# What weird thing frightens the bejesus out of you? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 30, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745 "2009-01-30T18:23:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/1 "2009-01-30T18:23:56Z")
For me…ants. I HATE ants. and I am not scared of them, I am freakin petrified, terror consumes me when I see even a number as small as 4 ants crawling around something. Walking down the street and seeing that big black spot on the sidewalk, and thinking “hmm I wonder what that is.” and it ends up being like 1.2 million ants just crawling around nothing…I about pass out. Whenever I tell people this they kinda chuckle, snicker, chortle, and give me that “Are you serious? Ants?” but oh god they scare me beyond belief. So what are YOU afraid of that is small or weird ---
**Author:** ![Stauderhorse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Stauderhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stauderhorse)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/2 "2009-01-30T18:50:06Z")
When I was much younger, E.T. used to scare the hell out of me. Yes, [this](http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e165/NERFHERDER1977/ET-1.jpg) thing. I never bought the idea that he was some benign little creature who just wanted a friend; to me, there were some evil intentions behind that shy little grin. Now, though, it’s Chucky from Child’s Play. I don’t care if he’s a little plastic doll from a cheesy horror movie, nor do I care that everyone outside of the Dope would probably laugh at me if I told them this. He runs around wielding a knife, for Og’s sake! ---
**Author:** ![wunderkammer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ed8c4c/32.png) [@wunderkammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wunderkammer)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/3 "2009-01-30T19:10:50Z")
I get extremely uneasy when I’m driving behind a vehicle with cargo tied down on it, like pipes or logs or lengths of rebar or sheets of glass. Even though I know that cargo is tied down all the time and gets safely to its destination every day, I’m _terrified_ that I will be brained by a Christmas tree, or that the cars on the car carrier will roll down and flatten me. A rickety wooden trailer, with a damned broom in a bucket sticking out of the top, gives me the willies. Must pass. ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/4 "2009-01-30T19:18:03Z")
> [@Stauderhorse](#): > > When I was much younger, E.T. used to scare the hell out of me. Yes, [this](http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e165/NERFHERDER1977/ET-1.jpg) thing. I never bought the idea that he was some benign little creature who just wanted a friend; to me, there were some evil intentions behind that shy little grin. Now, though, it’s Chucky from Child’s Play. I don’t care if he’s a little plastic doll from a cheesy horror movie, nor do I care that everyone outside of the Dope would probably laugh at me if I told them this. He runs around wielding a knife, for Og’s sake! ET freaked me the hell out when I was a little kid. He always reminded me of a walking, talking piece of meat. My mom thought I _loved_ ET, so she bought us these ET juice glasses with a McDonald’s happy meal and used to serve us milk in them. Ever since then, I haven’t been able to drink milk unless absolutely forced to. I’m 34 now and still can’t look at milk when I drink it. I also have to hold my breath. Centipedes scare the jeebus out of me. Nothing - and I mean NOTHING - should have that many legs. If I see them, I screech. The only thing that will induce me to keep quiet if a centipede is nearby is if my son is there. I also hate being tickled. I used to have nightmares about it. And I’m ticklish _everywhere_. Even the backs of my hands get ticklish. So the thought of someone holding me down to tickle me makes me cringe. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/5 "2009-01-30T19:20:52Z")
Not so much frighten me but send a shudder down my spine. Whenever I see a bloke with masses of hair in his ears. Ewwww, shudder ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/6 "2009-01-30T19:32:30Z")
Talking rats with tentacles instead of legs and glow in the dark genitals. They’re small and weird and scary ---
**Author:** ![Jettboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@Jettboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jettboy)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/7 "2009-01-30T19:38:03Z")
> [@wunderkammer](#): > > I get extremely uneasy when I’m driving behind a vehicle with cargo tied down on it, like pipes… When I was young and dumb and used to ride a motorcycle, I heard (numerous times from numerous other riders) a tale of ‘some guy’ who was riding behind a truck hauling plumbing pipe. At some point, the pipes all came loose and went flying through the air. The unknown motorcyclist was hit in the chest and the pipe _went completely through him_, pinning him to the pavement. Needless to say, the poor shmoe died. To this very day, I feel panicky and weird when I pass a truck loaded with pipe; I’ll do everything short of pulling off the road to get away from him. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/8 "2009-01-30T19:42:42Z")
Wooden ice cream spoons. I cannot use them. I cannot watch someone else use them. Those things are freaky. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/9 "2009-01-30T19:43:48Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Talking rats with tentacles instead of legs and glow in the dark genitals. They’re small and weird and scary Encounter a lot of those, do you? ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/10 "2009-01-30T19:44:03Z")
Birds. Birds are scary, evil beings and their only purposes on this planet are to be delicious and to stay the hell away from me. ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/11 "2009-01-30T19:52:35Z")
Fear of clusters, discussed to some extent [here](http://www.unusualphobias.com/clusters.html). They make me feel extremely uncomfortable. Oh, and the “[Breast Rash](http://www.snopes.com/photos/medical/breastrash.asp)” picture is probably the most disturbing image I’ve ever seen. And I know it’s photoshopped. ETA: Even shit like [this](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3917677/displaymode/1107/s/2/framenumber/5/) (an image from “The Week in Pictures” feature from [MSNBC.com](http://MSNBC.com)) makes me want to throw up. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/12 "2009-01-30T19:53:10Z")
Praying Mantis. And yet, I co-exist with bugs/insects and never go into a fit. A praying mantis just hits that ‘bejesus’ cortext. If a Praying Mantis was in my home or my office, I would move or quit if I lost site of it and it got away. If it sat there, and I could plot its demise, my heart would go “BOOM BOOM BOOM”, and I would have a rush of adrenaline to cope with. If that sucker stayed put, I would wrestle my fear, as I have done before, and I would stake down the mighty beast…because that’s what heroes do: we take down the things we fear. But if that sucker was in my house/office and got away and out of sight, I’d pack up and leave! I’ll face the sucker mano en mano, but if there’s a chance he is gonna sneak up on me or show up somewhere by surprise…OMG! BEJESUS MELTDOWN just from the mere CHANCE! ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/13 "2009-01-30T20:53:25Z")
**What weird thing frightens the bejesus out of you?** Sir T-Cups. :d&r: ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/14 "2009-01-30T21:33:52Z")
Centipedes. And the insides of toilet tanks. Revolving doors used to do it, but having to exit the New York subways through the egg slicer ones cured me of that. [![](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_cf-CQ0ddUmk/SIp5H2OvWgI/AAAAAAAAErE/GgGr32J75qE/02+-+Subway+Entrance+Revolving+Door.jpg) ](http://lh5.ggpht.com/_cf-CQ0ddUmk/SIp5H2OvWgI/AAAAAAAAErE/GgGr32J75qE/02+-+Subway+Entrance+Revolving+Door.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![TheMerchandise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b487fb/32.png) [@TheMerchandise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMerchandise)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/15 "2009-01-30T21:54:58Z")
I’m afraid of puppets. No, that’s not entirely accurate. I’m afraid of puppets when I can actually see the puppeteer at work. So the muppets are fine and delightful, but the play Avenue Q is right out. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/16 "2009-01-30T21:55:51Z")
> [@Jettboy](#): > > When I was young and dumb and used to ride a motorcycle, I heard (numerous times from numerous other riders) a tale of ‘some guy’ who was riding behind a truck hauling plumbing pipe. At some point, the pipes all came loose and went flying through the air. The unknown motorcyclist was hit in the chest and the pipe _went completely through him_, pinning him to the pavement. Needless to say, the poor shmoe died. > > To this very day, I feel panicky and weird when I pass a truck loaded with pipe; I’ll do everything short of pulling off the road to get away from him. Not a pipe, but a dishwasher came off a truck once at me and I was only barely able to dodge the flying pieces (in a car). A dishwasher dissolves into its component pieces when it hits the highway. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/17 "2009-01-30T22:07:30Z")
> [@TheMerchandise](#): > > I’m afraid of puppets. > > No, that’s not entirely accurate. > > I’m afraid of puppets when I can actually see the puppeteer at work. So the muppets are fine and delightful, but the play Avenue Q is right out. Really? I think watching the puppeter imitating the puppet is the charm of AQ. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/18 "2009-01-30T22:14:34Z")
> [@Jettboy](#): > > When I was young and dumb and used to ride a motorcycle, I heard (numerous times from numerous other riders) a tale of ‘some guy’ who was riding behind a truck hauling plumbing pipe. At some point, the pipes all came loose and went flying through the air. The unknown motorcyclist was hit in the chest and the pipe _went completely through him_, pinning him to the pavement. Yeah, you don’t really want to ride behind trucks with pipes. Something like [this might happen](http://www.bofunk.com/video/3261/impaled_with_pipe.html). (!warning! graphic video not for feint of heart) ---
**Author:** ![MonaLizaT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e5b9ba/32.png) [@MonaLizaT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MonaLizaT)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/19 "2009-01-30T22:18:46Z")
An near empty in-ground swimming pool, with slimy water in the deep end. Can’t even go near one of those. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2009, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745/20 "2009-01-30T22:22:19Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > Talking rats with tentacles instead of legs and glow in the dark genitals. They’re small and weird and scary Meh, they taste like chicken. Personally, I’m afraid of derivatives, they lurk in the financial shadows but nobody knows what their worth. They’r like Langoliers eating up all our past profits and savings. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-thing-frightens-the-bejesus-out-of-you/483745.md?page=2)