Turtles are starting to cross the roads for mating in the south, please keep an eye out for them

[Jawmuncher]

Ive already stopped and helped 2 this season. But I've also sadly seen some hit from people not paying attention. Which especially bothers me due to how large and slow they are. It's not like a turtle will jump out at you after all.
Thus far I've seen box turtles, painted turtles, and common snapping turtles trying to cross roads.

But also remember not to put your own safety in danger for a turtle. I drive on a lot of backroads so it's easier for me to stop and move them compared to someone with a commute on the highway. But even if you can't move them, just slowing down can make all the difference for those little dudes.

🐢

 

[Mugy]

Can i give you a medal

 

[Zeroneo]

Would be nice to say what area you're talking about?

 

[Infinity Times Two]

Where is this?

 

[Midramble]

Florida man expanding his forces?

 

[Sanjuro]

 

[Jawmuncher]

Updated the title, I know it's not a worldwide thing. But there's a lot of turtles out and about in this region at least.

 

[Downhome]

I live in SC and this has always been a thing here. There are so many turtles in the middle of the roads. I always stop to help them across when I see them as long as it's safe for everyone involved. My dad used to do it and his dad before him. Everyone I've always know around here has done it for the most part.

When I first started driving I accidentally ran over one on purpose. I was young, stupid, and had just got my license. I saw what I thought was a rock in the road and decided I wanted to run it over to see what it felt like. When I got right up on it I realized it was one of the turtles and it was too late. I tried to turn but I couldn't. The look of the turtle and the sound it made and even the "feel" of it still haunts me to this day. I know this will sound insane but it's still one of the most impactful moments of my life in terms of being something that I just can't forget and feels like it just happened yesterday.

Actually, come to think of it, I have a number of moments where I accidently hit an animal while driving and they mostly all stick with me.

 

[Meicyn]

I stopped for a turtle during yesterday's commute. They're small and easily missed around here.

 

[Figgles]

Don't drop them in water.

 

[BasilZero]

Jawmuncher doing good deeds so Capcom will make a new Dino Crisis game.


Nice try Jawmuncher.

 

[LL_Decitrig]

I suppose there's hardly any danger of someone from my part of northern England mistaking this item for one of local relevance. However it would be more polite to say which particular locales it applies to. I would guess maybe some American mainland states, the so-called "lower 48", and the use of the word turtle rather than tortoise tends to reinforce that guess.

 

[Finale Fireworker]

Would you say this is a Turtle Crisis, Jaw?

 

[Deleted member 21]

 

[Kewlmyc]

I know some redneck assholes who deliberately go out of their way to run over turtles on the road.

Fucking human pieces of shit.

 

[ImaginaShawn]

I know some redneck assholes who deliberately go out of their way to run over turtles on the road.

Fucking human pieces of shit.

Click to shrink...

redundant.

 

[EYEL1NER]

But also remember not to put your own safety in danger for a turtle. I drive on a lot of backroads so it's easier for me to stop and move them compared to someone with a commute on the highway. But even if you can't move them, just slowing down can make all the difference for those little dudes.

Click to shrink...

It's not just about your own safety. I remember the incident with the Canadian woman who stopped for some ducklings causing the deaths of a man and his stepdaughter making big news years ago when it happened. Here's a link to an overview of what happened: https://www.rd.com/culture/driver-ducks-fatal-crash/

To try to condense that article a bit: A woman was driving down a four lane highway and stopped in the left lane to help some ducklings she saw wandering around the median. A truck in that lane that came upon the stopped vehicle swerved out of the way but there were two motorcycles behind the truck that didn't see the stopped car until the truck moved. One of them with a man and his teenaged stepdaughter hit the vehicle and both of them died.
The woman was charged with charged with two counts of criminal negligence causing death and two counts of dangerous driving causing death and found guilty. She got 90 days in jail, probation for three years, over 200 hours of community service, and is not allowed to drive for ten years. She appealed the driving ban in 2017 claiming that their driving code calls for a three year ban in instances of deaths caused by negligence. The appeals court shot her down and essentially said that she was lucky because her 90-day jail sentence was extremely lenient and that the extra years on the driving ban was compensation.

I'm not trying to make some kind of point like "Fuck those turtles; run 'em over!' or anything; I'm don't have an anti-turtle agenda (i'm not in the Foot Clan, I swear!). I'm just further highlighting that stopping for animals can be very unsafe.

 

[danowat]

"The South"

Ok

 

[EssBeeVee]

yep. down in louisiana near the gulf. my friend mentioned turtle crossing a week or so ago.it doesnt help that road construction is going on. you can't tell if bumpy road or you ran one over.

 

[skipgo]

Even if this is unlikely in your region a reminder to be nice to our fellow shell-friends is always welcome.

 

[Jraphics Horse]

Nobody else here lives on Ibis Island

 

[Torpedo Vegas]

It's for your safety, not their's.