The world is a dangerous place. We can pretend that if we always follow the rules, think before acting, and use our seat bealts, then everything will come out okay. That idea just is not true. You can improve your chances, but you can't completely eliminate the possibility that sooner or later you are going to get injured or killed.
Sometimes what sounds like a dangerous procedure is actually the practical way to do it. Take Ron's tire-sealing method. Has anyone else struggled for hours with a 6-foot diameter muddy, stiff, heavy, tractor tire? For the last flat I had on my farm tractor, after patching the hole, I worked 3 or 4 hours trying to get it to re-seat on the rim. I tried applying pressure with crow bars, and I tried wrapping a chain around it and compressing it. The old stiff rubber refused to seal and hold air. After getting completely exhausted, I got the spray can of starter fluid, and a charcoal lighter. I squirted in 2 seconds worth of the fluid, stood back, and lit it. Bang! I had an instant tire seal.
Sure, it was dangerous, but I would do it again in the same circumstance. I mean, which is more dangerous for an old guy, a heart attack, or a small controlled explosion inside a tire?
Life is about risks: knowing when to avoid them and when to take them. We older guys deninitely have an advantage here. We have proven that we can correctly judge risks. Many young guys have died trying.
PS: Mercury is hazardous if you absorb it into your body by eating or drinking it. Otherwise it is only a bright liquid metal.
