Bruce the Moose, the plywood moose cutout in Wilson that was embellished as part of the Knitting Project, has been returned to his normal bare state. The knitted embellishments have been removed so Bruce can best perform his intended purpose of drawing to the attention of passing motorists that there are wildlife in the area, frequently either on the road or about to be on the road.
We had hoped motorists could behave themselves for at least the Winter. The recent local moose fatality on the Village Road has proven us wrong. While everyone needs a little whimsy once in a while, highway wildlife carnage is a serious issue that must take precedence over whimsy
Please enjoy the other knitted embellishments around the valley, but also please slow down and drive attentively. Our wildlife depend on you caring enough to take a minute or two longer to get somewhere.
I too mourn the loss of more wildlife to traffic fatalities and agree drivers really need to pay more attention. However, I disagree that Bruce the Moose does anything to reduce this unfortunate carnage. Nobody is fooled into slowing down by Bruce the Moose. What real moose has a yellow warning sign nailed to his neck? No, his best purpose is as an armature for the fantastic Knitting Project!
The whole concept of animal cutouts raising awareness is misguided and mean spirited. I’m sure the people behind these cutouts get some sort of evil joy out of fooling motorists into slowing for an inanimate object. The end result can be very much the opposite of their intention though. The next time a motorist sees a dark animal silhouette, refusing to be fooled again, he fails to slow down. Only this time, it is a real animal, and this time it is plowed into at full speed by the confused motorist. Guess who loses this battle.
Wildlife fatalities are a real problem that demands a real solution. A series of confusing signage cluttering our otherwise beautiful roadways is not a real solution. Worse, they may sometimes contribute to the problem.