Hit a deer going 65 miles an hour; ouch!!

[vacation on wheels]

Friday night June 16th I hit a deer while driving on I-90 in near Madison, Wisconsin. I was travelling about 65 mph when a full sized Doe popped up onto the road. I luckily did not have too much damage to my front end of the coach, about $1,500 in damage, but when the deer exploded underneath the coach there were bits and pieces everywhere. I high pressure washed underneath the coach for hours the next day to remove her remnants. I would like to say how lucky my family was that I had spent the money on all the aftermarket suspension components as my high speed manuevers were only possible because of them. Thank you Driver for letting us know of all the safety aftermarket suspension pieces available to us. By the way we counted 42 dead deer on the side of the road on I-90 that weekend!!!

[vacation on wheels]

Friday night June 16th I hit a deer while driving on I-90 in near Madison, Wisconsin. I was travelling about 65 mph when a full sized Doe popped up onto the road. I luckily did not have too much damage to my front end of the coach, about $1,500 in damage, but when the deer exploded underneath the coach there were bits and pieces everywhere. I high pressure washed underneath the coach for hours the next day to remove her remnants. I would like to say how lucky my family was that I had spent the money on all the aftermarket suspension components as my high speed manuevers were only possible because of them. Thank you Driver for letting us know of all the safety aftermarket suspension pieces available to us. By the way we counted 42 dead deer on the side of the road on I-90 that weekend!!!

[max49]

Glad your OK.
I"ve often wondered if hitting a deer with these plastic busses, if the whole front end would just explode and the windshield either shatter or just pop out in one piece.
What high speed manuevers did you do? Workhorses' stock parts could'nt have handled the manuevers you did ? That does'nt say much for WH and Drivers not going to like that. (just kiddin with ya Driver)
It Did'nt help the deer much.

[vacation on wheels]

Max49, to tell you the truth, my heart sank after I hit the deer thinking that my whole front end would have shattered, but I put on my emergency flashers and limped to the next exit to get off the expressway watching my dashboard waiting for any problems to errupt like a loss of oil pressure. When I got out I was surprised to see just a crack at the bottom of the front end and stress cracks around the lower grill area. Windshields were fine.

[DonavonP]

Glad you're ok.

Wife and I drove from Buffalo Wy to Boulder Co. (about 400 miles). Wife said there was a dead deer every 2-5 miles. On the way back to Buffalo - same thing.

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by max49:
I"ve often wondered if hitting a deer with these plastic busses, if the whole front end would just explode and the windshield either shatter or just pop out in one piece.. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Max, Our Winnebago is all steel up front and the windows aren't likely to pop-out. We would no doubt take some outer skin damage but that would be it.

Yea I hear that, the deer most likely said, Owwww!

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by vacation on wheels:
Friday night June 16th I hit a deer while driving on I-90 in near Madison, Wisconsin! </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I'm glad that you were able to get through this. Tomorrow we depart for the I-26 out of Columbia, SC, up and through the mountains of South and then North Carolina. The swish backs on the I-40 up through the eastern slopes of the Great Smoky Mountains should allow us to see quite a bit of wildlife but I hope not too much.

National Rally - Here we come!

[W8RLM]

I have a 2003 Winnebago Brave, Model 32V. When we were leaving Austin, Texas on I-35 North, a fiberglass bathtub came off of a trailer in front of us. We couldn't stop, and hit it. I had slammed on the brakes and was probably down to around 30 mph when we hit. We had no structural damage to the motorhome - only the front fiberglass. Driver is right - the basic structure can take a beating.

Now, I only need four more bathtubs, and we'll be a Bathtub Ace!!!

W8RLM - Bob

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by W8RLM - Bob:
Now, I only need four more bathtubs, and we'll be a Bathtub Ace!!! </div></BLOCKQUOTE> When life throws ya lemons - it's time to make lemonade! I enjoyed your humor.

[Colette and Joe]

We were on 81 just south of Harrisburg PA, and the semi's started swerving in front of us, 3 lanes, and with no place to go a dolly off the back of a Coke a Cola truck came flying at us. Hit the passenger side front, 65mph. Got off the road, and were amazed that there was NO damage.
The truck driver came up to be sure we were ok. Took us a little while to calm the heart down and we were not sure if any under damage could be done, but fortunately, no damage. Incredible.
This fiberglass is tougher than it looks.
Glad you were not hurt in the Deer incident.
Driver, once you are up the mountain to Asheville, you probably will not see anything but maybe hawks. The deer stay down the mountain. and the other critters seem to have more brains than to travel the hwys

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Colette and Joe:
Driver, once you are up the mountain to Asheville, you probably will not see anything but maybe hawks. The deer stay down the mountain. and the other critters seem to have more brains than to travel the hwys. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Thank you for that. This is what makes this place so special. I enjoy this forum more and more everyday and it's folks like you that make it all worthwhile.

[Photog]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by W8RLM - Bob:
I have a 2003 Winnebago Brave, Model 32V. When we were leaving Austin, Texas on I-35 North, a fiberglass bathtub came off of a trailer in front of us. We couldn't stop, and hit it. I had slammed on the brakes and was probably down to around 30 mph when we hit. We had no structural damage to the motorhome - only the front fiberglass. Driver is right - the basic structure can take a beating.

Now, I only need four more bathtubs, and we'll be a Bathtub Ace!!!

W8RLM - Bob </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Bathtub Ace! What a great idea. Did you paint a small bathtub on the side of your coach?

Bill

[TXiceman]

Many years ago I managed to hit a piece of 1/4" plywood that came off the car in front of me. I was doing about 70 and it floated and managed to stand up straight like a 4' wide x 8' tall wall. That thing exploded and was splinters. Some were wedged under the chrome windshield trim.

Since then I hit a bag of Cheetos at 70 that cam out of the back of a boat in front of me. It exploded and was a big yellow cloud.

Also manged to hit chickens, a deer and numerous plastic pails from trucks. Had a 4" 90 degree elbow come off a trailer in front of me and bounced over my car. You would never think a steel elbow would bounce that high, but was sure glad it did. The truck behind me took it in the grill and it had steam and Freon spraying everywhere.

Also managed to avoid munerous things that had fallen in the road. It is like driving an obstical course.

Ken

[Jimmy Jam]

Yeah just be careful in that stunt driver course known as the Pigeon River Gorge of I-40 through NC and into eastern Tenn. Lots of accidents through there!

And I hear from folks around that the bears are being seen with increasing frequency...

Hoping to load up the pop-up and ease into a spot near Gatlinburg at Crazy Horse tomorrow..