Question about NSX versus a deer

Ruined 2

Ruined 2

Experienced Member
Joined
8 November 2005
Messages
402
Location
Jeannette, PA
I was cruising one of favorite roads Saturday night around dusk, a road that easily allows triple digit speeds on the straightaways. There's plenty of visibility, and I know the road very well so I'm comfortable hauling ass on it.

Anyways, about 1/3 down one of the straights, I was surprised by one hell of a deer making his way across the road. I only had to spike the brakes a bit (I probably did more than I had to, he was still pretty far away) to avoid him. But it got me thinking...

With the nose on these things, what would happen if you hit a full size deer at a decent speed? I'm thinking the front would sweep his legs and you'd end up with a deer in the windshield. Would the windshield frame hold up to that kind of weight and force? It seems like a deadly scenario to me.

I slowed down a bit after that and thought about all the things I haven't done yet and that I'm the last male in my family able to reproduce :smile: .

Anyone have any experience with something like this or an educated opinion on what could happen?

Thanks all.
Phil.
 
A deer totaled Norm's old NSX. Check out the damage: :eek:

3738BitterTears.jpg
 
Ojas said:
A deer totaled Norm's old NSX. Check out the damage: :eek:
Click to expand...

From what I recall about this thread, the passengers got pretty beaten up when the deer regained conciousness inside the car! :eek:

BTW, I hit a deer in my NSX too. The one I hit had already been killed previous to my encounter by a thoughtful driver who left it in the middle of the road. it was a foggy morning and I drove straight over it at about 50 mph. Even though it had aready been reduced to a pile of baby back ribs and hoofs, it was still consederably taller than the ground clearance on my (lowered) NSX. It ripped up the front end but did no metal damage. On a side note, the dogs loved the new smell of the car when I got home!
 
Ruined 2 said:
With the nose on these things, what would happen if you hit a full size deer at a decent speed? I'm thinking the front would sweep his legs and you'd end up with a deer in the windshield. Would the windshield frame hold up to that kind of weight and force? It seems like a deadly scenario to me.
Click to expand...
Hitting a deer can be a deadly scenario with any car.

Trying to avoid a deer can also be a deadly scenario with any car.

This is one reason why driving super-fast speeds is particularly dangerous at night and in other conditions of poor visibility (dusk, fog). Even at normal highway speeds during the day, the danger is still there, but at least you may have more advance warning.
 
rbirling said:
You should just go reproduce right now, so you don't need to worry about it! :biggrin:
Click to expand...

No thanks, I've got too many toys for kids. And I'm selfish! :biggrin: In addition, I've made it to 36 without accidentally knocking somebody up, why start now intentionally :smile: .

Was Norm's really totalled out? Looks bad but not totalled bad.

And nsxtasy, I realize about the dangers and the times when the danger level is higher. But life is all about taking a few chances, right? I'm sure you haven't always driven your NSX the most responsibly all the time, have you? But I do appreciate the advice sir.

It just seemed to me that the lower profile of the car would be more conducive to passenger injury than a big ole' american brick mobile.
 
Ruined 2 said:
And nsxtasy, I realize about the dangers and the times when the danger level is higher. But life is all about taking a few chances, right? I'm sure you haven't always driven your NSX the most responsibly all the time, have you? But I do appreciate the advice sir.
Click to expand...
I've learned when to take risks, and when the probability of those risks is greater and they are best avoided. The risk of hitting large animals (and the risk of encountering an official welcome from representatives of the local government) is much greater when you can't see around you, except within the glare of your headlights. I'm not here to lecture, but that's a fact.

Ruined 2 said:
It just seemed to me that the lower profile of the car would be more conducive to passenger injury than a big ole' american brick mobile.
Click to expand...
Not necessarily true. The NSX may give greater protection from animal collisions, doe to the fact that less frontal area (of the occupants) is exposed.
 
Ruined 2 said:
Was Norm's really totalled out? Looks bad but not totalled bad.
Click to expand...
Yep - it's also interesting that the NSX was apparently repaired with no mention of the incident on CarFax:

Norm said:
MY 91 NSX JH4NA1158MT002875 was a "total loss" after an accident with a deer in Texas. I reported the loss to Acura and here on Prime in the "total loss" list in the FAQ. So I was surprised when I ran a Carfax and found the car alive and well in California. The report noted that the car had been titled in CA and then Oklahoma and then back in CA but the report did not mention any accident or major damage.
Click to expand...
More:
http://nsxprime.com/forums/showpost.php?p=459111&postcount=4
http://nsxprime.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8879&postcount=10
 
nsxtasy said:
I've learned when to take risks, and when the probability of those risks is greater and they are best avoided. The risk of hitting large animals (and the risk of encountering an official welcome from representatives of the local government) is much greater when you can't see around you, except within the glare of your headlights. I'm not here to lecture, but that's a fact.
Click to expand...

As have I. And it wasn't dark enough for headlights just yet. Had it been, I would have adjusted my speed and driving style accordingly.

And I didn't take it as a lecture, just an over-assumption of the obvious. To me anyways. But not knowing me personally, how could you know that? :wink:

Like I said, I do appreciate the advice. Truly. No hard feelings intended or interpreted. :smile:
 
Now that I'm a bit older and wiser I've definitely toned it down on public roads. I usually never drive more than 15 over the limit on Interstates and no more than 10 over on rural roads. Getting back into getting my car on the track has a lot to do with this. A track is infinitely safer than the street.
 
nsxtasy said:
The NSX may give greater protection from animal collisions, doe to the fact that less frontal area (of the occupants) is exposed.
Click to expand...

Ken, is this a pun, or is it just Freudian? :wink:
 
Last edited:
ChopsJazz said:
Ken, is this a pun, or is it just Fruedian? :wink:
Click to expand...
I actually typed it in that way, accidentally. I noticed it, but decided it was so appropriate that it was best to leave it as is.
 
Sorry about the offtopic....but Norms car doesn't seem tottaled to me...only windshield and roof.... he could do the same transplant that serialNSXer did in his NSX-R project, right?? or am i being optimistic????
 
UnhuZ said:
Sorry about the offtopic....but Norms car doesn't seem tottaled to me...only windshield and roof.... he could do the same transplant that serialNSXer did in his NSX-R project, right?? or am i being optimistic????
Click to expand...

I think that accident happened about eight years ago, if I'm not mistaken. It's a little late for Norm to reconsider totaling it. :wink:
 
Here in Iowa we have loads of Deer. On average, 3 people get killed each year by car deer collisions. I believe the average is 13,000 deer vs. car/truck collisions yearly.

New cars and there aerodynamics just cut the legs from under the deer upon impact and go thru the windshield. Needless to say this isn't a very good scenerio for NSX owners......

I assume there would be many, many more if I wasn't a Deer hunter!
 
I hit a deer in Santiago Canyon road in S Cal in 99. It destroyed the entire front end of my brand new Honda Prelude. I hit it at 70mph and the deer air borned. After I got out of my car, I didn't know if I should laugh or cry... I thought things like that only happen in the movies, and I'm in Southern California!!!
 
Hitting a deer would be seriously bad, especially at high speed. I just moved to Austin and bought 10 acres in the country, this place has too many damn deer. They seriously worry me. I can handle road conditions, and other cars... but deers are incredibly unpredictable and hard to spot.
 
I was on 101 late one night and had to do a double take, cresting a hill there was a moose standing dead still in the on-coming lane with only its beedy little eyes and huge rack visible; by which point evasive braking even entered into my mind I was literally peering at it through the drivers side window as I passed by. It was huge. :eek:

Anyone have any success with any of the deer counter-measures electronic or otherwise?
 
I hit a deer in my mother's 01' Elantra at 70MPH.

It was foggy and I was going a bit too fast at 2am - blame it on a fight with the ex-girlfriend. Anyhow - an Elantra is obviously taller than an NSX and I hit the deer square - if it was baseball it would be a homerun - and the deer flew right over the car. In the quickness of it I looked up and saw it as it flew over my sunroof. I've since slowed down alot at nighttime.

$6000+ damage on a car that's $15,000 new and they wouldn't total it :( darned thing has had weird steering ever since.
 
rickysals said:
I hit a deer in my mother's 01' Elantra at 70MPH.

.
Click to expand...


I think the moral of the story is never drive an Elantra. I mean that's like going out in soiled underwear, if you remember mom's old warning.:biggrin:
 

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