To protect and serve, rural style.

[oldbrownhat]

...Yet, almost nobody is afraid of trees. Go figure.

Trees provide shade, a pleasant vista and sometimes fruit. Snakes, not so much

 

[Jessie]

I think the fear of snakes is in our DNA from waayy back and there must be a reason for that.
IF I can identify a snake as harmless, I’ll let it be but I still go on alert whenever I see one.

 

[oldbrownhat]

I think the fear of snakes is in our DNA from waayy back and there must be a reason for that....

The snake got a bad rap in the Bible, too. (As the Cockneys say, "Who'd Adam an' Eve it?")

Mind you, so did the apple tree and we still eat apples.

 

[Ole Joe Clark]

Way back in the 60’s as a young officer, I was working an extra job at one of the local banks providing traffic control at a multiple drive up window banking location. Two of the drive up windows were stand alone facilities across the street from the other windows. The teller working one of those windows, who by the way was pregnant, opened the door and called to me that the driver of the car at her window wanted to talk to me. She looked rather pale and immediately closed the door. Red flags waved in my mind as I approached the rear of the vehicle. My first thought was bank robber. The operator of the vehicle was the only person in the car. As I reached the rear of the vehicle, I unsnapped the holster strap over my Model 29. About that time the driver began to swivel toward me with something long and dark in both hands. My immediate thought was shotgun. I pulled my revolver as the man’s face turned to me and rung his nose with that old 44 and instructed him not to move. Fortunately he complied immediately. What he had in his hands was a realistic looking long black rubber snake. When the teller opened the drawer to take his deposit, he ran the snake into the drawer toward her. She almost delivered the baby she was carrying right there out of fright. That was the reason for her pale face. After realizing there was no real danger, I did not move my revolver. I gave him some friendly advice, while I had his undivided attention, about scaring folks with his pet. I’m quit sure the barrel of that 44 looked a bit like a cannon while in contact with his nose. We came to an agreement that it probably was not good for him to keep the “snake” in his vehicle to frighten people. After I reholstered he related that he had put it out the window toward a motorcycle rider who almost wrecked when he saw the rubber reptile. After being informed that if I ever saw him out with his buddy again, I would find some charge to put him so far under the jail it would be necessary to pipe sunlight into him. Thought sure I’d get complained on by him, but never did. Some folks just have a warped sense of what is funny and acceptable as a practical joke. I would be willing to bet that is one thing he never did again…or at least i hope so.

When I was a LOT younger, I had a large rubber snake that I would scare folks with, until I realized someone might have a heart attack because of it. Never did it again.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

 

[M E Morrison]

I thought the same thing. No way I’d grab it, even with heavy gloves.

Like I’ve been saying for years, every well equipped household should have a sword.


That doesn’t always kill ‘em. We’ve run over a number of rattlers in Wyoming. They writhe around for a few minutes, then slither off. Those suckers are tough.

I honed a technique over the years. When I see one on a gravel road, I wait until I’m just about on it, slam on the brakes and skid over it. That seems to do the trick.

The ranch owner told us when you kill one, your suppose to chop of the head and hang the body on a fence. She said it brings rain. Yeah, right! Not me….

learned the same trick in CA desert country, after running over one that got into the engine compartment somehow...

 

[Puller]

Ever since I read this thread I've been checking out my overhead garage door opener unit before I pull my vehicle in the garage. It's given me the hebbie jebbies

 

[oldbrownhat]

Ever since I read this thread I've been checking out my overhead garage door opener unit before I pull my vehicle in the garage. It's given me the hebbie jebbies

To update an old phrase, "Not even bitten, but twice shy"!

 

[JOliver]

I agree with the caller and JimmyJ,If one of my Lieutenants arrives it's relocated like the professionals I trained them to be, if one of my Patrolmen get there they will call for some sort of help, any kind of help really it doesn't matter who they get they don't like to deal with them either and will come up with every excuse in the book "we aren't pest control" "we didn't sign up for this "... if the Chief arrives first?!? Plug you ears ... and I'm back 10-8.

Had one years ago that I ran over in a pursuit, Crown Vic with a spotlight and somehow in the curve I managed to sling it up on the spotlight pursuit ended I was on the radio and cracked the window not knowing that 6' monster was right there it decided to say hello and I managed to slide my butt out the other side of the unit.
Everyone laughed and I could care less, next afternoon (I was on 2nd shift way back then) I came outside to get in my car and there was "snake track marks all over the roof and hood in the dust on the paint" talk about heebeejeebies woof I still think about it occasionally. I called a buddy of mine and bribed him with a steak dinner. Even though the windows were up I begged him to check everything and everywhere on and in that Crown Vic. He ate well that night! Then we did a snake "hunt" at my house and garage area.
Needless to say I DON'T like them. I don't want to see them I don't want to discuss them I don't like them!

 

[Breakaway500]

Maybe the fear of snakes dates back to the time when one of them convinced the first couple to eat the apple..