[wisb] Dangerous incident Columbia County
- From: Daniel Gomez-Ibanez <dgi@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <wisbirdn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:27:51 -0500
On Thursday (7 October) we took another couple to admire the three Whooping
Cranes that have been hanging out in southern Columbia County. We found them
on the far edge of the farm pond just east of Harvey Road, between Wangsness
and DM. After a good look, I was putting the camera/telephoto lens/tripod
away in the trunk of the car while my wife and the other woman continued to
look through the scope on the other side of the road. It was about 5:30 PM.
A pickup truck driven by a man with a grim (angry?) expression on his face
drove rapidly towards us, veering towards the shoulder where the two women
and the scope stood. He actually drove off the road, so that his right-side
tires were on the grass, seemingly aiming straight for the women, forcing
them to move quickly farther away from the edge of the road to avoid being
hit. At the last moment he swung back on to the road, still traveling very
fast. The two women were not touched, but all four of us were scared.
This was not an accident or a momentary lapse on the part of the driver. He
was looking at us intently as he performed this very dangerous stunt.
If I hadn¹t put the camera away I hope I would have had the presence of mind
to photograph the receding truck, but as it is we have no way of identifying
the driver.
A few other cars and trucks had passed while we were watching, all without
incident, and most drivers waved at us. At this spot the grassy shoulders
are not more than 3 or 4 feet wide and bordered by a ditch, so there¹s not
much room for setting up the scope, but there was ample room for cars to
pass us.
I wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience here, and include this
posting as a ?heads-up² (literally!) for anyone stopping to look at birds in
this area. This fellow, at least, may harbor some sort of hostility to
birders.
--
Daniel Gomez-Ibanez, Madison, Dane County
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