I guess the older you are the more of these instances you may accumulate. And maybe the luckier you are as well.
Story 1. Riding motorcycle and road rage car driver attempts to force me off the highway.
There was no provocation at all, I'd been cruising for several miles in 5 PM traffic on Rt 3 in southern NH / Lowell area. I notice white pickup next to me, getting closer, and look over to see driver, face in rage, screaming at me through closed window. I am in passing lane. Road is under construction, and this guy comes right at me and forces me almost to jersey barrier on my left. I got about 18 inches of space to maneuver. The guy in front of me sees what is going on and moves to the right and I passed him on the left, in the breakdown lane. My butt hole is clenched believe me and I could only think WTF did I do here? So now I'm one car up and here comes this guy on the right again coming right after me. So I bailed out again, yet another driver gave me some space, I got in the right hand break down lane and f-ing took off, 100 MPh, and this guy is still coming. I knew I had to get off that highway. Got off next exit ramp, 2 cars backed up at stop sign, I got nowhere to go and here comes truck. Shut off bike and got the hell off it right there. Truck stops, driver gets out, the guy is huge, like 6 foot 6 and about 300 lbs. He comes after me, and I instinctively wound up and kicked him, got him right in the chin, and he hit the ground like a freaking dead mackerel. I screamed at him FVCK you you a hole. And then I got on my bike and rode home, wondering if I killed him, did anyone call the law, get my plate number or anything. Never heard a word. I can't imagine what I did to piss him off to this day, I'm not a crazy rider and I don't take chances. Then I started thinking, I'm wearing an armoured motorcycle suit, a full coverage helmet, and steel toed riding boots. WTF was the guy going to do to hurt me anyway. But you don't think, you just react. The next morning I smiled a little because I timed that kick perfect and I'm sure I broke his jaw at the very least. He was lights out on the ground.
Story 2: 1990. Hot summer night, no AC, trying to sleep, my infant son in next room in his crib. It is dead calm, all the windows open. Out of the blue at 2 AM there is thunderous crash and my whole house shakes, shit falls off shelfs, and I jumped so high out of bed that I hit my head on the ceiling, yelling WTF WAS THAT!!!.
Go outside, and a 50 foot pine tree nearby had decided to fall. On my house. Caved in the roof over my sons crib but didn't go further. Called 911, they came down, and could not believe their eyes either. No harm done. Fixed the roof myself and pocketed the insurance money.