cbn42

I think it's common for people to let their guard down while traveling and do things that they would not normally do at home.

Mine is running across a busy highway (probably 4-5 lanes) in order to get from my hotel to a restaurant, because I was too lazy to walk to the bridge and cross. This was in Texas, where it is apparently common for businesses to be located right on the highway itself. After realizing the magnitude of the danger, I walked to the bridge on the way back.

Any stories to share?

sparkchaser

1. Try to outdrink a Scot.

2. Hang off the edge of a building to get a shot.

3. Follow some random Moroccan guy through a very dark and sketchy looking part of the Medina in Tangier to "see a spice market" that I didn't even want to see.

acunningham

Was in Cambodia last year, and took a taxi from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. As we approached Siem Reap, there was a large gravel truck stopped at 45 degrees in the middle of a junction. A policeman was directing traffic around it. Between the wheels of the truck was the mangled remains of a motor scooter. Just behind the rear wheels of the truck was most of a corpse. No attempt was being made to cover it up. Blood and motor scooter fragments were strewn across the road.

The next day, my guide drove me around Siem Reap on the back of a motor scooter.

bankops

That's easy. The most dangerous thing I have ever done whil travelling is flown myself. Crew and passenger count of 1

MissJoeyDFW

Flown into Newark after midnight due to weather delay. The airport was nearly shut down, escalators, malfunctioning/out of service Air Train, long taxi line, taxi driver who gets lost on a short drive to Elizabeth, very dangerous.

Tadich

I fly in and out of PHL a couple of times a month... that's gotta count for something.

pinworm

Years ago, when the IRA were particularly busy blowing up Ulster here and there, I wandered around Londonderry (or "Derry" depending on which side you are on) with a suitcase...not a rollaboard, a SUITCASE...even took it into a dining establishment. You have no idea how much attention this brought from just about everyone.

CMK10

I got lost on Camelback Mountain in Phoenix while hiking a few years ago. My friend and I followed the trail up (the one starting on Cholla Lane) but due to us starting later than planned and dawdling at the top enjoying the sunset, we got lost on the way down. We eventually wandered off the trail and found ourselves on the actual mountain face on the south side. So stumbling around in the dark, often sliding down on our butts because it was so steep we finally blundered our way into a neighborhood a couple of miles from where our car was.

We eventually found a lit house, knocked on the door, told our story and the nice residents drove us home to our car. I still remember the woman saying "you guys want some water? No, how about VODKA??! Bet you need that!" Absolutely terrifying experience, we saw a desert cat, and heard a rattlesnake. When I put my foot down near it and heard that rattling my friend said "is that you?" and I said "no, that's a snake, RUN!" and run we did!

Thankfully, now we can laugh about it.

weekendroady

Can't think of any terribly dangerous things, here's three...

1) My cousin and I wandering the hilly mountains around Fagernes, Norway and crossing private property and what not to get to the top.

2) Stopping on the side of a street in Puerto Rico to ask directions to a hotel. The person didn't know english. After we doubled back we saw him involved in what looked like a drug deal.

3) Just a few weeks ago I was in Block Island, R.I. My girlfriend was sick so I decided to set out for a good long walk at 5 p.m. - planning to be back by 8 p.m. I walked out to the western coast but underestimated distance and time. I was walking back in pitch black and using the light house for direction. No sidewalks and no streetlights - so I had to duck out of the way into the bushes for the 2-3 that drove by me.

t325

Drive in Manhattan

Flahusky

Go outside 'the wire' while in Afghanistan.

ExpatSomchai

1. Taken Domestic flights in S America where you see the remains of the aircraft stripped down to make yours fly.

2. Stopped twice in Caracas by plain clothes police whilst waiting to check in for my flight home.

3. Did a demonstration in Sri Lanka to the Navy in Colombo where out of the blue they started opening fire and throwing grenades as they thought they saw a suicide diver.

4. Went to a local strip club in Monterrey, Mexico not knowing what I know now

MastaHanky

In Kruger National Park, we saw a family of three rhinos (father, mother and baby). They wandered around munching on trees and doing what they do.

Eager to get a closer look, I pulled the rental car within about 20 feet of them. The father did not like us getting that close to them. He turned and rammed the passenger side of the car. His horn went through the sheet metal in the door, but did not come into the cabin compartment. I threw the car in reverse and floored it, driving about 1/8 of a mile in reverse. Got to the top of a hill and just watched the guy for 20 minutes until he cooled down and wandered off.

I've never been so scared in my life to this day. I don't think my passenger (a friend of mine from Hamburg) has forgiven me for it yet either.

KM123

While traveling alone.... (I'm female)

1. Rode on the back of a Mexican local's scooter because I thought he seemed nice and said we'd go to town. Luckily after taking me to a deserted place and after telling me about killing people in the Mexican army he agreed to take me back. (don't lecture - yes, it was dumb)

2. A taxi driver told me to get out on a road in Bangkok because my hostel was "down there" and points. I refused and imagine that - it wasn't "down there" I'm not sure if anything was.

3. Atlanta taxi driver that didn't speak English.... took me down an alley road that dead ended. I was convinced I'd die. (this one happened before number 1. I guess I started trusting people too much after this.)

freezefactor

These are great! I once did a three month like bike trip through parts of China - at one point, I knew that my brakes were failing, and the next day involved a long, 8km segment of very curvy downhill. Eventually, my brakes gave out completely, but I still didn't want to walk it - at one point, I lost control and couldn't quite make the turn and skidded off the road - coming to a stop literally a couple of feet from the edge of a very steep dropoff. That was dangerous/stupid. Walked the rest of the way down.