I mean, good and scared!

[Len]

Sitting around the fire the other night, we talked about times in life when you've been really, shockingly, good and scared.

Besides all the "normal fear" of army life, I can remember when I was the kind of scared that makes one weak in the knees, makes your ears buzz and starts your life flashing by...

Driving home one night, on a familiar road, in the middle of winter, I came to an intersection where a railroad crossed through the heart of it at a 45 degree angle. The intersection was well lit by streetlights, but there was no gate or signal to warn of approaching trains.

Right in the middle of the intersection, making a right hand turn, I looked right, and stared directly into the headlight of a monster engine, not twenty feet from my door!

Instantly, I got "hot and buzzy" and stepped on the gas. Heart racing, vision going grey, after clearing the tracks and the intersection, I pulled over....

...to see that the train was parked!

Your tale?

Len

 

[Mule Packer]

Hmmmm. That's a tough one. But if I had to think about it, the one time that really stands out in my mind where I was really, shockingly, good and scared was when I had a dream that I was married to Phyllis Diller.

 

[gm272gs]

Stepping out of a perfectly good aircraft while in flight.
Never got used to it.

 

[arjay]

Lost in the snow at 11,000 feet,had to spend the night,built a small fire.The worry came in the morning,out of food, water, dead tired and a 2nd night was going to be a bitch.

 

[duppie]

I was late getting back to my mooring,lost daylight and there was no moon but I knew that coast well so just hugged it and took it slow.Coming close to Stauble Point I had to swing out around it because of some shallow rocks I had fished many times and almost instantly heard a low rumbling and saw a solitary beam from a large sport fisher bearing down on me at high speed, panicked I pulled starboard towards the rocks but missed them only to be partially swamped by the sport fisher's wake,The boat didn't even slow down but luckily my pirogue was double hulled and floated and I still had power but bailed and shook and cursed as I limped back to my mooring.I was 15 and lived in the Caribbean.

 

[SW_shooter]

Probably when I was 19 y/o. I lived about 90 minutes away from this girl I was dating. One Friday night I drove there to pick her up, we decided to head back to my place so I drove her there. Well I had to be up, packed and ready to leave town for a school activitiy by 7am the next day. So sometime around midnight I drove her back the 90 minutes to her place. I was pretty dang tired but had the 90 minute drive home. On the way home I was driving on the highway which a divided four lane and I fell asleep. The bumping and jostling of the car woke me up! I knew I was in the ditch doing 50 miles an hour but not which side of the road I had driven into. I was so out of it yet I couldn't think straight or apparently see straight. In what seemed like forever I saw headlights to my left so I pulled the wheel hard to the right and was on pavement again. I think I may have soiled myself. The next day on the bus ride (which happened to be on the same highway) I was looking out the window of the bus and saw my tire tracks in the median ditch and that I had missed running head on into a huge culvert that went under a crossover. My stomach almost came up and out of my mouth.

 

[P&R Fan]

I think I told this one before, but it's a good one.
I started dating before I could drive. I was 15, she was 17. (Always liked Older Women). One night we were going out on a date, and she picked me up and told me her family was going to be picking up her Grandma, and wouldn't be back until about midnight. She was told under no circumstances were we to be alone in the house that night. We of course spent the night at the house.
It was about 11:30 and we were getting ready for her to drive me home, when we heard the family car pull in the attached garage. I tried to open a window..double track screens, they take two people, one outside and one inside to open. She told me to hide under the bed in the spare bedroom where she was going to be sleeping that night. Important point here...it was a fold out "Hide-A-Bed". I get under, as her Mom is coming in the room. Mom is on staff at the VERY strict Christian school we both go to. She walks in, and I'm staring at her ankles about a foot away. One other important point: Mom weighs about 275 pounds. I'm under a creaky fold out bed, and I am fervently praying "God, PLEASE do NOT let her sit down!!!" If she does, I'm gonna die.
This was the only time in my life I could literally hear my heart beating. I have never been that scared, before or since. God had pity on me, she stayed on her feet, I was eventually able to slip out the door and walk over a mile home.

That was one of the may times I should have been kilt.
I gotta admit, it would have been an interesting way to go.

Jim

 

[Lost Lake]

I was flying a Piper Warrior from WI to FL and wanted to get above the clouds where the air was smoother. I was not IFR rated.

I found a large hole and figured I'd make it through to the top, but the hole closed in on me halfway up. The clouds were dark, my wife and a young sister were in the plane with me, I gripped the yoke so hard my knuckles were white and we plunged into the clouds.

My strobes were on, and between the oscillating flashes and the changes in cloud colors it's super easy to get disoriented. I opted to drop back out of the bottom and pitched forward, reduced power and concentrated on the gauges.

I had a gyro tumble on this plane before and although it was repaired, I didn't fully trust the gauges but kept repeating to myself trust the gauges, trust the gauges....

I felt the plane roll and rolled it back, but then the artificial horizon was off and the DG was turning, so I rolled back to satisfy those gauges, but I could feel we were in a hard bank. I was sweating bullets, my wife was yelling and I had to tell everyone to sit quietly and let me concentrate!

I came out of the bottom of those clouds after a few minutes and I had my body scrunched sideways as it was fighting my brain. The body said we were violently spinning and my brain was on the gauges saying we were level. Of course the gauges were right.

The bad part of flying is when you hit a bad storm, turbulence or wind shear, or when the engine sputters or the wheels won't come down, you can't stop and step out and take a break. You can't hand someone else the wheel and say "you take over for a minute". Nope, you're 10,000 feet above the ground in an aluminum can going 200 mph and how the day ends is all up to you.

 

[looseman]

Been run off the road twice by drunks in my lane on curves. Followed one of them back to his house and jacked him up. I left when he went in the house to get his gun.

Woke up one time while driving to see sparks flying from the gaurd rail I was riding. Next morning got to see the 2 long black dents/gouges in the side of my bosses car I had borrowed.

Had 30 people rush into a house party I was hosting one night to repay me for putting a beat down on their buddy. Four of my freinds went to the hospital.

Another house party my house mate was throwing, I came home from work to recognize no one in my house. I went up stairs to find all my freinds hiding in my room. I walked them all out and brought back the cops to clean up the mess.

Had four guys break into my house and put a beat down on me, and steal a bunch of my stuff, in return for the one I put on their freind.

Those are the ones that come to mind...WOW! I have had an eventfull life.

 

[Hillbilly77]

Wedding Altar.

Damn near lost it.

 

[feralmerril]

I wrote of it before. Running out of gas flying over a mountain range in new mexico at night. All my fault, sheer stupidity that I wont give other feeble explainations for. 1977 flying my citaberia back to california from wisconsin.
I had last stopped for a restroom break and gas at santa fe. There were many planes waiting to gas up and I calculated I could make gallup. I was almost wrong. I probley was in a bank when I checked the float gauges when I was landing and got a over optomistic reading. Didnt want to wait at santa fe or pay the taxi fare and motel and thought I could make gallup.
I hit a huge head wind, checked my tanks again and realized I was pass the point of no return, also it now was night!
What made this real bad was it wasnt just a instant scare but was about 30 or 40 minutes of me thinking I was dead for sure. Not that it would help except to find my body but my radio wouldnt work. Long story, already had it worked on twice on that trip, was assured they found the problem both times but when I flew a few miles out of both airports the problem re appeared. (Turned out it was a bad antenia and not the radio at all). I spent close to a hour praying and getting right with the lord and conversely swearing at myself and calling myself bad names.
I remember leaning the gas much as possible and trying to figure what was more efficent, flying slow or fast because of head wind. Finaly I cleared the mountain range and could see the lights of gallop way ahead.
At one point I came close to changing my plans. I seen a emergency vehicle with the lights on going fast down some empty dessert road. I didnt know if it was police, ambulance or whatever. I considered trying to land on the road ahead of it but discarded that hair brained idea for various reasons. Finaly I flew over to the freeway going into gallup and hung over it thinking I would land on it with the traffic if the engine quit. I think my scaredist moments were leaveing the freeway and haveing to fly a few miles to the airport over houses.
I landed ok. I could barely stand up when I got out my knees were knocking so bad. I called my dad and stupidly told him about it. Dad said do me a favor? Next time ya come home drive!
I got a motel near the field and gassed up the next morning. The plane takes 35 gallons useable. It took exactly 35 gallons!!! I am convinced God had a angle put a few gallons in it!
Here is a picture of my plane about that time. I remember pledging to God you get me through this one and nothing in this world will ever bother me or worry me again. While I may have fell off the wagon on that promise a few more times in my life I pretty much have had that attitude ever since. I might have been in some danger numerous times before and after, that time it lasted a long time, not just a panicy few secounds.

 

[timn8er]

A few years back, some fellow sport bike nuts & I were riding the Talimena Trail, in the Ouachita Mountains. The riding was "spirited", to say the least. We came around a sharp right hand turn, leaned way over & hauling it. As I brought the bike up straight, I saw that the two lane was covered with sand from shoulder to shoulder for about forty feet. I had just enough time to wave my left arm to alert the riders behind me, then started grabbing gears & brakes before I hit the sand. I got it shut down some, but not enough. Riding into the sand, I started sliding violently from side to side. I rode it out, praying hard. My prayers were heard, & I came out on the other side intact. All of us made it through. The funny thing was, the next scenic turn out that we hit, without anybody signaling a stop, we all pulled in. Nobody said anything for a while. What the sand was doing there, I have no idea. I guess only the Arkansas Highway Department can answer that.

 

[LazyKB]

Pucker factor was pretty high one Christmas eve morning when I found myself floating down the Savannah River hanging onto the gunwale of my jon boat while my water filled hip boots tried to drag me under. I had attempted to launch my boat filled with decoys and shotgun at the Jackson boat ramp by myself. I bumped it off the trailer and jumped out to grab the rope to haul it in while I parked the truck. The rope was too short, it disappeared into the water. I waded in and lunged for the gunwale. Luckily I grabbed it because my lunge had taken me out over my head. I fought like hell to get in that boat but couldn't. Finally I stop my struggle and went with the current. I was able to get one heel over the gunwale, drain my boot and pull myself in. I was shaking from more than just the cold.

 

[feralmerril]

Hey lost lake! I had a similar story to yours earlier on that same trip. I was flying over the black hills going to wisconsin. I remember takeing a couple pictures of mount rushmore and then it got bumpy. My last stop had been newcastle wyoming. I got above the scattered clouds, and got my nose in a map. I looked down and I was socked in! I should have flew north but was stubborn. I hadnt got a weather briefing that morning and as said earlier my radio was faulty. Anyway I had drove that country below a number of times both by vehicle and motorcycle and knew it was flat as a pancake.
I opted to fly down through the clouds. I just trimmed things up and let it sink about 400 fpm. I had gave myself 500 feet above the published terrain and promised myself I would just add power if I couldnt see the ground by that figure. I was about to add power but did get a fast glimps of the ground and kept sinking down until I did break through at about 400 AGL. My omni was working but as said the radio wasnt.
I came to a town and circled the water tower. It was murdo south dakota. I found the then small strip a couple miles out and landed. It was a different world water everywhere. I actualy water planed on the runway when I landed. There was no hangers at all and I was standing in water ankle deep. There were only two other planes there, a 172 and a piper pawnee agwagon. Just a phone booth. I saw a old 4-WD truck come down to me. This guy got out, said he seen me buzz the water tower. He was the cropduster. First thing he said was,"How did you get down?"
I admitted what I had done and he just shook his head and said, "What would you have done if ya met someone?" I considered my butt chewed.
Anyway the rain didnt quit for the next three days and I spent my time rideing around with the lone county sheriff, a real charactor by the nane of "Mac" Mc farlon I think. He wore bib overalls and a nickle colt single action army.
The crop duster took care of me, I got a motel. I remember his name too as his was Merrill, same as mine, merrill rust.
That was some trip!

 

[feralmerril]

While I have got badly injured a number of times in those deals you didnt have time to get scared or the incidents wouldnt have hapened.
One incident does stand out. There were three couples of us rideing harley dressers. This was in california on the grapevine on I-5 between los angeles and bakersfield. We were headed back from a cafe in gorman.
This was in about 1967. I did a stupid thing. I put my GF in front of me and took off. Then I got set up good and let her put her hands on the bars, she was doing well so I took mine off and she was still doing good. We were on the freeway headed south. A cliff with nothing but a built up 5" or so narrow border was all that was between us and oblivion far, far below.
We passed one of my buddys and I showed off by waveing at him as we went by. Then I noticed we were headed for the edge! I tried knocking her hands off but she was froze! I got my hands on the bars and we hit that border at a angle. I never before or since experianced what that bike did. It knocked us back out on the freeway but since we were still tilted we swung into it again! It corrected us about 3 more times that way, short choppy bounces out and back to that built up curb again. Finaly I got full control and actualy rode the top of that curb for maybe 20 yards untill I got it down on the freeway. Had we went off it to the right it would have been certain death as it was at least a 500 ft drop!
It sounded like a freight train in my ears. Blood pressure I guess. We stopped and my buddys told us we were beat red. It was also embarassing as my buddy was a burbank cop. He told me he was just gonna drive on if I went off and make a aniominas emergency phone call for a ambulance! I belive that was the scardest I ever was but it was for only 10 secounds.

 

[jimmyj]

Hi:
I have had several but the one that "POPS" to mind is one week day morning on patrol I answered a dispatch call of "Loud Noise" at a federal low rent complex. After having the "Citizen" turn down his radio, I walked back to my vehicle stopping to pet a speckled puppy. Reaching my vehicle I observed the shift sergeant waiting down the street to "Gab". As I drove away and passing a wooded area, there was a loud "BOOM" and shotgun pellets struck my vehicles' right side. I immediately jerked the steering wheel to the left, unlocked my driver's door, and rolled out the door as the vehicle hit the ditch, and took cover behind the engine block. In the mean time, the sergeant observing this, radioed a "Signal 54" (Shots fired-Officer Down). This type call brings every patrol vehicle from all listening agencies Code 3.
A search of the area for the shooter was negative. Had the "Shooter" used more "lead" I would have been missing my head.

 

[judge]

Anytime I saw my Old Man taking off his belt!! (mom- "just wait till your Dad gets home")

 

[HankG]

Participating in Operation Dewey Canyon in the Ashau Valley, right up on the border between Laos and North West South Vietnam. Carrying the bodies of 4 dead Marines for two days. Fighting was so intense, the brass wouldn't allow CH46s to pick up our dead and wounded. Afraid they would loose them. A couple of NVA soldiers ambushed our column from the rear. We all hit the deck when the firing started. The rounds were so close to my head, my muscles locked up and I couldn't move. Being Platoon leader, my job was to get up and react to the ambush. Seemed like eternity before I could move and direct fire into the elephant grass the soldiers were firing from. Never experienced anything like that again.

 

[feralmerril]

While I had flown I am really afraid of heigths. It bothers me more to go up on the roof and service the water cooler than it did doing stunts in airplanes.
I cant explain why the comparison. I had jobs in the NPS in the mountains both yosemite and the grand tetons besides other jobs in the mountains, hunting etc. A number of times I have got myself in spots where it scared me to death but you had no choice but to go on or die of starvation clinging to the mountain side! When I was about 5 years old I fell through the trap door of a haymow in a barn about 12 feet high. Maybe thats why. I fell on my head cracking it wide open from the ear to the eye on the opposite side.
Now that one should bring some wisecracks!

 

[poordevil]

The night I almost shot George Burns!

I responded to an alarm in San Diego CA one night at a Liquor distributor. The one with the red boar head. I was searching the building...all the office and meeting rooms, when , as I flashed my flash-light around this room, I saw a figure of a man, dressed all in black!

He did not say a word, but his right hand was waving back and forth. I started backing out the door as I was garbing my Model 15 from it's holster and shining the light in his face from my Mag light.

By the time I had my gun out and saw his face. I realized it was George Burns! Well a life size, stand up cut out add for Black Velvet with a motorized hand that waved! If he was holding real booze, I would have taken a snort!