Deer Crossings in High Traffic Areas

[skipaway]

Reminds me of a West Wing episode
It's Irresponsible to place Deer Crossing signs in High Traffic Areas

She then demanded with the utmost sincerity: Why do the Minnesota and North Dakota Departments of Transportation “allow these deer crossings to be in such high traffic areas?”
“I’ve even seen them on the interstate,” she said, with growing frustration. “Why are we encouraging deer to cross at the interstate?”

She didn’t stop there.

“It seems to me that it’s so irresponsible of us to allow these deer crossings to be in an area where these deer are so likely to be struck by oncoming traffic,” she said. “Wouldn’t you agree?”

Relocate the deer crossing signs to nearby schools, Donna said, so that both the animals and children can safely cross the road together.
“The government can direct the deer population anywhere they want to” she said. “All they have to do is move that deer crossing sign.”

[milanessa]

My mother.

[KatieC]

If she gets the deer crossing signs moved, maybe the falling rock signs can be moved too. After all, those falling rocks can be dangerous.

[Alixana]

unbelievable

[Karina1974]

If she gets the deer crossing signs moved, maybe the falling rock signs can be moved too. After all, those falling rocks can be dangerous.

That's no joke. Up in Fort Ann, about an hour north of where I live, State Rt. 4 was closed because of a rock slide.

[ChelleC]

There are no words...

[Karina1974]

Ok... I finally read the article and... SERIOUSLY??? Is this woman THAT incredibly stupid?? Last year between the middle of November and New Years Day at 2:30 AM, I saw no less than 12 deer, 11 of them live ones either alongside the road or crossing right in front of my car, in places ranging from the very rural Old Military Road just outside Lake Placid to the very urban business strip that is State Route 7 in Latham, NY. I've seen them on the side of I-787 which runs between the Hudson River and Albany. I've actually seen more deer in urban areas in the past year than in rural ones and I got news for this woman... deer cross the road and go wherever the feck they want to go and, short of successfully killing them off, there isn't a damn thing people can do to stop that.

[jenlyon60]

I believe the interview may be on YouTube. It is very entertaining.

[Karina1974]

Yeah; the phone call is linked in the article as a YouTube vid, complete with photos throughout. I posted it on my Facebook.

[cruisin]

Can this woman really not understand, that the signs are warnings for motorists and not directions for the deer?

[Karina1974]

^^Apparently not.

I hate this time of year, because it is mating season, so the deer are on the run more than usual. I travel to Chatham, NY and to Lenox, MA on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of the month, both drives taking me through some of the rural sections of eastern NYS (Rensselaer and Columbia Counties). On one drive to Lenox last year I saw 7 of them in one 2-hour RT drive. I'm going out there tomorrow night as well and I'm not looking forward to the drive, but the contra dance I'm attending is worth the risk.

[danceronice]

...Ma'am, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but...deer can't read.

Between the rut and hunting season and it getting darker earlier it can "fun" around here. If I have one cross in front of me, I stop and wait, because there are usually more.

[Lizziebeth]

Deer certainly can't read. I lost my beloved Subaru after my second deer collision in three years. After second crash (in the City limits!) they totalled my car.

This time of year is really bad. I try to avoid driving at dusk.

[milanessa]

Deer certainly can't read.

Truly?

[skatingfan5]

Some of the signs have no writing on them for even the most educated deer to read ... just a silhouette of a deer in mid leap. I think such signs likely encourage deer to gather in those places -- the better to admire their depictions on the signage.

[milanessa]

Some of the signs have no writing on them for even the most educated deer to read ... just a silhouette of a deer in mid leap. I think such signs likely encourage deer to gather in those places -- the better to admire their depictions on the signage.

I always thought those were for baby deers that hadn't yet learned to read but your thought makes sense. They gotta have a hook up place somewhere.

[Karina1974]

^^

[ballettmaus]

I'm still hoping the caller was, for an unknown reason, so bored and joking. I'm very afraid she wasn't but one can hope, right?

[orbitz]

Deer certainly can't read.

They don't need to know how to read. That's why the sign has a picture of a deer jumping across the road. Surely a picture is the universal language, no?

[cruisin]

Some of the signs have no writing on them for even the most educated deer to read ... just a silhouette of a deer in mid leap. I think such signs likely encourage deer to gather in those places -- the better to admire their depictions on the signage.

I always thought those were for baby deers that hadn't yet learned to read but your thought makes sense. They gotta have a hook up place somewhere.

Maybe the deer think it's their restroom area. After all, they know that we put images of men and women on the doors for ours.