What is the reality concerning aggression and the sidewinding motion in sand vipers?

It is an adaptation for substrate management and thermal stability

There is a common misunderstanding that the dramatic sidewinding motion implies heightened aggression or readiness to attack in the sand viper. In actuality, sidewinding is primarily a highly efficient physical adaptation designed to solve logistical problems associated with the desert substrate. It maximizes stability on loose, shifting sand, prevents sinking, and, crucially, minimizes the time the snake spends touching the superheated surface, thus aiding thermal regulation. When observed, a snake utilizing sidewinding is often attempting to escape rapidly to a cooler zone or moving efficiently toward a better ambush spot, rather than necessarily seeking a direct confrontation.