Wow! This Is Getting A Bit Close To Home!

[Digger]

I'm so glad this turned into a mature discussion.

 

[Nippon]

I'm so glad this turned into a mature discussion.

Hey Digger, sorry for disrupting the thread. Just got a bit excited.

Merry Christmas.

 

[cherryles]

My fav. things about oz, (never been).

The country, I probably wouldn't like or be able to stand the heat, poisonous reptiles and spiders, I'd probably like the climate in Autumn and winter, I met an Australian once, two actually, here in Ireland, both were ladies, seemed nice, if I were asked to describe Aussies in my own honest opinion, with the little interaction I've ever had with them, (most has been on tv), TOUGH! Probably no choice but to be tough, been born and reared into such a harsh environment, I know lots of friends who have returned home from spending a few years there working, nice people by all accounts, the native Australians though, different story altogether, like most of them were either on drugs and/or very angry with anyone with a different accent, by native I mean aboriginal.

 

[Digger]

My fav. things about oz, (never been).

The country, I probably wouldn't like or be able to stand the heat, poisonous reptiles and spiders, I'd probably like the climate in Autumn and winter, I met an Australian once, two actually, here in Ireland, both were ladies, seemed nice, if I were asked to describe Aussies in my own honest opinion, with the little interaction I've ever had with them, (most has been on tv), TOUGH! Probably no choice but to be tough, been born and reared into such a harsh environment, I know lots of friends who have returned home from spending a few years there working, nice people by all accounts, the native Australians though, different story altogether, like most of them were either on drugs and/or very angry with anyone with a different accent, by native I mean aboriginal.

Thanks for your observations about us, though I worry about the size of your sampling....grin~ Tough? Maybe, but like any other people we are very much a mixture spanning the spectrum like anywhere else.

Country people are probably a bit more resilent than most, then they have to be.

The original peoples here are a whole other thing, good and bad just like the rest of us. Yes there are a lot having difficulty in a modern world but they get a massive amount of support. They will either sink or they will swim, I hope its the latter.

 

[LtDave32]

I'm so glad this turned into a mature discussion.

Yep! Nice to have mature, intelligent conversation.

 

[Digger]

My fav. things about oz, (never been).

The country, I probably wouldn't like or be able to stand the heat, poisonous reptiles and spiders, I'd probably like the climate in Autumn and winter, I met an Australian once, two actually, here in Ireland, both were ladies, seemed nice, if I were asked to describe Aussies in my own honest opinion, with the little interaction I've ever had with them, (most has been on tv), TOUGH! Probably no choice but to be tough, been born and reared into such a harsh environment, I know lots of friends who have returned home from spending a few years there working, nice people by all accounts, the native Australians though, different story altogether, like most of them were either on drugs and/or very angry with anyone with a different accent, by native I mean aboriginal.

Thanks for your observations about us, though I worry about the size of your sampling....grin~ Tough? Maybe, but like any other people we are very much a mixture spanning the spectrum like anywhere else.

Country people are probably a bit more resilent than most, then they have to be.

The original peoples here are a whole other thing, good and bad just like the rest of us. Yes there are a lot having difficulty in a modern world but they get a massive amount of support. They will either sink or they will swim, I hope its the latter.

I can remember when I was growing up the blokes would all go to the pub Friday night, not so much for the drinks but for a good fight. Youd see them afterwards having a beer the best of friends.It was almost a national passtime.

 

[Digger]

Hey Digger, sorry for disrupting the thread. Just got a bit excited.

Merry Christmas.

I think we need to remember that we are guests in someone elses house here and act accordingly.

Hope youre having a good day.

 

[LtDave32]

My fav. things about oz, (never been).

The country, I probably wouldn't like or be able to stand the heat, poisonous reptiles and spiders, I'd probably like the climate in Autumn and winter, I met an Australian once, two actually, here in Ireland, both were ladies, seemed nice, if I were asked to describe Aussies in my own honest opinion, with the little interaction I've ever had with them, (most has been on tv), TOUGH! Probably no choice but to be tough, been born and reared into such a harsh environment, I know lots of friends who have returned home from spending a few years there working, nice people by all accounts, the native Australians though, different story altogether, like most of them were either on drugs and/or very angry with anyone with a different accent, by native I mean aboriginal.

Poisonous snakes and the like aren't really that much of a problem. Just like here (the US), encounters are relatively rare. If you're looking for it, you can find such trouble though. -But you have to enter their world, most of the time. True that in suburbs sometimes there are encounters.

I encounter more rattlesnakes and black widows than most folks here. If you're careful and aware, there's not that much to worry about.

For example, I run a water district out here in the CA high desert. Many vault boxes, facility housings, etc are dark, shady crypt-like structures. They are habitats for black widow spiders, and I encounter them weekly, sometimes multiple times a day. -But I expect that. I don't crawl in there or enter a dark structure without clearing it out first. I can open a door and see five or six black widows, complete with the red hour glass on their bellies clinging to their webs.

I watch where I step in our fenced outdoor facilities in the Summer, as I frequently encounter sidewinders and sometimes the deadly Mojave Green rattlesnakes. You got to take them out or they will set up shop and breed all over the damn place. I once encountered two sidewinders when flipping over a railroad tie that was in our well pen. Yeah, it seems scary, but if you're aware of what you might find and keep your eyes open, you will be fine. Of course, that's the sticks, the boonies. Urban areas are going to have practically none of that.

 

[Digger]

People carry on about how dangerous wildlife is here in Oz and yes when you look at it, it is. However living here its just part of life and not something we actually dwell on.

Just like you in your desert environment Dave you probably take the encounters in your stride...its what you do. I'd say the majority of Aussies might only see one or two snakes in their lives and probaly wonder what all the fuss is about. Closely related to the Black Widow is our Redback spider, same family.

I have them all aroung the outside of my house....big deal! They squash very easliy. Had one under my pillow one morning....no big deal.

People seem to get worked up about little things a lot.

 

[jdto]

*Mod Note*

To all: tone it down on the personal insults. Both sides of arguing parties are guilty of it, so this is a blanket statement.

If you can't post with a cool head, I'll fix it. And I'll get it done.

Let's be absolutely clear on what happened and why.

I asked the arguing parties to quit with the personal insults.

I even told them they could continue their arguments, providing they did so respectfully and within forum rules.

They FAILED.

Digger is a good guy, and I pointed that out specifically upthread. He is not to blame, and should not feel as if he's taken any part in this, provided a "runway" for the insults to land, or contributed in any way, shape or form in the troubles within this thread.

It was totally up to the two fools who wouldn't follow directions. -And there were consequences for that.

Now that they are gone, this thread can continue without sh!t dripping off the walls of it from the slinging.

Mea culpa. I admit I missed the green post and got carried away, resulting in crapping in Digger's thread. I subsequently attempted to bury the hatchet with Nippon, but I did miss Dave's warning post and that's on me. Sorry to all readers who had to slog through my immature argument over a silly misunderstanding. I apologize to Digger for crapping in his thread and to Dave for giving him a moderation headache. Cheers to all and best of the season.

 

[Fiat Lux]

People carry on about how dangerous wildlife is here in Oz and yes when you look at it, it is. However living here its just part of life and not something we actually dwell on.

Just like you in your desert environment Dave you probably take the encounters in your stride...its what you do. I'd say the majority of Aussies might only see one or two snakes in their lives and probaly wonder what all the fuss is about. Closely related to the Black Widow is our Redback spider, same family.

I have them all aroung the outside of my house....big deal! They squash very easliy. Had one under my pillow one morning....no big deal.

People seem to get worked up about little things a lot.

I agree with Digger...

We might have a few more deadly creatures than many places, and therefore a few more encounters with said creatures, but IMHO the Australian difference is attitude. We might have a higher risk of bite/attack/sting than other places, but even then, the risk is still not particularly high, so you can accept that and take it in your stride (taking sensible precautions as Lt Dave suggests), or you can wimp out and try to enclose yourself and your life in cotton wool.

Many Aussies take the view that life is too short, and the world is too much fun, to wrap yourself in cotton wool. Given the relatively low risk of actually going Mano e Mano with a croc, or a tiger snake, or a great white shark, or a bird eating spider, Aussies prefer to cross that bridge if and when they come to it, rather than get tied up in knots about what might or might not be.

Cheers

 

[LtDave32]

Mea culpa. I admit I missed the green post and got carried away, resulting in crapping in Digger's thread. I subsequently attempted to bury the hatchet with Nippon, but I did miss Dave's warning post and that's on me. Sorry to all readers who had to slog through my immature argument over a silly misunderstanding. I apologize to Digger for crapping in his thread and to Dave for giving him a moderation headache. Cheers to all and best of the season.

Well spoken, jdto. All's good.

 

[jdto]

Well spoken, jdto. All's good.

 

[Digger]

Yeah mate, stuff happens, have a nice Christmas.

 

[cherryles]

Thanks for your observations about us, though I worry about the size of your sampling....grin~ Tough? Maybe, but like any other people we are very much a mixture spanning the spectrum like anywhere else.

Country people are probably a bit more resilent than most, then they have to be.

The original peoples here are a whole other thing, good and bad just like the rest of us. Yes there are a lot having difficulty in a modern world but they get a massive amount of support. They will either sink or they will swim, I hope its the latter.

I can remember when I was growing up the blokes would all go to the pub Friday night, not so much for the drinks but for a good fight. Youd see them afterwards having a beer the best of friends.It was almost a national passtime.

Ye are tough but maybe ye don't know it Australia is a place where a person of low intelligence or a tourist from another country could wander off in their car and travel on a full tank of petrol and still not meet another town or city, then their up sh!t creek without a paddle, the heat alone will probably take them long before any of the wildlife, no phone signal, no water, no hope, I think you learn and learn fast or die, I don't know what the Australian armies version of the marines are but I can only imagine how tough their training must be if their subjected to those conditions, as for city folk, I hear it's quiet common for people to walk barefoot, and at night, the women, they never wear heels, always flats or sandles, also, the people tend to be quiet fit, very low obesity rate, with the conditions, I'm not at all surprised, if you can't walk far in Oz, you're probably not going to live very long

Merry Christmas Digger

Poisonous snakes and the like aren't really that much of a problem. Just like here (the US), encounters are relatively rare. If you're looking for it, you can find such trouble though. -But you have to enter their world, most of the time. True that in suburbs sometimes there are encounters.

I encounter more rattlesnakes and black widows than most folks here. If you're careful and aware, there's not that much to worry about.

For example, I run a water district out here in the CA high desert. Many vault boxes, facility housings, etc are dark, shady crypt-like structures. They are habitats for black widow spiders, and I encounter them weekly, sometimes multiple times a day. -But I expect that. I don't crawl in there or enter a dark structure without clearing it out first. I can open a door and see five or six black widows, complete with the red hour glass on their bellies clinging to their webs.

I watch where I step in our fenced outdoor facilities in the Summer, as I frequently encounter sidewinders and sometimes the deadly Mojave Green rattlesnakes. You got to take them out or they will set up shop and breed all over the damn place. I once encountered two sidewinders when flipping over a railroad tie that was in our well pen. Yeah, it seems scary, but if you're aware of what you might find and keep your eyes open, you will be fine. Of course, that's the sticks, the boonies. Urban areas are going to have practically none of that.

As with Digger, I guess it really is all down to what you're familiar with and used to, I hate snakes! I imagine a gun is a must, and within easy reach?

 

[LtDave32]

Ye are tough but maybe ye don't know it Australia is a place where a person of low intelligence or a tourist from another country could wander off in their car and travel on a full tank of petrol and still not meet another town or city, then their up sh!t creek without a paddle, the heat alone will probably take them long before any of the wildlife, no phone signal, no water, no hope, I think you learn and learn fast or die, I don't know what the Australian armies version of the marines are but I can only imagine how tough their training must be if their subjected to those conditions, as for city folk, I hear it's quiet common for people to walk barefoot, and at night, the women, they never wear heels, always flats or sandles, also, the people tend to be quiet fit, very low obesity rate, with the conditions, I'm not at all surprised, if you can't walk far in Oz, you're probably not going to live very long

Merry Christmas Digger



As with Digger, I guess it really is all down to what you're familiar with and used to, I hate snakes! I imagine a gun is a must, and within easy reach?

The last time I shot a snake was 2012 on a fishing trip to the Sierras, where Summer heat brings them out. I always go trout fishing with a firearm or two. Up in the wild and all that.

For snakes around here locally, I use a shovel. There's a picture of me floating around here on MLP with a rattler that I dispatched in that manner.

 

[Roberteaux]

One time a coworker and myself were inspecting a firebreak ditch located within the secured area of Daytona International. Though it was within the fenced area of the airfield, this particular part of the airport reservation was wild and grown over with all kinds of thick vegetation.

Lots of critters in there, and among them was a big, fat water moccasin-- probably one of many.

While my counterpart and I were standing around chatting, I noticed the snake slithering up out of the ditch and onto the embankment where we stood, next to our parked vehicle.

This was obviously an older snake. Mocs don't get to be really long-- a five footer is a big specimen for this species. But while they don't grow to be incredibly long, they sure do get fat-- and this one was easily as big around as my forearm, and maybe bigger.

Moccasins are widely denounced as being aggressive and highly territorial snakes, while a second school of thought has it that actually, they're simply curious about all things around them and tend to investigate fearlessly. Whatever the reality is, the bottom line is this: a water moccasin is not the kind of snake it's wise to trifle with. He'll hit you like Rocky Balboa, and the venom is potentially fatal. Because there's so many cottonmouths around here, most hospitals have an adequate supply of anti-venom on hand... but some have died before they could get to it.

And so, I warned my counterpart that there was a perfectly enormous water moccasin heading our way from behind him. He thought I was just bustin', but I assured him that this was actually happening. He looked back there and saw that big, ugly-ass snake coming at us, and then did something I wouldn't have believed him to be capable of-- he jumped into the air, and landed smack in the middle of the hood of the Ford Explorer we had arrived in.

That was one hell of an impressive jump. I have no idea how high a jump that was-- probably close to four feet or so. This would have been a good jump for somebody on the run, but to see him do that from a standing position was incredible. Honestly, I don't believe he even squatted for flexed prior to jumping, and he didn't grab the vehicle on the way up, either. I'd never seen anything quite like it before-- adrenaline is one hell of a drug!

For my part, I walked around to the driver's side of the vehicle and got in. Meanwhile, my counterpart had scrambled to the vehicle's roof. I watched as the snake glided past the vehicle. Apparently finding no interest in us, the serpent continued past us about fifty feet, then coiled up on the edge of the embankment. He looked as though he might have been about to descend back into the waters of the ditch, but then changed his mind.

Meanwhile, my coworker jumped off the roof of the vehicle and then scrambled inside hastily, slamming the door shut behind him. He was big-eyed and white with fear, lookin' like he was made of sugar cookie dough and hyperventilating. As he was atop the vehicle and the snake did a slither-by, my partner was certain that the snake would climb up the side of the vehicle and go after him.

He was begging me to fire up the vehicle and get us out of there, but the snake was far enough from us that I decided to perform a little experiment. Ignoring my freaked-out coworker, I got back out of the vehicle and found a large pine cone, which I lobbed underhand in the direction of the snake, just to see what the snake would do.

Good shot! That pine cone actually landed square atop the snake's head, which was about the same length as my hand. I mean, this was a big water moccasin-- the biggest I've ever personally seen.

The cone bounced off the snake's head. I didn't mean to actually hit the snake, but that's what happened. And as I watched, the snake sort of turned to look at me. I figured he might become angry and come after me, and was poised to dart back inside the vehicle.

But he didn't. Instead, he just took a look, and then calmly slide down the bank of the ditch and casually swam off.

I got back in the vehicle. My partner was so upset by that snake that he wouldn't allow me to drive past the thing even though the embankment we were on was narrow and the vehicle was pointed in the direction in which the snake was now located. But my buddy was so upset that I actually backed the vehicle up a good fifty yards so that he wouldn't code out on me if we got close to that snake.

This was a big, burly weightlifter. Who knew he was terrified of snakes? No big deal or anything-- everybody's got his jelly spot. But I never forgot that snake, and the way it looked it me. Obviously, there was no expression on the snake's face, but I do believe that for him it was one of those "WTF is wrong with you?" moments...

--R

 

[Digger]

Les when you grow up and live your life in an area with a few dangers you accept them and learn to live with them. My property here has dangerous snakes and occasionally I encounter them. I (usually) dont experience heart failure when I see a snake but I can assure you that I'm cautious in their presence, its simple common sense!

Occasionally one turns up around the house and reluctantly I kill it. It is actually illegal to kill snakes here, but sometimes other laws take precedence. I hate doing it because they are beautiful animals and certainly have a place in our environment.

A number of times I walked by one in the paddock and even if I have a gun, I let them be, the paddock is their home. Even though sometimes I've been within a few feet I've never felt threatened, and the snakes have never shown aggression.

The outback is a place where the ill informed or the unprepared can quickly come undone. Doesnt happen to Aussies often, mainly tourists. The surf is the other place that claims the unwary, again usually not Aussies. We know how to live here and the place holds little fear for us.

Australia is geographically stable with no volcanoes and seldom earthquakes, it is very safe in geological terms. We have a stable but diverse population and an open democracy. Our climate is fairly benign. You can almost always walk the streets without fear or need to be armed. If you get ill our health system will offer worlds best treatment free.

You have little to fear from Australians, unless you piss us off....grin~

 

[Digger]

One time a coworker and myself were inspecting a firebreak ditch located within the secured area of Daytona International. Though it was within the fenced area of the airfield, this particular part of the airport reservation was wild and grown over with all kinds of thick vegetation.

Lots of critters in there, and among them was a big, fat water moccasin-- probably one of many.

While my counterpart and I were standing around chatting, I noticed the snake slithering up out of the ditch and onto the embankment where we stood, next to our parked vehicle.

This was obviously an older snake. Mocs don't get to be really long-- a five footer is a big specimen for this species. But while they don't grow to be incredibly long, they sure do get fat-- and this one was easily as big around as my forearm, and maybe bigger.

Moccasins are widely denounced as being aggressive and highly territorial snakes, while a second school of thought has it that actually, they're simply curious about all things around them and tend to investigate fearlessly. Whatever the reality is, the bottom line is this: a water moccasin is not the kind of snake it's wise to trifle with. He'll hit you like Rocky Balboa, and the venom is potentially fatal. Because there's so many cottonmouths around here, most hospitals have an adequate supply of anti-venom on hand... but some have died before they could get to it.

And so, I warned my counterpart that there was a perfectly enormous water moccasin heading our way from behind him. He thought I was just bustin', but I assured him that this was actually happening. He looked back there and saw that big, ugly-ass snake coming at us, and then did something I wouldn't have believed him to be capable of-- he jumped into the air, and landed smack in the middle of the hood of the Ford Explorer we had arrived in.

That was one hell of an impressive jump. I have no idea how high a jump that was-- probably close to four feet or so. This would have been a good jump for somebody on the run, but to see him do that from a standing position was incredible. Honestly, I don't believe he even squatted for flexed prior to jumping, and he didn't grab the vehicle on the way up, either. I'd never seen anything quite like it before-- adrenaline is one hell of a drug!

For my part, I walked around to the driver's side of the vehicle and got in. Meanwhile, my counterpart had scrambled to the vehicle's roof. I watched as the snake glided past the vehicle. Apparently finding no interest in us, the serpent continued past us about fifty feet, then coiled up on the edge of the embankment. He looked as though he might have been about to descend back into the waters of the ditch, but then changed his mind.

Meanwhile, my coworker jumped off the roof of the vehicle and then scrambled inside hastily, slamming the door shut behind him. He was big-eyed and white with fear, lookin' like he was made of sugar cookie dough and hyperventilating. As he was atop the vehicle and the snake did a slither-by, my partner was certain that the snake would climb up the side of the vehicle and go after him.

He was begging me to fire up the vehicle and get us out of there, but the snake was far enough from us that I decided to perform a little experiment. Ignoring my freaked-out coworker, I got back out of the vehicle and found a large pine cone, which I lobbed underhand in the direction of the snake, just to see what the snake would do.

Good shot! That pine cone actually landed square atop the snake's head, which was about the same length as my hand. I mean, this was a big water moccasin-- the biggest I've ever personally seen.

The cone bounced off the snake's head. I didn't mean to actually hit the snake, but that's what happened. And as I watched, the snake sort of turned to look at me. I figured he might become angry and come after me, and was poised to dart back inside the vehicle.

But he didn't. Instead, he just took a look, and then calmly slide down the bank of the ditch and casually swam off.

I got back in the vehicle. My partner was so upset by that snake that he wouldn't allow me to drive past the thing even though the embankment we were on was narrow and the vehicle was pointed in the direction in which the snake was now located. But my buddy was so upset that I actually backed the vehicle up a good fifty yards so that he wouldn't code out on me if we got close to that snake.

This was a big, burly weightlifter. Who knew he was terrified of snakes? No big deal or anything-- everybody's got his jelly spot. But I never forgot that snake, and the way it looked it me. Obviously, there was no expression on the snake's face, but I do believe that for him it was one of those "WTF is wrong with you?" moments...

--R

Great story Rob, thanks for the telling.

 

[cherryles]

Les when you grow up and live your life in an area with a few dangers you accept them and learn to live with them. My property here has dangerous snakes and occasionally I encounter them. I (usually) dont experience heart failure when I see a snake but I can assure you that I'm cautious in their presence, its simple common sense!

Occasionally one turns up around the house and reluctantly I kill it. It is actually illegal to kill snakes here, but sometimes other laws take precedence. I hate doing it because they are beautiful animals and certainly have a place in our environment.

A number of times I walked by one in the paddock and even if I have a gun, I let them be, the paddock is their home. Even though sometimes I've been within a few feet I've never felt threatened, and the snakes have never shown aggression.

The outback is a place where the ill informed or the unprepared can quickly come undone. Doesnt happen to Aussies often, mainly tourists. The surf is the other place that claims the unwary, again usually not Aussies. We know how to live here and the place holds little fear for us.

Australia is geographically stable with no volcanoes and seldom earthquakes, it is very safe in geological terms. We have a stable but diverse population and an open democracy. Our climate is fairly benign. You can almost always walk the streets without fear or need to be armed. If you get ill our health system will offer worlds best treatment free.

You have little to fear from Australians, unless you piss us off....grin~

I did actually hear that too, that yer health system is that to be envied, top class in fact.

I admire Australia's rugby team, always a match worth watching, but my absolute favourite is compromised (International rules) rules Football, that's always a match worth watching, if it's not violent and thrilling, it aint compromised rules!


https://youtu.be/quSrUcL2SSM