Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Deer meets car, car loses...

Sadly, last Thursday our erstwhile blogging correspondent Gordon had an encounter with a deer on the way to work. The car lost...




The pictures really don't do it justice. The car has been sitting at the body shop for a week now while we wait for the slow-ass insurance adjuster to get his act together and authorize repairs. Our first car insurance claim ever! So far I am unimpressed.

The deer ran into the driver's side, scratched the back door, caved in the driver's side door, ripped off the (lovely, heated, automatic) side mirror, bashed in the front panel and damaged the headlight assembly, tore off the bug deflector and dented the hood, and ran gaily off into the woods.

Luckily Gordon was just fine, and a kind woman stopped to make sure he was okay and give him her info for our insurer. The accident happened about 10 minutes from home. Gordon drove back holding the door shut, as it would not longer close properly.

I figure that with this deer strike, we have now been fully initiated into country life. The Ontario Provincial Police sent an officer from our local detachment to our house (!) to do an accident reports. They don't do THAT in the big city. Then the flatbed tow truck came and took our baby away to the body shop in St. Eugene.

Bye bye, baby!


Sniff, sniff...

We quite like the body shop, Carrosserie St Eugene. When my friend's Dad backed into our car last spring, we took it there for repairs (he paid for the damage.) Unfortunately, the very front panel that was so lovingly restored there last May is now wrecked again.

But on the bright side, at least it wasn't a moose! There are, according to Office Dan from the OPP, 500 deer strikes and a couple of moose strikes in this area every year. And I am beyond grateful that Gordon doesn't need any repairs!

And this morning on the highway in rush-hour traffic, I saw some moron applying mascara as she drove...


13 comments:

  1. Glad Gordon is okay. My family is no stranger to deer strikes - my Dad was usually the person who got called to come get the deer - yeah I've eaten roadkill....
    My dad also hit a deer on his motorcycle when I was little - Dave was black and blue and still proudly states that "I never dropped the bike". The deer, as I remember, was delicious!

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  2. Ouch! So happy Gordon didn't suffer any injuries.

    Back in the 1940's or 50's my husband's grandmother hit a deer in her big old Packard (or some such car of the day). It smashed through the windshield and was flailing around inside her car with her! Luckily she wasn't hurt either.

    We have lots of deer around these parts too. You never know when one is going to come out of nowhere and run into your car. Hope your "baby" is home soon!

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  3. Anonymous10:59 pm

    Ouch! My sympathies to the front panel! Maybe you qualify for the front panel discount.

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  4. eek! glad to hear gordon is alright =) imagine the story the deer went home to tell :D

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  5. I figured it was just a matter of time before one of us took out a deer. There are so many around here! WanderingCat, you have QUITE the deer-hit stories! Officer Dan told us it's okay to take the deer you hit home, so long as you notify the Ministry of Natural Resources, but I guess your Dad knew all that!! Apparently they get suspicious and check you out if you hit too many deer and have a freezer full of venison. :)

    I'm amazed he didn't drop the bike!

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  6. Ima June, my sentiments exactly. The deer could have gone through his door window. He never even left the road, and is just fine, not even sore. Imagine a deer going through your Packard window, holy moly!!! She was so lucky not to be injured.

    Thanks, Marylee. I told my friend's dad that it's too bad we didn't know this was coming. We could have saved him $1500!

    PP, I am wondering how the deer did. Yesterday GOrdon showed me where it happened. The deer jumped over a farm fence before running off, so it was still pretty mobile.

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  7. I very glad Gordon is allright.
    Still, it shakes you up.
    No, Nathalie, the officers in the big city do not come to your house when you hit a deer, because when was the last time you saw a deer in the big city?...and if we did, they probably would show up for the good story they could bring back to the Station!

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  8. Glad Gordon is OK. Sorry about the car/

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  9. Anonymous7:57 pm

    Reminds me of a cartoon with a squirrel running across the road while his buddies are on the sides holding up score cards. I guess that deer got a perfect 10 for that. or maybe a 10 would have been a graceful leap OVER the car.

    And talking about mascara application ... just last week i was stopped in a long line of traffic at a red light ...i was on the motorcycle ... i felt the car behind me just roll into the back of the motorcycle. I looked in the mirror and then turned around ... the frigging woman was putting mascara on. she wisely avoided making eye contact with me. >|( ...then in the next block she passed me going about one million mph and ON THE PHONE. i mean i don't care what people do as long as they do it FAR away from ME. grrrrr

    anyway happy to hear Mr. Caber made it though intact. :D

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  10. Elisabeth, you have a point. :)

    Thanks Janyne!


    Dr. Sloth, that's a pretty scary story. People really do seem to think they are immortal, don't they?

    ANd Nick, you kill me!

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  11. So glad that Gordon was not seriously hurt and hope you get your car back soon.

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  12. Thanks Paula, me too! We hope to get the car back later this week. Fortunately I have a nearby friend who lends me their extra vehicle when I need it, otherwise I'd be marooned at the farm.

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Thank you for all your comments, which I love to read!