Yes, it would certainly be surprising if you suddenly come face to face with one... but yes, most people are just reacting to their fear of spiders, often totally irrational. I remember walking into the kitchen one morning, making coffee and then noticing that there was a very large tarantula sitting in the middle of the fruit basket. A little surprising... but she was escorted back outside.
=^..^=
That would have been down Texas way, not where you live now?