How Far Would You Go to Let a Deer Cross the Road?

Here's the question I'll be asking, if you gentle readers will oblige: Who was wrong in this scenario — the deer, the driver of the black SUV, or me?

In the dark of night about 10 days ago, I was about to pull onto White Road in Chesterfield from my street. At the stop sign, I noticed drivers on White were halted, about four in a row, waiting for a group of deer to cross.

They passed, the cars drove on, and I was about to pull out when I noticed another lone deer on my side of White, trying to find an opening to catch up to the others.

Fearing the approaching cars wouldn't see it as it prepared to dart across, I eased into the street slowly, stopped and waved my arms for the traffic to halt.

I was certain the deer would dart into the street and get creamed by the approaching cars, certainly injuring or killing the deer and possibly injuring passengers in the approaching cars.

The driver of the black SUV flashed his lights at me and stopped, with two or three cars behind him. I thought the deer would take this opportunity. As it turns out, it tried…but in apparent confusion, it just bounced off the side of the black SUV and turned back.

I'd done all I felt I could do and pulled away, explaining to the driver of the SUV, "That's what I was trying to signal." The driver, obviously put out by the whole thing, replied: "I'd have already passed; he'd have missed me if you'd have let me go."

Perhaps. Perhaps not. And he was apparently indifferent to the two or three cars right behind him as well.

I'm not one of those people who hates having the deer in our residential areas. But I'm not a very good gardener, either. I was just thinking about the possible injuries to man and beast.

So who was wrong? What would you have done? I'd love to see your comments, or your votes in the poll below.