Monday, Aug 17, 2009 at 18:09
I was responsible for the operation of a number of vehicles in western NSW some years ago, both FWD and sedans. We trialled 'Shoo Roos', whistles, upgrading the headlights, extra
driving lights, all to no avail. Vehicular damage bills got so high that we finally were forbidden by management to drive out of town after dark except in exceptional circumstances.
The problem is the animal is blinded by the vehicle lights, becomes panicked and disorientated, and goes off in any direction. Unfortunately, you take up a fairly large chunk of the 360 degrees that's available. Kangaroos have exceptional hearing and I have been told that they can hear a vehicle approaching some kilometres away, so you really don't sneak up on them.
From my experience, and I have learned the hard way, is to avoid driving in that hour between light and darkness & vikky verky, and drop your speed substantially when you do travel in the dark. Even then they'll still run into you, front and sides. Tucking yourself in behind a semi trailer doesn't work either, as the prime mover will cause them to move and you'll still run into one, or they will hit one and you'll collect it. I recall one night taking something like 6 hours to travel from
Wentworth to
Broken Hill, because of the roo
population on the road.
As I usually tow a van these days, we get off the road
well before dark, but it still amazes me at the speed some people will travel at in the rural areas at night, even in unprotected sedans. Some of those small cars that are now being produced, if striking a large roo at speed would really have a problem.
My advice keep of the roads at night or really decrease the vehicles speed.
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