There's one place where quicksand (or quicksand-like substances) is alive and well: as a hazard in video games. Even in recent Mario games, if Mario dips his toe in sand that appears to be moving, he will sink and eventually die. Earlier games gave you an out by mashing the jump button frantically to get Mario free, but the 3D ones don't even seem to afford you that. The same goes for the bubbling purple muck in a jungle-themed level.
Came across a video of a man fishing in Atlanta, Idaho who got stuck in quicksand while out in the water, making his sinking that much more perilous. As you might imagine, a small place like Atlanta, Idaho (population 54) wasn't well equipped for a rescue but they managed to save the fisherman in the end.<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSpyMvdzN4E" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSpyMvdzN4E</a>
"Edwards is a different kind of quicksand fan, though. He has no interest in getting muddy himself—he's more a looker than a doer, someone who likes to see pictures and film-clips of other people being submerged...<p>To hear a quicksand fan describe his interest can be unnerving: Many describe what amounts to a sexual fascination with helpless women flailing for their lives. But there's more to the fetish than a bondage fantasy."<p>Going to be honest, that is not the direction I expected that one to go.
I fell in quicksand on an island off the coast of North Carolina just a few weeks ago. Immediately was in over my knees but easily walked out. The crazy thing was that area of quicksand immediately hardened after I’d fallen in it. I’m guessing water filled the void allowing sand to pack...not sure. Would’ve been REALLY scary if it were any deeper.
I believe there was a related XKCD, mentioning that "Quicksand proved to be a much smaller danger than I expected growing up".<p>I feel this relates with the fall of jungle-themed shows, I don't think there has been any "Tarzan" in decades for example.<p>See also: a lot less man-eating ants.