Swan Accident on the M5

[TORTUGA]

I had a rubbish start to my day today shortly after joining the M5 at Clevedon today. I was heading South to Exeter along the M5 when up in front I saw a Swan making a landing onto the middle lane of the carriageway. I braked and pressed the hazzard lights to attempt to slow people behind, and could see everyone braking in front and swerving to avoid it, but there was suddenly a large explosion of feathers. I thought it was a dead but as I reached it, it seemed to be still alive all be it stunned and kind of sat there. I wanted to stop and scoop it up, but with multiple vehicles including lorries bearing down on me from behind, you have that awful feeling of uselessness as you end up driving away. Gutted.

No sign of it an hour and a half later when I passed the same point, I would like to think someone was able to rescue it but who knows.

[Billabong Karen]

Oh no, sorry to hear that. But it could have been worse and caused a huge pile up. Poor bird - if it was killed (as seems very likely), hope it didnt have to suffer for long.

[PMG]

Thats rotten for you and the swan .... nothing you can do about it - rule number one as always - Is it safe for you to do anythiing about it? and in this case on a motorway the answer is absolutely NO. I remember incidents like this from years ago, one involving a kingfisher on the M6 another a little jack russell that ran out of a play area onto a duel carriageway in Preston ..... rotten images that don't go away. You have to hope that it either died quickly or everyone avoided it till the police got there. Take heart in the fact that there are other folks who also get upset - it would be worse if everyone else just ran stuff over without bothering.

We were called many years ago to a swan on the East Lancs Road (main Liverpool/Manchester duel carriageway) which would have been funny to watch in the way that potential incidents can be funny. The swan had got between the barriers in the central reservation and because we as a ranger service were based very close we got asked to go out and rescue (by the police if I remember right) .... the rangers involved nipped to the central reservation thro a gap in traffic - bearing in mind cars and lorries were doing 50, 60, 70mph - absolutely whooshing past while the swan kept sticking its head out into the traffic ..... how there wasn't a major accident and people killed we will never know but there wasn't and this particular swan and the rangers lived another day! Our boss said it must never be done again - that the police must attend next time and put a rolling blockade on till the traffic had stopped - both ways before any rescue was attempted.

[Dogghound]

Unfortunately a not so uncommon occurance with water birds (and insects) which mistake the road for a river. Swans really damage their feet as they crash down onto the hard surface.

[faz]

i have seen canada geese landing on the A34 in brum a major road thinking it was water but i was able to slow and stop the traffic in time

[Billabong Karen]

It is terribly distressing seeing an animal harmed on the road. In Germany last year a big wild boar run across the road in front of me on a dual carriageway. I managed to brake and swerve, but he was hit by an oncoming car, and speeded across the road on three legs... Absolutely ghastly. I stopped and called the police, as the poor fellow was definitely going to die of his injuries, and they send the hunters out with dogs to track dying animals there and put them out of their pain.

[Wild-Woman]

As sad and as horrible to witness, compared with the alternatives of a possible multiple car pile up, your head has to rule your heart. Sometimes motorway cameras pick up on these things quickly enough to get the necessary services there before real disasters.

[jaelen]

That was horrible for you, I know... but even though you wanted to help, (and I know I would, too!) you have to remember that an injured bird is frightened and going to lash out... and when that bird is big and powerful, they can do some serious damage. You could have been badly injured in turn, despite your best intentions.