A run-in with nature

Did I *ever* mention that I am a card-carrying, gold member of the Kodak Seat Belt Society? And I have had this membership since, mmmm, 'bout 1987, I'd say. A solid *18* years of membership in this society. In fact, I'm inclined to say that I was one of the first members to be inducted, even. (And my parents have a plaque with the *entire* family's picture on there to prove it...well, except for the youngest sister who wasn't even born until the 90's.) Anyways, focus...
So how did we deserve such an honorable designation? Well, straight up, we hit a bear. Actually 3 bears to be precise: a Mom and her 2 cubs. It was a dark night and we were on a very curvy highway taking us through Allegany county of PA, and my dad just couldn't see that the dark shapes in the night were bears...
Anyways, everyone was OK, bears and all. There was a dent left in the fender as a memento, but the bears just ambled off and as previously suggested, our seat belts kept us from
being catapaulted. The park rangers said that they would keep an eye out for them, but surmised that the bears were fine. And that was my early lesson on wearing seat belts. Most normal people do that sorta thing with deer; we were too good for that.