The truth is I really don't like snakes or large spiders, they scare me a bit as well.
When I see a snake I
-freeze
-identify the snake, if its dangerous like this one - this is a Eastern Brown (sometimes called common brown) and is deadly!
-I don't mess about I take myself, anyone else around me to safety by slowly backing away. This will normally result in the snake taking a striking posture if you are close, like this one did...sometimes they hiss as well - they aren't going to strike, they just get scared to suddenly see a human near them.
-you simply backup away a little more, if you have a doggo, straight under the arm :)
-when you are far enough away the snake will just attempt to flee.
-If your dog is under your arm and the snake is long like in the pic, sure you can film with your I-phone up relatively close, the snake coils its gonna defend so just don't take you eyes off it..if you lose sight, back far away.
This type of snake kills many people every year, but only because people have stepped on them and then the snake has defended.
If bitten you simply need to get a few meters away from the snake, then tie off your wound and don't move and send for help..Allot of people don't realise this, but snake venum doesn't spread quickly you could lie for days and not die. With this snake if it bit you would be dead in 30 mins if you tried to run and get help...but lie there, no worries, you might not even feel sick for hours.
Fear is good..it protects you and makes you slowly back off, it teaches us respect. Most people run from fear itself; I'm the analyst type that likes to think why I'm afraid in the moment and see what can be done to conquer that fear safely - if it gets too much always have an escape route :)
Wow! You really took time to answer me. Thank you so much! I see that you must have met a lot of snakes in your life. I'm glad that you know what to do and how to react. And I'm also glad that you shared those tips with me. I will try to memorize them.
I always look where I walk so that I don't step on any small animal, especially in a forest. When I want to enjoy the surroundings, I stop and look, but generally my head is down on the ground.
It sounds horrible that many people die every year but well it's not what these snakes want of course. As you said, they are just protecting themselves. And this is their natural reaction. They don't know better.
I admire that you take your time to analyze in such a situation. The reaction of many people would be very different.
THANK YOU again for getting back to me!
Your part of the world sounds very beautiful, I love forests and I like to travel and hope to go to Switzerland at least once. Australia has many dangerous snakes, but I've come across snakes eveywhere I travel, yet never bitten once. As you said being aware is the important thing - if you never get bitten, doesn't matter if they are dangerous or not - walk through the wilderness like your a guest in someones house, respectfully :)
Happy Steeming!
I've been lucky and I've seen snakes just twice in my life. There really don't seem to be many of them in Europe. Or they hide somewhere far away from people :)
When you come to Switzerland, let me know. I will be happy to take you around :)
Thankyou - so kind, the Steemit community is great this way. Same offer applies if you come to Adelaide :)
I'll let you know if I would ever come there :)
I had friends that came across a brown snake they claim it chased them while they were walking on a dirt road. luckily someone in a car saw what was happening and ran the snake over. This didn't kill the snake but it was enough to send the snake in the opposite direction. Snakes don't normally chase people and apart from this case running over them is not a good idea as often they can get caught up under the car and you could take them home with you. I've had a few in my back yard. A couple of times I've found the cat sitting very still having a staring competition with one. The snake has it's reared up and is also keeping very still. Quite scary I've had to pull the cat away risking myself getting bitten. I did read a story in the paper once about a cat and snake staring at each other for days apparently the snake died I think from dehydration.
CrickeY! the ultimate stare off! hehe
Yeah the Australian Common brown is a very aggressive/grumpy snakes as far as snakes go. If you tick them off or follow them, they will hiss and coil to strike where most others will just slide away very quickly, bit like those King Browns we grew up with - those guys tend to just flee vs. get all up tight...but thats just my observations.