Ten Reasons to Fear Dry Land and Everything on It: A Phobic's Handbook

There are many reasons to fear dry land and everything on it. Here are a few of the best, beginning with the most frightening thing that has ever existed, Spiders.
1. Spiders will jump on you. No matter where you live, there are probably spiders native to the region, and they probably know how to jump. Antarcticans - you are safe yet again. For now. Spiders are not only terrifying because they are stealthy and in many cases, poisonous. They also have twice as many legs and four times as many eyes as anything harmless or cute.

If their alien bodies weren't enough to warn us that they are up to no good, there is the fact that, according to the Oxford University Press Dictionary of Zoology, all spiders are poisonous. Yes. I will say it again: All spiders are poisonous. One of the defining characteristics of a spider is the presence of a poison gland. Effects of this venom range from mild irritation to total paralysis and death within hours.

Australia, the most dangerous place on earth, has no less than 50 species of venomous spiders. North America does not have a monopoly on the Black Widow (Latrodectus mactans), and there are members of the Lactrodectus family of spiders just about everywhere, including North America, New Zealand, Japan, the Netherlands, Africa, and of course, Australia.

2. Cars and Motorcycles will make your head come off. Have you ever seen one of those videos from high school Driver's Education class? Young couple is happy and going to prom. She's wearing a pretty dress and doesn't wear her seatbelt because she doesn't want to wrinkle it. Suddenly, *smash!* they are in an accident and she doesn't have a head. Why is it always the pretty girl who has to be made an example of? Forget Chairman, El Presidente, and Chancellor. Prom Queen has to be the most dangerous title to hold.