brake for moose!!!! let's all be careful!!!

just a friendly reminder to all...(ok, nagging )

This truck is on diplsy in front of the fire station in Gorham. Imagine if it was a little compact car?!!!! Yikes! Moose are especially skitso this time of year, running around full of hormones, looking for mates.

Let's all be extra careful driving through moose country.

Yeah, good idea !
That could ruin ones day.

Why would someone *not* at least TRY to brake for a moose?????? i mean, there are electronic signs, permanent signs, bumper stickers, etc. I guess it's just an awareness-building thing.....

If I saw a big black half-ton-ish moose on the road, I would hope I'd throw on the brakes (but, judging from the fatalities, not clear it would help???), but, I don't know about my reaction time or my ABS. etc... I've only heard that their eyes don't reflect (unlike deer I guess?) and they are slow-moving (~sometimes~)?

Becca, much of the issue is you can't see them until you are right on top of them at dusk. I've come up to them before in the road, and if you are not paying full attention, you can be within 20-30' before you even see them.

My father-in-law hit one in his Corolla with my wife-to-be in the car. They saw the moose running on the left of the road, off Rte. 115, and before he had a chance to slow, it banged a hard right and cut right in front of him.

Normally, he drives a pick-up, and figures he was saved because they went right under it, shattered three of it's legs, and the car was relatively OK. In his pickup, he would've taken it right in the grill.

Becca M said:

Why would someone *not* at least TRY to brake for a moose?????? i mean, there are electronic signs, permanent signs, bumper stickers, etc. I guess it's just an awareness-building thing.....

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Lots of people assume they won't see one, let alone hit one. That's the kind of thing that happens to others but can't possibly happen to them.

I was just tailed driving through Franconia Notch on a rainy night. I was doing 45 and the person behind me clearly wanted to do 60. Any closer and the driver would have been in the back seat with my kids.

So, in addition to watching for moose and being careful to drive no faster than the speed limit, keep your calm when some nimrod tries to car-bully you into going faster than you wish to go.

And isn't the suggestion here, fg, to preemptively slow down? Being aware of the possibility should hopefully check a bit off of people's baseline speeds.

Thanks for the reminder. It's very sad to see these collisions and wonderful to see photos of known moose who survive multiple seasons. Keep at it!

TrishandAlex said:

So, in addition to watching for moose and being careful to drive no faster than the speed limit, keep your calm when some nimrod tries to car-bully you into going faster than you wish to go.

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I pull over at a wide spot to let such drivers by. (I hate being tailgated any time...) Let them sweep the road clear of moose for you...

Doug

DougPaul said:

Let them sweep the road clear of moose for you..

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Agreed, the moose and the speed traps.

I call it, "setting a pick for me" like in basketball. Speeder gets pulled over, I drive by laughing with my pocket intact. In this case, I wouldn't wish anyone crashing into a moose.

Moose are dark and they are tall. I worry when driving back home late at night when I'm tired and it's pitch dark out. Worse when it's raining.
Really stare into the dark while heading down the ADK Northway.
The rut is on so the bulls and cows throw whatever caution they had to the wind.

TDawg said:

Agreed, the moose and the speed traps.

I call it, "setting a pick for me" like in basketball. Speeder gets pulled over, I drive by laughing with my pocket intact. In this case, I wouldn't wish anyone crashing into a moose.

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I was driving through randolph two Sundays ago when I kept getting passed by out of state leaf peepers I was thinking theese people have no clue speeding out of town as the sun sets. I just have a feeling one day someone will pass me and I will see a tragedy first hand. Speeding at night in the north country is crazy

Following another car (at a respectful distance) also has the advantage that the first car lights the road from a distance ahead. Between his lights and your lights you (hopefully) have a better chance of spotting a moose than you would on just your own lights.

Doug

I was just in Yellowstone in mid Sep. They have a similar issue with bison on the roads after dark. They are big dark animal without eyeshine if they would ever bother to look up at you. The speed limit is already at 40-45. Just assume something might be in the road and slow down.

The birds have St Francis and the moose have St. Forestgnome. Thanks for posting the reminder.

In the Jackson Hole area there are signs, if I remember correctly, advising that you always drive at night with a lookout helping you spot wildlife crossing the road.

As others have said, drive slowly and it might even save the life of the person anxiously wishing you would pull over. How about a bumper sticker that reads,

"I'm driving slower than you want, to save a life."

or

"Can't break for moose when driving too fast to see."

Other suggestions?

I was driving up the Kanc from conway and had a moose running along side of me on the other side of the guardrail. He was moving along pretty good and I slowed down to watch him run when he all of a sudden jumped the rail and ran right out in front of me I swear he was trying to end it all, truth is they are oblivious to thier surrounds.

Becca M said:

Why would someone *not* at least TRY to brake for a moose?????? i mean, there are electronic signs, permanent signs, bumper stickers, etc. I guess it's just an awareness-building thing.....

If I saw a big black half-ton-ish moose on the road, I would hope I'd throw on the brakes (but, judging from the fatalities, not clear it would help???), but, I don't know about my reaction time or my ABS. etc... I've only heard that their eyes don't reflect (unlike deer I guess?) and they are slow-moving (~sometimes~)?

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Exactly my thoughts, who is going to intentionally run down a moose? Which is why I've never quite understood the "Brake for Moose" signs. I think anyone who sees a moose in the road is going to brake. I reinterpret the signs to mean: "Drive carefully, moose crossing" or "Be attentive for moose it may save your life."

One example where the sign might have meaning is the case Sierra mentioned. If you see a moose running along side of the road it would no doubt be wise to brake and let the moose go on its way.

I have experienced several near hits over the years and generally its not a moose standing in the road as much as a moose walking or running into the road from the side usually from a ditch along side of the road.

Some folks assume a guard rail will slow a moose down from crossing into the road, it doesnt, they dont even break stride.

Even when a moose is quietly munching away in a mud puddle on the side of the road, I give them a wide berth and slow down as they can and do suddenly decide to go off on a trot, frequently across the road into traffic.

peakbagger said:

I have experienced several near hits over the years and generally its not a moose standing in the road as much as a moose walking or running into the road from the side usually from a ditch along side of the road.

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I've fortunately never had any car vs moose encounters, but I did have an encounter with a deer where it broke from the brush at the side of the road and attempted to cross ahead of me in the early morning light. (There was sufficient light that headlights were not needed.) I never saw it until my passenger yelled. I had insufficient time to respond and it ran into the passenger door.

I presume that a moose could also break from cover without warning too.

Doug

Becca M said:

Why would someone *not* at least TRY to brake for a moose?????? i mean, there are electronic signs, permanent signs, bumper stickers, etc. I guess it's just an awareness-building thing.....

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Exactly, if the sign said "Watch for Moose" people might think it was an ad from the tourist bureau

I don't know about moose eyes but moose hair tends to absorb light so they're harder to see. A lot of North Country people I know won't drive over 40 mph at night this time of year to give themselves more time to react.

There are two myths about moose that I frequently hear that have made their way into this thread. It's no wonder someone would think something is true when they hear it said so often.

One myth is that moose are stupid or oblivious. I have spent a lot of time in close quarters with moose, observing and photographing. In fact, I been with them more than most biologists, local hunters, etc. Moose are extremely aware of what's around them. When a moose runs into a moving vehicle or stands still in the road, it cannot be "proof" that they lack intellect, relative to other animals. Deer are hit by vehicles all the time. Consider the metaphor 'deer in the headlights'. It referes to a stunned look of oblivion. It's not called a 'moose in the headlights'. People are prejudiced against big, strong things. Big and strong equals stupid for some reason. Deer are small and fast, so they are considered smart, yet they get hit all the time. In some circumstances, a moose's natural reaction to another big thing is to stand it's ground. This is how they have evolved over a long time. Motor vehicles are relatively new to the forest. Perhaps we should expect more "intellect" of the humans who create and operate the vehicles through the forest.

Another myth is the lack of eyeshine. I find it amazing when I hear elderly locals tell me that moose eyes don't shine in headlights. When I disagree they ask from where did I transplant, as if that proves me wrong. I have seen moose eyes in the headlights from a 1/2 mile many, many times. They do have to be looking straight at you ....duh...

I suspect that eye level for a moose is often above the headlight beam or directed away from the beam. I surprised a moose at about 10 feet with my headlamp and I can assure everyone, moose eyes glow. Whereas a deer's eyes glow about the size of a dime, moose eyes glow about the size of a half dollar. I don't know if my eyes glowed but I was surprised, too, and do know every hair my spine was standing up ... and I don't have hair on my back ... sort of reminded me of a cat with an arched back.

I drive slowly through moose areas HOPING to spot a moose. I can't seem to get enough moose. I never tire of moose and I never tire of bison.

Late one night in Yellowstone I had to stop on the road in Hayden Valley while a herd of bison walked by. It was like a freight train with two dozen steam engines breathing heavily as they strolled by ... don't remember that their eyes glowed ... I'd turned down the car lights to the parking lights while we sat in awe at their sight and sound.

Whether you hit a moose or a bison ... it is bad news for all concerned. Be careful and enjoy the sighting.