Colour Blind Birds (feathered Variety)

Having put the V6 into hibernation for the winter, I've been driving the emerald green estate (the Grean Bean) recently. Driving home from Boston alongside the Maud Foster Drain there was a sudden loud bang as a collared dove flew into the offside windscreen pillar from the side. The following day another collared dove flew into the nearside rear door. Two days later a woodpigeon suddenly appeared in front of the car, traversing left to right so close that, yes, I collared him. My speed in each case was 30 - 40 mph.

Are green cars invisible to these birds? Any other green car owners had experience of suicidal birds flying into them? Or is it, as I've long suspected, that I'm fatally attractive to birds?

Derek

Hi Derek

Chances are they flew at one of the windows. Sadly they do not seem to understand about glass. It happens very regularly on the house windows.
The wild life carnage on our roads is unfortunate but something that is quite difficult to change. Last seconds avoiding action can generate considerably worse accident risk to yourself and others so your moderated speed is about all that can reasonably be done. You are not alone in feeling that they target you and upset that you could not prevent the strike. I have hit similar numbers to you in the last year. Oddly my most recent one was a Magpie this morning trying to hop out of a middle lane on the M25. If only I had been hogging one of the middle lanes the bird would have got away safely.

Regards

John

Derek

Rabbit and feasents seem to enjoy running in front of my Green 12v Auto in the early mornings when I take it to work!!

I dont run them over I just chase them to see how fast they can run

Rgds
citroenxm

Being someone who studies eyes I can tell you that the Birds can see far more colours than us in much more detail.
My only suggestion as to why they fly into you is that they are stupid and thought green was a bush or tree.

I've had the bird thing a few times recently, but the best one yet was a deer the other night. I didn't hit it thankfully, but only just managed to avoid it.

I was going up and down yet another pitch black country road, searching for a customer's house. I passed the turn off, so went on down the road and turned around at a safe spot, then headed back the way I'd came. There was nothing there at this particular bend on the way down, but as I came back up, I rounded the corner and was amazed to see a light brown young deer standing there staring at me!
I couldn't believe it, I know they're really common in some parts, but not round here, and I've never seen one in the flesh.
It took a split second for it to actually register in my mind that it was standing right in the path of the car. It didn't move or even flinch, and I had just enough time to glance at the other side of the road and make sure nothing was coming, then I sharply swung to the right and hoped I'd given it enough berth. I had, just. I passed and got back on to my side of the road, and I could just about see it standing staring at the car in the very weak light. If something else had been coming though I'd have had no choice but to brake and minimise the damage as I ploughed straight into the poor thing.
Easy to see why theres been many an accident involving them...

Ciarán

That's so true. Only accident I've had in my life that was not somebody else's fault was when I tried to avoid a cat crossing a B road (in Greece). My Clio lost rear traction and after a couple of attempts to control a pendulum-type supersteer, I totaly lost it and have nicely ended crashing on the kerb of my lane looking the other way round! It only costed me a rear axle. If it was not late at night and road totally empty, we would have possibly mourned fatalities -my car needed all of the road's 2 lanes to do its "ballet"-.

George

If it was the first time you had this sort of emergency slalom with a hydropneumatic car, tell me you didn't feel impressed by the unearthily "composed" and undisturbed way the car handles in such extreme situations. I still remember the smile in my face after the first time I had to do this sort of manoeuvre. All the hystery of a coil-springed car is just missing!

Cheers to Citroen!!!

G

Sadly George I've had the experience many times, due to the geniuses let loose on Irish roads. However you're right, I was mighty impressed with how composed it was the first time it happened! Think I'd have ended up in many a hedge if it wasn't for this amazing suspension!

Ciarán

This post has been edited by Ciaran on October 29, 2007 03:54 pm

We have a friend who tells the story about when he and some mates were doing an overnight Adelaide to Sydney "dash" in a DS23ie. They were somewhere on the Hay plains at about 2am and a cow walked into their path. James only says they were doing more than 160km/h. The driver swerved and missed the cow, stayed on the road and the only thing the sleeping passengers in the rear knew was being woken up as they were swung from side to side. The car didn't miss a beat but DID miss the cow!