Is it normal immobilized with guilt (turtle death)

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7 Comments

Yesterday while driving through a backroad I came across a massive snapping turtle trying to cross the road.

-Turtle Story-
I slowed down and blocked the oncoming traffic (was not a busy road) with my hazards on, and got out of my car to try to scoot the turtle along, the turtle was way too heavy and lightning fast trying to bite me (This thing was massive)
Eventually I got scared having my car in the road and I got back in and pulled into a driveway, I got back out, returned to the turtle and put my shoe in his mouth.
A truck came, I moved out of the road and I waved my arms and motioned to the turtle (No way he couldn't see me or it), he slowed to a stop, and then suddenly slammed on his gas and crushed the turtle to death before speeding off in a huge cloud of black smoke.

-Tl/dr- I tried to move a turtle off the road but a guy in a truck killed him

I sobbed my eyes out for hours. I blame myself. I shouldn’t have moved my car, I shouldn’t have given up on trying to push him with my foot. Maybe if I didn’t try to help at all he would’ve gotten across fine. I feel awful, so incredibly awful.
My roommate swears I’m being over dramatic, but I felt I put enough awareness into this turtle that I was responsible for his outcome. I feel powerless and like I have to do something to make up for my failure.

Voting Results
40% Normal
Based on 10 votes (4 yes)
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Comments ( 7 )
  • megadriver
    4 years ago

    Hey, you did what you felt you had to do and well done for that. But snapping turtles are neither endangered, or very cooperative.

    You gave it your best and what happened in the end is not your fault.

    Still a very asshole move from the truck driver. What sort of idiot deliberately runs over animals? I have a commercial license too and used to drive a truck on Saturday as a second job, now I drive a bus on Saturdays and I have never ran over an animal deliberately in my truck, cars, or any vehicle I've driven. If I can avoid an animal safely, honk at it and make it move, or can slow down safely, I will do so.

    Naturally, there are times when you're going fast and an animal pops out, out of nowhere, you have no time to react and you hit it. I'm not gonna roll over my car over a damn squirrel, but hitting animals on purpose is fucked up.

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  • chrysocolla
    4 years ago

    Dude it's just a turtle.

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  • Boojum
    4 years ago

    If you can honestly say that knowing what you did at the time, you did what your best to help the turtle, then you have no reason to feel guilty.

    Snapping turtles aren't under threat as a species, and for what it's worth, you can be sure the turtle inflicted a hell of a lot of pain on other animals during what must have been a fairly long life. Its end was abrupt and if it really was squashed flat, it wouldn't have felt much.

    The bottom line is that the asshole truck-driver killed the turtle, not you, and so you should just move on.

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  • palehorse
    4 years ago

    Here's a general personal rule on feeling guilty.

    Think about what happened. Is there a lesson you can take away from it for the future?

    If yes, take note.

    If no, don't take note.

    Great, you're done. Don't cry over spilled milk.

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    • Anonymous Post Author
      4 years ago

      I put a shovel in my trunk and bought a snake handling pole this morning.
      Next time I’ll leave my car in the road and act faster.

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      • palehorse
        4 years ago

        Ok, sounds fine.

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  • dimwitted
    4 years ago

    Oh poor little guy. The turtle not you. I could care less about you.

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