In brief
The driver flees her car as a tiger snake slithers up her leg, prompting a police response and a snake handling rescue.
In a startling incident on a Melbourne motorway, a driver had to make a hasty exit from her vehicle after discovering a venomous snake climbing up her leg. The alarming situation unfolded on the Monash Freeway when the woman was driving at a speed of 80km/h (50mph) and suddenly felt an unsettling sensation on her foot. According to Victoria Police, the woman, visibly distressed, tried to flag down passing vehicles for help after escaping her own car. Officers were subsequently called to conduct a welfare check on the driver, who was "acting hiss-terically" alongside the road. The snake was identified as a tiger snake, known for its potent venom and classified among the world's most dangerous reptiles. Melbourne Snake Control was summoned to safely extract the snake from the vehicle. Fortunately, the driver was taken to the hospital with a suspected snake bite but is reportedly recovering well, as noted in a social media update from the snake control service.Remarkably, she managed to fend off the snake while navigating through traffic to reach the roadside. Witnesses described passing drivers as "bewildered" as they watched the snake being retrieved from the car. Tim Nanninga from Melbourne Snake Control mentioned that several motorists began recording the unusual scene.After the emergency was resolved, Nanninga confirmed that the snake was safely relocated far from populated areas to protect both people and pets. The peculiar encounter serves as a reminder of the wildlife present in Australia's urban settings, especially concerning the tiger snake, which typically thrives along the coast.
