I have taken out a tree stumped hedge before so that does not worry me unduly
Be very careful with undue over-confidence. As human beings we're programmed to underestimate a risk once we've taken it and been successful.
If you stand at the side of the M1 with a blind fold on, and ear defenders, and run across the carriage way. You could probably do that a number of times without getting hit by a car. But that doesn't make it safe or a sensible thing to do.