# What is extremely common in TV or movies but almost never happens in real life? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 6, 2021, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311 "2021-02-06T04:16:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 196
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3907 "2024-07-09T20:10:14Z")
If you just stand there, they almost never will spray. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3908 "2024-07-09T20:30:14Z")
[Gilligan Cut] _Almost…_ [/GC] ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3909 "2024-07-10T00:28:04Z")
I wasn’t standing, I was sitting. If I hadn’t moved, he would have walked right into me and probably been freaked out. Not getting sprayed was uppermost in my mind. It was four in the morning. I had no change of clothes, I wouldn’t have been let inside the truck stop, and I sure as hell wouldn’t have gotten a ride to Minneapolis. Madison, BTW, is right on the edge of the skunk territory on that map. ---
**Author:** ![pirviii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pirviii/32/3233_2.png) [@pirviii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pirviii)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3910 "2024-07-10T04:05:51Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > or has anybody ever worn a smoking beneath their wetsuit - dove across a body of water and then joined a formal reception with perfectly ajusted attire? Mythbusters did it in a 007 special. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3911 "2024-07-10T05:47:32Z")
Everyone always refers to Bond wearing a wetsuit, but it was a drysuit. Sorry just had to get that off my chest. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3912 "2024-07-10T13:21:52Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Rabies isn’t the only thing to fear from skunks. When I set my Hav-a-hart trap for barn raccoons, catching a skunk is my biggest fear. Never happened yet, though. Maybe skunks don’t like marshmallows. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3913 "2024-07-10T13:33:14Z")
Oddly enough, have-a-heart traps are pretty safe if you catch a skunk. Skunk odor is just as obnoxious to skunks as it is to us. If it cannot spray without fouling itself, it will not spray. Cover the trap with a blanket, then haul it out into the countryside, then use a long rope to release the gate. My dad used to trap skunks with that type of trap. He would cover the trap with a blanket to make extra sure, then toss the trap into a barrel of water to drown the skunk. He never had any problems. ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3914 "2024-07-10T13:39:24Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > When I set my Hav-a-hart trap for barn raccoons, catching a skunk is my biggest fear. Never happened yet, though. Maybe skunks don’t like marshmallows. I have a Hav-a-hart trap I used to use for catching and relocating groundhogs on my property, before I gave that up as a losing battle. But they’re daytime animals, so not much chance of catching a skunk putting the trap out during the day. Then my wife, who volunteers for a no-kill animal shelter, started using the trap to catch feral cats overnight so she could take them in to be spayed and re-released. I attached a 30’ length of cord to the quick-release pin on the side gate just in case we caught a skunk overnight 🦨 Fortunately, I never had to test it… ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3915 "2024-07-10T13:41:06Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > My dad used to trap skunks with that type of trap. He would cover the trap with a blanket to make extra sure, then toss the trap into a barrel of water to drown the skunk. He never had any problems. My, what a cheery thought with which to start the day! 😳 ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3916 "2024-07-10T13:44:12Z")
When digging for subterranean insects, skunks will wreak havoc on your lawn. Dad did not have a lot of sympathy for them. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 2:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3917 "2024-07-10T14:07:27Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > My dad used to trap skunks with that type of trap. He would cover the trap with a blanket to make extra sure, then toss the trap into a barrel of water to drown the skunk. My gf only allows relocation and live release. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3918 "2024-07-10T14:22:31Z")
Pickup truck ride, and **long** rope, then. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3919 "2024-07-10T14:34:29Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > When digging for subterranean insects, skunks will wreak havoc on your lawn. Dad did not have a lot of sympathy for them. They can wreck a lawn in a night. I tried various things to scare them away but they are too stupid to remember so they keep coming back. Killing the grubs that they eat takes care of them better than going after the skunks. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3920 "2024-07-10T15:00:40Z")
Reminds me of a YouTube video that showed someone using liquid nitrogen to freeze/suffocate a nest of ground wasps. Afterwards he dug the nest up and left it; a night cam then showed a very happy skunk enjoying a delicious meal of grubs. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3921 "2024-07-10T15:07:22Z")
We have a skunk currently visiting our back yard occasionally. We leave him alone! Last year we caught one in a trap, and called animal control to pick him up. They don’t relocate skunks! They advised us to let it go. So there we were, with a pissed off skunk in a trap. My brave husband took a sheet in front of him, and walked veeerrryyy slowly towards the cage. We read that skunks can’t see very well. Mr Rebo threw the sheet across the cage with the door exposed. Then quietly raised the door and got the eff out of there! The skunk eventually got out of there, and we treated our yard for grubs. I think I read that the grubs are actually June bugs? Does anyone know? We are in Houston, if that makes a difference. (We’re fine from Beryl, btw. Power is on since Monday night.) ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3922 "2024-07-10T15:12:20Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > grubs are actually June bugs? “Grubs” can refer to a lot of ground-dwelling larvae, but I think most commonly it means the immature June bugs, yes. When I lived in Texas, people would complain about armadillos digging up their lawn. The solution is the same as mentioned upthread for skunks: get rid of the grubs. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3923 "2024-07-10T18:31:57Z")
Armadillos will definitely wreak havoc on a lawn. Plus they carry and can transmit leprosy to humans. It’s not as bad as rabies but it’s still pretty bad. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3924 "2024-07-10T19:45:10Z")
Hansen’s disease (leprosy) is a disease to which 95% of people are genetically immune, and nowadays, it’s easily treated as long as it’s properly diagnosed. The latter can be a challenge because so few Western doctors have seen a case. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3925 "2024-07-10T20:00:04Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > When digging for subterranean insects, skunks will wreak havoc on your lawn. Dad did not have a lot of sympathy for them. Meh, it’s just some grass. See, i just let the dandelions and the clover and the other grasses grow. I dont spray with herbicides, and my lawn does not need fertilizer. It also needs less watering. If the skunk digs a hole, I just kick the dirt and turf back in, and hope the little guy had a nice meal. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311/3926 "2024-07-10T20:10:42Z")
That’s my lawn care attitude as well. We never fertilize or “treat” and we never water. During dry times I skip mowing and it does fine. Always green, although it’s a mix of various grasses and weeds. Every few years the grub population must build up and the skunks will go at them. We just ignore the damage and it’s fine. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311.md?page=195) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-extremely-common-in-tv-or-movies-but-almost-never-happens-in-real-life/932311.md?page=197)