Which of these urban legends is true?

Remember the boogeyman and the Loch Ness monster? As Halloween season approaches, you might be thinking back on the spooky stories of your childhood. So what do an exploding spider bite, affordable car insurance, and alligators in the sewers of New York have in common? They’re all urban legends that have stood the test of time, just like the boogeyman. Are they simply fun stories to toss around with friends, or are they true? Find out before you go strolling through the neighborhood in the dark…

The Exploding Spider Bite

There are many variations of this myth, but the widest spread legend involves a woman getting bit on her cheek or arm while on vacation. She doesn’t think anything of the red spot, until it swells up and eventually explodes, spewing out hundreds of baby spiders.

Rod Crawford, a spider specialist at the Burke Museum in Seattle, WA, says that this is completely ridiculous. Spiders do not find the human body a suitable place to lay their eggs and there is no scientific or medical record of anything of the sort.

The verdict: FALSE

Alligators in the Sewers of New York

As the story goes, a young boy receives a baby alligator for his birthday. When it outlives its cuteness and becomes too large for his liking, he flushes it down the toilet. In the sewer, the alligator grows monstrously large, feeding on the abundant population of rats. Years later, the same boy reaches into a sewer grate to retrieve his lost baseball. His former pet, now outrageously large and vicious, bites off his arm.

Benjamin Radford, the deputy editor of Skeptical Inquirer Science magazine, says that this myth is a hoax. The fact is, alligators wouldn’t survive long in sewers. It’s cold down there, freezing cold during the winter, and alligators need warmth year-round in order to survive. If the cold didn’t kill them, the polluted sewer water would. Though New York may be called “The Concrete Jungle,” it’s not wild enough to harbor a population of alligator beneath its streets.

The verdict: FALSE

Affordable Auto Insurance

Buying car insurance is one of life’s many necessary expenses; if you drive without it, you could have your license suspended and receive a hefty fine. Since the first auto policy was written in 1889, drivers have bemoaned the high cost of car insurance. While this complaint may have been accurate at one time, affordable car insurance is now a reality. At Direct, we actively work with you to keep your rates low, regardless of your credit or driving history.* Here is what some of our customers are saying about their experience with Direct. After visiting a Direct Auto store in North Ft. Myers, FL, Ashley W. reported, “They helped me get a lower insurance rate than any other company.” Nicolette C. of High Point, NC reported a similar experience, saying “Direct did everything they could to keep my payments as low as possible.”

The verdict: TRUE

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