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Spring Driving : Avoiding the Local Wildlife
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It's that time of year again. Spring has sprung, and the local wildlife is active and on our streets and roads. Spring is when a lot of animals, including our pet cats and dogs, start thinking about, well…you know. Some are hungry from sleeping all winter, others are beginning the process of storing up for their soon to be born young'ns. For whatever reason, they are active, quick, and in our way. They can dart out from the side of the road in a New York second. They can change direction faster than you can blink an eye. And they can freeze in terror at the sight of your car bearing down on them. If you've paid attention, the evidence of all of this lies in the roads and on the streets. Creatures that were on the hunt for food, love, or a new place to live have "fought" a motor vehicle and lost. The wild ones are hard enough to deal with. When it's someone's pet, my heart goes out to them. I've lost one to the road. In fact, it made such an impression on me that I no longer allow my pets, cats or dogs, to run free. (Most places have leash laws, anyway.)
Seeing all of the animals that have lost their lives on are roads was the reason for writing this article. There are several things to do, and to think about, when driving at this time of year. First of all, most of us need to slow down. Traffic laws are there for a reason. Posted speed, especially in town, are very important to obey. That said, you still have to be aware of what's going on around you. Watch the road and street sides. Squirrels are the biggest daytime culprit there. They are so quick and unpredictable that one second they're on the side or in a lawn, the next they're in front of your car. Often you can avoid them. But sometimes, you can't. And what about the larger animals? Possums, woodchucks, raccoons, and many other animals (including the dreaded skunk) are out there, too. These are animals that are very likely to just freeze in their tracks when they see you. The most dangerous this time of year, even in town, are probably the deer. When spooked, they will run into the side of your car, and can crash through the windshield. Sometimes they freeze, others they will start in one direction, then go another. I've even had one young buck charge the car! It's important to realize, if you hit (or are hit by) a deer, both parties will lose. The damage to your car can be horrendous. But you absolutely must be aware of the traffic around you, too. If you swerve to avoid an animal only to hit another car, a tree, or even a person at the edge of the street, you've created a worse problem. The same thing can hold true if you slam on the brakes and get hit from behind. So watch all around you. Act on the situation, don't react. That's a basic rule that holds true for most of life, but is most important when driving.
I'm sure that some of you can come up with more tips for driving. If you do, and want to share them, send them to me at chipros@mail.com. Please don't send them to the paper, as they will have to be sent back to me, anyway. Safety, especially driving, is everyone's business; even those who don't drive. Let's be kind to each other and drive defensively, which, when translated, means carefully.
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