[stevebrot]

Compressed gas cylinders should never be transported with a regulator attached. Only the safety cap.

You beat me to it! What we saw in the video was the result of the tank valves being knocked off. Rockets away!!!


Steve

[stevebrot]

Gotta stay away from loads on trucks as much as possible.

Hay trucks...


Steve

[stevebrot]

Another angle of this wreck.

This thread is starting to remind me of the films they showed us in drivers education class.


Steve

[WPRESTO]

WPRESTO..Funny you should mention Parks and Wildlife. I just read this and upon further research found that the plan was submitted by an environmentalist..... "O.T. Squirrel"..........sounds familiar?
The plan, as I read it involves moving all the Rattlers from Texas up your way. Gotta love that Big Brain Thinking of Otis!
You got a shortage off Rattlers, no problem, Otis will send you all you can handle...or not handle!

Massachusetts plans rattlesnake colony on uninhabited island - Yahoo News

The island is very near me, possibly within my town (I'd have to look at a map to be sure). It's within the largest reservoir in MessyChewBits. Your rattlers, however, are not the right sort of rattlers. The endangered species here is the Eastern Timber Rattler which, SFAIK, does not occur in Texas. There's is inevitable opposition, but I'm in favor. In terms of animal-caused human deaths per year in the USA snakebites rank seventh after: deer (130); bees/wasps (53); dogs (31); Horse (20); cows (20 - does not include bulls = only 3 human deaths per year) and spiders (7). For snakes it's about 5 or 6 deaths per year. There are far more cows in MessyChewBits than poisonous snakes (as best you can count the latter) so we'd be safer by getting rid of some cows than by worrying about some snakes out on an island in the biggest lake in the state.

BTW: The islands are strictly off limits to humans, and have been since the reservoir was created.

[THoog]

In terms of animal-caused human deaths per year in the USA snakebites rank seventh after: deer (130); bees/wasps (53); dogs (31); Horse (20); cows (20 - does not include bulls = only 3 human deaths per year) and spiders (7). For snakes it's about 5 or 6 deaths per year. There are far more cows in MessyChewBits than poisonous snakes (as best you can count the latter) so we'd be safer by getting rid of some cows than by worrying about some snakes out on an island in the biggest lake in the state.

Humans cause many, many more deaths and injuries, and yet I'm "weird" for being uncomfortable in crowds but not afraid of snakes. Where's the logic in that? Rattlers are very polite snakes who let you know they are there. Most snake bites in NC are from copperheads, and that's because their camouflage is so good that people step on them when they are trying not to be noticed.

[WPRESTO]

Humans cause many, many more deaths and injuries, and yet I'm "weird" for being uncomfortable in crowds but not afraid of snakes. Where's the logic in that? Rattlers are very polite snakes who let you know they are there. Most snake bites in NC are from copperheads, and that's because their camouflage is so good that people step on them when they are trying not to be noticed.

Copperheads may also be the most abundant snakes in NC. SFAIK copperheads and timber rattlers are the only venomous snakes in MessyChewBits and the former are and always have been much more abundant. Venomous snakes vary greatly in their aggressiveness. Eastern diamondbacks are far less aggressive than the western variety, but prairie rattlers tend to have the worst reputation. However, all rattlesnake reputations are grotesquely distorted, in a totally fantasy world V-A-V the real danger.

[Jean Poitiers]

This thread is starting to remind me of the films they showed us in drivers education class.

Steve

I loved Driver's Ed ... I took it at Tulsa public school in a room filled with quite old-ish sit-down simulators.

What was cool is that you could "floor it" all the time and make tons of drastic weaving lane changes, but the screen in front never seemed to be disturbed at all.

Just like my French driving reality today ... Good training there !

[Jean Poitiers]

Compressed gas cylinders should never be transported with a regulator attached. Only the safety cap.

Party pooper.

[THoog]

However, all rattlesnake reputations are grotesquely distorted, in a totally fantasy world V-A-V the real danger.

I think this quote sums it up: "The doctors' conclusion was that the typical snakebite victim is male and under thirty, with a blood-alcohol concentration of more than 0.1 percent at the time he is bitten."

We have five flavors of pit viper in NC (Copperhead, Cottonmouth, Timber Rattler, Diamondback, and pygmy rattler) and the coral snake (which is so rare as to almost be a myth). Cottonmouths have a reputation for aggressiveness, but it's probably because they stand their ground and display, and they are easily confused with (non-venomous) Brown/Banded/Northern Water Snakes, who will all willingly bite if bothered.

[stevebrot]

we'd be safer by getting rid of some cows

I have room in my freezer when the cull begins.


Steve

[bxf]

MessyChewBits

I just checked-in, directly to the last page, to see the latest important developments in this invaluable thread, and came across the above

[robtcorl]

Speaking of rattlers, I don't normally kill snakes, but...
back in the mid 80's we were surveying out in the boonies, when the fellow you see on my wall was about two feet from me, in fairly tall grass.
the shovel I had in my hands ruined his day, it was just an automatic reflex since it scared the holy heck out of me.
there was a lump about mid-snake, it turned out to be a whole gray squirrel.

[savoche]

Just like my French driving reality today ... Good training there !

And yet I found the traffic in Normandy to be very relaxed and polite. I have navigated far more "creative" traffic elsewhere!

Although, I suspect there be some regional variation within France.

[Jean Poitiers]

And yet I found the traffic in Normandy to be very relaxed and polite. I have navigated far more "creative" traffic elsewhere!

Although, I suspect there be some regional variation within France.

Bingo !

The further south you go "south" in France, the more the driving becomes like that of Italy ... mamma mia !!!

[Rupert]

there was a lump about mid-snake, it turned out to be a whole gray squirrel.

You snake defenders have to look at it from a squirrel's perspective...and that pretty much gives it. Otis advises that all you snake lovers are welcome to all he can round up and send you, he'll even pay for shipping. That Otis, he's a heck of a nice squirrel!