Bloody hell. What made the BBC decide to show us Horizon: How to Survive a Disaster (BBC Two, Tuesday, 10 March, 9pm)? Obviously, we'd all like to know how to survive some dreadful freak accident, but surely to get us there, they'll have to show us just how easily things can go wrong. Apparently, the show starts with a montage of plane crashes. I'm already a jangled nerve when it comes to getting on a plane. Every time I stepped on to one, I play out a series of horrific events that generally include my head leaving my body. I blame my old barber who told me that The Crash Position isn't actually for your safety, but rather, your head impales on your spine, making it easier for body identification if it all goes woefully wrong. So how do you take part in a disaster and live?
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While preying on our worst fears (no doubt), this show will tell us that it's all in the mind. Apparently, it's all about the confidence in which we tackle certain death. We'll be given facts that tell us that self-confidence is more likely to save us that agility, guile, strength and smarts.
There's hope for us all then.
Some of the things they look at are the little things... the little things that invariably see us perishing in some catastrophic inferno... like the fact that loads of people safely shut down their computers in the World Trade Centre before... well, you know what happened there.
Also, we'll be told that embarrassment stops many people from legging it away from a burning building. Embarrassment? Surely that's plain ridiculous. Okay, maybe if your trousers had somehow burned away and you didn't want the gawping world to see your frazzled rear... but seriously?
It'll be interesting to see what this show has to tell us... that's if I can get from cowering under the bed in time.
I'm with you on this Mof. I'm a frazzled wreck getting on a plane most of the time, but usually find that 4 pints of Guinness and half a bottle of red wine does the trick. Still, these kinds of programmes are addictive viewing aren't they and as recent events have shown it is possible to get out alive in the even of landing on water - something I've always sniggered at in my alcohol fuelled state when they run through the security procedure. I used to think it was all a waste of time, given certain impending death, maybe now I will acquaint myself with the emergency exits. Just in case. But I'm not giving up the pre-flight boozing just yet.