Here a deer, there a deer, everywhere a deer deer

[Jim MacInnes]

We live in northern lower Michigan where there are lots of deer. Here is what I sent to the Tesla service center in response to their request for service needs.

"Check brakes…tighten up as required. Believe it or not, I have hit two deer with my Tesla but both times was able to stop on a dime only lightly bumping them with essentially no damage….even while traveling >50 mph. Want to make sure the brakes are set up to engage with light pedal pressure which helps to avoid hitting them. You have to be fast. Lucky so far as they just appear in the headlights or jump out in front of the car around this time of the year. When I had 3300 miles on the car and was accelerating up to 55 mph on a back road one ran right across in front of me and I skidded to a stop and did not hit it. A near miss…if you count that one it makes three deer."

what is your deer story?

 

[snellenr]

Heading towards Harbor Springs at O-dark-30 one morning along M-119 ("Tunnel of Trees"), we came around a bend to see 2-3 deer standing in a group between the road and guard rail - close enough for my passenger to reach out and touch. They looked up as we passed, but didn't have any time to move...

I actually think the car's silence helped here -- the road runs along the top of a bluff, so if we'd spooked them the road was the only direction they could have jumped... I drive this section much more cautiously now!

 

[Holmes]

I just purchased my first Tesla this last Saturday and since I've been constantly thinking about how it would handle with deer. Is it going to react faster than me? How much reaction am I to expect, if any? etc.

I drove (still drive for now) a Chevy Volt and it has the automatic braking system in it and I hit 1 deer here in Minnesota with it. Caused about $3000 worth of damage, but luckily the car spotted the deer before I did and started to brake on my behalf. As a result, the deer busted a headlight and dented my hood a little but nothing more ... and I feel that it could have been much worse if my car hadn't braked for me when it did.

I try to watch for deer always, but every time, without fail, this happens when you least expect it.

 

[Eclectic]

My deer story? I killed a 4 x 4 mule deer this season and used my P85D to pick up the meat from the game processor.

 

[wesley888]

From reading the forum, Tesla doesn't seem to be able to detect/avoid a person or deer jumping in front of it.

 

[mrElbe]

Oh dear!

 

[aesculus]

My wife had a big buck jump into the windshield of our Acura MDX at 55 mph and it did $7k of damage 10 years ago. Just about took out my daughter who was riding shotgun. They had to pull it out, DOA.

We have lots of deer in our neighborhood. For some reason they just stare at the Tesla as it goes by. Sometimes not moving at all or maybe at the last minute. I am afraid they will freak out one day and just run in front of the car. In an ICE if you are going slowly they seem to scatter. Not so with the Tesla. I drive at 45 mph in 55 mph areas where deer congregate to try to get a bit of lead on them, which pisses everybody else off and they attempt to pass me.

 

[SabrToothSqrl]

Here's a damn deer:

took off my mirror, dented the A pillar, scratched the windshield and scratched up the rear door.

 

[PLUS EV]

I nearly hit a moose at 90mph on I-90 in Montana about a week ago. It was about midnight, just west of Butte, standing in the left half of the left lane which I was driving in. I saw it at the last second and swerved into the empty right lane. I was probably about 2/3 in the right lane and 1/3 in the left lane as I passed.

It didn't move at all, just looked *down* at me. That was what stood out the most, the fact that it's head was clearly above my head which must be about 4' off the ground while driving. Being so dark, all I could make out was a large figure, the eyes and the fact that it had substantial antlers of some type. In my shock I was saying to myself "that is the biggest ****ing elk I have ever seen in my life!" for the next few minutes and then it dawned on me that there are moose in Montana. Back home the Roosevelt elk are quite large, but not that large, and after googling it looks like the elk in Montana are a bit smaller than those. Moose on the other hand can be over 6' tall so it makes sense that he was staring down at me.

Hindsight being 20/20, I wished I had been driving slower, but the speed limit is 80mph, the road was clear and dry and mostly devoid of any traffic and the temps were above freezing, so other than the wildlife issue, it seemed safe.

 

[BobC]

I hit one on September 10, just hard enough to kill it (took about five minutes to die) and $6464 damage to the car. I called the State Patrol and DNR, put it in the trunk, drove home, and had it processed. Delicious!

Tesla is REALLY slow supplying parts. The body shop still does not have all the parts needed.

 

[aesculus]

Hindsight being 20/20, I wished I had been driving slower, but the speed limit is 80mph, the road was clear and dry and mostly devoid of any traffic and the temps were above freezing, so other than the wildlife issue, it seemed safe.

Back in the day, AZ used to have reduced speed limits at nighttime on highways. I always suspected this was one of the reasons.

 

[CHG-ON]

I too, live in deer country. I have been so lucky in that I have not hit one yet. Knock wood! But I actually did have one hit me once. Not in my MS, but in my old car (who cares). Three ran across the road and one ran smack into the side of my car. A total face plant right in my driver's window. We were eye to eye for a split second. Then she/he took off.

It was really odd.

 

[Jim MacInnes]

Back in the day, AZ used to have reduced speed limits at nighttime on highways. I always suspected this was one of the reasons.

this is probably a good idea. I have slowed down at night during deer season.

 

[Canuck]

I hit one on September 10, just hard enough to kill it (took about five minutes to die) and $6464 damage to the car. I called the State Patrol and DNR, put it in the trunk, drove home, and had it processed. Delicious!

Tesla is REALLY slow supplying parts. The body shop still does not have all the parts needed.

A bullet is cheaper.