EV versus ICE: Deer in the Headlights

[Doug_G]

There has been speculation in this forum in the past about how animals would respond to an EV when surprised at night. See Unusual Questions from the Public.

Well, I just gathered my first empirical evidence.

In all previous experiences encountering deer at night in an ICE car, upon approach of the car, the deer would bolt in a random direction. Since this random direction would go across my path 50% of the time, this resulted in periodic near misses. Although I've not yet hit a deer, it happens all the time around here. Damage can be considerable. A friend of mine wrote off his minivan after a deer impact.

Tonight I came across a doe while driving my Roadster at 100 km/h. She was standing on the opposite shoulder, facing the road with her nose right at the edge of the pavement. Watching me. Ideal conditions for a collision. When I saw her I immediately hit the brakes, expecting the worst, but nothing happened. Bambi just stood there and watched me go by.

Advantage: EV!

 

[mt2]

I wonder if the electric motor's has a high pitched whine that alerts them. Pure speculation, of course. But when the question first appeared, that was my immediate thought. I thought of those 'wildlife alert whistles' that you can attach to your front bumper and supposedly emit a high pitched whine deer can hear but humans can not.

Hmm, maybe that's the solution to the minimum auto sound level problem. Tell people the noise is there, you just have to listen at a higher octave.

 

[Doug_G]

In my experience the deer are already looking at your headlights long before they startle. I think it's the ICE rumbling sound that does it.

 

[stopcrazypp]

In my experience the deer are already looking at your headlights long before they startle. I think it's the ICE rumbling sound that does it.

Don't know if there is scientific proof of this, but the lower pitch ICE rumbling might make the deer think it is a predator approaching, which triggers the instinctive action of running in a random direction.

 

[SByer]

On my Sunday morning bike rides, I don't worry about the deer - they really aren't triggered to flee by sight, I don't think. I get right up next to them (within 3 feet a few times) before they even bother moving. The ICE rumble predator theory sounds plausible to me.

 

[jcstp]

Here the deer stay at the side of the road, not bothering about ICE-cars passing by!

The only thing I know and saw on tv, was that in a forest somewhere they put reflectors on the side of the road! When the headlights reflected in them, the reflectors resembled the eyes of wolves! This freightened the deer and scared them off the road! With less accidents as à result!

 

[markwj]

Around where I live the problem is feral cows. They think they own the place and don't get out of the way for anything...

 

[daniel]

Feral cows??? That's hilarious! But I know what you mean about cows. I worked on a dairy farm.

 

[TEG]

Wild Cows Snarl Traffic in Hong Kong [Archive] - DiscussAnything.com - Politics, Sports, Entertainment, Cars, Technology, Gadgets, and More

 

[Doug_G]

Here in Ottawa, a motorcycle driver was killed by hitting a deer a couple of days ago, and there was another accident with injuries last night. The deer population is getting out of hand.

 

[NEWDL]

I had an amazing experience in the Roadster relatively soon after we got it in Spring of 2009. We live near some of the Metro Parks in Northeast Ohio, I was going down a hill into a valley that is known for deer high population. In fact it was less than 1 mile away from where my father hit a deer with his 1954 Jaguar XK 120 6 years earlier.

Anyhow, I amazingly heard the deer running before I saw it. I hit the brakes and it ran in front of the car at full speed over to the other side of the road. I was amazed. It made me realize the advantages of a quiet car. I can not count the ways we love our Roadsters...

 

[Jaff]

Down in Niagara too Doug...we're seeing a rising number of deer / vehicle incidents...(time for another black powder shoot imo)

Here in Ottawa, a motorcycle driver was killed by hitting a deer a couple of days ago, and there was another accident with injuries last night. The deer population is getting out of hand.

 

[doug]

Around where I live the problem is feral cows. They think they own the place and don't get out of the way for anything...

This reminds me of that racing arcade game Crusin' USA. If you hit a cow on the road, it would explode into a bunch of steaks.


As for deer. I hit a deer at 70 mph some years back going north on 280. Now that was scary.

 

[Lloyd]

Try a cow in the fog at 70. It took the front left fender off my Porsche.

 

[Dragon]

This reminds me of that racing arcade game Crusin' USA. If you hit a cow on the road, it would explode into a bunch of steaks.

Ahaha, I remember that as well. Shitty game, but nonetheless it was fun. The good old times.

 

[bolosky]

Try a cow in the fog at 70. It took the front left fender off my Porsche.

Well, at least the cows in California stay on the ground. Here in Washington state, they leap from cliffs to smash up vehicles.

What are the odds? Couple nearly killed by falling cow | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News | Local & Regional

I've seen this sign at the site of the incident near Manson, WA.

Obligatory on-topic comment: I doubt that the falling cows care how much noise the vehicle makes.

 

[markwj]

Wild Cows Snarl Traffic in Hong Kong [Archive] - DiscussAnything.com - Politics, Sports, Entertainment, Cars, Technology, Gadgets, and More

There are signs up on the expressway (highway) to the airport warning of feral cows, and an 8'+ fence along the road. God only knows what would happen if one of them got on the road - that is the (legally) fastest road in Hong Kong.

 

[TEG]

Ahaha, I remember that as well. Shitty game, but nonetheless it was fun. The good old times.

But did you make it to the 'hot tub' ? :redface::love::biggrin:

 

[TEG]

Well, at least the cows in California stay on the ground. Here in Washington state, they leap from cliffs to smash up vehicles.
What are the odds? Couple nearly killed by falling cow | Seattle News, Weather, Sports, Breaking News | KOMO News | Local & Regional

Gives new reason to feel OK when someone says it is (only) "raining cats and dogs"...

 

[vfx]

Gives new reason to feel OK when someone says it is (only) "raining cats and dogs"...

lol
Raining Cows and Hogs.