Slow down, eh?

The BBQ Pit
1

I drove home from work today, which is a 60km drive and I decided to count the dead animals (this was brought on by watching some guy flying through a school zone squash a small grey kitten. Along the way I passed:
5 cats (adults)
2 squirrels
9 Racoons
1 fox
2 porcupines
2 families of skunks (in both cases it was 1 adult skunk and two smaller ones, in one case one of the babies was not dead, rather it was sitting beside it’s dead littermate and parent. I hauled that one to the wildlife rehab lady I know)
And 1 dead pointer puppy, about 4 months old.

I also passed several smears, but I couldn’t id them, so I didn’t include them in my count.

Now I realise that in many cases it is not possible to avoid hitting animals, often they run in front of cars, and I certainly don’t think it is a good idea to risk yourself, or other cars on the road by swerving out of your lane.

But there are some dimwits who drive way too fast along these country roads, and this rant is directed at you. Slow the fuck down. What if a child ran in front of you? Could you live with yourself after that? Last year right down the road from here someone sped through a 40km/h zone doing 80, came over a hill, and killed a 7 year old riding home on his bike the last day of school. How do you think that driver feels now?

I was sitting outside with a friend’s kids two days ago. There is a groundhog living under their porch with 3 babies. It slowly goes about it’s business, and the kids really think it is neat. They know not to bother her, but every day they come in and give their mom updates about what it’s doing, and they were so thrilled the first time it wandered out with it’s babies. And two days ago those kids got to watch as some hotshot sped through a 40km/h zone doing at least 60, and creamed it. They got to watch it bounce off the car, and land in the gutter. What was so damn important that that person had to rip down that street? And if you hit something with your car, would it be that big of an inconvenience for you to haul your ass out and check to see if you killed it? But I am sure it is easier to leave it on the road, and not give a second thought to whether it is lying there suffering.

The lack of compassion of some people astounds me, how can you care so little about the other creatures inhabiting this planet that it is easier for you just to run them over than driving with a just a bit of care?

2

Here in Australia, in excess of 34,000 native animals are killed EVERY DAY on our roads. It’s a staggering statistic, but this doesn’t include cats and dogs and other non-native animals, so that figure will be a lot higher.

3

What I find appalling are the Sewage Felchers who deliberately swerve their vehicles to hit/crush animals.

It’s beyond sadistic.

It’s beyond vile.

4

I couldn’t agree more.

5

Dropped my truck off for service the other day and walked home. Saw a groundhog, chipmunk, squirrel, and many amphibians along the road.

Made me want to hug my parrot when I got home.

6

I really don’t know why everyone everywhere is in such a hurry. I rather enjoy being in transit.

7

You know, about three months ago, I hit a goose that was flying across the road. I was driving to work, and it just got caught under me. I’m still not over it totally. I mean, the goose was stupid for crossing the road like that, but I killed it. From all the roadkill I see, how can we not be living in a totally depressed world where people are crying all the time because they killed a poor animal? Are people that callous to not give a flying fig?

8

Muldoon’s Squishiness (what a name, I love it) last week I saw someone swerve onto the shoulder and run over a skunk, and then rip off down the road. Aside from the basic lack of empathy for the animal, I can’t understand why someone would want their van to smell like skunk.

Among my mother depressing childhood stories she liked to torture us with was one that happened when she was 17 years old, she was sitting on the sidewalk with a long haired tabby cat her father had given her for Christmas. Some person swerved up the curb, almost hit her, and ran over the cat, and sped off.

I don’t understand the sick individual that would enjoy doing something like that (not that I understand people that well anyway).

Nice sig danceswithcats :slight_smile: