To be clear: I'm talking about people who seem to live in Austin, the vast majority of which don't have any connection to farms. I'm not saying that grille guards have no legitimate purpose or that they won't protect your vehicle. I'm saying that they make the roads more dangerous for others and aren't necessary for the majority of people who buy them. Note the difference between necessary and helpful. Grille guards might help protect your vehicle but I don't think most would say they are necessary.

Anyway, I grew up in a rural area (outside of Texas) where grille guards could be useful. Didn't see many grille guards back there. I even (briefly) worked at a farm before, literally shoveling manure.

Dude, we have deer. How long you been living here anyway?

I saw more deer when I lived in the DC suburbs and far less people had grille guards. If any. I actually can't remember a single example. In both Austin and the DC suburbs pedestrians far outnumber large wild animals, so I think grille guards are frivolous and dangerous in those places.

I've lived here long enough to observe that grille guards are far more prevalent here than they are in other places, even other places where grille guards seem appropriate.

Well they’re in the hills. The deer, i mean. As to grille guards: I do agree they’re frivolous and dangerous, but you’ve been living here long enough to know those are very Texan qualities.

How many deer do you see in urban areas with lots of pedestrian traffic?

We have deer in Iowa too; 100 to the acre on average. No grill guards.

Then just don't hit the deers.