Close encounters of the wildlife kind?

[nogajim]

Perhaps some of you can provide data for a "spousal philosophical discussion". One of us believes that we are having more close calls for hitting birds while driving the Leaf than with our ICE car. After a couple of close calls, the other of us doesn't think there is much difference. We haven't hit anything yet, but do you think that you are (nearly) hitting more birds with the Leaf?

 

[Boomer23]

Perhaps some of you can provide data for a "spousal philosophical discussion". One of us believes that we are having more close calls for hitting birds while driving the Leaf than with our ICE car. After a couple of close calls, the other of us doesn't think there is much difference. We haven't hit anything yet, but do you think that you are (nearly) hitting more birds with the Leaf?

In my area, crows have killed off or crowded out most of the other birds, and for that reason, I wouldn't mind "thinning" the crow population somewaht. Crows are usually smart enough to get out of the way of any car, including a LEAF, though, so no, I haven't had any close encounters with wildlife of any kind.

 

[driveleaf]

Personally I've thought that birds indeed fail to recognize the leaf, or are more willing to get closer to it. No real issues yet, but close calls.

The deer and dogs around my neighborhood definitely look up when I come around a corner. There must be something different about the whine that grabs their attention and makes them stare. Or else I'll be getting a polar bear style hug from one of them soon?

As for random wildlife - last night I encountered my first alligator. About 4 feet long it shot out onto the road in front me, and froze as soon as it realized it was in my head lights. A quick slam of the brakes and a solid swerve of the low center of gravity and all was fine.

I'm not sure if the alligator was more willing to approach the leaf than my other car, since I've never had an alligator approach me before.

 

[defiancecp]

I've had a bird barely clip my front right bumper, and that never happened before. Could be a statistical anomaly though - one instance at a random time. Luckily no damage... Probably not so for the bird I'd guess.

 

[nogajim]

As for random wildlife - last night I encountered my first alligator. About 4 feet long it shot out onto the road in front me, and froze as soon as it realized it was in my head lights. A quick slam of the brakes and a solid swerve of the low center of gravity and all was fine.

My question wasn't entirely altruistic. I hope not to clip any birds, but I am more concerned about smacking into something more substantial. And that gator could have punctured your sidewall and lurked while you tried to use the fix-a-flat!

 

[GerryAZ]

When I left the house on Monday morning, I had to drive around a bird after backing out of the driveway. That has never happened to me before. The birds usually fly when a car approaches. I will see if it becomes a common occurrence.

Gerry

 

[ajlevine]

First night I had it, I snuck up on a coyote in my driveway.

-Andy

 

[leafin]

I drove up to the summit of Mt Diablo, a local peak here in Northern California today. I could have killed 20-30 squirrels today, but I drove slow and honked the horn every 5-10 seconds. They were feeding on pine nuts...