Everywhere in the world, people have animal encounters that they didn’t sign up for, but happen when they least expect it. Deer, monkeys, kangaroos, rabbits, – you name it – happily (or angrily) go about their business while catching you off guard. In this case, it was a snake.

When you learn how to drive, one of the first rules you’re taught to stick to is to keep your eyes on the road. Besides looking out for yourself and other drivers, there’s a possibility of an encounter with other hazards in the road – like wildlife.

Here we see footage of some folks driving along a stretch of highway in Thailand behind a motorcyclist. Everything seems peaceful, serene, and normal for a few minutes. Music is playing, the guy on the bike is cruising, and all is well.

Until . . .there’s a section of road up ahead that inclines. If you’re not paying attention, you’ll miss the long snake trying to make its way from the right side of the road to the left. As we know, snakes are prone to striking out if they feel they’re being threatened. They hiss, lunge, glide, and bite if moved to do so.

Well, our guy here on the motorcycle probably wasn’t expecting to roll by this road-raging reptile and encountering its wrath. Phew! Watch as he lifts his legs off the pedals to avoid getting bitten. Get a load of how the snake jumps up to strike!

Now, if only we could read the minds of brave snakes who decide to cross warm asphalt roads when they want. Perhaps in this case we would learn whether it was trying to jump over the man to avoid a collision or jump at him for getting in the way. Something tells us it’s the latter.

Thailand is home to over 200 species of snakes, some venomous, some not, but it’s not uncommon to see them in places besides the jungle. In addition to wandering the roads in daylight, they’ve been found in toilets, kitchens, hotels, back yards, and of course, the streets.

We don’t know what type of snake appears in this video, but motorcycle dude swerved and lifted for good reason. Two of Thailand’s most dangerous snakes are the Malayan Pit Viper and Russell’s Viper. While people bitten by a Malayan pit have a high chance for survival, there’s still usually some permanent damage left to the body.

With Russell’s vipers, fatalities are much higher as a result of organ failure. Survivors may wind up blind, or go into a sort of reverse puberty due to the effects of venom on the pituitary gland. Loss of body hair, libido, and fertility are common.

Keep watching the video to find out what happens after the snake strikes. In short, if you don’t know the species, it is better to avoid a snake bite if you can, even while driving!

What do you think of this video? Have you ever had a scary wildlife encounter? Are you scared of snakes?