FD, these snakes are very passive, I know because I saw it on TV.

I saw a doco where some religious nuts in the south (usa) use them in some kinda ceremony to show that God is protecting them. Bullshit.
The documentary maker went into the bush to find some and torment them. He had to basically grab one and yank it backwards before it took a strike. He used a mechanical arm, it wierd but a very conclusive test in the end.
The first reaction was always to show their mouth and try to scare you, then make a hasty retreat. If you follow one then get bit it's your own damned fault.
Anyway I hate snakes.
Although I consider the Rattle Snake the most intimidating I have to say that Australian snakes are the meanest mothers you will ever find. Most times they stay out of humans way but when they feel cornered lookout. With the drought we have had over the last 7 years they are turning up in the cities more and more often. There was a 3 meter Eastern Brown found in a factory in Heidelberg (VIC) a few weeks ago. One that size has enough venom to make entire species extinct.