# Ever been so scared you pooped your pants? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 8, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752 "2010-03-08T19:05:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/1 "2010-03-08T19:05:27Z")
Nah. Me neither. But there must be some truth behind this old adage, no? Has this ever happened to anyone you know, or is it all just folklore? ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2010, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/2 "2010-03-08T19:15:40Z")
I don’t know of any human that that’s happened to. But a former coworker told me a story years ago. He had a friend who had a dog who was afraid of everything. Human comes into the room, dog bolts. Human tries to pet dog, dog bolts. One day my coworker and another friend conered the dog, and they were petting it. They were amazed that the dog was staying put and allowing itself to be petted. Once they gave it an opening, though, it got out of there ASAP. It left behind a present, though. A big one. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2010, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/3 "2010-03-08T19:25:11Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > I don’t know of any human that that’s happened to. How about this guy? http:/ /www.funnyjunk.com/funny\_pictures/687/Bunging+Jumping/ Link broken NSFW ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/4 "2010-03-08T22:05:04Z")
Happened to my dog, if that counts. He’s terrified of storms. We were at his obedience class and there was a thunder clap. Everybody laughed at us. ---
**Author:** ![Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@Swallowed\_My\_Cellphone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swallowed_My_Cellphone)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2010, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/5 "2010-03-08T22:50:27Z")
I almost peed my pants a little rock climbing once. I wasn’t doing anything particularly difficult either. I was in a climbing gym, leading (which meant if I fell I’d have a good 8 foot drop, but no biggie, the rope would get me). I was maybe 26 feet up from the floor, so nothing dramatic. I had to jump for the next hold, which was near the top. I’ve done that tons of times on other routes, but for some reason, this _one time_ something about it triggered a primal OMFG-I’M-GONNA-DIE!!! instinct in my lizard brain. So I tinkled a little. Changed my shorts and climbed it all over again with no problem. No idea why that happened, I’ve climbed much scarier, and much more difficult. This was an intermediate climb that should have been a good workout for me, but not a huge, tough challenge. ETA: When my climbing partner lowered me, she said I looked pale and frightened like I’d seen a ghost. Five minutes later I was swinging around on that route like a monkey. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2010, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/6 "2010-03-08T22:54:30Z")
My co-worker crapped her pants the first time she went skydiving (she told me this herself). ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/7 "2010-03-08T23:03:58Z")
There have been times on flights when a sudden bout of turbulence has jolted me and gotten my heart racing pretty good. And there have been other times on (especially long) flights where the “turtle was kissin’ cotton,” as they say. I just pray there’s never a flight where those two situations come together. Otherwise I pity the guy sitting next to me, and behind me, and in front of me and pretty much the whole plane. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2010, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/8 "2010-03-08T23:10:09Z")
A friend of mine was at one of those haunted corn mazes a few years back and when a guy in a Jason mask jumped out w/ a chainsaw, she pissed herself. Not her proudest moment. But no, don’t know anyone who shit themselves out of fear. ---
**Author:** ![Waffle\_Decider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/77aa72/32.png) [@Waffle\_Decider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waffle_Decider)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2010, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/9 "2010-03-08T23:16:42Z")
> [@Valgard](#): > > My co-worker crapped her pants the first time she went skydiving (she told me this herself). Was that a tandem jump? If so, I’m sorry for the other guy… ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/10 "2010-03-09T01:40:22Z")
It’s not real life but a scene in the movie **Caffeine** is a pretty amusing take on this theme. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/11 "2010-03-09T03:39:03Z")
> [@Waffle\_Decider](#): > > Was that a tandem jump? If so, I’m sorry for the other guy… No, solo. I did know a guy who was a tandem instructor; he was the handsome young single guy at the DZ and so he jumped (ho ho ho) at the chance to take a gorgeous gal up for her first tandem. Everything went fine until after opening when she proceeded to be come violently airsick. For those who aren’t familiar with the sport, modern ram-air canopies develop a pretty significant forward speed so imagine someone strapped to your front barfing into a stiff headwind. ---
**Author:** ![Cubsfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Cubsfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cubsfan)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/12 "2010-03-09T06:02:29Z")
My gramp shit his drawers when he went sliding sideways down an icy hill in his car toward a busy trucking street. He told us kids and got mad when we laughed at him. We were like 8 years old or something. ---
**Author:** ![Mesquite-oh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a183cd/32.png) [@Mesquite-oh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mesquite-oh)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/13 "2010-03-09T07:54:15Z")
I don’t know about you guys, but when I am scared and my fight or flight kicks in, I tighten up all over, not loosen up. In sports, it is a common observation that when a team gets nervous or scared they “pucker up” (refering to their sphincter muscle) and start playing poorly. ---
**Author:** ![Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f08c70/32.png) [@Crowbar\_of\_Irony\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crowbar_of_Irony_3)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/14 "2010-03-09T11:14:57Z")
It happened to me once when I was 4 years old. I used to stay in an old house with wooden floorboards, and one day, while walking the windows to check out what was going outside, some rotten piece of flooring must have given away as I step it. All I knew was that suddenly I was halfway between the first storey and the basement, stuck in a hole and was screaming with all my might. I pooped myself too. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/15 "2010-03-09T16:56:59Z")
> [@Mesquite-oh](#): > > I don’t know about you guys, but when I am scared and my fight or flight kicks in, I tighten up all over, not loosen up. I gotta say, I agree completely. Shittin’ my pants would produce a diamond in a scary situation… Joe ---
**Author:** ![Scougs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scougs/32/3158_2.png) [@Scougs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scougs)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2010, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/16 "2010-03-09T17:24:07Z")
After witnessing this first hand when a guy pulled a knife on someone in my local bar\*, I asked the exact same question in this thread: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=541622](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=541622) And trust me, guys, from the odour I smelled, this poop was not of the diamond-hard variety. Apparently very common in battle situations. I live in a nice area, honest. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/17 "2010-03-10T03:53:23Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > And there have been other times on (especially long) flights where the “turtle was kissin’ cotton,” as they say. Never heard that one before. I assume it’s the same event as “prairie dogging”? ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/18 "2010-03-10T04:04:45Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Never heard that one before. I assume it’s the same event as “prairie dogging”? Or “gophering”. ---
**Author:** ![Omi\_no\_Kami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Omi\_no\_Kami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omi_no_Kami)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 7:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/19 "2010-03-10T07:07:17Z")
I read part of that book the Generation Kill miniseries was based on- it was written by a journalist who embedded with the marines invading iraq, and he commented that during a pre-invasion briefing they were told that on average, 25% of new soldiers soil themselves reflexively the first time they come under artillery fire. But I have no way of verifying that beyond the author’s word. ---
**Author:** ![NineToTheSky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5a626/32.png) [@NineToTheSky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NineToTheSky)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2010, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752/20 "2010-03-10T10:51:54Z")
I have. It was a few years ago when a close family member was in intensive care, and might have died. (She didn’t). After getting the call, I drove to the hospital. Half way there, I noticed that it was warm and wet down below. I stopped at a service station and cleaned myself up as best as I could. I’d packed to stay overnight, so I had a change of clothes. I was very, very frightened. I don’t know why the body does that in those circumstances. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-so-scared-you-pooped-your-pants/531752.md?page=2)