The worst sound in the world is the dull thud which eminates from your undercarriage to confirm that Mr Bunny didn't manage to miraculously duck, avoid your wheels, and then hop off to nibble more dew drenched grass on the other side of the hard shoulder.

Since committing lapinicide at 4.15 this morning, I've been giving this idea some thought in between staring guiltily into the middle distance and humming "bright eyes".

How about, we stick a big air bag on the front of the car, triggered by an infrared sensor on the bumper. Come too close to the bunny, it inflates and harmlessly brushes the bunny to one side.
-- Fishrat, Sep 22 2003

The airbag could be pre-programmed with cartoon sound effects... Audio_20Airbags
[normzone, Aug 23 2005]

Cowcatcher http://www.locomoti...ages/CowCatcher.htm
Just put one of these on your car. Also useful in traffic. [Worldgineer, Aug 24 2005]

any sort of protection is good http://news.monster...ith_sex_with_rabbit
[benfrost, Aug 27 2005]

Mr Burns, do you think a blast of quick-drying protective foam would be a better solution? It could be grass flavoured so that they could nibble out of it afterwards?
-- Fishrat, Sep 22 2003


Drive a hovercraft, or one of those forestry vehicles with oversized, underinflated tires - that'll leave the bunnies ruffled but otherwise unharmed pretty much whatever speed you're going at. (Btw, the roadkill around here is generally commuters and office workers, but same difference.)
-- DrCurry, Sep 22 2003


How about a bunnyplough instead?
-- -alx, Sep 22 2003


Why not hang a carrot from each side of the hood, just outside of the tires. The hungry bunny will be attracted out of danger and stay safely between the lanes of the road.

He won't get the carrot, but he will keep his life.

For squirrel-populated areas, use acorns instead.
-- phundug, Sep 22 2003


Quick [phundug] what do deer eat?!
-- Fishrat, Sep 22 2003


Truckers use high frequency whistles to deter animals from the front bumper of their trucks. I don't know if it would work for rabbits but it's worth a try.
-- SystemAdmin, Sep 22 2003


Wouldn't a high frequency whistle attract dogs? Maybe you could combine the whistle idea with hanging a bone each side of the bonnet?
-- Fishrat, Sep 22 2003


If high-frequency whistles work, then major roads should be lined with them on both sides.
-- phundug, Sep 22 2003


The idea won't work, but your story is quite funny. Poor bunny.
-- k_sra, Sep 22 2003


So let me get this straight: You are going to add the airbag's inflation velocity to the speed your car is already going?! No, it won't "harmlessly brush the bunny to one side", it will blast it into the next county!
-- SoldierJim, Aug 23 2005


Can it harmlessly blast it into the next country? Because that'd be really funny.
-- shapu, Aug 24 2005


Attach a soft padded cowcatcher (see link). The only problem now is the bunny landing. Maybe you could spray the thing with a thick yet edible foam? I know of an edible thixotropic substance that should work well.
-- Worldgineer, Aug 24 2005



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