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11 Foot Gator Took Out A Motorcyclist

Sue sue

Sue sue

Take 6
http://www.baynews9.com/content/new...icles/bn9/2017/5/19/motorcyclist_recover.html

27-year-old Calen Nelson was on his motorcycle, riding home from his father’s house, when he slammed into the gator near the overpass for the Little Manatee River.

“The gator was crossing the road. Whether it was crossing or walking or standing still, he just hit it,” said Calen’s father Keith Nelson.

The younger Nelson was ejected from his motorcycle by the impact. He was airlifted to Tampa General Hospital, where he is now recovering.

His father says Calen doesn’t remember a thing.

“He asked ‘Dad what happened’ and I said ‘you hit a large alligator,’” Nelson said. “Then a few minutes later ‘Dad what happened? You hit a large alligator.’”

The alligator was captured by a trapper shortly after the crash, but later died from its injuries.
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“He asked ‘Dad what happened’ and I said ‘you hit a large alligator,’” Nelson said. “Then a few minutes later ‘Dad what happened? You hit a large alligator.’”
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I hope he recovers from the injuries.
 
Maybe he shouldn't have been driving so fast he couldn't stop for it. They don't move that fast, unless they are chasing prey or in water, so I'm sure he didn't just pop up and run across the road. at the last second. At 11 feet he most likely stretched from one side of the road to the other, so no going around it.

And you're in Florida, a gator is likely to be sitting in your car one morning, so he should have been expecting something like that, just like when I'm driving around here, I expect a deer to jump out from behind every tree. I think I've done pretty well at not hitting them, I've only hit 2 in 40 years of driving.
 
@cubby Sadly I've actually hit 2 alligators in the road. One I saw and had nowhere to go (no emergency lane or space to pull off, on a 2 lane highway, with a semi coming in the other direction)..
The other was like this one (not too far down the road actually lol), stretched across the road at night.

I honestly didn't see it until I was right up on it. They're very dark colored, as is the asphalt, and their skin doesn't reflect your headlights or anything (and they have teeny little eyes lol). Plus they lay really flush to the ground if they aren't actively walking.

Had I not been going as fast, and had it not been as large as it was, I might have had an opportunity to take evasive action. I'm definitely more cautious now knowing that they're up and about more during mating season.

And I'm honestly not a terrible driver. I'm always able to avoid little mammals that run out into the road, but alligators are hard to see for the above listed reasons, at least at night.
 
I was way more understanding when I was told it happened at night. I would think hitting an alligator at speed would be like hitting a low brick wall. But at least they don't (can't) do that that dare you to hit me dance that deer do.

Deer are fast and when they run out into the road a lot of times they get confused and will turn and run back the way they came only to run back into the road just as you've sped up to get the heck outta there. Also always, always know that if you see one, there are likely 2-15 more standing just out of sight ready to run into the road the moment you think they've all crossed the road. Been there, Done that.
 
cubby said:
I was way more understanding when I was told it happened at night. I would think hitting an alligator at speed would be like hitting a low brick wall. But at least they don't (can't) do that that dare you to hit me dance that deer do.

Deer are fast and when they run out into the road a lot of times they get confused and will turn and run back the way they came only to run back into the road just as you've sped up to get the heck outta there. Also always, always know that if you see one, there are likely 2-15 more standing just out of sight ready to run into the road the moment you think they've all crossed the road. Been there, Done that.
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The big alligator I hit was basically like hitting a low brick wall..
LOL.

The way my car was designed, there was a low plastic piece positioned across the front. Under the bumper, spanning between the front wheels (to prevent road debris from kicking back under it and damaging things, I'd assume). Because of that, the gator didn't actually go under the car and the wheels didn't roll over him. So when we hit, it skidded me to an abrupt stop and spun my truck partially off the road. I backed up slowly and he was just laying there with his mouth open, looking super pissed.

I called the Highway Patrol non-emergency line and they acted like, "Well, what do you want us to do??" I was like, this giant angry (injured?) animal is blocking the road, and someone else could hit it and fare much worse than I just did. As I was on the phone, the gator gathered his senses and walked away. He seemed to be unscathed, although I'd imagine he might have gotten some road burn skidding across the street like he did. There was no blood or anything, though.

A day or so later, that little plastic piece fell off at my house, and there was a perfect alligator print pattern in the road dust. :hilarious:

You're 100% right about deer. I see them standing just off the highway sometimes and always dread going past. You never know if they actually see you and plan to stay put, or if they're going to wait til the last second and dart in front of you, or even into the side of your vehicle.
 
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