Why Did This Rabbit Choose Suicide on the Road?

[Phrak]

I was driving home at 1AM and there's a dead rabbit in the road--on all fours.

Belatedly I hit the brakes, and the rabbit ended up somewhere under the front bumber. Dead rabbits don't sit on 4 legs do they?

I backed up. The dead rabbit didn't move.
I pulled up along side. The rabbit didn't move.
I opened the door and looked at it. The rabbit glanced back, then looked another way.
I shut the door and left.

A suicidal rabbit?
A thrill seeking rabbit?
A rabbit looking for God in the middle of a road?

 

[Hootenanny]

Whilst not particularly relevant to your question, but funny all the same: http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2006/suicide-bunny-p1.php

 

[Phrak]

Ha! Awfully appropriate perhaps. Some many young rabbits seem not so interested in doing the rabbit thing.

 

[arunbg]

Must be Bugs Bunny, nobody can run him over ;)

 

[Kurdt]

Whilst not particularly relevant to your question, but funny all the same: http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2006/suicide-bunny-p1.php

Aww I forgot about them. Proof that childish doodling in school can one day make you money.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I was driving home at 1AM and there's a dead rabbit in the road--on all fours.

Belatedly I hit the brakes, and the rabbit ended up somewhere under the front bumber. Dead rabbits don't sit on 4 legs do they?

I backed up. The dead rabbit didn't move.
I pulled up along side. The rabbit didn't move.
I opened the door and looked at it. The rabbit glanced back, then looked another way.
I shut the door and left.

A suicidal rabbit?
A thrill seeking rabbit?
A rabbit looking for God in the middle of a road?

Quite perplexing as we all know that rabbits understand the dangers of automobiles.

My theory is that he intended to bite your tires and give you a flat. That would teach you not to drive on his bed.

 

[physics girl phd]

Whilst not particularly relevant to your question, but funny all the same: http://www.boreme.com/boreme/funny-2006/suicide-bunny-p1.php

I knew when I read the forum line that somebody would get this posted!

 

[LowlyPion]

Rather than suicide, I rather think the rabbit was startled. This seems to be a defense mechanism. A rabbit will sit frozen hoping you haven't seen him if startled. At night headlights also tend to blind them I suppose.

Lyndon Johnson used to go rabbit hunting at night from a jeep on his ranch as I recall. Hardly a sporting proposition since the reflection of their eyes are like a sign that says "shoot here" as they sit still thinking they can't be seen.

Hitting one on the run on the other hand is a pretty good shot, if not a lucky one.