Superglue comes in several types....(I use it almost every day)

The thinest (commercial grade) stuff IS almost instant, depending on what you're gluing. I NEVER work without the solvent within reach, and I have needed it several times. The stuff you buy in the tiny tubes at the hardware store is 'medium/thin' and gives you 10-15 seconds for items with a moisture content...like skin.

The guy in the news story would NOT have wanted to move until help came once he sat there a minute or so....pain......fortunately, it is not really harmful unless you inhale a bunch of fumes or get it in your eyes. (It is sometimes used medically).