What are your phobias?

sarsaparilla

Well-Known Forumite
I am inspired to start this thread following little me's thread about the circus on the common, which led to the creepy subject of clowns, and thought it would be interesting to find out what people's phobias are.

Apart from clowns, as a child I was really freaked out by men on underarm crutches. I remember climbing up our front gate at about 4 years old and looking down the street. I was terrified to see a man on such crutches appear from round the corner. To this day, I have never moved so fast.

I remember walking up the market arcade with my dad at about the same age and seeing 2 men on crutches either side collecting money. I asked my dad for an explanation and he said something about maybe they had been injured in the war.

From then, and for some years after, I thought the war must be going on in the market arcade. whether that had anything to do with my phobia I don't know but it led to an aversion to the market!
 

Bob

Well-Known Forumite
I HATE helicopters, you wouldn't get me in one for love nor money.

The thought of being in one brings me out in a cold sweat and I hate being around them.

I once refused to come out of the hospital when one was landing and they freak me out the second I hear them flying overhead.

Somehow we live in an area where the police helicopters train and at least once a month they'll be so low over the house you can see the face of the pilot which has literally had me in tears.

I blame the action films like Die Hard and a couple of choice episodes from E.R. as soon as you see the helicopter things never end well.

Though I will say it's not the helicopter itself that scares me, just the though of them loosing control and being sliced into a million pieces before being blown up.

And yes I'm well aware I need to get my self a grip!
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Not being keen on helicopters is perfectly reasonable, they are one step above a parachute - if my trawler was on fire, I might get in one.

I did see one hit the ground once and the bits go a long way - the rotor blades are essentially lampposts wrapped in tin sheets.

I'm with you on this one.


And with heights, in general, which I don't consider to be a phobia, just a reasonable reaction to a potentially fatal situation.
 

PeterD

ST16 Represent.
Thought I was pretty grounded, healthy fear of spiders, but about 10 years ago went into the bat house at chester zoo and now unfortunately have a fear of them, like spiders unsure if it is a phobia as I am ok with the idea of them, but a hell of a fear.
 

Alee

Well-Known Forumite
Spiders and those big thick dirty horrible webs you usually find in sheds/garages and clowns
 

kyoto49

Well-Known Forumite
RATS

Vile disease spreading ugly creatures. The earth would be a far nicer place without them and their nastiness :(. Not one single redeeming feature do they have
 

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
Dentists - I blame the old school dentists on Lammascote road (the building where the nursery is now) . The trainee dentists/butchers gave me a phobia for life. I'm now a nervous wreck before any dentist appointments.

Going on downwards escalators. Ok once I'm on (but would cause problems in London as I have to hold on to both sides) but find getting onto the first step that's the scary bit.
 

John Marwood

I ♥ cryptic crosswords
Dentists - I blame the old school dentists on Lammascote road (the building where the nursery is now) . The trainee dentists/butchers gave me a phobia for life. I'm now a nervous wreck before any dentist appointments.

Going on downwards escalators. Ok once I'm on (but would cause problems in London as I have to hold on to both sides) but find getting onto the first step that's the scary bit.

I'm guessing you won't be too keen on the smell of rubber on your face either
 

Glam

Mad Cat Woman
Clowns, for obvious reasons. Spiders, frogs and toads.
Going into a cupboard and having the door shut behind me. It int the fact someone might lock me in, it's the thought of opening the door back up and having someone standing there. I've seen too many horror films.
 

John Marwood

I ♥ cryptic crosswords
I don't get why people are scared of spiders but never mention flies

Which are actually far more dangerous
 

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
Also now going on helicopters. Paid a lot of money for a flight in one in RAF Cosford and foolishly thought it would go up nice and steady and upright , circle round nice and upright, and come down upright and be safely inside closed doors...... no, reality was we were strapped in but the doors were open (or not there in the first place) , we took off swirling round more or less lying sidewards, circled round in all positions, and finally swirled back to the ground most of the time lying clutching onto the seat and feeling so sick.Watched a TV program soon afterwards where the emergency rescue helicopter pilot said "all helicopter pilots in their life time can expect to crash , or have a near crash!" I'm niow always glad when any flying overhead have gone safely past me.

Son also got a phobia of bats after a fruit bat went inside his hoody in Chester Zoo bat house. The bat keeper fished it out and told him off for screaming and scaring the bats and also for eating jam scones before he went in, the bat was attracted to the scent of the jam after he'd put his hands in his pockets . We spent the whole car journey back home with him convinced he still had another one wriggling around inside his clothing.
 

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite
Going into a cupboard and having the door shut behind me. It int the fact someone might lock me in, it's the thought of opening the door back up and having someone standing there. I've seen too many horror films.

My boss once played a prank on me when I went to the archives in GEC Alstom. They were right out the back of the factory , in a large shipping container at the time and he warned me that once inside the door could only be opened from the outside...I went in, left the door wide open and when I reached the far end....it slammed closed! Bloody boss had come and closed it for a laugh and left me in there for ages. He said he had thought it would be hilarious to leave me in overnight, but then thought better of it :o I had to tell everyone in the office that I was going there each time after that, and if they didn't see me withing a certain amount of time to come and find me!
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
be safely inside closed doors......
They don't always stayed closed - http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/mayhem-at-the-airshow-26299823.html .


Aftermath of a door falling off an RAF Merlin at a Galway Airshow.

news-graphics-2007-_638820a.jpg


airshow
 

staffordjas

Well-Known Forumite

John Marwood

I ♥ cryptic crosswords
Even more reason now for me to keep an eye on the ones going overhead, and get ready to take cover from any falling parts.. (we seem to be on the flight path to the Beaconside Barracks so there's quite a few flying over as I'm pegging the washing out)

Watch out for those pegs

They can ping sharpish..

:nyd:
 
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