Reatta vs. Deer

[Reattatude]

We almost hit a huge buck on the way to work this morning.

It was dark and the roads were wet and slick...Missed him by inches :eek:

Thank God for fast ratio steering b/c I think if we were driving the land barge (96 roadmaster wagon) I couldnt have veered out of the way like the Reatta did with ease.

Watch out people and slow down where you know the deer Xcrossings are

its that time of year they are on the move.

[Bushwack]

It was circa 1979 and I was the front passenger in my friend's 1967 Olds Delmont. We were driving home on Benedict Canyon (just above Beverly Hills) when out of nowhere a deer darts out of the bushes onto the street at the end of a sharp curve. We hit the back end of the deer (the car was going about 15 MPH). What a thump!! Deer fell to the ground but quickly got up and hustled (with a noticebale limp) away into the bushes. We were both in a semi-shocked state. Pulled over to the side under a street light and besides a broken headlight, the car had no body damage

Don't know if the deeer recovered but they sure don't build cars like that any more.

[Guest Kingglory]

I would recommend that you carry some extra bung i cords in the trunk. So if fate puts a deer in your way, you can haul dinner back home on the top. Its a win/win. Not to mention if its a 10 pointer you can mount it for story time. LOL.

[wws944]

Thank goodness there was no accident!

Your story (and Bushwacks too) underscore the importance of good headlights, and not overdriving them. It is very unfortunate that the bureaucrats at the DOT mandated such poor headlights for so many years. Decades, actually. Untold numbers of accidents have been the result. Only within the last 10 or so years have they allowed, but not mandated, better.

It seems our Reattas factory-original headlights only have a 35 watt low beam. Fortunately our H6054 lights are easy to upgrade. Upgrading these to something with a 55 watt low beam, like the GE Nighthawks, would be a huge and inexpensive improvement. Then there are H4-based replacements...

[Booreatta]

Last summer at the nationals, when the Reatta group was on the Rendezvous a deer just stood at the side of the road about 5 feet from the cars as they passed. I was raining hard and the deer seemed to be more interested in eating a bush at the side of the road than he was in going anywhere. We were all thankful that he didnt decide to take off. He could have gotten at least one car for sure. It was a fun time at the Rendezvous.

[stealthbob]

I had one run into the trailer I was pulling only to have my wife hit another and the one I hit simultaneously!

What an awful sight that was in my rear view to see one deer cart-wheeling over her car while the front of her car was bouncing over the one I had hit. All this when she was pregnant and my 2 yr old daughter in the back!

All ended up fine..insurance repaired everything and nobody hurt...except for all the venison all over the road. Scared me so bad I still see that vision when I close my eyes.

[Guest THEHKP7M13]

I would recommend that you carry some extra bung i cords in the trunk. So if fate puts a deer in your way, you can haul dinner back home on the top. Its a win/win. Not to mention if its a 10 pointer you can mount it for story time. LOL.

Except for the possibly totalled car.

[Guest Kingglory]

I would take the blue one, but only the one with the white top. LOL.

[Guest Road mister]

Interesting post on head lights. It is some thing we don't replace unless there out. But I agree, why wait, a small investment that does make a difference.

Side note, I love these geniuses who replace with those blue looking extra bright bulbs you can see from space and are clueless how to adjust them.

Forget the deer, how about me.

[wws944]

Interesting post on head lights. It is some thing we don't replace unless there out. But I agree, why wait, a small investment that does make a difference.

The stock Guide 2B1 headlights that came from the factory only have a 35 watt low beam. (Now that I have removed mine, I can confirm that it sez so right on them.) Sealed beams with a 55 watt low beam (e.g., Sylvania Xtravision, Wagner Britelite, GE Nighthawk) would be a big improvement and still DOT legal, for about 30 bucks. A number of folks on this forum apparently use the Sylvania Silverstars and like them. These also have 55 watt low beams.

Even better is to go to a H4/9003-based light. For example Hella makes both DOT legal and "E-code" lights which fit our Reattas perfectly. E-code, European, lights are legal in every country *except* the US. Within the last 10 or so years, so-called VOL lights have been legalized in the US and have a light pattern similar to, but not quite like, E-code lights. My Rendezvous was designed with VOL lights, and they were a pleasant surprise.

Side note, I love these geniuses who replace with those blue looking extra bright bulbs you can see from space and are clueless how to adjust them.

Forget the deer, how about me.

Those kiddos that are into 'blue bulbs' can't see as well as regular bulbs. So-called 'white' bulbs have a filter on them too. Best is to use normal unfiltered halogen bulbs and make sure that they are getting full voltage via a relay setup.

Then there are the "HID conversions" which glare all the oncoming traffic because the lenses and reflectors weren't designed for them. So there is light scattering in all directions...

Edited October 7, 2009 by wws944 (see edit history)

[padgett]

I had some XtraVisions but switched to SilverStars. I can see a difference.

BTW the SilverStars I put in the 88 c.a. 2001 are still going strong.

Edited October 8, 2009 by padgett (see edit history)

[Guest heartscoops]

You're lucky there was no accident!

Last weekend I let my significant other borrow my Reatta to visit family in Middle Georgia, and he hit a deer. The only damage was the deer annihilated my left headlight and shattered some of the front left exterior panel (still searching for a replacement). Thankfully he is safe (and the deer since it walked away I'm guessing), the damage was cosmetic, and my dad just happened to have a replacement headlight (yes Reattas run in my family).

All in all: Reatta vs Deer in this case the Reatta won

[Guest SwiftBuicks]

Most people drive too fast, (and you were probably going too fast, Reattatude) especially on rural roads they know. When I lived at a ski resort in Vt., the doe were more plentiful than women. I lived on the side of a mountain road that connected two ski areas. One morning at breakfast I heard a terrible crash and ran outside. I found this resort employee I knew (not a young kid, mind you) with a truck that was all smashed up in the front. A slight ridge sided the road at that point and a buck had jumped out of the woods directly on and in front of this guys truck. What a mess.Talk about being shaken up. I ran into a herd of mule deer in the mountains of Utah, once. I turned a switch-back corner and was in the middle of them. These aren't Eastern white tailed deer. They are much larger. Since I never speed and was driving slowly given the type of road and the fact that I didn't know it, I nudged the rear end of one of them, gave him a real kick in the pants, but only sent him on his way, no damage. Finally, I have encountered Moose on the road, too, but never hit one. Believe me, if you don't want the nightmare of a collision with a big animal, drive slowly. In fact, if you want to avoid the nightmare of a collision, period, heed the speed limits. I've extensively travelled the states, Minn. to La., Fla. to Oregon, San Diego to Me., always keeping within the speed limits. I watch all the bozos out there trying to get home at rush hour and think how little they will see of our great country going at those breakneck speeds.

Edited October 22, 2009 by SwiftBuicks (see edit history)