# Sitting, you suddenly look down and see a small spider on your knee. Your reaction? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 31, 2010, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658 "2010-07-31T04:35:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [August 3, 2010, 11:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/81 "2010-08-03T23:44:52Z")
> [@Mr.Excellent](#): > > The only bugs that will never, ever come to harm in my apartment are fireflies - I think they’re neat, and I respect all the effort they go to in order to get laid. When a firefly wanders into my apartment, I do everything I can to try and capture it without harm, in order to take it outside and release it. I like to think that I’m playing the part of the little fellow’s wingman. Have you seen these little [eletronic fireflies](http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/05/electronic-fireflies/)? They are made for outdoor use, but I suspect you could use them indoors. ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/82 "2010-08-04T04:22:17Z")
Add to the fun by encountering the wee monster while driving. Once had a green lynx spider crawl over my hands on the steering wheel. During a curvy turn. Also had a wolf spider on my knee, but didn’t notice her until I was parked. ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/83 "2010-08-04T04:29:03Z")
I’d blow it. I don’t want it to get accidentally hurt if one of the legs get caught between my knee and my hand, and it surely will throw out a strand of webbing to keep it from falling hard. [edit]: Off. Blow it off. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/84 "2010-08-04T05:14:46Z")
While I do have a lot of air pressure in my lungs, I don’t think I’d bother trying to blow it off. I’d see it, it would startle me, I’d knock it off with my hand, and then feel gibblies, and then watch to see if it leaves, or if I’m going to have to kill it. If it hangs around I can guarantee that someone is going to need me to something about it, and I’m too lazy to figure out a way of getting rid of it without killing it, and without opening the door and letting other ‘bugs’ in. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/85 "2010-08-04T05:21:55Z")
> [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > > [@outlierrn](#): > > > > ‘Hello small creature, thou art god. Here, let me help you into a more tenable location.’ Gentle relocation ensues. Widows may be treated a little roughly. > > Basically this, only with less dignity. Spiders make me happy. I would probably relocate to my wall or somewhere nearby where I could watch it crawl around for a while. I love watching the way they move. Shudder! That’s what creeps me out the most! \*\*\* How\*\*\* they move. My ex-husband even used to do the “spider crawling” hand just to make me go “ugh, STOP IT!”. (no that’s not why he’s the ex :D). I LOVE cats. I have not had a spider (that I’ve ever seen) in the nearly 5 years I’ve had my cat. I do however, rescue bees, moths, etc and put them back outside. And when I’m on a “field project” where I’m outside, I do my very best to live and let live. They only die if they get on me, and even then they usually get lucky, since I don’t want to actually have to TOUCH them (aaarrrggh), I usually hold out whatever article of clothing they got on and frantically try to blow them off or scoop them off with paperwork or something. Yes, my coworkers are often very amused. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/86 "2010-08-04T05:53:24Z")
I had a spider in my car while driving once. That’s fairly dangerous, since when Mr. Spider comes towards me, the flinching and flinging is pretty much involuntary. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/87 "2010-08-04T05:58:02Z")
> [@what\_do\_I\_type\_here](#): > > Anyone who _isn’t_ afraid of spiders is a jerk. There, I said it. > > “I’d photograph it” > “Why would I kill it” > “I’d vote for it” > > Alright, we get it. You’re a free spirit. Shut up. Well, ya know, we we’re _asked_, and shit. I’m sorry if my honest answer to the OP’s question makes you feel petty and small, but I don’t feel that makes me a jerk. 🙂 > [@olivesmarch4th](#): > > > [@outlierrn](#): > > > > ‘Hello small creature, thou art god. Here, let me help you into a more tenable location.’ Gentle relocation ensues. Widows may be treated a little roughly. > > Basically this, only with less dignity. Spiders make me happy. I would probably relocate to my wall or somewhere nearby where I could watch it crawl around for a while. I love watching the way they move. Well, to be honest, I may be laying the dignity on a little thick right there. ---
**Author:** ![sensual](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@sensual](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sensual)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/88 "2010-08-04T06:35:15Z")
Hand goes immediately to knee, whips spider off, all within light speed… Find shoe, kill spider. Manage heart rate down… _checking legs for spider now_ ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2010, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658/89 "2010-08-04T15:12:02Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I had a spider in my car while driving once. That’s fairly dangerous, since when Mr. Spider comes towards me, the flinching and flinging is pretty much involuntary. I had one of those moments where a spider dropped down in front of my face while I was driving. Thank God I was already coming to a stoplight at the time. I think I would have felt fully justified if I’d taken out a row of cars and/or pedestrians in an effort to get that thing away from me. One has to have priorities! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitting-you-suddenly-look-down-and-see-a-small-spider-on-your-knee-your-reaction/548658.md?page=4)