# Do you slow down or swerve to avoid a squirrel **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 22, 2007, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280 "2007-02-22T22:38:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Unregistered\_Bull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3da27b/32.png) [@Unregistered\_Bull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unregistered_Bull)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 10:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/21 "2007-02-23T10:50:22Z")
No. ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/22 "2007-02-23T11:27:43Z")
I’ll slow down if I see it in time. I won’t swerve. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/23 "2007-02-23T13:49:17Z")
I swerve and slow down, chanting, “No squirrellie, no don’t, you have so much to live for…” It mostly works but I’m always surprised at the sheer determination of those little critters to get under my tires! ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/larry_griffin-kentzel/32/14787_2.png) [@Larry\_Griffin-Kentzel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Griffin-Kentzel)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/24 "2007-02-23T14:05:10Z")
Since this is basically a poll, I’ll move it to [**In My Humble Opinion**](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/forumdisplay.php?f=12) for you. **Cajun Man** for the SDMB ---
**Author:** ![frog\_princess](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6bbea6/32.png) [@frog\_princess](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/frog_princess)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/25 "2007-02-23T14:11:26Z")
I take my foot off the gas and try to keep my eyes open. I will forever hear my dad telling me to never, never slam the breaks or swerve to avoid hitting anything. Unless that anything is a kid. Adults were fair game in his book, they should know to stay out of the damned road. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/26 "2007-02-23T14:19:26Z")
I do neither. I’ve noticed that when squirrels get clobbered, it’s usually because 1 of 2 things happened: 1. The squirrel would have gotten away just fine but the driver swerved or changed speed abruptly, screwing up the squirrel’s “calculations” as to the best path and speed to escape. and/or 1. The squirrel would have escaped but second-guessed itself and tried to double back or change directions, resulting in an intimate relationship with a tire. In cases where the driver made no attempt to avoid the squirrel and the squirrel ran for it and committed to it’s escape plan, more often than not they both make it through unscathed! ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/27 "2007-02-23T15:26:33Z")
I don’t swerve or slow down to avoid squirrels. Sometimes I stop and back over them a couple times, just to make sure I got 'em, though. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/28 "2007-02-23T15:55:40Z")
[QUOTE=Swallowed My Cellphone] Awww… That said, if there is a risk to pedestrians, passengers or other drivers then I am a bit more conservative when it comes to taking evasive manuevres. If it would put no one else at risk, I’d swerve to save the little bastard. [/QUOTE] My experience is swerving actually increases the likelihood of them getting squished. They are very adept critters. They are clever too - I swear one popped out in front of me on a highway, with another car waiting to pass, and an 18-wheeler behind them _on purpose_, at least it sure looked like it. The car behind me swerved, and nearly lost control, with 90,000 pounds of cargo at 70 miles an hour right on their bumper. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/29 "2007-02-23T16:04:29Z")
Not for a squirrel or snake. I slow down and go around a turtle, if it’s safe. I move them off if possible. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/30 "2007-02-23T16:24:47Z")
I’ll slow down if traffic allows, but most likely will not swerve. [QUOTE=nashiitashii] When I used to ride my bike everywhere, there were suicidal squirrels living in the neighborhood. I’d swerve to avoid them and brake, but then they’d run RIGHT UNDER THE WHEEL and somehow not get hurt. Freaks me out, it does. [/QUOTE] I can still recall one morning nearly 30 years ago when I was biking to my 6 a.m. summer job. Along one deserted strech of road, with a forest preserve on one side and a cemetary on the other, my bike was the only moving thing for blocks in either direction. A squirrel started running at full speed towards my bike. I just kept booking along, figuring it would either stop or run behind me, but the damned thing darted right under my pedals, between the two tires. Really wild! ---
**Author:** ![VenusProbe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/e495f1/32.png) [@VenusProbe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VenusProbe)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/31 "2007-02-23T16:59:57Z")
I’ve seen the insurance ads on TV, I know the little buggers will be high fiving and laughing when I wreck. So I just slow down as much as I can and flip em off as I go by. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/32 "2007-02-23T17:08:51Z")
I just wanted to tell you that my boss (and best friend) swerved to avoid a critter in the road a couple of months back. He had just gone through an intersection. There were cars behind him, and cars coming in the other lane, so he couldn’t stop. Either he would have been hit from behind or in front, so when he swerved, he ran over a sign that demolished his front grille, cracked the windshield and sliced off the outside rear-view mirror on the driver’s side on the way down. It cost him $4300. I don’t think he’ll be doing that again. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/33 "2007-02-23T19:30:39Z")
My little voice inside my head screams “RAMMING SPEED!!!.” 😃 I usually listen. :eek: Anything cat sized or bigger gets active methods to avoid. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/34 "2007-02-23T19:36:44Z")
**Tomndebb** said it beautifully. I’ll slow down but not swerve. When I nailed a suicide buck a few months ago with my Jeep, the insurance agent said, “Good thing you didn’t swerve.” The Jeep (and the buck) were totaled, but my son and I were completely uninjured. Had I swerved, I could have ended up flipping the Jeep into a ditch or an oncoming car. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/35 "2007-02-23T19:45:29Z")
Nuke 'em from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/36 "2007-02-23T19:46:20Z")
I’m sorry, but that Geico commercial took away whatever tendencies I may have had before to swerve to avoid them. I do tend to avoid them if possible, but slowing is the preferred way for me. Swerving for anything is not wise. Tangential to this topic is something I have suspected for a long time: single car accidents are probably caused by folks trying to avoid bees, wasps or spiders inside the car and thus losing focus on the main task. I imagine that extends to squirrels, rabbits, cats, dogs, and other critters outside the car, too. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/37 "2007-02-23T20:00:09Z")
I’ll stomp on the brakes for anything I can see, assuming traffic allows it, but swerving would put me in way too much risk to justify doing it. I’m the first to admit that I’m not the world’s greatest driver, and the way I stay safe is play driving cautiously. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/38 "2007-02-23T20:10:37Z")
I’ll slow down if I can, but I never swerve or do anything drastic. That’s a good way to get hurt, and anyway the squirrels are pretty unpredictable. It’s just as likely that they’ll run under the tires that are swerving away from them. In high school, there was a girl who nearly killed her sister and completely wrecked her Miata, trying to avoid a seagull. For some reason her dad bought her a new car. ---
**Author:** ![Tamryne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3e96dc/32.png) [@Tamryne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamryne)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/39 "2007-02-23T21:25:59Z")
I slow down when I see one in the street, but sitting on the horn usually gets them moving quicker than trying to swerve around them. ---
**Author:** ![Fiddle\_Peghead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddle_peghead/32/3506_2.png) [@Fiddle\_Peghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiddle_Peghead)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2007, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280/40 "2007-02-23T21:28:40Z")
Some 27 years later, I still do what my driver’s ed teacher said to do when encountering wildlife in the middle of the road: “Just clench the steering wheel and keep on going.” Luckily so far, they’ve all gotten out of the way in time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-slow-down-or-swerve-to-avoid-a-squirrel/393280.md?page=3)