Seven myths about Friday the 13th
Today is Friday the 13th and already, Kenyans have been discussing on social media ways to avoid bad luck.
So, is Friday the 13th, also known as Black Friday, jinxed or is it just a superstition?
Well enough research has been conducted to ascertain the risk of accidents on Friday the 13th, busting the myths around fear of Friday the 13th or paraskevidekatriaphobia, (from the Greek words Paraskeví, meaning “Friday”, and dekatreís, meaning “thirteen”).
IBTimes reports that a research done by the Dutch Centre for Insurance Statistics (CVS) in 2008 showed that actually, there were fewer accidents and reports of theft or fire on Friday the 13th than on other Fridays.
“I find it hard to believe that it is because people are preventatively more careful or just stay home, but statistically speaking, driving is a little bit safer on Friday 13th,” CVS statistician Alex Hoen told the Verzekerd insurance magazine.
Between 2006 and 2008, CVS found that there were an average 7,800 traffic deaths on each Friday, but the average fell on Friday the 13th when there were only 7,500 deaths.
Below are a seven most common myths about Friday the 13th courtesy of IBTimes.
1. If you cut your hair on Friday the 13th, someone in your family will die.
2. If a funeral procession passes you on Friday the 13th, you will be the next to die.
3. Do not start a trip on Friday or you will encounter misfortune.
4. If you break a mirror on Friday the 13th, you will have seven years of bad luck.
5. A child born on Friday the 13th will be unlucky for life.
6. Ships that set sail on a Friday will have bad luck.
7. If you walk under a ladder or if a black cat crosses you on Friday the 13th, you will have bad luck.