Once upon a time someone told me that when deer stand still in the road at night they are fixated on your headlights. If you can shut your lights off for a split second it breaks their attention and they can get out of your way. For years I had “deer practice”, turning off my headlights and turning them back on when I wasn’t stressed in the hopes that someday when I needed that “skill” it would come automatically.
Some years later I was driving home on route 495 in Massachusetts late at night when I saw headlights in front of me. Route 495 is a divided highway; there aren’t supposed to be lights in my lane. I realized that someone was driving the wrong way. I switched lanes and they came right along with me. Because of my “deer practice” I realized that he too was fixated on my lights. I shut off my lights, changed lanes, and he passed on my left going at least 55 mph the wrong direction. Thank God the car behind me saw what I did and did the same thing. He then turned on his blues, pulled a U-turn and chased the guy down.
“Deer practice” probably saved my life. Maybe telling my story can save another.
Hodgepodge Lodge 