You lucky bastard!

[Ferrins]

My two brothers and I plus about a dozen other tennis players were booked on this flight but everyone luckily rescheduled. There was a French diplomat on board who perished with 15 of his family members. Really spooky when this happens to you and we have never flown together since.

Anyone had something similar happen?


http://articles.latimes.com/1986-04-01/news/mn-1457_1_cabin-pressure

[sms316]

Closest I've come was a truck driver fell asleep at the wheel while about 200m away comng towards me at 100kph. He veered left and crashed. If he veered right I was in deep kaka.

[Daves]

I was a decky on a Prawn Trawler that went over on the Evans Head bar. Myself and the other Decky got thrown into the water in the middle of the bar (run out tide at full roar, 4.30am). The other guy hurt himself going over the side, and I had to hold us both up till we got rescued. All that Life Saving training at school came in handy. The Skipper stuck with the boat, which eventually righted itself (the net booms stopped it turning completely over) and he drove it out.

[timinsa]

I was a decky on a Prawn Trawler that went over on the Evans Head bar. Myself and the other Decky got thrown into the water in the middle of the bar (run out tide at full roar, 4.30am). The other guy hurt himself going over the side, and I had to hold us both up till we got rescued. All that Life Saving training at school came in handy. The Skipper stuck with the boat, which eventually righted itself (the net booms stopped it turning completely over) and he drove it out.

:shock:

[Dotty]

When I was young, I would ride in a early-60's child seat that hooked on top of the bench seat. The family only had one car, we'd would drop dad at work, so mum could use the car for the day.

One public holiday, mum didn't need the car as nothing was open. On dad's way home, a semi's brakes failed and in the process of avoiding cars stopped at the lights, the unladen trailer whipped around slicing the top off my dad's car going the other way. Without a seatbelt, dad was able to dive into the passenger footwell, only suffering a broken nose.

My child seat was crushed under the roof.

[Yossarian]

I stubbed my toe yesterday and it was nearly really sore but I was lucky and it was only a little bit sore.

[Dotty]

I stubbed my toe yesterday and it was nearly really sore but I was lucky and it was only a little bit sore.
There's an urban legend that says you once used your face to stop a 300mph golf ball heading straight for a day care centre.

[sms316]

I stubbed my toe yesterday and it was nearly really sore but I was lucky and it was only a little bit sore. Henno was lucky to survive a similar incident. It even had it's own thread.

[Julie]

I was a decky on a Prawn Trawler that went over on the Evans Head bar. Myself and the other Decky got thrown into the water in the middle of the bar (run out tide at full roar, 4.30am). The other guy hurt himself going over the side, and I had to hold us both up till we got rescued. All that Life Saving training at school came in handy. The Skipper stuck with the boat, which eventually righted itself (the net booms stopped it turning completely over) and he drove it out.How long ago was this Dave's, as my Dad was a skipper of a trawler and we lived in Evans Head for a year around 1974.

[PeteyD]

When I was young, I would ride in a early-60's child seat that hooked on top of the bench seat. The family only had one car, we'd would drop dad at work, so mum could use the car for the day.

One public holiday, mum didn't need the car as nothing was open. On dad's way home, a semi's brakes failed and in the process of avoiding cars stopped at the lights, the unladen trailer whipped around slicing the top off my dad's car going the other way. Without a seatbelt, dad was able to dive into the passenger footwell, only suffering a broken nose.

My child seat was crushed under the roof.

I am amazed Dotty. They had cars when you were young!

[Daves]

How long ago was this Dave's, as my Dad was a skipper of a trawler and we lived in Evans Head for a year around 1974.

1980 Julie. I lived there for a couple of years. The Skipper was my next door neighbour, and only 18 at the time. A brand new Ballina based Trawler sunk at the same spot only an hour or so later. It was still there last time I was there.

Something else that was helpful, I had completed a 26 day Outbound course just a few months before. Keep watching Bear Grylls people, you never know when it might come in handy!

[Julie]

A wee bit before your time, did you know Donna and Melissa Hardy from Evans Head, they would have been 17 or 18 in 1980.

[Webster]

Bruce, sms and I once spent 4 hours on the golf course with Zigwah and nobody was murdered. Spooky.

[Daves]

A wee bit before your time, did you know Donna and Melissa Hardy from Evans Head, they would have been 17 or 18 in 1980.

Those names don't ring any bells Julie.

[mike]

Three close encounters with brown snakes.

[poidda]

As a kid, I shoved a dart into a 240v power point while waiting for my turn on the pinny. It gave my brother a bit of a fright and left a horrid taste in my mouth for a good while.

[Julie]

Three close encounters with brown snakes. On the Mareeba golf course????

[mike]

One of the three was there.

[Dotty]

I am amazed Dotty. They had cars when you were young!
Haven't you ever watched The Flintsones?

My dad needed mighty strong ankles to get up the hill from De Burgh's Bridge.

[dc68]

Keep watching Bear Grylls people, you never know when it might come in handy!


A wee bit before your time,


Pun intended?

[TourFit]

I walked around for 5 days with a broken neck!

The doctor who first examined me, about 4 hours after the incident (he was out windsurfing), said I'd torn muscles in my scaphoid area and told me to take some Panadol every four hours, and sleep sitting up in a chair because it hurt to get up from a lying down position.

[KristianJ]

My mother was on the train into Sydney before the one that derailled at Granville in 1977 (which was the one she would usually catch any other day).

[mike]

Ok here's one.

We were at the Headlands Hotel at Austinmer and there was a bikie gang there . Bandidos. A while later another gang showed up. Commancheros.

The vibe was bad so we left.

The Milperra massacre happened a week later.

[Daves]

As a youngster I was into track and field. I was OK at a few of them including High Jump. My school used to lend me the high jump set for practice at home. I was setting up one day in the paddock in front of our house (we were living on a farm) and touched overhead wires with the bar. Thankfully they were Telephone lines. Still gave me a charge though!

[TourFit]

You have to be careful where you bar up Daves!!!

[kev]

Used to work as a courier driver, and of course used to take off from the lights as soon as they turned green. One afternoon, lights turned green, I sit there looking at them for some reason whilst the car on my left starts to move. A couple of seconds later a truck comes through the red light from the right and just misses the car.

If I had done my usual routine I would have been taken out by the truck!

[Daves]

You have to be careful where you bar up Daves!!!

:smt038:smt038

[markTHEblake]

Mum and dad before they were married were almost incinerated in a burning car when a truck jacknifed into them. They were unconscious but were rescued by an unknown hero Who arrived on the scene shortly after 1am on a desolate rural road and they spent a few months in hospital, And golf clubs destroyed! The hero was found A few years later so was no miracle :-)

Then on the same date for the next two years running, dad writes off the car in another accident.

[popper81]

I have had a three... I rolled a hilux doing about 50kms out the front of the Windaroo shops, had just got new suspension and ended up on the wrong side of the road on upside down, with a big cut in my head. I had only just finished work, and picked a mate up. Of course we were heading to my house for a beer or two and he had 12 tins of xxxx with him, of which, about 7 exploded. Ended up pretty dazed and confused by the entire experience. Spent 2 hours in emergency, and then 3 hours at the cop shop trying to explain the "stench of beer" in the cab etc.

Bruce Highway, coming home from the woodford folk festival, listening to the boxing day test match on radio, had a micro sleep, come too as I went off the road, veered, missed the light pole in the median strip into on coming traffic, somehow missed them and ended up back in the median strip. As the car come to rest, I fell out, and spewed in fright. That was the scariest one.

Last one, at easter this year. Been away in troopcarrier, at Noosa north shore ( beach camping/etc). Noticed the steering was a bit loose or something, but thought it was just me, as it had just got bigger boots and I drive it very little. Had got through Noosa Eumundi road ( stetch about 80km a hour, windy as hell, full of drop offs and big trees) and was about to merge on to the Bruce Hwy ( Hmm Bruce hwy again, never really like that road) and I lost all steering. Lucky for me I was goin left, not right when the steering gave way. Kisssed a light pole and ended up in a ditch. Was doing about 100km at the start, maybe 80 when i hit the ditch, but it was all in slow motion. Jumped out of the car as two car loads of friends came around the corner, they all thought the worst. In the end very little damage and was not scary at all.. As I said, slow motion....felt calm the whole time. If it had happened 10 kms back or forward I would be dead.

[TourFit]

Popper...stop driving!

Don't even putt.

[Daves]

Popper...stop driving!

Don't even putt.

Or at the very least, stop driving Toyotas!

[popper81]

Popper...stop driving!

Don't even putt.

Don't be silly, come to QLD, we will have a hit... I WILL DRIVE THE CART ;)

[Dcanto]

My aunty and uncle were holidaying in Tasmania in April 1996 with some friends, and were intending on going to Port Arthur on the 28th. My aunty ended up coming down with the flu and so the day before they decided not to go.

[TourFit]

I know someone who went on an elephant safari in the hills the day the tsunami hit their hotel on Patong Beach in Phuket.

[Courty]

The wife & I arrived in London the day before the bombings. We had intended to get up early & head in to the city to do some site-seeing, but over-slept and arrived at the tube station just as they were shutting down the whole system. Missed it by 30 minutes. :shock:

[IanO]

Related to Courty's one: My wife and I started our honeymoon and flew into London 2 days after the 1st bombing, flew out 2 days later just before the 2nd bombing.

Too many close calls on motor bikes, but one scary one: I was going between Wagga and Albury doing about 140 km/h and a flock of cockatoos flew across in front of me and one hit the front brake lever (on the handlebar). The front wheel locked for a split second, rear wheel came a long way into the air and then dropped back down and bounced. Took me about 100 m control the bike and stop then 30 min to get myself together enough to ride on. I have no idea how I stayed upright.

[IamViva]

when i was about 11 i was having some fun with slot car motors (electric motor) and paddlepops etc, after using a few different sizes of battery i thought how good would 240v be??? i tried inserting the wires into a AC radio power cord. *ZAP* big bright white flash blinded me for about 3mins and had silvery solder like dust up my hands and wrists, no electrocution though (not sure how possible it was).

[PeteyD]

Walked out on London Bridge (Great Ocean Rd) a few days before it collapsed.

[IanO]

Walked out on London Bridge (Great Ocean Rd) a few days before it collapsed.

Lucky! Luckier than those tourists who were caught out on it

[kev]

Walked out on London Bridge (Great Ocean Rd) a few days before it collapsed.

The straw that broke the camel's back...

[golfbound]

Well you all know my story that was pretty serious to say the least. ( if you dont know my story google my name )

[Dotty]

I think Ben's story is one of unlucky timing, when just getting a bottle of water.

Or was it lucky, that you scored a '1' for medical priortisation?

[golfbound]

mate i look at as lucky..... If I was 1 more step forward or backwards i wouldnt be here. Things might be a little harder but he im here living life and having fun playing golf with a great family and beautiful daughter.

[PeteyD]

I think Ben might win this...

Kev - I was somewhat slimmer in those days!

[IamViva]

Wow Ben, just read the 4corners interview, truly lucky considering the fate of many others.
forgive me if this is inappropriate but does your recollection ever fade with something like that or do you remember it as if it was yesterday?

[golfbound]

Wow Ben, just read the 4corners interview, truly lucky considering the fate of many others.
forgive me if this is inappropriate but does your recollection ever fade with something like that or do you remember it as if it was yesterday?

No mate i remember every second the federal police say i have the best memory of the entire event out of the hundreds of people the interviewed.

I happy to talk about it in fact there has been alot of media and 3 movies made around my memories.

There is currently a story on me in Golf magazine this month and I already have all the television stations booking spots out the front of my house for there satalite trucks for live crosses on breakfast TV and Radio.

[Dazza]

Had 26t of bogie drive bodytruck sideways in the table drain, after some tool decided to overtake on a blind corner. I thought it was going over, even braced for the roll. 6 guide posts later, I had it back on the bitumen. Good thing too, big culvert not far from where I muscled it back on.

[Pieface]

Bloody hell Ben. I somehow managed to miss your story over my time here.

I think you'll have to go close to winning the thread. A bunch of boys who were in my shop often never came home from Bali.

[Chris32]

When I was about 15 I was over a mates place and he ran into the lounge room with a pump action shotgun and decided to wave it about and scare me and his brother. He pulled the trigger and it clicked while pointing it at us.

He then showed us it wasn't loaded and were he got it from - under his parents bed. I was freaked out, and as he pulled out a rifle, I grabbed it and pointed it right at his head, to see how he liked it. I was literally half a second from putting the finger on the trigger and seeing how he liked the click, but decided against it. I opened the bolt, and a .223 round dropped out onto the floor... No safety on it either, it was as live as a gun could get.

I told his old man the whole thing the next day, he was horrified, and built a safe to keep them in. He grew up in South Africa and he had always kept loaded fun under his bed! My mate was grounded for at least 6 months, and that whole event was kinda like a chain reaction, rebelling against patents, getting into drugs pretty seriously. It still makes me shiver thinking about it!

I can't really think of the words to describe your ordeal Ben, you are a strong person

[dave1]

I was struck by lightning about 4 years ago (add your joke here :-)..)

Storm hit our house - hail filled the gutters and then water pissed through the ceiling cavities (through eaves) ...I looked outside and storm had passed. So I had to get hail out of gutters so water could go down the down pipes instead of coming through our ceilings!

Grabbed ladder and gutter scooper. After about ten mins emptying gutters - clouds approached. I quickly made my way to the ladder. I was on the ladder with one hand on the roof..BAM CRASH BOOOOOM!! BIG lightning bolt hit the roof which I was a still touching. I fell of ladder in shock - lightning went through my hand and out my foot!

Left a burn on the bottom of my foot where it exited

I went to hosipital for check up - stayed a night.

I still have the small burn scar on my foot.

Bloody lucky!

[Webster]

That explains almost everything.

[Yossarian]

How lucky dave1 is to have paid off his mortgage already?

[dc68]

He grew up in South Africa and he had always kept loaded fun under his bed!

I often kept a loaded fun in bed with me....

[sms316]

I'm blown away by Ben's story.

[mike]

o boy

[dave1]

How lucky dave1 is to have paid off his mortgage already? Yes some luck involved but working smarter not harder is what achieved it ....I have no idea how folk with 2 or 3 kids and paying of a large mortgage actually survive. We have no mortgage but still battle - we are not flush with cash!

[Eldrick]

Yes some luck involved but working smarter not harder is what achieved it ....I have no idea how folk with 2 or 3 kids and paying of a large mortgage actually survive. We have no mortgage but still battle - we are not flush with cash!

you should buy some vending machines.only need to work 2 days a week then
then you can spend the rest of your time at the range

[PeteyD]

Putting em all within 8' from 100 m. Oh those were the days.

[golfbound]

I'm blown away by Ben's story.

You only just read about it now... I thought most of you knew me lol. Anyway it was and experience and a half. Happy to chat about it to anyone if they have any questions.

[sms316]

You only just read about it now... I thought most of you knew me lol. Anyway it was and experience and a half. Happy to chat about it to anyone if they have any questions. This might seem like an odd question but do you get pissed quicker now since you have less body mass to absorb alcohol?

[golfbound]

I'm blown away by Ben's story.<br><br>You only just read about it now... I thought most of you knew me lol. Anyway it was and experience and a half. Happy to chat about it to anyone if they have any questions.

You could also look as it as " I'm legless before I start" nah honestly it makes no difference. My cousin and i polished of 3 full bottles of rum in 5 hours on the weekend. Dont remember much of it couldn't walk at the end but he its all fun.

[Steve57]

They obviously took none of your sense of humour Ben!

[dc68]

Ben you take the cake mate!! Awesome attitude.

[goughy]

I wanna turn the swear filter off just so I can say holy f'n shit Ben. I had no idea. Been doing some reading; if you could bottle your attitude on life you would be the wealthiest person on the earth. Props to you.

[Jarro]

You da man Ben :thumbup:

[golfbound]

nah guys just happy to be here to tell the story.... and play and promote golf.

[Webster]

Ben, the world is a better place with you in it. I aspire to be half the man you are. When my kids are a little older I hope I can teach them what a difference you made to so many people. Keep up the good work.

Jack.

[catch22]

Wow Ben! I had no idea, that is an amazing story. Good on ya and your attitude, and the work that you have done since.

[golfbound]

Thank you very much for your kind words. It means alot to me.

[golfbound]

just happy living life and playing golf if anyone ever wants a game. :)

[dave1]

Spot on jack!

Ben is brave. Bravery can't be taught. Its the trait I admire most in people.

[Cosmopolite]

just happy living life and playing golf if anyone ever wants a game. :)

you are an inspiration to us all Ben.

I will be on the gold coast after the champs - do you belong to any particular course?

[golfbound]

you are an inspiration to us all Ben.

I will be on the gold coast after the champs - do you belong to any particular course?

Yeah mate im at The Glades, Robina happy to have a game with you there.