Scary Moments
Jet Shield
First Post
"I might be about to die" moments, huh?
In no particular order:
-Hiking and realizing I had just walked between a mother bear and her cubs.
-Jumping out of a cherry picker when my chainsaw disturbed a hornet nest I didn't know was there.
-Getting tangled in the anchor line while capsizing my little fishing boat like a drunken idiot.
-The hillbilly that pointed a shotgun at me when I went looking for a phone to call a tow truck in the middle of nowhere (he actually turned out to be a nice guy once I convinced him I was just a dude with a broken car, but I never did find out who he thought I was at first).
-The shark that bumped my mask with it's snout while snorkeling.
-Hearing a tornado tear the house next door to shreds (fortunately, no one was living there at the time).
-The night I was going way too fast around the turns on the bike and catapulted over the guard rail.
-The time I was swearing like a sailor when my mother walked around the corner (I was 6).
In no particular order:
-Hiking and realizing I had just walked between a mother bear and her cubs.
-Jumping out of a cherry picker when my chainsaw disturbed a hornet nest I didn't know was there.
-Getting tangled in the anchor line while capsizing my little fishing boat like a drunken idiot.
-The hillbilly that pointed a shotgun at me when I went looking for a phone to call a tow truck in the middle of nowhere (he actually turned out to be a nice guy once I convinced him I was just a dude with a broken car, but I never did find out who he thought I was at first).
-The shark that bumped my mask with it's snout while snorkeling.
-Hearing a tornado tear the house next door to shreds (fortunately, no one was living there at the time).
-The night I was going way too fast around the turns on the bike and catapulted over the guard rail.
-The time I was swearing like a sailor when my mother walked around the corner (I was 6).
"I might be about to die" moments, huh?
In no particular order:
-Hiking and realizing I had just walked between a mother bear and her cubs.
-Jumping out of a cherry picker when my chainsaw disturbed a hornet nest I didn't know was there.
-Getting tangled in the anchor line while capsizing my little fishing boat like a drunken idiot.
-The hillbilly that pointed a shotgun at me when I went looking for a phone to call a tow truck in the middle of nowhere (he actually turned out to be a nice guy once I convinced him I was just a dude with a broken car, but I never did find out who he thought I was at first).
-The shark that bumped my mask with it's snout while snorkeling.
-Hearing a tornado tear the house next door to shreds (fortunately, no one was living there at the time).
-The night I was going way too fast around the turns on the bike and catapulted over the guard rail.
-The time I was swearing like a sailor when my mother walked around the corner (I was 6).
If you were a cat, you'd be on your last life!
Funny thing- of all the close calls I had (those mentioned upthread and others), the time I got scared most thoroughly was when I was in almost no danger at all.
I have a deep fear of heights that is somewhat under control. I don't feel it when climbing or flying, generally. (It is part of why I had those night-terrors after the wreck, though.)
But when I was in Rome as a teen, I went up into the dome of St. Peters. I didn't know I was going up into the dome, I was just following my chaperone. Otherwise, I'd have stayed on the ground floor.
When I made my exit from the stairwell into the dome, the panic was nearly immediate. I tried to turn around, but it was a 1-way path. To get down, I had to go across. And going across meant using a walkway 3 planks wide (with 1/2" gaps between them so i could easily see the floor below) with plexiglass guardrail...so I could easily see the floor below.
I got a light push from the usher, and I vaguely remember nudging someone along the way, but my next truly conscious memory is me sitting against the base of a column on the floor of the basilica, gasping for air and trembling.
I have a deep fear of heights that is somewhat under control. I don't feel it when climbing or flying, generally. (It is part of why I had those night-terrors after the wreck, though.)
But when I was in Rome as a teen, I went up into the dome of St. Peters. I didn't know I was going up into the dome, I was just following my chaperone. Otherwise, I'd have stayed on the ground floor.
When I made my exit from the stairwell into the dome, the panic was nearly immediate. I tried to turn around, but it was a 1-way path. To get down, I had to go across. And going across meant using a walkway 3 planks wide (with 1/2" gaps between them so i could easily see the floor below) with plexiglass guardrail...so I could easily see the floor below.
I got a light push from the usher, and I vaguely remember nudging someone along the way, but my next truly conscious memory is me sitting against the base of a column on the floor of the basilica, gasping for air and trembling.
Jet Shield
First Post
Thinking back on it, "I might be about to die" were not the words that went through my mind on any of those occasions.If you were a cat, you'd be on your last life!
Viking Bastard
Adventurer
My biggest moment of fear and panic was not for my own safety, but for my younger brother's.
It was 13 years ago on New Years Eve, that I took my 5 year old brother outside to shoot up some fireworks (I was 17). I ordered my brother to keep a clear distance as I shot fireworks from a stand. It was a bit windy, but I thought I'd found a good place that was adequately shielded from the wind, and for the most part, it was... until that particularly strong gust of wind that blew over the stand, just as the latest firework fired up, aiming itself directly at my brother.
And time stopped.
During the split second it took the firework to reach my brother, I yelled at him to get out of the way, and he ducked just in time. The firework flew past him, brushing his side and lightly charring his jacket, before bouncing off the roof of a parked car and exploding in the middle of the street.
I ran over to my brother and held him tight--so tight; I couldn't let go--until he started complaining that I was hurting him.
He thought the whole thing was AWESOME. I, on the other hand, was traumatized.
Yup. I know this. It's absolutely paralyzing and absolutely humiliating. I can't speak for you, but what I hate the most is the rational part of my brain that's telling me to get over myself and that it's all in my head. I hate that voice. It's not helping, just makes me feel like an idiot on top of an already horrible situation.
It was 13 years ago on New Years Eve, that I took my 5 year old brother outside to shoot up some fireworks (I was 17). I ordered my brother to keep a clear distance as I shot fireworks from a stand. It was a bit windy, but I thought I'd found a good place that was adequately shielded from the wind, and for the most part, it was... until that particularly strong gust of wind that blew over the stand, just as the latest firework fired up, aiming itself directly at my brother.
And time stopped.
During the split second it took the firework to reach my brother, I yelled at him to get out of the way, and he ducked just in time. The firework flew past him, brushing his side and lightly charring his jacket, before bouncing off the roof of a parked car and exploding in the middle of the street.
I ran over to my brother and held him tight--so tight; I couldn't let go--until he started complaining that I was hurting him.
He thought the whole thing was AWESOME. I, on the other hand, was traumatized.
Yup. I know this. It's absolutely paralyzing and absolutely humiliating. I can't speak for you, but what I hate the most is the rational part of my brain that's telling me to get over myself and that it's all in my head. I hate that voice. It's not helping, just makes me feel like an idiot on top of an already horrible situation.
I've never been scared.
I don't get scared or frightened, although I might get concerned.
I don't get scared or frightened, although I might get concerned.
Jan van Leyden
Adventurer
I only live through one really dangerous moment. I was maybe six years old and riding my bike through town, when the driver of a car on a parking lane open the door. This sent me prone beneath a trailer truck which started at that very moment as the traffic light turned green. I remember thinking that I'd got to get away and fast.
Apart from that my memory is extremely fuzzy - I don't even know whether what the car driver did. I only realized later, but on the same day, that the situation had bee really life threatening.
Apart from that my memory is extremely fuzzy - I don't even know whether what the car driver did. I only realized later, but on the same day, that the situation had bee really life threatening.
Zombie_Babies
First Post
The worst car crash I was in was scary but I never thought I might die. I was parked on the side of the road in a park looking at some turkeys with my gf (she'd never seen them before). It's a pretty dead road but I looked in my rear view out of habit and noticed a car coming right at me at a high rate of speed. I had my hazards on by he didn't pay attention. As soon as I saw him he hit me. I was concerned but I didn't think I may die.
Another time I was at this party and I had reason to believe that three rather large gentleman didn't appreciate the fact that I was 'friends' with the hostess. Much partying had gone on up to that point and I was in no shape to deal with anyone - let alone three big doods who couldn't care less about me - long before they even arrived. I remember sitting in a chair with that girl sitting basically in my lap and the three of them conversing quietly amongst themselves and looking our way. There was a pair of scissors on the table and I wondered if I could get to them before they got to me. Luckily I never had to find out. There was a lot of different stuff at play that night and even though I was pretty scared I wasn't afraid I was gonna get killed. It took years for me to be able to remember any of that evening without having an anxiety attack.
The only time I can remember actually thinking I may die was a really silly thing and that, I think, has a lesson in it. All the close calls I had working at a factory - nearly lost an eye, about a millimeter away from severing every major vein and artery in my arm, etc - were nothing compared to this: I was home alone and eating some leftovers or something. I remember thinking the bite I was about to take may have been too big (steak? can't recall) but I went for it cuz I was complacent. I was home, people were usually home, it's just food, etc. Well, I tried to swallow and it got stuck. I couldn't breathe, couldn't swallow it and couldn't dislodge it. I panicked and really thought I may die like some kind of moron. Luckily I was able to get it out but damn it felt close. I'm a li'l more careful with my eating when alone now.
Another time I was at this party and I had reason to believe that three rather large gentleman didn't appreciate the fact that I was 'friends' with the hostess. Much partying had gone on up to that point and I was in no shape to deal with anyone - let alone three big doods who couldn't care less about me - long before they even arrived. I remember sitting in a chair with that girl sitting basically in my lap and the three of them conversing quietly amongst themselves and looking our way. There was a pair of scissors on the table and I wondered if I could get to them before they got to me. Luckily I never had to find out. There was a lot of different stuff at play that night and even though I was pretty scared I wasn't afraid I was gonna get killed. It took years for me to be able to remember any of that evening without having an anxiety attack.
The only time I can remember actually thinking I may die was a really silly thing and that, I think, has a lesson in it. All the close calls I had working at a factory - nearly lost an eye, about a millimeter away from severing every major vein and artery in my arm, etc - were nothing compared to this: I was home alone and eating some leftovers or something. I remember thinking the bite I was about to take may have been too big (steak? can't recall) but I went for it cuz I was complacent. I was home, people were usually home, it's just food, etc. Well, I tried to swallow and it got stuck. I couldn't breathe, couldn't swallow it and couldn't dislodge it. I panicked and really thought I may die like some kind of moron. Luckily I was able to get it out but damn it felt close. I'm a li'l more careful with my eating when alone now.
