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People Explain Which Things Seem Harmless But Are Actually Incredibly Dangerous

People Explain Which Things Seem Harmless But Are Actually Incredibly Dangerous
Image by Amílcar Vanden-Bouch from Pixabay

Taking that epic selfie from high off the ground may be worth it for all the likes you're hoping to receive after posting it on social media, but it's not worth risking your life for.


Sure, the idea of getting that impressive shot from the edge of a cliff or near the edge of a rooftop deck on a high-rise may seem harmless, but unfortunately, there have been numerous reports of tourists dying while trying to get that viral selfie.

Curious to hear examples of the potential dangers around us we don't even think about, Redditor Crimtot asked:

"What seems harmless but is incredibly dangerous?"

Warnings exist for a reason.

Why Everyone Buckles Up

"Having a loose animal in the car. A safety instructor once told me doctors had to dig dog bones out of a person after it got between them and an airbag."

villemairejones

"Same with unrestrained people."

"They become projectiles."

"Story of a car full of adults. No seatbelts. With a child/baby properly strapped in in the back seat. Got into a major accident. Baby was killed due to the unrestrained adult being tossed around in the car therefore crushing and impacting the baby."

"Might have been an older drivers Ed scare tactic story but it seems feasible."

RavishingRedRN

Anesthesia Protocol

"Having a small snack before a medical procedure that requires anesthesia. Intubation can cause you to throw up your food and you can choke."

joedumpster

"And the food won't just get stuck in your throat as it comes up, it can pass into your lungs."

Grouchy_Salad89

It Cuts Deep

"Mandolin slicer. USE THE HANDGUARD. Or lose a thumb....."

justanotherlead

Kids can't identify potential dangers until it's too late.

They're Pretty Dangerous

"Kids picking flowers in the park. I am a conservation Technician for a county park system, at least once a year I have to stop parents with kids picking flowers off the trail because I see kids with either poison hemlock (one of the deadliest plants if injesting even a tiny amount) or wild parsnip, which can cause some serious permanent scarring, burns, and boils if the sap gets on to your skin and is exposed to sunlight. Don't let your kids pick or eat anything you aren't 100% sure of."

whafteycrank

This Tracks

"Walking along the train tracks. It's crazy how fast millions of pounds of freight can sneak up on you."

kwick818

river phoenix 80s GIFGiphy

Exploration

There is a thrill element to going places where you shouldn't. Unless you're an expert.

Claustrophobic Much?

"Confined spaces, above ground or worse, below the surface. If you do urban exploration, caving, or anything like that, get a 4 gas detector, clip it to you chest or belt, and set the alarm to max. If it makes a sound, get the fuck out or you are going to die."

yearof39

Watch Your Step

"walking off the boardwalks at Yellowstone. They have several signs pressing that even though the ground may look normal in those areas it could be really thin. I've seen people do it anyway. Looks safe ≠ safe."

Kryptoseyvyian

That Bites

The pain from the initial bite was the least of their worries.

Meow-ch!

"Cat bites. Cat fangs puncture deep and trap bacteria deep within your tissue, leading to horrible infections. You might think one isn't serious because it's not bleeding much, but that just means the wound isn't flushing properly - if you get seriously bitten by a cat, it's very important to go to urgent care so they can properly disinfect the wound."

Notmiefault

The Worst Bite There Is

"A human bite. I worked at a kindergarten and one kid was sometimes super sweet but sometimes really mean. He could switch in a second. While I was naming the colouring pages they were about to get he walked up to me and bit me in the arm. Didn't think it was through, cuz no blood. But it started swelling and getting red and the marks were clearly there. Went to the doc right after my shift. He explained a human bite is the second most dangerous bite there is. Got antibiotics but they didn't work. Arm just kept swelling and getting completely dark purple over two days. Doctor sent me to the hospital where I got strong antibiotics. Basically everything in me was cleaned with that sh*t, felt weak for months. If it didn't start working by that night is have to come back and be hospitalised to get my underarm removed. I've sh@t some bricks there. Never thought a kids bite could cause this. Luckily the swelling got less and the bruise stopped spreading so I still have my arm, but that was very close."

"EDIT: For the people who asked me if I punished the kid, his parents did that for me. My coworker reported the incident to the parents and it was one of his last days there as they were moving (this was planned before he bit me.) His parents were really sorry and a few days later when I worked again, it was the last time I'd see him and the parents brought him towards me because they wanted him to apologize. My arm was still fairly swollen and purple at that point and he was absolutely shocked that he had been the cause of that. He apologized with tears in his eyes and actually hugged me. He promised me never to bite anyone again (apparently he had bitten his family and even other children before! So far no one had gotten an infection apart from me.) and I really think he meant that. Still had a good day with him, but was still pretty mad as I was scared my antibiotics stopped working or something but now that I think back on him he's not a bad kid, just a troubled mind that didn't get the right treatment. But a scare not the less!"

stuetel

Dangers Of Water

We drink it, we swim in it – heck, we're comprised mostly of it. But there are things that will make you extra cautious about oceans and pools after reading these comments.

Out To Sea

"Riptide and 4ft waves....my friend drowned at the beach from a sneaker set. Terrible."

garbage_band

"For everyone else reading this - keeping swimming parallel to shore. You'll get pulled out a little bit, but more importantly you'll also get out of the riptide without being exhausted and can then get back."

SnooMacarons9344

Bedsheet Underwater

"Pool covers. It's like being wrapped in a bedsheet underwater. You cannot get free and you cannot scream for help. Once you're in the only way to get out is to be incredibly lucky and get free or have faith that someone saw or heard you fall in and hope that they get you in time."

"It's a lengthy, terrifying, death that's completely avoidable."

A_Wild_VelociFaptor

"fun fact i actually almost died bc of this as a little kid at a pool party, neighbor's dog noticed though and barked at the pool until someone came by."

vadadaism

Not A Playground

"Oceanside cliff blow holes. People think they're so much fun to stand around and play with. You fall into one of those things, you aren't getting out. The waves will just bludgeon you against the rocks until you die or you're lucky enough to drown first."

Symnestra

You'll have to take some of the horrifying comments above with a grain of salt. Living in fear is no way to live, as they say.

But one should still be mindful of the potential dangers around us and to heed the general warnings signs – which exist for a reason.

You may feel invincible by going for that boast-worthy selfie or exploring areas at a national park where you shouldn't.

But remember – luck won't always be on your side.

Things People Secretly Love But Would Never Admit To In Public

Reddit user sweet_chick283 asked: 'What do you secretly love that you would never admit to in public?;

Collection of VHS tapes
Bruno Guerrero/Unsplash

What makes us all unique is our passions and the things we love, whether it's singing in the shower, reading books, or listening to specific music artists.

Unfortunately, we live in a world where we are judged for our various tastes and interests thanks to social media, and it makes us consciously selective about sharing the things we love on the internet.

Curious to hear about people's personal desires under anonymity, Redditor sweet_chick283 asked:

"What do you secretly love that you would never admit to in public?"

These aren't really chores for the following Redditors.

Good Clean Fun

"Mopping, im a janitor and generally hate my work... but damn mopping is so good."

– MrDDog06

"When you have a great rhythm going it is something special. I get the same feeling while I vacuum, but won’t let my wife know I enjoy it."

– Bogus_34

Act Of Unwrinkling

"Ironing clothes. A dozen of them. Can’t explain how it relaxes me. I told one person and they looked at me like I’m crazy."

– eerie_white_glow

"My mum misses the days when dad would be out on a Friday night, my brother out with friends and me upstairs quietly playing PS1. She would pour herself a Bacardi & Coke and do the ironing while watching her TV shows."

"I'm sure she doesn't really miss it now that we've moved out and they've retired but it was her wind-down after a busy working week so I can see how people can find it relaxing."

– xdq

Our solo actions can spark joy.

Big Brother Is Watching

"pretending to be on the Truman show and whenever im in my house i act all inconspicuous so they dont know that i know that they’re watching me."

– Bec_121

"C’mon man, you’re not supposed to let him know. You signed a contract when signing up for live views. I’m reporting you."

– doeswaspsmakehoney

The Multi-Tasker

"Playing video games naked at home while eating cheese."

– thickening_agent

Releasing The Kraken

"I love the feeling when you've eaten good fibre and let out a solid long train log in the toilet. That feeling is heavenly."

– therapoootic

"Even better when it’s a clean wipe and not a poo crayon."

– TheWarmestHugz

Ultimate Comfort

"My (male 41) weekend routine is coming home from work, make hot chocolate, start a fire, dress in a ugly pink nightgown made for old ladies and watch forensic files."

– crazyloomis

Some people are obsessed with collecting things.

So Kawai

"Sanrio stationery stores. All those different multicolor pens, a thousand kinds of erasers, spiral bound notebooks galore... my kids sadly have absolutely no appreciation for this wonderland..."

– HavingNotAttained

It's A Staple

"Office supplies have a weird, special place in my heart ever since I was a kid. They don't even have to be 'cute' necessarily."

"Japan's legendary stationery stores is unironically a reason I want to go."

– _CozyLavender_

Not Caring Anymore

"The older I get the shorter that list gets. Not because I love less things, but because I don't care about hiding it."

– Bi-Beast

"YES!! I'm 53 now. I'm working my first job in public since 2006. Today is Halloween and we're allowed to dress up so I am sitting here waiting to go to work dressed as a VERY bad Wednesday Addams. My bf said I'd 'look stupid' because no one else will probably dress up and I'm like, 'WHO CARES!' My makeup looks horrible and not like I practiced, but I DO NOT CARE! I'm having fun with it anyhow and I don't care if my coworkers dress up or not. I'm bein' ME! :)"

– deanie1970

Honorable mentions start here.

The Savior

"Picking up worms from the street and sidewalks when it rains and moving them into the dirt so they don’t burn in the sun, every time it rains I do this."

– sky_kitten89

Hero Of The Moment

"Yoooo I scoot SO many snails and worms. I work as a tech/mechanic at an automotive shop, I had a peoject car towed to my house the other day and it was covered in snails. I saw them when the tow guy/coworker was unloading and I was like, 'oh! It comes with free snails!' and began moving them. He laughed then realized and said, '... Oh, you're serious. Uh... Okay.'"

"I don't care who knows it. These little things barely can look out for themselves, why shouldn't we if we can take a moment to help? I don't care what happens next, it probably doesn't matter overall but I can help this moment."

– chris14020

Why should some of the hidden desires mentioned above have to be secret?

Redditors opening up about some of these would make them a hit at parties–no shaming.

As a matter of fact, I'll totally be down for a Forensic Files viewing party where we all make hot chocolate, light the fireplace, and cozy up together in our respective pink ugly nightgowns for old ladies.

historical reenactors
Sigmund on Unsplash

We've probably all heard some variation of the saying "Truth is stranger than fiction."

Real life isn't just strange, it can also be downright ridiculous.

History is riddled with moments of absurdity.

So ridiculous that people have a hard time believing real life is, well, really real.

Keep reading...Show less