VIDEO: Ennis Man Films Moose Running Alongside Car

You ever pull up to a stoplight just itching to leave some poor sucker in your dust?  Do animals have that same need -- the need for speed?

A driver in Ennis, Montana, got a thrill one morning when he discovered a bull moose running parallel to the road outside of Valley Garden Campground.  He was lucky enough to get his phone up and record the moment that the moose decided to race him. 

Moose can reach speeds of up to 35 MPH when running (and can swim up to 10 miles without stopping; watch one swim here).   Moose legs, which can look so comically gangly, are excellent at picking and leaping through different terrains, wading through water as efficiently as marching through the snow.  

Full-grown moose such as this one also require nearly 10,000 calories and weigh between 840 - 1200 pounds.  

Though this moose has the good sense to race the car at a respectful distance, moose can be dangerous road hazards.  According to the American Council on Science and Health, hitting a moose with your car is 13 times deadlier than hitting a deer.  That's 13 times deadlier for you and not the moose, by the way. 

There have been so many moose/auto collisions in Sweden that they now design their cars to be moose-proof.  And it worked: in a recent study involving moose collisions involving different manufacturers and models showed no human fatalities involving Swedish-made cars.  So if you plan on hitting a lot of moose this year, buy a Volvo.

As we approach the moose rutting season, which extends from September to October, remember that it's ok to race moose, but not to play chicken with them.