‘I’d leave the car and walk home’ — Shock as Knysna motorist finds snake in his bonnet

Forget snakes on a plane. Watch out for the one hiding in your car bonnet.

A Knysna man recently got a huge fright when he stopped at a filling station and opened his bonnet to find a snake inside.

A picture of his discovery was shared by Arrive Alive on social media over the weekend, leaving followers with the chills.

KwaZulu-Natal Emergency Medical Services media liaison officer Robert McKenzie said SA has several endemic snake species, and encounters in urban areas are becoming common, especially along the coastal belt and areas with high humidity.

“While most people avoid contact with snakes at all costs, encounters with snakes are inevitable. Snakes will often try to avoid a confrontation with a human.

“Most snake venom does not have serious effects on humans. However, after being bitten by a snake medical advice must be sought. Don’t wait for symptoms to develop before seeking help,” he said.

The post drew a flood of reaction, with many saying they would run or “simply evaporate” if it had happened to them.

One user, Mlamuli Mntambo, shared a similar experience.

“Imagine at the petrol station. You would wonder why everyone is running away. Reminds me of the day I suspected there was a snake hiding in there (the bonnet) as dogs were scratching the car. I took the car for a car wash and told them to wash the engine too.

“I walked away so I could watch from a distance. As the guy sprayed the engine a cat ran out. Everyone started screaming and running away. Some ran because they saw others running.”

Another user, George Mapena, joked that the snake was “hitching a free ride” because Covid-19 had hit hard and there was “no money”.

“He's tired of crawling so he hitched a ride to town,” Benjamin Madimetse added.