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Which means my answer remains unchanged; except that, some people claim that if you stand absolutely still, the snake will do the same. Bottom line - I still wouldn't chance it; not without eye protection. MSC's are too skittish and their venom too potent.

Agree with you OWN but looking for another reason..



If the MSC does not attempt to move out of the crevice, are you still safe?

I personally would be out of there like flint

I would always keep a distance.

I've done more investigation on the MSC, Rosemary, and though it may be quite calm while positioned in a crevice, and therefore perhaps not attack, one must remember that you are 2m from the snake, which is well within spitting range. Furthermore, the MSC does not always spread its hood before it spits and, because it seldom open its mouth much before ejecting the venom, you will not have much warning before the venom shoots out at high speed. Without glasses, your eyes are exposed and, since this cobra is pretty accurate up to around 2m, you'll probably get a dose of the toxic venom in the eyes before you can move.

All of which is the reason I'd turn away (venom falling on arms, back, and hair will be harmless) and move off as soon as possible - the snake won't follow when you pose no threat to it.

You are IT OWN

Eish, so much going on in my life at the moment; everything condensed into milliseconds. Will come up with a Q soon ...

Still living in milliseconds OWN?

I think I've regressed to nanoseconds. Too much on this little plate of mine at the moment ... handing this over to whoever wants it.

I will try another one. After heavy rain, the group decide that they had enough and decide to go back to camp. But their normal route was blocked by a swollen spruit. There are two openings in the bush where they can reach the spruit. At the first crossing the spruit flows wide and at the other spruit is narrow. They decide to take the second option, because they will get faster to the other other side. Good or bad? They are on an OSV.

Terrible idea. The narrower the spruit gets in a swollen state, the faster and more powerful it becomes. (Which could easily result in a sudden unintended swim for all )

Rooies, does Porridge speak the truth here?

Porridge have got it spot on. For the same volume of water to go through a narrow area, the water must flow faster and deeper. That is why the first Europeans that trekked into the interior, always look for a drift. It is the places where the rivers were wide and they could see the rocks protruding from the water. (We always camped at a place called Kommandodrift, Vaal river. The Boers and the Brits used that to get across the river, hence the name Kommandodrift)

I guess that makes me Johnny-on-the-spot then

Staying with our intrepid guide, the group are moving through a hilly area when suddenly, about 20 metres ahead of them, a leopard explodes out of some bushes and runs off for a distance and then crouches down into the vegetation. (Very lucky guide and group this ) Our guide says to the group "Be very quiet, and let's see if we can get closer for a better sighting".

Is this wise?

No , probably not a wise idea .

The leopard showed its discomfort by exposing its presence , it did not vacate the area which indicates it has some reason to remain there - cubs / kill ?