Soldato
- Joined
- 16 May 2007
- Posts
- 3,220
I once had to jump a snake when out mountain biking. It was trying to take down a hippo.
*part of that may not be entirely accurate.
*part of that may not be entirely accurate.
What's the most interesting thing you've avoided?
- Thread starter Mr Badger
- Start date
Soldato
Considering how I used to put it about back in the day, I'd have to say parental responsibility and sexual disease.
After far too much drink, myself and a few expat friends decided to go on a late night exploration of the Arabian desert, off to the north east of Ras Al Khaimah. We borrowed a few quads and set off on what (at the time...) seemed like an amazing adventure. Unfortunately for me, I was at the back of the group and my quad decided to break down. The headlight was directly controlled by the acceleration of the bike, so since it wasn't moving anywhere, I was in pitch darkness and no one could see me. After a bout of sheer unbridled panic, visions of appearing on one of those "Holiday Horror" type programs running through my mind, I spotted a light off in the distance. I headed toward it and eventually reached a compound of sorts; more like a large collection of tents really. The next thing I know, I'm dragged onto the back of another quad and escorted back to civilisation. Turns out, I was just about to ask for help from a group of suspected terrorists that were under surveillance. Dunno what would have happened if I'd approached them, but the authorities were pretty adamant that I'd have been kidnapped, shot or any one of a number of other bad things. All good fun...
Soldato
Years ago in a car park, I felt the back of my trainers compress while I was standing still. Looking behind me, a car had just reversed out. Either I wasn't looking where I was going or the driver was a bit careless, but yeah it could have been a lot worse. So not that interesting really, just odd.
Soldato
Why are you so surprised? Surely you've avoided it too?
Caporegime
Amputation of my lower left leg, narrowly. Also I've avoided not being born in Germany. Not sure which is more interesting.
Soldato
I know of an fatal incident where a yard forklift driver was decapitated by leaning through the frame to adjust the load and pressed the raise lever with his body whilst doing so.
Dangerous things forklifts, not recommended as manriders unless properly equipped with the correct cage and rated as such. also need a kill switch within reach.
When I worked at Screwfix they took forklifts very seriously - slightest minor accident and that person lost (internal) qualification for driving them for 6 weeks IIRC don't think it was as long as 6 months and had to re-qualify and any kind of messing about with them of any kind was a year suspension from driving them. Think it was there that used to have a hilariously bad health and safety video for them as well in which apparently the slightest thing going wrong resulted in the driver flying through the air like a ragdoll and the forklift blowing up.
I can well believe it. I was very lucky that day, it's definitely the closest I've come to serious harm due to my own stupidity (...and I've done a few stupid things, believe me. Demolition/salvage in the 90's wasn't the most H&S savvy industry. We used to wait until the site agent was somewhere else before doing a lot of the work).
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I saw a Penguin on the B6357 in the scottish borders a few years ago , about 10 miles inland so dont know how it got there, wish i had stopped to pick it up but it was unmistakably a penguin one of the small ones not one of those big emperor type ones.
Ok just googled penguins in scotland and it might have been a puffin lol.
Ok just googled penguins in scotland and it might have been a puffin lol.
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Off the top of my head I can't remember anything particularly interesting while in a car - there was a time when we came around a bend to find 100s of what I think were baby quails all over the road - only just managed to avoid running them over.
Permabanned
.......being prosecuted for that thing that we agreed never, EVER, to mention again.
Soldato
Two rabbits mid-coitus in the middle of the road, couldn't avoid one but hit the other. When I stopped the car to check I found the male still humping the dead female!
Not sure about interesting but have avoided death several times. Have been hit by two cars and been knocked off a bike and went underneath a transit van. Also have had a stranger attack and try to kill me with a large kitchen knife. Not so fun times.
Associate
Sex, not by choice 
A massive glass lamp shade.
It fell from the ceiling 14 ft drop, I had just got out the bath getting dry in front of the fire and bent down to dry my legs and feet. Bang it came down it was huge with a brass spike on the bottom.
If I had been standing I would have died on the spot as I was only 7. It did hit me but only the edge hit my bum and it smashed all over the floor. I will never forget that.
It fell from the ceiling 14 ft drop, I had just got out the bath getting dry in front of the fire and bent down to dry my legs and feet. Bang it came down it was huge with a brass spike on the bottom.
If I had been standing I would have died on the spot as I was only 7. It did hit me but only the edge hit my bum and it smashed all over the floor. I will never forget that.
Of course but then I've never ventured far from blighty
Must have made your hairs stand on end when you found out.