Holy Cow....I hit a cow!

[Gemrod]

I dunno Jesse. Patrolman made an interesting comment. He stated "whenever a cow is involved in a vehicle accident...the cow is never at fault"

I thought...oh oh....this is not starting out well at all......

But he just wrote a report. no ticket

[CharlaineC]

Jim all i can say is thank god to that. your too young to die. you got another 50 years still.

[flybugpa]

Jesus Jim, i am glad you are okay, front end of the truck probably, not good. Pmme when you calm down.
best, heinrich

[fishdog54]

Jim,

Glad to hear your alright! Cows and cars don't play well together! Only one thing to do from now on. Carry along one of those Grills To Go and a big bottle of barbecue sauce. Mesquite flavor is pretty good! If you can't get mad - get even. I've hit a few critters, but nothing big. Been close - real close and real close is close enough - thank you very much! Hope everything works out getting the damage fixed.

Best Regards, Dave S.

[nighthawk]

Glad you are alright. Hit one of those Texas Brahma Longhorns one night on Ft. Hood. Late at night, coming back from the Belton Lake Recreation Area, pretty well tied from drinking beer all day. Driving a 1978 Monte Carlo. Came around a bend and there was three of them lined up across the road. I picked the smallest one. Clipped it in the rear, it ran away into the brush. If you know anything about Ft Hood, Texas you know not to be walking the roads or poking about in the brush at night time unless you have a good flash lite and a long heavy stick because they have so big diamond back rattlers there. Drove the car back to the barracks but it was a mess!

[redietz]

My son hit a black cow one dark night, and it not only jumped to windshield height, it squashed the roof of the car down considerably. He was lucky it did, instead of coming through the window. Hitting a critter of any substantial mass results in varying degrees of unpleasantness. Saw a car that was totalled after hitting a pig. Not pretty.

Yow! I didn't think a cow could do that.

I had to go and mention deer -- I hit one this evening.

[EdD]

I have hit 8 deer, 6 in Michiagn and 2 here in Tennessee burning up the roads, or should I say they hit me I know what kind of damage a deer can do to a vehicle/truck, but a COW!!!! OMG no telling what all happen.

Thank GOD!! you're OK

Popperfly,
If you're that short of bucktail, I'm sure I can find an extra one for you.

Gemrod,
I'm glad that you weren't injured. Good luck with your insurance claim.
Ed

[Gemrod]

Thanks. I tried to go between them. Hard to do when there are 4 of them. I managed to miss on the right, but the left side of my truck is pretty much toast. I got a ride home, so left it at repair shop next day. No pictures. But the left side is caved in, the pick up bed is caved in form the front of the bed to almost the end, and then scratch marks on the end, like from the horns. I swerved to aim between them..but there just wasn't enough room. I was going 5mph below the speed limit already, it's the way I drive at night to avoid outrunning my headlights, and I let off the gas when I went by the slow moving car...but you just can't see what is immediately next to a car with it's bright lights on.

But I got by very lucky and I thank you guys for caring and giving me someone to talk about it with.

mucho appreciated

[ranchwife]

I dunno Jesse. Patrolman made an interesting comment. He stated "whenever a cow is involved in a vehicle accident...the cow is never at fault"

I thought...oh oh....this is not starting out well at all......

But he just wrote a report. no ticket

That is the case in California. It is drivers responsibility to not hit livestock. Technically you or your insurance should be reimbursing the rancher for the cost of the cow at current market value. It sucks but that is the way it is. We had someone cut the locks on two of our gates into the field where our entire cow herd was pastured. We had about 20 head get out in the middle of the night and a semi truck hit 4 of them - 1 cow and 3 steer calves. The truck was totaled, as were the animals. The driver tried to sue us for negligance, but the fact that the locks were cut and because we maintain our fences and rarely have animals get out prevented that from happening. Our insurance did pay for the engine on the truck (which was based on the current value of the engine) but the drivers insurance had to pay for the loss of the 4 animals, which was way more than the cost of the engine.

If the area where you hit the cow was supposed to be fenced, then if I were you, I would contact the local highway patrol and ask for any and all reports of cattle on the highway at that particular place, or within 2-3 miles from there. Find the land owner, and contact their insurance and see if they will pay for damages on your vehicle and cite them all the reports from highway patrol. They may or may not pay, and you may end up owing for the dead cow, but it is always an option.

We had a rancher up this way that didn't maintain fences and was always having animals hit. It got to be so bad, that he was brought to court by the highway patrol, had to pay many fines, and was ordered to repair all the fence along the highway. There haven't been any animals hit since then.

I'm glad you weren't hurt. We always panic when we hear animals are out because we fear someone being killed. We have local CHP call us whenever there are cattle out in the valley. With the exception of the 4 that were hit in the 20 that were out that night, we don't have animals out. Our neighbors, on the other hand, are sitting ducks for animals being hit.

[Uncle Jesse]

He stated "whenever a cow is involved in a vehicle accident...the cow is never at fault"

But a cow has an owner, I have ask my insurance broker friend about coverage. Your choices on that road are not when you can't get stopped: 1-run into the side of the mountain: 2-run off the side of the mountain; 3-hit the cow. I'll take no. 3 most days.