Pressure Cooking

The time of year has come to canning. Not that I am going to do much this year, I think. I have already put up some jars of jam; but with our new stove top I don't think I will be using the pressure cooker anytime soon.
Which leads me to another question, Why do so many people assume the pressure cooker is scary or difficult to use? It must be that age-old experience thing -- being afraid of something one has never experienced or tried before. I suppose I was a little nervous the first time I ever used the p.c. on my own. But after years of helping my mom can green beans in the p.c. and after numerous phone calls that first time of canning, I feel like a pro now. No fear. However, no fear did come with certain, um, interesting experiences.
Yes, I have a blowing-up story to tell:
So my kids are young at the time ... I think there were 3 of them then. And they were waiting in the van to go to my sister's house. I was finishing up a batch of green beans. I didn't want to keep my sister waiting (this seems to be a theme in our lives). So I thought I would hurry those beans up a bit. Ha. Don't ever do that. Please, promise me, er, well, promise yourself, that if you use a pressure cooker you won't ever hurry it along! I wanted the pressure to go back down (the very end process) a little faster. Mrs Impatience! So I cracked open the lid a tiny bit.
KABOOM.
I am SO thankful the children were in the van, because there was glass and beans all over the kitchen! And I called my sister to tell her we would be late.