# "Urban Legends" that involve you **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 30, 2007, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195 "2007-01-30T23:56:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Flutterby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Flutterby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flutterby)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/41 "2007-02-02T05:22:44Z")
[QUOTE=Scarlett67] OK, I admit it, I are stoopid. I’ve tried pronouncing this every which way and I still don’t get it. Please 'splain! Regards, [Arheddis Varkenjaab](http://www.hendess.net/london.htm) [/QUOTE] Thank goodness I’m not the only one. What are we missing here? And Scribble, that is just awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Dan\_Norder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@Dan\_Norder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dan_Norder)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 6:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/42 "2007-02-02T06:36:35Z")
[QUOTE=What Exit?] Hey did you ever show up at a house at the same time as [Bloody Mary](http://www.snopes.com/horrors/ghosts/bloodymary.asp)? [/QUOTE] For IMNSHO much better information on the topic, see [Bloody Mary](http://www.mythologyweb.com/bloodymary.html). ---
**Author:** ![Deaf\_Geek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@Deaf\_Geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deaf_Geek)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/43 "2007-02-02T07:38:07Z")
You know how at single sex camps there are always stories about kids who managed to wander over to the opposite sex camp? I actually once managed to strand my girls’ camp soccer team at an all boys camp! My friends who are still really afflicated with the camp, say that the story’s still going around, ten years after I left! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/44 "2007-02-02T09:39:32Z")
I ate a packet of pop-rocks, drank a can of coke,. and exploded!!! It was messy. I was sad. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/45 "2007-02-02T14:33:26Z")
[QUOTE=Flutterby] Thank goodness I’m not the only one. What are we missing here? [/QUOTE] I didn’t know either, and was trying for a pun. Instead, it’s from [“I Think We’re All Bozos on this Bus”:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Think_We're_All_Bozos_on_This_Bus) \<\< At this point, the main character, Clem (played by Philip Proctor), boards the bus and takes an open seat next to one of many bozos on the bus. The bus soon resumes its journey and proceeds to its final destination, a World’s Fair-like exhibit comparing the past and future. Once there, Clem joins other tourists in various interactive exhibits, including one that asks Clem his name. When he hesitantly responds “Uh… Clem”, the computer accepts this and refers to him from that point onwards as “Uh-Clem”. The automated exhibits finally lead to the President of the United States (played by Phil Austin), which is a computer given a voice reminiscent of then-President Richard Nixon. When Clem reaches the front of the line, he turns out to know the right things to say to the computer to break through its defenses (“This is Worker speaking. Hello.”) and ask questions it can’t answer (“Why does the Porridge Bird lay his eggs in the air?”), finally causing the “President” to shut down. When this attack fails to bring down the Fair’s main computer system, Clem creates a holographic image of himself and sends it in to electronically confront the master computer, “Dr. Memory”. Clem is one of the first “computer hackers” mentioned in pop culture. \>\> ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/46 "2007-02-02T18:56:01Z")
**Scribble** , that was a masterpiece. ---
**Author:** ![Scribble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scribble/32/3317_2.png) [@Scribble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scribble)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/47 "2007-02-02T19:12:03Z")
Thanks for the compliments on my post, **olivesmarch, Flutterby, and threnodyangelfire**. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/48 "2007-02-02T19:46:01Z")
[QUOTE=PunditLisa] Okay, that story is so not cool. I’m glad you said you wouldn’t have had sex with her anyway because, of course, that would have made you a _rapist._ I hope you realize that. [/QUOTE] Just thought I’d chime in to agree that yes, that most definitely would have been rape (and had she found about about the making out, sexual assault). Not to get off topic, but anything to discourage obnoxious boys-will-be-boys, ‘can’t she take a joke?’ behaviour. ---
**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:** [February 2, 2007, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/49 "2007-02-02T19:46:41Z")
Perhaps more freaky coincidence than urband legend, but: My best friend and I were on our way out to Santa Monica’s 3rd Street Promenade on the 10 Freeway when we spotted a car that started driving in an erratic manner for no apparent reason. We were following from a good distance behind him for a while just wondering what his deal was, and other cars seemed to be keeping their distance as well. All of a sudden, as we got near the 405, the guy spins out for (as far as we could tell) no reason. He spins to the left one full circle plus 90 degrees and _rolls backwards across five lanes of traffic_, then manages to spin the car another 270 degrees so that he’s facing the correct direction right in front of the connector ramp to the 405, and continues on his way like nothing happened – never even stopped. My friend and I spent the entire rest of the night checking with each other that we’d really seen that happen. This was January 16, 1994. [The next day](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northridge_earthquake), on the portion of the freeway where this guy was driving when he first became erratic, [this happened](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Northridge_earthquake_10_frwy2.png). ---
**Author:** ![Sofaspud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8491ac/32.png) [@Sofaspud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sofaspud)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/50 "2007-02-02T20:20:25Z")
First, I shall relate the story as it was told to me by an uninvolved third party, some years after the actual event. Then, I will explain what really happened. ## The Story: Two young Boy Scouts were taking their orientation test together. They were blindfolded and driven to a starting point, then told they had 24 hours to make their way back to base camp. They were allowed to carry their pocketknives, a canteen, and a basic kit (survival blanket, magnesium striker, whistle, etc). That night, a blizzard struck. Lost and disoriented, these two boys wandered through the howling winds. A search party was formed and sent out to recover them, but they were unsuccessful. The next day, after the blizzard broke, the Forest Service brought in a helicopter while the search team continued to look. ## They were finally found towards 10pm that day, several miles off the best course, nearly dead and badly frostbitten, but alive. They were rushed to the hospital and both pulled through. To this day, the Forest Service doesn’t allow Boy Scout orientation tests in that national park any longer (Farragut State Park, if it matters), because of the bad publicity surrounding the event. The Straight Dope: My best friend and I were blindfolded and driven to a starting point (about five miles from camp), it’s true. And we had only basic gear on us, also true - map, compass, knives, etc. And there was a blizzard. As soon as the blizzard started, we headed to the nearest ranger station, as indicated on the map, knocked on the door, and spent the night warm and cozy in front of a fireplace. The ranger drove us to camp the next day, where we were glared at by the other guys because they’d spent all night shivering in their tents. Farragut State Park, as far as I know, allows winter camping except in certain areas (like most national forests), and there was no publicity to speak of. The story came back to me about six years after the actual event, and for the life of me I don’t know how it started. I know it was about my friend and I, however, because the names were OUR names, and the date it supposedly happened was the date we were on the camping trip. Kinda trippy. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Hugh\_Jass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4da419/32.png) [@Hugh\_Jass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hugh_Jass)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/51 "2007-02-03T18:26:07Z")
[QUOTE=Hypno-Toad] A coworker at the grocery store actually fell for one of these and began paging a phone call for Hugh Jass. [/QUOTE] I don’t get it. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/52 "2007-02-03T18:39:05Z")
[QUOTE=Tabula Rasa] A hook foot? [/QUOTE] We told the story to my son a few years ago. He said ‘I thought it was a foot.’ Since then, I am compelled to say “I thought it was a foot” each time I hear the story. ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/53 "2007-02-03T18:55:47Z")
[QUOTE=Hypno-Toad] I was working at a scout camp when this one happened. The opening night ceremony involved two big bonfires. After the scouts left we commenced putting out the fire with big buckets of lake water (we were on the shore). The bucket I grabbed had about a half-inch of water in it so I threw the water onto the fire before going to fill up the bucket. Only I didn’t know that it was kerosene, not water. I created a micro-mushroom cloud and undid the effort of my coworkers. The fire had been weak all through the ceremony but now burned like it was supposed to have done from the begining. Everyone mad a comment about my IQ but you could see that they were all thinking, “COOOOL!” I was really lucky that I didn’t torch myself and others with the blast. This was Camp Bowman in Virginia in 1987 if anybody is curious. [/QUOTE] **Hypno-Toad**.. I saw an extremely similar event once. I worked at a scout camp as well.. This must’ve been around 2001.. 2002. For the O.A. weekend we’d make burn buckets down the trail to the fire pit. These consisted of large coffee cans with a roll of kerosene soaked toilet paper tossed in it lit on fire. Pretty cool effect.. low burning flames along the route to the ceremony circle with everyone dressed up in Native American costumes. We had two events planned for the night.. One ceremony for the new Ordeal members, one for the new Brotherhood members. After the first the fire buckets had long burned out. We’ve done this for years.. we just drop another roll on the ashes of the last roll (it was ALWAYS burned right down to nothing after the hour long ceremony) then pour some more kerosene on top. In hindsight.. Not a smart idea. In practice it went fine for hundreds and hundreds of cans for years. As we’re preparing the circle for the next group me and a couple other guys are loading up the fire pit with more logs while other people were doing the buckets and filling up tiki tourches. I was over near the woodpile when a giant (I mean GIANT) fireball went up about 50 feet from me. A spark lit up the stream of kerosene that one of the leaders (happened to be my old math teacher from school) was pouring and the container went off like a flamethrower. The mushroom fireball was Hollywood like in style.. Bright orange, darker orange, and even some spots that looked dark enough to be almost black. We had to tackle him down and beat out the flames. The guy was wearing a polar fleece jacket.. All of it on the front was singed down to a rough fuzz except for a strip where his sash was. He ended up only having a slight sunburnish burn on his hands and face.. He said it barely hurt. Anyway, your story reminded me of it. ---
**Author:** ![Maastricht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e57/32.png) [@Maastricht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maastricht)\ **Post date:** [February 3, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/54 "2007-02-03T19:57:00Z")
This didn’t happen to me, but to the family of a friend of mine, in the Netherlands. It was her mother that was found dead, and her brother that was convicted for the murder on his mother. I’ve seen the whole thing from a distance, even writing letters to the media on behalf of my friend. The story made international [headlines.](http://sth.sagepub.com/cgi/content/refs/30/1/52). Her family fought to get justice for years, and it took several several (forensic) scientists to prove that the now famous socalled “ballpoint-murder” was just a tragic accident; the woman had tripped over her carpet and fallen with her eye on the ballpoint she was carrying. :eek: > [@](#): > > A woman is found lying dead on the floor of the living room of her house in Leiden, the Netherlands, and because of a swollen and a slightly wounded eyelid, an autopsy is performed on the body the day after it is found. Behind the wound, there is a whole ballpoint pen, which entered the head of the deceased through her right eye causing mortal brain damage. How did it get there? This question was to cause a stir in Dutch society, holding a group of police detectives and several (forensic) scientists in its grip for several years. ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/55 "2007-02-04T05:34:43Z")
This isnt as extreme as some others, but i think it seems pretty made up: when i was a teenager my parents shipped me off to do 2 weeks of Outward Bound (camping/hiking/character building stuff for wayward teens) in Northern Maine. We were a group of lazy whiny complainers and it was a brutal experience (but a very positive one) Deep into the trip we were at a stage where the counselors sort of drop back leaving us to march on our own for a while… we got whistles for our protection. Of course we ate all our food too soon, and I remember we were going to reach the destination for 2 more days. It was by far the hungriest and most miserable I have ever been in my life. And when it seemed to be at its worst, and no one could move any further, the 12 of us stumbled upon, in the most remote wilderness of northern Maine, an abandoned pickup truck full of donuts. It was like out of a cartoon. some were sitting on the pile as they ate them, some didnt even use their hands. I must have eaten 2 dozen donuts in 20 minutes. then they guy came, pretty surprised but mostly annoyed to see 12 little punks raiding his truck in the middle of nowhere. turns out he was a bear trapper and he loads his traps with unsold donuts he collects from the bakery the night before. He told us to enjoy the last 10 minutes of our lives before the bear tranquilizer kicks in, then drove off laughing. Pretty sure now he was messing with us about the last bit, but we took no chances and had the biggest group puking sessions the state of Maine probably had every seen. ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 5:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/56 "2007-02-04T05:40:33Z")
cant edit yet, but that is a true story, happened to me… sort of looks like i was quoting something else ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2007, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/57 "2007-02-04T17:23:23Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > A coworker at the grocery store actually fell for one of these and began paging a phone call for Hugh Jass. I once heard several pages for Mike Hunt at a hotel. The receptionist was terribly embarrassed once they were clued in. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2007, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195/58 "2007-02-05T18:31:14Z")
**Ray** , this coworker was so clueless that when I went up front to ask if I heard it right, I had to explain the _concept_ of humorous fictional names. Maybe I should have made a list of suspect names. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/urban-legends-that-involve-you/390195.md?page=2)