The worst fright I've had while flying was trusting somebody else to do the lookout! I had my back to the winch launchpoint, sitting in the tow plane; an instructor holding the wingtip of the glider ready for an airtow signaled to take up slack, so I did. This was before we used to bother with radio for the tug.
At the same time over on the winch launchpoint, some prat also signaled to take up slack and proceeded with the winch launch. This I didn't notice. Everyone on the ground sure did, in considerable anxiety. Because usually, to gain height, the tow plane would move to the right, same airspace currently occupied by a K13 glider and 900 feet of braided steel wire cable.
Because it was only a small light glider, I didn't bother to move to the right side on this occasion. Became aware of a cable and red cable parachute descending about ten feet from my right wingtip.....
Glider just hung on. Both gliders just hung on. I was just bloody lucky, and after towing the little glider to 2,000 I seriously considered leaving the country altogether and going someplace else, rather than having to face the people on the ground who had to watch the whole thing and couldn't do anything to help.
We did improve our safety measures after that one.