I work at a pet shop and take my BP and savannah monitor in all the time. People always freak out and ask why id have a Komodo Dragon for a pet or say that the BP is gonna kill me one day. I just laugh and explain to them that they dont get huge and are basically harmless. After talking to them for awhile most will actually touch or even hold them.

Sure it gets old after awhile having to explain that this snake doesnt get 20 feet just because its a python and as long as you dont startle them and handle them properly you dont have to worry about getting hurt. But i feel that every person i talk to has a better undersatnding of these animals and is less threatend by them.