My Brush With Death...

[khall64au]

My latest brush with death happened just a few hours ago. Today, for the nth time this week, the flimsy electric supply was still out at sunset. Leaving my dark abode I headed out to Rawai. Descending the steep hill toward a tom yum dinner, a duck appeared on the road waddling toward certain death under the wheels of my car. I swerved. Slipping on the wet road, the vehicle skid and I lost control.

The little Mira was airborne, flying, crashing down a deep ravine. I thought it would never end and was not looking forward to that final crash. I prayed and expected the worst. Coming to rest in a creek bed, the car crashed to a halt. I whacked my head. My back ached badly. I was alive. Angels are real.

Hearing voices, I managed to stagger out of the car. Jelly legs carried me a few steps. From the roadside, a group of Burmese workers had materialized out of the darkness, forming a human chain to pull me twenty metres or so up the steep bank. I can't believe I walked away from that one. The duck was no where in sight.

I want my Mum!

[Totster]

Bloody 'ell khall... at least you're ok...

I've always know those ducks have had in in for us humans...

How is the mira ?

totster

[farangsay]

Sincerely happy you escaped relatively unscathed.

Sorry about the car.

Next time :

<deleted> the D*CK.

Think of yourself.

The duck was obviously suicidal and will only go on to breed more of it's kind.

[khall64au]

Am so lucky that I am ok - sore back and big lump on head - it's a miracle really!

Mira is not ok - it is in a creek bed, twenty metres down a ravine and will need some serious ingenuity, and cost, to get it out...

[leisurely]

Bloody hel_l. Glad you are OK and remember you can always replace a car, a duck would be more difficult

[Little Black Duck]

KHall,

Glad to hear you are OK pity about the Mira..

I can assure you it wasn't me I'm in Bunbury West OZ

I hear similar stories over here all the time but the offenders are

Big & Furry and hop onto the roads in front of you..

hope you mend real soon and that the Mira gets a good Car Doctor..LBD

[wolfmanjack]

KHall,

Glad to hear you are OK pity about the Mira..

I can assure you it wasn't me I'm in Bunbury West OZ

I hear similar stories over here all the time but the offenders are

Big & Furry and hop onto the roads in front of you..

hope you mend real soon and that the Mira gets a good Car Doctor..LBD

I think he ended up better off going down the ravine than he would have hitting a roo with a mira. A duck on the other hand would have only totaled his bumper unless he hit it with a tire. That might have flipped him over. A duck is a serious speed bump to a mira.

[Old Croc]

Glad to hear you're OK Kerrie. Cars can be repaired or replaced.

As an Aussie you should know not to swerve at speed for animals on the road. Many people die that way. Better to have a little front end damage and a dead animal than the alternative. And it was just a duck!

[ozymandious]

Glad to hear you're all right.

Khall will you still be making the piss up bumped head, sore back and all?

Re dragging the Mira out: Elephant and rope?? Hire your local elephant trek operator for some help? Maybe cheaper than a crane.

At least it's a Mira and not a cement truck that you're trying to pull up. Anyone else see the Cement Truck go over the side of the hill in Patong? (patong side, lower section ocean side of bend about 150m up from the Wat)

[eek]

Oh my goodness.

PIease dont end up as one of the TV news postings: man dies saving duck. HonestIy..the duck is not as important as you!!!

WouId have made for an interesting epitaph, but a high price to pay

[jayenram]

I was taught in UK:

Only swerve to avoid a pedestrian.

Progressively brake for a dog or larger animal.

Take no action for cats, ducks, chickens etc., they can generally look after themselves.

Glad you're OK.

[MiG16]

khall!! glad you are ok.......but i think someone with a kind heart such as yours will always be taken care of

the other thing that shows clearly from your post apart from your wonderful thoughtfulness is how amazing your writing skill is! and yes I know you are a writer...but from this particular post it is very much evident

you wouldnt be interested to do some pro-bono writing for us would you

but again......really glad u are ok...and hope u recover from all the shock etc and get the car sorted out with not too much cost

[sbk]

Oh my goodness.

PIease dont end up as one of the TV news postings: man dies saving duck. HonestIy..the duck is not as important as you!!!

WouId have made for an interesting epitaph, but a high price to pay

Yes, it would have made an interesting epitaph since Khall is a woman

Glad to hear you are ok, I do understand swerving for the duck but next time, let the duck take its chances. Its chances will be better than yours in your little car

[borracho]

Yes aptly titled thread.

Many who swerve to avoid small animals die and possibly kill others as well.

What if you had a passenger? What if a child happened to be in the way after you lost control of the car?

Not only would you have a bump on your head but the big headache of a manslaughter charge.

Driving is very serious. You're very lucky.

From you accident description I'd say the obvious is you were driving too fast for the conditions.

Accidents happen, hopefully you got a bit of an education through it.

I'd hate to be in an accident in a Mira. They look unsafe standing still.

[yaimar]

My latest brush with death happened just a few hours ago. Today, for the nth time this week, the flimsy electric supply was still out at sunset. Leaving my dark abode I headed out to Rawai. Descending the steep hill toward a tom yum dinner, a duck appeared on the road waddling toward certain death under the wheels of my car. I swerved. Slipping on the wet road, the vehicle skid and I lost control.

The little Mira was airborne, flying, crashing down a deep ravine. I thought it would never end and was not looking forward to that final crash. I prayed and expected the worst. Coming to rest in a creek bed, the car crashed to a halt. I whacked my head. My back ached badly. I was alive. Angels are real.

Hearing voices, I managed to stagger out of the car. Jelly legs carried me a few steps. From the roadside, a group of Burmese workers had materialized out of the darkness, forming a human chain to pull me twenty metres or so up the steep bank. I can't believe I walked away from that one. The duck was no where in sight.

I want my Mum!

khall64au=post 1293806 . Wonderfull to think you are alive and well, to drive another day.

the lessons you learnt, will stand you in good stead, for the future. p/s my duck is safe and well. but shocked.

hope you make it to the green man sat yai.mar

[steve w]

glad to see k is nearly ok, but <deleted> is a mira ?some sort of soviet spacecraft?

[khall64au]

glad to see k is nearly ok, but <deleted> is a mira ?some sort of soviet spacecraft?

It's a matchbox on wheels. Am getting sorer by the day but will show my face at Green Man. Thanks to all the well-wishers. ... and Borracho - the duck was looking into my eyes.

[ozymandious]

when i first came to Phuket years ago i drove around in a Mira, it's not a bad little machine.

you just need to pop the hood every so often to re-wind the rubber bands and water the hamster who gets tired running in his wheel.

[Daffy D]

I am truly disappointed at the lack of compassion for the poor duck. Ducks have feelings too.

“The duck was looking into my eyes”

KHALL am sorry for your accident glad you are OK and hope your little car can be restored to life. You will have your reward.

D.D.

[VocalNeal]

Sincerely happy you escaped relatively unscathed.

Sorry about the car.

Next time :

<deleted> the D*CK.

Think of yourself.

The duck was obviously suicidal and will only go on to breed more of it's kind.

Sorry to hear about your Mira. I am looking for the Turbo Version. If you hear of or see another?

[chinthee]

Khall, congrats for surviving that, and good interview on 11. BTW, if anyone wants to read my two embarrassing accounts of animals on the road in Phuket trying to kill me along with other (tragic-usually for the animals) encounters between forum members riding conveyances and animals, there is the following subtopic entitled "I killed a dog" I killed a dog in the village running in the general topics forum:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=117939

Be careful of chickens and stray dogs, and now I guess, ducks too... What's next, rampaging water buffaloes?

[khall64au]

Khall, congrats for surviving that, and good interview on 11. BTW, if anyone wants to read my two embarrassing accounts of animals on the road in Phuket trying to kill me along with other (tragic-usually for the animals) encounters between forum members riding conveyances and animals, there is the following subtopic entitled "I killed a dog" I killed a dog in the village running in the general topics forum:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=117939

Be careful of chickens and stray dogs, and now I guess, ducks too... What's next, rampaging water buffaloes?

THAT is one sick (and slightly humorous thread "I killed a dog!") Especially, enjoyed this comment, post #14:

But this is Thailand and we're just non-immigrants here, so we should play the game their way. 500 points for a monk.......just kidding.

In my soi - where the said accident occurred - I have, for more than 3 yrs, successfully dodged babies, children of all ages, hens & roosters, dogs, frogs and bouncing balls! It's the ducks you have to watch out for ... mine now has an expensive price on its head. I have buyers and I know where it lives .....

[ozymandious]

KHall I've got a game you might want to try...

[britmaveric]

Khall never told me it was a duck? Any rate authorities will tell you avoiding an animal will get you killed. Done the same in the past when it was a deer- missed the deer and plowed into a guard rail. Got chided by the insurance agent - next time hit the deer.

[chinthee]

Yes, this is good wisdom. Hit the animal and keep going, that is what all Thais will tell you and is good advice. I know this does not comport with some western liberal values, but is by far the local solution always followed.

[khall64au]

Yes, this is good wisdom. Hit the animal and keep going, that is what all Thais will tell you and is good advice. I know this does not comport with some western liberal values, but is by far the local solution always followed.

I am living proof that decision (in attempt) to save the animal - an other living being - can result in us both remaining on the planet for a while longer... and surely I must have many more brownie points too?!

[SnakeBite]

It's just crazy to nearly kill yourself for the sake of a bloody duck, dog, cat or whatever small animal. The deer or any other large animal is different in only the fact that it might fly through your windshield after hitting it. I can't see the logic in your thinking Khall.