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Western Oregon | I hit 2 big cows with a '76 Chevy P.U. in 1981. It was a short wide with 250 and 4 speed transmission. I was going 50+, never had time to hit the brakes. It pushed the engine through the firewall and under the cab, the transmission shift lever was outside the back of the cab. I wasn't hurt, not a scratch, just one big bruise from seat belt. It was 1:00 am. Had just left the peppermint still on my way home, 2 farms down from my farm. I saw a cow on the right fog line just as a car passed me, maybe 30' ahead, crossing the road. I veered to the left, Cow took maybe 2-3 steps, right on center line, hit the cow broadside and I saw a 2nd cow right as the headlights flashed out. I thought since I veered left, I went over the bank on left side of road, about a 12' ditch but it was the impact of hitting second cow, spun me around and dead stop. I ended up right in the center of the road straddling the center line but headed in the direction I had come from. Frame bent bad. Pickup totalled. Both cows killed instantly. No lights, no flashlight. Battery about 10' from pickup as it had nearly stripped the right fender off the pickup when I hit second cow. Next vehicle was going slow enough not to hit anything. Both cows on roadway. Took a while to get a sheriff there. Neighbor that owned cattle heard the racket and came out with flashlight, gave it to me and walked back to get tractor, he had a tractor hooked up and both cows and pickup off the road before sheriff got there....James | |
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Quite the past 24 hours
