Northern California has a pretty incredible reputation for being one of the best places to live on the planet. But even perfection has its limits. It’s true, there are a few things around these parts that have the frightening ability to kill you dead. We’ve included a few that are pretty obvious and even a few that only us NORCAL folks would understand. We’re just smart like that.
- Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
flickr/dave hensley Well, hello Mr. Scary! We’d hate to meet you on one of our hiking trails - but these guys are common and DEADLY. Most often you’ll hear their rattle and know to stay away, but the baby rattlers don’t have that ability yet and are the most deadly. They will bite and don’t let go - which means even more venom goes into a human’s bloodstream. No fun and like I said - DEADLY.
- Black Widow Spider
flickr/laurence grayson These guys live all around Northern California. If a child is bitten it can be deadly - the bit can be deadly for an adult too if not treated. These ugly arachnids are jet black with a scarlet red hourglass pattern on their backside. Their webs are extremely sticky and icky.
- Oakland Raider Fan
flickr/brian cantoni Have YOU been to a Raider game lately? The police don’t get involved much here anymore…and I don’t blame them. There are those die-hard fans who have followed The Raiders since the Kenny Stabler days and those aren’t the fans we’re talking about. The fans that have grown and multiplied are the ones most likely to be on probation or parole ad pretty proud of it. What? You don’t think this crowd is deadly? Run a few of their criminal records. You’ll watch the next game with your kids from your family room.
- Earthquakes
flickr/hakan dahlstrom We live in the shadow of two of the deadliest earthquakes in history. But, it’s the Loma Prieta earthquake of ‘89 that we remember clearly. While it isn’t a common occurrence around here, scientists say we need to be prepared for the next one.
- Bridge Jumper
fiickr/jeffry This is still common - the media just doesn’t report it anymore. The police and media actually work hand in hand here to keep this quiet because the last thing they want to do is glamorize or spotlight someone who commits suicide here. But, the truth is that between 1937 and 2012 over 1,600 bodies have been recovered from the Bay. It’s not uncommon and sadly a very deadly place.
- Bears - Oh My!
flickr/alan harper You know these as brown bears or black bears. Their more scientific name is “Ursus americanus californiensis.” While most of the time you see them camping, they’re pretty docile but don’t EVER get between them and their cubs or it can be a deadly event! They can grow up to 300 pounds in size but have been captured at over 600 pounds. These big boys have five toes and are fantastic climbers. So if you decide to hide from them in a tree – think again.
- Cars and People
flickr/kathy mceldowney Accidents are definitely a thing up here and it’s a deadly situation when you are on some of our roads. There are places in Northern California that are deadlier than others and we know which places to definitely stay away from.
- This City
flickr/tj gehling The City of Oakland is one deadly city. It ranks number 9 as the most dangerous in America. Don’t be fooled by the great restaurants on Jack London Square or your nice stroll around Lake Merritt. Sure, there are a few lovely spots and bohemian places to visit, but I promise - you don’t want to stay past your bedtime.
Do you have anything else to add to the list of most deadly things in Northern California? Let us know in the comments.
flickr/dave hensley
Well, hello Mr. Scary! We’d hate to meet you on one of our hiking trails - but these guys are common and DEADLY. Most often you’ll hear their rattle and know to stay away, but the baby rattlers don’t have that ability yet and are the most deadly. They will bite and don’t let go - which means even more venom goes into a human’s bloodstream. No fun and like I said - DEADLY.
flickr/laurence grayson
These guys live all around Northern California. If a child is bitten it can be deadly - the bit can be deadly for an adult too if not treated. These ugly arachnids are jet black with a scarlet red hourglass pattern on their backside. Their webs are extremely sticky and icky.
flickr/brian cantoni
Have YOU been to a Raider game lately? The police don’t get involved much here anymore…and I don’t blame them. There are those die-hard fans who have followed The Raiders since the Kenny Stabler days and those aren’t the fans we’re talking about. The fans that have grown and multiplied are the ones most likely to be on probation or parole ad pretty proud of it. What? You don’t think this crowd is deadly? Run a few of their criminal records. You’ll watch the next game with your kids from your family room.
flickr/hakan dahlstrom
We live in the shadow of two of the deadliest earthquakes in history. But, it’s the Loma Prieta earthquake of ‘89 that we remember clearly. While it isn’t a common occurrence around here, scientists say we need to be prepared for the next one.
fiickr/jeffry
This is still common - the media just doesn’t report it anymore. The police and media actually work hand in hand here to keep this quiet because the last thing they want to do is glamorize or spotlight someone who commits suicide here. But, the truth is that between 1937 and 2012 over 1,600 bodies have been recovered from the Bay. It’s not uncommon and sadly a very deadly place.
flickr/alan harper
You know these as brown bears or black bears. Their more scientific name is “Ursus americanus californiensis.” While most of the time you see them camping, they’re pretty docile but don’t EVER get between them and their cubs or it can be a deadly event! They can grow up to 300 pounds in size but have been captured at over 600 pounds. These big boys have five toes and are fantastic climbers. So if you decide to hide from them in a tree – think again.
flickr/kathy mceldowney
Accidents are definitely a thing up here and it’s a deadly situation when you are on some of our roads. There are places in Northern California that are deadlier than others and we know which places to definitely stay away from.
flickr/tj gehling
The City of Oakland is one deadly city. It ranks number 9 as the most dangerous in America. Don’t be fooled by the great restaurants on Jack London Square or your nice stroll around Lake Merritt. Sure, there are a few lovely spots and bohemian places to visit, but I promise - you don’t want to stay past your bedtime.
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