Loving all your stories.
Fortunately we have had no real shockers like the above but there are a couple of things:-
When in Spain we did a coach day trip to Gibraltar. As we were driving out of the coach park on to the carriageway, which was taking a long time due to traffic jams, there was a loud bang and the bus shook as if we had crashed into something. Needless to say we caused even more traffic jams. After much yabbering on the phone by our driver and various others they managed to get the coach back off the road and we were marched together to semi shade under a few little trees and two seats between about 40 of us. It was a blistering hot day. We were told very little initially but eventually were told it would be several hours to get any other transport here to pick us up...not great.
Another time while waiting for a connecting flight home in Paris there was a delay so we decided to browse round the duty free to kill time. We must have enjoyed this shop a little too much as loaded with goods and just about to be served I glanced at my watch and realised that the time had passed the renewed boarding time. Now the prospect of missing this flight after a long journey and wait did not thrill. We must have looked like bank robbers, after expletives, as all shopping baskets were dropped where they were and we ran, fortunately not chased, to the boarding area. Fortunately we were met by smiling airport staff apologising for the further delay and we were not the last there...phew!