" those who crept about at night risked stepping on a snake if they were not careful, as snakes move out of our way only if they feel vibrations in the ground. A light person—a person of non-traditional build, for example—was at far greater risk of being bitten by a snake for that very reason. That was another argument, of course, for maintaining traditional build—consideration for snakes, and safety too. "

― Alexander McCall Smith , In the Company of Cheerful Ladies (No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency #6)