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[nanuq]

Our recent conversations about bright headlights have had me commenting about my LED driving lights so I can see large critters on the side of the road.  And I've joined you complaining about oncoming cars on hills, blinding us in the Illumination Arms Race.

This morning I was coming to work, it was pitch dark out and had been raining.  Approaching a busy part of the road, there were cars up on a hill queued up turning across my path, with their lights blinding me.  I couldn't use my LED spots, so I slowed down to maybe 20mph as I approached. 

One moment the road ahead was clear, and the next moment there was a giant moose broadside to me, 10 feet away.  I locked the brakes and skidded into her, knocking her flat.  She scrambled a bit, then got up and walked off the road.  There was hair everywhere, and I turned into side road where I could pull up and park.

I grabbed my flashlight and followed her into the woods, her tracks were straight and she wasn't bleeding.  She wasn't moaning or coughing or wheezing, just quietly walking away from me, so I feel confident she's okay for the coming winter.

Back at the Rover, the wings are crunched and the hood has a slight amount of damage at the leading edge.  And that's all.  I bent the wings out away from the tires and she fired right up, and drove normally back home.  No leaks, everything works perfectly well.  Amazing.  I just need to find some wings and a hood, strip them of paint and bolt them on.   

[Gareth]

What a shame. Glad you and the moose are ok. It’s only metal. The bonnet might be repairable? When the metal is warmed it should become malleable and you might be able to beat that kink out of the side. The front too.

The wings look too damaged from the picture.

[nanuq]

Thanks for the encouragement, yes it could have been far, far worse.  If I'd been going my usual 45mph she would have come right through the windscreen and out the back, taking me with her.

I'd hate to lose that bonnet, so I'll try your advice with a nice soft mallet.  Finding wings will be another story over here in North America.

[Sunny Jim]

Short wheelbase inner/top/front wings are not easy to find new over here anyway, most of them around are LWB ones which will go on but leave a gap at the bottom. I assume outer wings aren't a problem?

Sunny Jim

[Rambler]

Oh dear.  I am sorry to hear about your accident and the moose.  Fortunately it sounds she wasn’t injured seriously, and more so that you are ok.  That is a shame about the front wings and bonnet.  If I hear of any going locally, I will let you know. 
Best wishes,
Ian

[Porkscratching]

Yikes! 
Still at least you were able to drive away from it,  with a bit of hammer wielding the motor is usable anyway.
...if it's a regular thing in your area do vehicles have some kind of "roo bars"  or "cowcatcher" type of thing bolted to the front ?

[nathanglasgow]

Where my brother lives in Minnesota deaths from vehicles hitting Moose, Brown bears, Deers are fairly common in the North of the state. There are also fatalities caused by drivers swerving to avoid said animals and hitting other vehicles. The percentage of vehicles fitted with bars at the front is miniscule, maybe some of the 'good ol boy's' have them on their Ford F 150s ect but the vast majority who drive up North just have to be vigilant.

[Dentman]

So it's a weapon of Moose Destruction now 
I'll get my fur lined tartan coat)

[Porkscratching]

It's the moose that's done the destruction..

[Dentman]

That was nearly the end of the gnus 

[Wittsend]

Wow - a lucky escape.
The best we have here are Muntjac deer which struggle to reach bumper height, but still a hazard.


 

[Porkscratching]

I've seen a couple of fair sized deer carcasses by the roadside in Kent in the past so it's not just those tiny ones...on one occasion we were going to retrieve  the thing on the way back from the pub, unfortunately by the time we returned someone else had already taken it....

[Wittsend]

Venison pie 


... with a nice glass of red wine 

[nanuq]

Thanks everyone for your commiseration.  Like NathanGlasgow says there are not many people here with those bars on the front.  You can't make one stout enough to protect your truck if you hit essentially an immovable object going at commute speeds.  Mostly, people with the bars hit a critter and the side bars that wrap around get bent, and then your fenders are smashed too, when it otherwise would have just taken out your grille and bumper.  If someone did make a bar strong enough to not collapse, it would just launch the moose/bear over the top and through the windshield.  Best is vigilance, and NOT commuting with the crowd, so you're not blinded by headlights.

[nanuq]

I followed some advice from a gentleman here and found a pair of wings, they're in beautiful shape (I shudder to anticipate his price!) but come from a 109. 

Sunny Jim said they can go on, but will leave a gap.  I assume you mean the inner surface, so water from the tires will get into the engine bay?  Can you draw a mental picture for me to get an idea of what gap you mean?