Preparedness for when

[Deleted User]

Minor incident here, this morning.

Shortly after midnight, I smelt cooking smoke, and heard a smoke alarm sounding.

Wouldn't have smelt and/or heard it, if I didn't sleep with my window open.

Went out to investigate, and found a neighbour's kitchen full of smoke.

Turns out, he left something on the stove, and fell asleep in front of the TV.

He's OK, save for the shock of being woken up by his front door being smashed in, and a bit of smoke inhalation.

greenbee

jk0 wrote: »

I enjoy watching the adventures of 'Reponut' on Youtube. His latest one was quite shocking though:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaDQ0GqfLFI

He came upon a scene of devastation. Two cars were horribly damaged, and a man lay dying on the hard shoulder. Poor guy, (only 51) was changing a wheel, when someone ran into him.

Call the AA, and get out of the car guys.

I used to work for a roadside assistance company. There are memorials to staff killed while on duty - mostly for this reason. Generally they will try to position their vehicle to shield the customer's vehicle in case of a collision, but that doesn't save them.

We were always advised to get out of the car and and well up the bank if waiting for assistance. So a warm coat/waterproofs/water etc safely accessible from the drivers' seat (NOT in the boot which means being very exposed to oncoming traffic) is a good idea. And everyone should exit on the protected side.

moneyistooshorttomention

Frugalsod wrote: »

Cows can be very aggressive during calving season. Give them a very wide berth when calves are about. You do not even need a dog to trigger them.

Ahem....city girl gone country query here....and I haven't asked anyone yet when calving season is. When is it please?

I can take the Michael out of myself - my query on how to tell which ones were female the other day was met with "The ones with udders:rotfl:". Mind you - he managed to say it with a totally straight face:). Ahem....yep...of course:o - not that I want to get close enough to cows to run a quick visual check on that point personally...

But then you should see me steering rather clear of horses too.....they're bigger than me..(and they've got some ginormous great ones round here....).

moneyistooshorttomention

jk0 wrote: »

I just stopped my direct debit in favour of Medecins Sans Frontières after ten years. I am perfectly happy to pay for doctors to go to the third world, but when they start helping the third world to come here, I draw the line.

Any thoughts of who should get my £50 instead? I also support MacMillan, Help the Aged, Sight Savers, Smile Train & Salvation Army.

Me - I pick environmental charities personally. Out of the ones you've named - I'd go for Sight Savers personally.

GreyQueen

Horses are infinately variable in their temperaments MTSTM. Some will come up and mug you for affection (and, in case you might be harbouring edibles in your pockets, some will be nudging pockets hopefully with their noses, just in case you've failed to take the hint).

I always stay well away from the haunches of a horse of unknown temperament, in case she/ he is inclined to kick. Most don't but I wouldn't want to find out the hard way. One of my great-grandfathers was killed by his own horse in an accident - kicked him in the head.

You've always got to be aware that they're a flight animal and their startle-reaction will involve shying and then probably taking off at speed.

greenbee

... And a horse's brain is about the size of a walnut...

GreyQueen

greenbee wrote: »

... And a horse's brain is about the size of a walnut...

Nah, bit bigger than that. What worries me is that they have about the same intellectual ability as a toddler and weigh about a tonne.

Scary, hey? And we put steel shoes on their feet, too - madness.

I like horses, pal breeds racehorses on a small scale and I coo over the foal pix in Feb-March and get regular progress reports and photographic updates. Have to say from my pov a foal out-cutes a baby any day of the week.

moneyistooshorttomention

Yes - I do remember being introduced to a horse previously that was of the very small/cute/etc variety and that one was going around nudging at everyone's pockets hopefully. So I know what you mean and was just thoroughly amused by that one - which had been introduced to us all as "very fond of snacks if they can get them".

Its those ginormous ones that worry me a bit and the fact that someone I knew told me once how a horse had taken a bite out of a bit of her anatomy once and how painful it had been:eek:. An owner of a couple of those huge ones had to yell at city me it was necessary to get out of the way of those two fast - as they weren't going to "pull up" for any human in their way. Add those steel-shod hooves and errrm...I'll stick to steering clear of all except the small/cute/"cupboard love" type variety of horse..:rotfl:

I'll stick to kittens personally for the cuteness angle.

ivyleaf

Nargleblast wrote: »

Apparently we are due for a lunar eclipse on September 28th, and some are prophesying that it will herald the start of an apocalypse, based on events in history that happened around a lunar eclipse.

Suppose we had all better stock up on tinned tomatoes and toilet rolls, then.

Mmm....I'm pretty sure we've had plenty of lunar eclipses before!

nuatha

Thoughts from a number of posts:
A friend breeds Welsh cobs, middle sized cute things as horses and ponies go, he was moving very awkwardly one day - he'd been bitten, the bruises were front and back of his ribs from the bite and all along one buttock and thigh from were the cob had thrown him as it let go. Horses can manage to kick someone in front of them, I had two broken ribs from that one, but its a lot rarer than getting kicked being behind a horse (cows can manage to kick backwards as well).
The most bad tempered, vicious horses I've known have all been those "cute" Shetland ponies.

Worrying over terrorist attacks:
Being caught up in pub bombing or 7/7 is life changing and horrific, but is it any more so than being caught up in something like the Kings Cross fire. Thankfully both are relatively rare events (and the same preparations/tactics will help you survive both. Awareness of where you are, where your exit routes are, even 1st aid supplies as part of your "Every Day Carry."
Worrying about being caught up in them can be absolutely devastating, it can interfere with being able to do anything, to the extent of being unable to leave your home (and being terrified that something will happen there as well). I'm not suggesting that being blas! about risk is the way forward, but realistic risk assessment is. (And if you want to worry about the numbers of migrants and the associated problems, then look at the two winged ones and bird flu, potentially at lot more devastating than ISIS etc)

Changing habits, also means that you are less aware of what is normal for that time/place, though equally following habitual patterns can lull you into a false sense of security. The answer generally is to try to keep your wits about you and be aware of what is happening - GQ and MrsLW both make that point eloquently (I'm sure I've missed at least another post that makes this point well, apologies) In the last couple of years the local papers have carried reports of three male rapes, town centre-ish locations in daylight (including two different supermarket car parks.

It can be a very nasty, unbelievably cruel world out there (and that's just the human part of it, nature is something else entirely) but it is also full of people with hearts of gold and willing helping hands. You can choose to see either side of the spectrum as dominant, personally I find life a lot more enjoyable seeing the latter as predominant and while I pay attention to what's happening in the world I try not to let the bigots, fear mongers and media drag me down.

I've probably missed a pile of posts that deserved a proper reply or comment. Life is being a tad busy at the moment.