I dropped my old 2001 BMW 740 off for its annual safety inspection and oil change last Wednesday, and when I got a text from the tech who has done all the work on my car for years, I was dismayed because I was sure he found an expensive problem needing attention.
It turned out that he found an unwanted passenger staring at him from the top of the suspension strut when he pulled the front wheel to inspect the brakes.
He told me he didn't need that jump start and the 2 ft long copperhead was removed as an unauthorized non-BMW part.
I'm glad he wasn't bitten.
No charge for the removal.

Attached Images

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Aftermarket coiled spring.

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

Which begs the question, where have you been parking your car?

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Release the Kraken

In my paved driveway in suburbia. I hadn't moved it in about 2 weeks. We have a creek and its surrounding wetlands in back; I guess they come up from there. Three summers ago, I killed 10 copperheads over the course of the summer basking on the warm pavement of my driveway, killed 2 in my neighbor's yard across the street, and my neighbor 3 houses down was bitten on the calf when she went out on her back steps for a smoke. She spent a painful week in the hospital.
While I know they are part of God's creation, I don't want them creating around anywhere I walk.

Your tech found a Coppertop under the hood?

I didn't know Beemers ran on Duracells back in 2001.

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"I also cook."

I'd say that deserves a BIG tip when you pick up your car. Yeesh!

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Why duck?? It's a 9mm!

One of the reasons that certain parts of the US are not on our search area for retirement.

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NHI, 10-8.

The only snakes around here are are the two legged kind.

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SOS USA

"Snakes make you run into trees."

~ Richard Pryor

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Music/Sports/Beer fan

If he'd been found on top of the engine block, he could have been a bore snake.

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What, me worry?

I would have torched the car.

I hate to tell you but your BMW will never be a Cobra.

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So many S&W's, so few funds!!

If I were that mechanic, you’d be getting that BMW back with shotgun blast damage…!

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NRA Life Member

Venomous snakes come in two-legged varieties, too. The worst part is they are harder to recognize as such, so wherever you go, you're taking a chance.

As for the legless type, only four states in the US reported to have no venomous varieties: Hawai'i, Alaska, Maine and Rhode Island.

Once, when I worked for our state's prison system (1978-83), I came out after my shift with a co-worker, who hunted and trapped, dug herbs and ginseng, etc. A real back-woods expert. As we got to the parking lot, there was a circle of other officers, looking at something. It was a coiled copperhead, and they guys were all poised to run. Philip, the guy I was walking with, looked at them and said, "hell, it's just a copperhead", walked straight to it from behind, reached down and grabbed it behind the head, walked over to his pickup and threw it in a 5 gallon bucket in the bed. Everybody looked at him like he was crazy; he said "that thing is worth $50 for its venom, and it tastes pretty good, too." He was forever known as "Snake" after that. He brought the skin to show us about a week later. It was a decent sized copperhead, about 4-1/2 feet long.

If they were worth $50 back in 1979, shouldn't you be catching them today?