The Most Atrocious Things People Have Done In The Name Of Science
When it comes to scientific advancements, it's all about trial and error.
You form a hypothesis, test your hypothesis, and come to a conclusion.
Testing your hypothesis is known as an experiment. Sometimes, experiments are completely safe and ethical, like the tests Isaac Newton ran as he discovered the Laws of Motion. However, sometimes, the experiments were horrific. The subjects used were treated cruelly, and the effects lasted a lifetime, or even longer.
Science, in and of itself, is great, but sometimes, people have committed some horrible atrocities in the name of science that we just can't get behind.
One thing I learned is that I know a lot less about the way scientists went about their research than I thought I did. Luckily for me and the rest of the uninformed, Redditors are ready to share the atrocities people have done in the name of science.
It all started when Redditor itcamefromtheimgur asked:
"What are some of the most atrocious things done in the name of science?"
Aquamen
"You don't wanna know how we learned humans are 60% water."
– LR-II
"Masochistic curiosity here, tell me."
– odd_neighbour
"Well thanks to the Japanese we know exactly how much water is in the human body."
– Angel_OfSolitude
First Aid
"I had a pair of matching blisters, one on each foot, both in the same location and of the same size."
"I tore one motherf*cker straight off to form a scab, whilst leaving the other alone."
"Hypothesis - A scab will heal faster and be less painful."
"Conclusion - I was so f*cking wrong."
– odd_neighbour
It's A Wonder They're Still Man's Best Friend
"I don't remember who but I think it was in the 30s or 40s when a scientist beheaded dogs and kept their heads alive. It's heartbreaking to watch the footage"
"Edit: I looked it up, it was Sergei Briuk-honenko and he was a soviet physician"
– _ManWhoSoldTheWorld_
"There was an American doctor that did that, too. In my opinion, the worst experiment I heard he did was transplant the brain of a dog to the abdomen of another dog. The transplanted brain would have remained conscience, but would have had no senses of any kind yet went on living for a full week."
– Yeeteth_thy_baby
Horrific
"The history of gynecology is unbelievably grim. Painful experiments on black women without any pain relief. Ugh people are awful sometimes."
– juliennethiscarrot
Umm...What?
"They used to operate on animals with no anesthetic because "they felt no pain". This one baffles me, how the hell can you have been around animals for any length of time and not see one yelp or jump because they hurt themselves? The "divine right" attitude of humans is sickening. Basically because in their opinion animals had no souls they couldn't fell pain. Wacked!"
– Weazerdogg
"They also thought black people couldn't feel pain and they used to say babies couldn't feel pain until the late 80s/early 90s. They used to do surgery on babies without anesthetic in the 80s because they won't remember it (consciously, but it causes PTSD)"
– crazyjka*s
Make Me Sick
"The experiments done on enslaved peoples in the US"
"The Tuskegee Syphilis Study"
– LexiiConn
"It wasn't just during slavery. The myth that black people either didn't feel pain, or felt a far reduced degree of pain led to some pretty horrible medical practices. Since they didn't realistically have access to healthcare for a very long time, doctors would get them to sign off on sh*t they wanted to do, often for the first time, in exchange for not having to pay for the treatment. It's horrifying."
– GreatTragedy
Some School
"The Lung Association took Canadian aboriginal kids from their parents to a school that was basically a lab to do experiments on the kids for TB. Those that died were buried and their parents were never notified. Met a gentleman who’d survived that and only had half a lung left because they’d operated on him."
– tangcameo
Ignorance May Actually Be Bliss
The Manhattan Project. Did we really have to see what happens when we split an atom? Like, guys, for real, it's not fun living knowing that the end of the world could come at any moment, you have any idea what that sh*t does to your mental health? Damn you, Oppenheimer."
– GoblinGuy3
Unit 731
"Unit 731 or Manshu Detachment 731.(1937–1945)."
"Unit 731 was responsible for some of the most notorious war crimes committed by the Japanese armed forces. It routinely conducted tests on people who were dehumanized and internally referred to as "logs". Experiments included disease injections, controlled dehydration, hypobaric chamber experiments, biological weapons testing, vivisection, amputation, and standard weapons testing. Victims included kidnapped men, women (including pregnant women) and children. The victims came from different nationalities, with the majority being Chinese and a significant minority being Russian. Additionally, Unit 731 produced biological weapons that were used in areas of China not occupied by Japanese forces, which included Chinese cities and towns, water sources, and fields. Estimates of those killed by Unit 731 and its related programs range up to half a million people, and none of the inmates survived."
– fellowcrft
Human Studies
"WW2 experiments on prisoners.. done by Mengele and Japanese nazis."
"Burning people, poisoning people, putting people in extreme cold water. They would often experiment on twins, one would be left and nothing done to him, he was the control and other would be tortured in different ways and then they would kill both and dissect to see how body reacted."
– RoronoaLuffyZoro
This Is Awful
"John B Calhoun set about creating a series of experiments that would essentially cater to every need of rodents, and then track the effect on the population over time. The most infamous of the experiments was named, quite dramatically, Universe 25."
"In this study, he took four breeding pairs of mice and placed them inside a "utopia". The environment was designed to eliminate problems that would lead to mortality in the wild. They could access limitless food via 16 food hoppers, accessed via tunnels, which would feed up to 25 mice at a time, as well as water bottles just above. Nesting material was provided. The weather was kept at 68°F (20°C), which for those of you who aren't mice is the perfect mouse temperature. The mice were chosen for their health, obtained from the National Institutes of Health breeding colony. Extreme precautions were taken to stop any disease from entering the universe."
"As well as this, no predators were present in the utopia, which sort of stands to reason. It's not often something is described as a "utopia, but also there were lions there picking us all off one by one.""
"The experiment began, and as you'd expect, the mice used the time that would usually be wasted in foraging for food and shelter for having excessive amounts of sexual intercourse. About every 55 days, the population doubled as the mice filled the most desirable space within the pen, where access to the food tunnels was of ease."
"When the population hit 620, that slowed to doubling around every 145 days, as the mouse society began to hit problems. The mice split off into groups, and those that could not find a role in these groups found themselves with nowhere to go."
""In the normal course of events in a natural ecological setting somewhat more young survive to maturity than are necessary to replace their dying or senescent established associates," Calhoun wrote in 1972. "The excess that find no social niches emigrate.""
"Here, the "excess" could not emigrate, for there was nowhere else to go. The mice that found themself with no social role to fill – there are only so many head mouse roles, and the utopia was in no need of a Ratatouille-esque chef – became isolated."
""Males who failed withdrew physically and psychologically; they became very inactive and aggregated in large pools near the center of the floor of the universe. From this point on they no longer initiated interaction with their established associates, nor did their behavior elicit attack by territorial males," read the paper. "Even so, they became characterized by many wounds and much scar tissue as a result of attacks by other withdrawn males.""
"The withdrawn males would not respond during attacks, lying there immobile. Later on, they would attack others in the same pattern. The female counterparts of these isolated males withdrew as well. Some mice spent their days preening themselves, shunning mating, and never engaging in fighting. Due to this they had excellent fur coats, and were dubbed, somewhat disconcertingly, the "beautiful ones.""
"The breakdown of usual mouse behavior wasn't just limited to the outsiders. The "alpha male" mice became extremely aggressive, attacking others with no motivation or gain for themselves. Violent encounters sometimes ended in mouse-on-mouse cannibalism."
– herobrineminecraftk
A Questionable Procedure
"Lobotomies"
– QualityKoalaTeacher
"Danvers Asylum in massachusetts had a wing just for experiments with children using both lobotomies and electro-shock."
– SpamFriedMice
What We Don't Know
"To the ppl reading the comments, keep in mind they told the public all of thesse, now imagine what they don't tell us"
– TTV_Potato_the_3rd
That's a scary thought!
Do you have any atrocities to add? Let us know in the comments.
School can be a dangerous place.
Indeed, with bullying remaining an ongoing problem, some students are afraid to even set foot in school.
Then, of course, there's the terrifying fact that school shootings remain a shockingly common occurrence in the United States.
As a result, it's not only the students who find themselves scared to go to school sometimes but also the teachers.
With the current climate, sometimes when a teacher sees a student behave in even a slightly peculiar manner, they tend to assume the worst.
Thankfully, sometimes their fears are unfounded.
Other times, their fears were heartbreakingly accurate.
"Teachers of Reddit, what is the scariest thing you have ever seen a student do?"
"Boys Will Be Boys" Is NEVER An Excuse
"Literal first day of school a student, 7, grabs a girl that was getting off the bus, from behind, and pretends to cut her throat with his finger."
"Whoa nelly, instant front seat, instant write-up."
"Principal 'boys will be boys, ignore it."
"Third day of school same student gets up, while we're doing 55mph, and 'finger gun's' several students in the back of the head, execution style."
"Mother of god, BIG write-up."
"Principal 'Boys will be boys, you cant put him in the front seat for that, it was playful'."
"No, no the absolute f*ck it was NOT playful."
"He did the same thing the next day."
"But this time I had the principal time-stamped on my camera telling me I wasn't allowed to put him in the front seat, AND him doing it again."
"I wrote up the kid, AND the mother effing Principal."
"Instant sh*t show, pulled into saftey office at work with transportation director, warned I could lose my job if I escalate this sh*t."
"But I didn't back down."
"I wanted that kid off the bus, but if i couldn't have that, i NEEDED him in the front seat AWAY from everyone else."
"I got it, principal was banned from coming within 50 feet of my bus."
"She couldn't stop herself, and did so after two weeks to tell me i was an awful person."
"She was immediately removed from her position, because i wrote her up AGAIN."
"They gave her a councilors spot at the high school to finish the year, not sure if she did."
"ANYWAY, new principle rides the bus, tells me he's got the kid now--and the kids so f*ckin scary that they have to have him in his own class, with TWO adults--but that the mom refuses to get the kid any help or admit there's a problem."
"I'm told not to allow anyone within 3 seats of him." - Reddit
Ignoring A Problem Will Never Solve It
"He didn't really do anything that scary while he was with me but he did bloody scare me after he was gone."
"I had just become the class teacher of 30 9th-graders in the middle of the school year and had to tell a student that he was expelled because he had only shown up to class three times in six months."
"We had a nice chat before that, I had told him I felt I was missing the bigger picture here as I was new to that class, but that I still felt bad because he didn't seem to be the kind of guy who just skipped classes because he didn't feel like leaving his bed."
"He was very polite, thanked me for being gentle, shook my hand, turned around and clocked another student, breaking his nose, ran out of the room and pepper sprayed the door area to cover his retreat."
"So that was awkward."
"Days later I finally had time to go through the administrative files of my new students."
"His file was full of drawings."
"He liked to draw in class when he still came."
"He drew mainly AK-47s."
"He was born in Russia, we were in Western Europe."
"Around the AK-47s, love poems to the AK-47 in Russian, scenes of, well, AK-47s in action, and lists of fellow students."
"My predecessors had confiscated these drawings and his hit lists and put them away in a file that most people wouldn't even touch because it's mainly for documentation of things you already know when you are their teacher."
"Nobody had told me that there might be a f*cking problem waiting for me."
"Nobody had told the social worker of the school, probably because he didn't disrupt classes."
"Also, nobody had told me that the other student and his pals had bullied him relentlessly for a year before he decided to stay away from school."
"I guess I wasn't told that because no teacher knew as they hadn't f*cking cared to find out why he was spending recess alone, sitting for himself with a thousand-yard stare."
"I learned that when the other students had warmed up to me and started telling me things like this."- gelastes
Thank Goodness She Had The Good Sense To Leave
"I was teaching grade four and had announced my pregnancy to the class when I was about 4 month."
"Everyone was so excited."
"One little guy however, made it his mission to try and ‘hurt my baby’."
"On several occasions he kicked a soccer ball at my bump, would try and trip me and one time even said ‘let’s meet this baby’ while opening and closing scissors."
'There was some other contributing factors but I ended up taking leave early due to anxiety over this."
"So, so weird."
"When I returned the next year he had moved to a different school."- gaanmetd
Obsession Leads Down A Dangerous Path
"I had a student who became obsessed with my colleague."
"He started to believe he was in a relationship with this other teacher and it was the only reason to live."
"He’d corner the teacher a lot trying to get them to be alone."
"He told other students they were in a relationship."
"He even sat outside the teacher's apartment after following him home once."
"When I heard and saw how his crush was escalating I talked to the teacher and reported my concerns to admin."
"The other teacher was afraid he would lose his job because we are in the south and he’s gay and so he didn’t know how to handle the situation but was very uncomfortable."
"He was right, the student totally flipped out when admin and guidance confronted him."
"He assured them it was a real relationship, and started trying to corner other staff to find out who told."
"He was escorted off campus by police multiple times."
"The teacher was put on leave and just quit and moved to another state, after which someone told the student I’d been the one to report to admin."
"He started following me trying to find out where the teacher moved, interrupted my classes over and over even though I didn’t teach him, wanted to know what the teachers new address was, and threatening me."
"I had to be escorted to my car at the end of the day several times."
"We were all afraid of the student."
"He once stood outside the school for hours in front of the flag pole crying."
"I was sure the kid was going to hurt himself or someone else."
"I begged everyone to get the kid help."
"His mom didn’t believe any of it was true and refused all help that was offered like counseling and a psych eval."
"She told the school that if they called her again making up stories about her son she’d sue."
"It was a mess."- kllove
Heartbreaking
"Not evil scary, just scary."
"My dad was the elementary school principal and there was a little girl in one of the younger grades who would fall asleep during class and wouldn’t wake up no matter what her teacher or my dad or the paramedics my dad called would do."
"She’d eventually wake up on her own after several hours."
"She did this randomly, scaring her teacher, my dad and her parents a lot."
"Sadly, eventually, she died in her sleep at home."- tangcameo
The Sad Reason Some Schools Have Metal Detectors
"Pull a switchblade out & threaten another student."- F0ggers
Desperately Searching For Validation?
"Had a student tear up a bunch of kids' artwork, jump on a table, and throw said artwork at their faces all while shouting, 'I'm THE BEST! I'M THE NICEST! I'M THE GREATEST!' And laughing."- Mixedstereotype
"I have had several dangerously violent children over the course of my career, but it's been really bad the past three years."
"Kids trying to steal my teacher scissors so they could stab someone, flying desks and chairs, kicking and punching adults, self-harm, physically attacking younger students, vandalism, screaming and crying so loud no teaching can happen, growling when angry, running away."
"It never surprises me to hear of kids my students' ages being put in handcuffs."
"I teach Kinder and 1st grade."- azemilyann26
One Only Hopes They Did Something!
"I’m studying to be a teacher currently, and on one of my three-week placements in a school, a third grader had a notebook full from front to back with only the word 'stop. bad. don’t. dirt. sad'.”
"Repeated over and over and over."
"Yes it was reported, the school knew all about this, but as I am a student teacher, they didn't give me much more information."- NoLifeExperienceYet
Schools should be a sanctuary of learning and encouragement.
Making it all the more heartbreaking to think that some teachers and students enter the halls of their schools fearful for their lives on an almost regular basis.
First dates can be a lot of pressure. You barely know the person you’re going out with, and maybe you’ve talked a bit in person, but this is the first time you’re going to be with them one-on-one for an extended period of time.
The activity can make or break a first date.
Sometimes, a relationship that could’ve been really special never even starts because the first date was bad.
I like to walk around New York City on dates, and duck into whatever store or restaurant looks interesting. It’s a good way to get to do something you’ve always wanted to but never had a chance to (on one of my first dates, walking around the city led us to get our fortunes told), and it’s a great way to get to know the other person.
The women of Reddit have their own ideas on what an ideal first date would be, and they’re ready to share!
It all started when Redditor PhantomHydraPH asked:
“Girls of Reddit, what would be your ideal first date?”
The Supernatural Treatment
"Beer followed by ghost hunting and then ending the date at 8am over crappy diner breakfast."
– SeattleCoffeeRoast
Just Keep Moving
"Early on we had what my wife refers to as the epic date. Started with lunch, then a movie, then rock climbing, then dinner, then swing dancing, then back to her place. Was like 12 hours total. Figured anyone that could up with me that much was a keeper."
– Dyolf_Knip
The Great Escape
"A guy actually took me to do an escape room on the first date. It was actually pretty cool because not only was it an activity where we had something to focus on/break the ice, but was able to gauge how we would solve problems together right off the bat. Didn't work out with the guy past the second date but I always thought as far as first dates go it was a pretty good idea!"
"Bonus: weren't able to have our phones in the escape room so no distractions. Also they take a picture of your escape room group after so if the relationship worked out you have a cute pic from your first date :)"
– Successful-Income-22
""If we don't succeed, we'll have to be TOGETHER FOREVER!!!""
– ImpracticallySharp
Time For A Getaway
"Something casual that doesn’t have a big time commitment. Drinks, coffee, ice cream, or lunch/dinner"
– Appropriate_Tea9048
"I took my now girlfriend to a rooftop bar for drinks and apps. Spent the entire night talking. It was super chill and casual , it didn't feel like a date."
– Zomb1stuv
"Hey so - yeah, that worked for me. We did like a 7 or 8:00 coffee and dessert chill get together at a place that I knew of that well, had really good both. That was my last ever 2nd date, been together 12 years now."
"Its all upsides as far as I'm concerned: No pressure of a full dinner or anything, less formal, also some people are self conscious about what they order or eat in front of another person so it kind of eliminates that anxiety. The place itself is a conversation catalyst - if you pick someplace kind of neat, notice things about it, talk about what you like and don't like. If you've never been there before, "hey check this out" comes up a lot, or "hey, I've been here before and this one thing was *amazing* or "I've been wanting to try this since last time I was here" and all that."
"I should preface by saying that wasn't our FIRST first date, our first one was I met up with two and two of her friends someplace. First off, I left a good impression by not being surprised or mad she brought friends. We met online. You don't know anything about me but what I've told you, I totally get that you don't want to meet a guy alone for the first time. I managed to keep the whole both entertained for a while before it was time to head out."
"Lets keep this rolling: 2nd date should be something fun, not necessarily evening. For example every Saturday in the summer our town has a Riverfront Market with tons of vendor booths, food trucks, its pet friendly, farmers market stuff, live music and all that. Great place to just walk around and browse, grab a coffee or a pretzel, and just see what's going on. You still have something to *do* together so you're less likely to stall and feel on the spot, and you can get a feel for their interests and personality walking around in a place like that. See what they comment on or show interest in, and they can do the same. Its even better if you run into people you know."
– sohcgt96
Be Seen
"Somewhere public, but not crowded or organized. Like a fair or a festival where we can just walk around and chat and maybe go on a ride or play some games. I like rollercoasters so if you are close to an amusement park of some kind that'd be nice. It's going to differ for each woman though, I'm more wild and fun-loving!"
– TheTurbulentTeacher
"Somewhere public, but not crowded or organized"
"So not an MLM recruiting seminar. Got it."
– ncconch
Healthy Competition
"Putt putt! I think some type of activity with a little competition is a fun way to break the ice. Putt putt requires some skill but a lot is also luck so anyone can do it."
– summoe
"That sounds fun. I enjoy games."
– OriginalDarkDagger
"Something mildly competitive but mostly just fun, like going to an arcade, or one of those axe/knife throwing places, bowling or something like that. Then drinks and a bite. But really, if someone actually thought out ahead of time a plan to take me anywhere and then did it I’d be psyched no matter what we did."
– petrichor-punk
Investigation
"On the first date, I do a identification check, résumé check, credit check, diploma/certification check, and a charge for my time. It’s crazy out there and those platforms lie."
– Likeitisouthere
...HUH?!
"Whatever you do, don't take a girl on a "mystery surpise date!" that ends up being a nude beach, and then ask her to film you nakedly frolicking in the sea. This should not be followed up by a lunch at Panda Express where you give her very detailed stories of your (limited but bizarre) sexual encounters. Also, do not drag her to a Best Buy store after lunch so you can watch free TV on the displays."
"(I never again allowed a guy to pick me up for a date 👀)"
– fancifulsnails
"Oh my god, I am laughing but crying at the same time because yeah, how about NO! Does NO! work for you?"
"Also, always have your own transportation for a date in case you need to leave for reasons."
– eddyathome
Do Something
"Yea bowling, museum, then some food and talking is the way. As I have a bit of a hard time opening up with people, when it's just sitting across from each other the whole time. Need a bit of an activity, to loosen things up a bit. Also interesting to see if they are a sore loser, or willing to share techniques on how to do something. Just small ways, to see more about the person's character. As opposed to eating first and wondering if the other person, is putting on a front for you or not."
– LurkingAintEazy
"I agree with this. It should be casually competitive and random. Axe throwing would be fun."
– Burrito_Loyalist
Just One Date
"Drinks and a chat in a random pub, where we’ll play pool and I will demonstrate how cool and breezy I am and then to a gig where I will proceed to show you how uncool I actually am and then we fall in love so I never have to go on a first date again"
– NinetysRoyalty
Simple Works Too
"Married lady here, my first date with my now-husband was going to see a movie we both knew would be kinda bad, then grabbing drinks and a quick bite at a casual restaurant across the street."
"First dates don't have to be fancy, you don't need to pull out all these stops to woo the lady or ~sweep her off her feet~, you just have to be good company. It's all about the connection, not how much you spend or how romantic you make it."
"Also, just a bit of advice, a first date should always always always be in public, with other people around. Not a hangout at your place, and not a walk in the woods."
– VisualCelery
Stop And Smell The Roses
"Botanical garden!"
– yuzuandgin
"I’m liking this one. I’m convinced a botanical garden would force everyone to focus on the plants, weather, surroundings, etc. And in my experience, everyone’s living this hectic go-go lifestyle that it’s really lovely to see someone stop and admire plants, their leaves, etc. I’ve gone to a few botanical gardens, and the amount of times I’ve gotten caught up in smelling a flower or comparing my hand to the size of a humongous leaf, it’s fun! Also, one of the most attractive men I ever met would really stop in his tracks to admire the skyline and his surroundings, and his responses were genuine. Caught me off guard..."
– JminusRomeo
"I also like this. I love taking pictures of nature walking alone at a leisurely pace. If I found someone who also enjoyed this, that'd be more fun. Maybe they'd suggest a photo I would have thought of. They'd probably be more relaxed in general as a person. It also means talking about nature. People who enjoy nature are usually pretty cool."
– eddyathome
Read, Read, Read!
“Did this once with an ex. Went to a bookstore, looked around at the books and talked about what we had read etc, then we went and had a drink at a nearby bar. Then, each of us briefly got up from the table went back to the bookstore and got a book for the other person that we thought they would like. And then we discussed why we thought they would like the book over those drinks. It was really fun.”
– WhoIsYerWan
“This is good because it shows the other person you actually listened to them and thought about them. Also, books.”
– eddyathome
“Also interchangeable with coffee if drinks are not an option.”
– WhoIsYerWan
“Two bookworms' shared dream eh?”
– youraveragemasochist
Books and coffee? Sign me up!
Do you have an ideas to add? Let us know in the comments below.
Our stomachs don't agree with everything.
There are foods that make many of us sick... and not because of an allergy.
There is always going to be a meal that leaves a traumatic memory or three.
Not every ingredient is meant for everybody, afterall.
Redditor Ed_Paq wanted to hear about all the foods we can't consume, so they asked:
"What's the worst thing you ever ate?"
Liver. I just can't get onboard with liver.
Broken
"Was at a backyard concert. There was a bowl of jawbreakers. Grabbed one, chomped down, realized they were smoke bombs. Terrible. Vile. Spit and hacked and nearly threw up."
natiahs
Stinky
"A stinkbug crawled into my straw and I took a sip. Stunkbug in the mouth. It took forever to get that taste out of my mouth."
ladyamphetamine
"Oh that's disgusting. I freaking HATE those things. That smell is VILE. My bf bought a camper one fall and we were cleaning it out and it was INFESTED with stink bugs. That smell, walking into that - awful."
"I get them in my house occasionally. My cats love bugs. One cat saw a stink bug and tried to eat it. He freaked out because of the taste, he left a big drool mark on the floor and was rubbing his mouth with his paw. I gave him some food to try to help him. And his face smelled like a stink bug. 🤮 I had to use baby wipes on him."
PJKPJT7915
Nailed It
"My roommate's nails, he had clipped them and put them into my coke can that he thought I was done with."
adkiller
"When I was young my dad was clipping his toenails into a bowl, and my mother came and started eating them thinking it was rice. She got her revenge though, she got a sinus infection and put her tissues into a Mcdonald's cup. My dad drank it all."
Ouioui29
Just awful meat...
"I attended a wild game feed/sports banquet (WI in US for those curious). The usual staples were served: elk, fish, bear, etc. Someone decided to braise a coyote. I tried a small bite and it was so gamey. Just awful meat. I don't think there is cooking method known to mankind that could make it palatable. Could taste it for days after."
"Embarrassed-Lake-858
Spit
"Once drank a sip of chew spit from a red solo cup that was sitting next to my beer. Not my spit."
ngraver89
Spit is never ok.
Shots Up
"Cured shark meat in Iceland. It's so nasty they give you a shot of vodka to wash it down."
I_am_Orla
Yuck
"I've had a few periods of homelessness, I once lived for a couple of months on nothing but a carrier bag full of sample 2 packs of dry rivita."
"A couple of pieces of rivita, twice a day for weeks on end. It was like living on cardboard. Never want to see another piece,"
MrSpindles
The Smell
"I received a leather briefcase case as a gift. And used it sparingly. Didn’t have that kind of job. But still I kept some documents and basic crap. The thing smelled of leather as did everything that went in it. At some point a candy bar made its way into it and forgotten."
"Months go by, closer to a year and I was on the road. Opened that case from the back seat and see the bar. Took a big bite. It truly was the worst thing I had and have ever tasted. It had absorbed the leather and cheap tanning chemicals. 30 years later and I feel nauseous thinking of it."
ISeeEverythingYouDo
"Fancy"
"The cafeteria at my work served cordon bleu. I love cordon bleu. I opened up the covered container, and saw a microwaved chicken patty with a Kraft slice and a chunk of ham on top. It was soggy and tasted like what a gym sock+dead carcass would smell like because it was just laying on top soggy microwaved Brussels sprouts, soaking up all the liquid. I think there were carrots too, but I could barely stomach that chicken patty. Felt sick the rest of the shift, and had a foul taste in the back of my throat. I try not to eat their 'fancy' meals anymore."
PickledButterdog
Don't Bite
"When I was 14/15, I went to the fridge for some leftover pizza. Grabbed a slice, took a big bite. It tasted a little funky and when I looked at it, it was FULL of ants. Parents must have left it out overnight and the ants got into it... it was black inside."
F_I_N_E_
We may never eat again. Okay, that's probably an exaggeration but we will be very careful about the cups we use at parties and triple-checking things we take out of the fridge going forward.
I thought about being a delivery driver once.
Then I remembered the heinous pranks my friends and I would play on the pizza guys.
Shameful!
Also, after years of watching Dateline NBC, I'm not walking alone up to or into strangers' homes.
I can only imagine what some of these brave people walk away with burned on their psyche.
Redditor iicebath wanted to hear about all the crazy things delivery people have witnessed, so they asked:
"Delivery drivers of Reddit, what are some standout moments?"
Reminder: please tip generously because you never know what your delivery folks have been through that night.
Spark it Up
"A guy offered me weed. After I refused he insisted on giving me something, so he went opened a package of nutter butters. I grabbed a handful. They were good."
Tech_Enthusiast49376
WEEERRKKKK!!!
"Walked into a giant skyscraper in central London to deliver a parcel for a guy named Thomas, at the reception I'm told he will be in his office, so I walk in and find him dancing by himself in the corner with no music or AirPods or anything, he's facing the corner just doing the Carlton, so he had no idea I was just standing and watching."
"I leave the room and just try to reevaluate what I just witnessed, when I walk back in he is standing behind a table acting like nothing just happened. So I hand him my parcel and he just thanks me and signs for it. I have never got a delivery from Thomas to this day."
jamessaleh190e
Corpses
"I used to collect biohazards from doctors' offices, hospitals, and other places. I think people that work in funeral homes like to mess with the living. I saw way too many dead, naked bodies at that job. Did that job for 6 years and then went back to slinging office supplies. I have not seen a dead body since."
unhalfbricklayer
blah blah blah...
"I used to deliver Appliances for a major home improvement store. I'm at the end of my shift and standing at the back of the truck finishing up my paperwork in a... not great part of town. Suddenly I hear someone walking up behind me and turn to see three young men approaching my truck."
"My initial instinct is to just be, 'take what you want, blah blah blah,' but as soon as I'm about to go into my prepared statement the guy asks if I have any leftover boxes because they have to help his aunt move the next day. So I got rid of all my cardboard in one shot and had one less thing to worry about when I got back to the warehouse."
plucky13
Just Chill
"Delivered food to a guy on Friday afternoon. He answered the door in his hi-viz vest and tighty whities. I've never seen a man more chill with himself than that dude."
Thrownawaybyall
People really have no shame sometimes.
Not a Drop
"I left the drinks on the roof of my car and made it to a stop light two turns away. A guy behind me got out of his car and handed me the drinks through the window and I was so shocked that nothing spilled I couldn't even thank him. I just exclaimed 'Omg how did they not spill!' and he ran back to his car."
unseenwreckage
'Oh, you're here!'
"Pre cell phone and gps days (1979), I was delivering carpets to an unfamiliar town. We got high to start the trip, lost the directions, but knew the address. We were so lost. We drove until we saw some people in a yard, and stopped to ask directions. Before we said anything, they said 'Oh, you're here!' We somehow found the right house. We dropped off the carpets, no complaints the next day. It must have been the right place."
eightfingeredtypist
Keep the Carvel
"Did Doordash for some extra cash on the weekends about 3 years ago. Had a Carvel order going to a funeral home. In my head I was thinking it was definitely a funeral where some kid was so upset that they ordered ice cream to calm them down and cheer them up. I arrive to the funeral home and it's empty."
"I knock on the front door and a few seconds later a dude answers in nothing but his boxers. Behind him another dude was looking at himself in the mirror that was hanging on the wall. That dude was also in nothing but his boxers. Weird sh*t to be happening inside of a funeral home."
F_a_username
Deliveroo
"I'll never forget when I worked for Deliveroo arriving at the customers door, lifting up the big bag of food to hand it to them, and the entire bottom of the bag fell out, leaving their whole order spilled across their door step. I remember their face of pure shock so vividly. I offered to help clean it, of course, but they refused, I think they just wanted me outta there, haha."
MacyTmcterry
Preparation & Dessert
"Still my favorite delivery. On a Saturday night, they ordered a pint of gourmet ice cream and a box of condoms."
fd1Jeff
There is so much to learn about people from their deliveries... and I am SHOOK!