop fix it.

I may spring for Euro headlamps, though..... part of the reason I hit the stupid deer is that the headlights are terrible on this car -- no one flashes you if you forget and leave the brights on, for instance.... Low beams aren't useful even in lit parking lots, even accounting for my fading vision!

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Peter,

This sounds EXACTLY like my experience about a year ago. I still had US lights, and I guess the two D cells were a little weaker than normal that morning. I swerved and went half way in the ditch and was lucky not to roll it over.

I backed up the road to see if it was dead and to check the front of the car. It raised its head once, but by the time I got the pistol (don't get upset anyone, I carry it legally) and got to the deer, it was dead.

I then shined my FOUR cell flashlight on the front of the car ( I should have been using the flashlight instead of the headlights and maybe I would have missed the deer.) I found no damage, just a little hair.

That weekend my wife asked what happened to the SIDE of my car. The passenger front door was caved in bad. When I swerved, I guess I hit it while drifting on the shoulder.

So, the result was that I pulled the door panel and straightened the door pretty good and then bought a set of Euro lights.

There's a little bit of good in everything, so maybe after you're done, you'll at least have good lighting.

Best of luck,

The problem with using those RanchHand bumpers as locomotive cowcatcher/pilots is that they're bolted to the same mealy, expendable, mild steel mounts that the doggone OEM bumper is bolted to.

I cannot count how many Tahoe/Suburban/Expedition/Excursion/F250-350 Ford Power Stroke pickumup trucks I've seen going down the road with their RanchHand mashed back into the hood because the mount was weaker than the bumper.

It's just stupid engineering, that's all.

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

Larry:

Sure enough! The reason I got away so cheap is that I couldn't drive very fast -- had to slow down because the road vanishes if someone coming toward me, and I think the deer walked into the road behind the car on that side.

I did stay on the road -- stomped the brake hard, but couldn't stop. Probably only going 25 mph at impact. No sheetmetal damage up front besides the rolled hood.

Door is probably totaled -- dished in and oilcans, so repair is iffy at best, and I have no desire to try to skin it.

I'll go junkyard shopping again soon -- going out of town tomorrow in the TE (after I get a new flex disk in) -- what a life!

I'm seriously considering Euros -- the wiper is busted loose on the driver's side anyway, so I'll check with Bernard at European Connection, might be able to upgrade.

I'll call the insurance company next week. Two claims in three years -- got backed into in a parking lot at night, creased the rear fender on the Volvo.

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

I hit a deer last night, I've never hit anything till now. I'm 18 so it was an experiance, I'm just glad it was in the Benz. I was going 50mph, the speed limit was 65mph; on a back country road. I had my friend and two other girls in the car. My friend yelled "DEER!". Boom, I saw the deers body fly and land in a ditch near by. He got up and limped away sadly enough. I was so mad, I wanted to beat that deer to death. I was so worried because I have heard and seen bad stories of cars hitting deer. I thought my car was in for it. I was suprised to see only the the plastic that outlines the headlight was cracked. My car has saved me three times now! If I was in a Honda, this story might not have such a happy ending.

-Steve

__________________
DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

Mercedes-Benz approved deer repellent.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Never a dull moment at Berry Hill Farm.

I think that may look a little bit out of place on my W123 though. Maybe instead of blue I could try it in polished SS?

__________________
Jeff M.
Mercedes W123 DIY pages are now located here.
1983 / 1984 300D Sold
2000 CLK430 Cabriolet ~58k Sold
2005 Avalanche 4x4 ~66k