Redditor ViolatingBadgers wanted to hear the lessons we've learned about survival and avoidance, so they asked:
"What, due to experience, do you know not to f**k with?"
Don't mess with alligators or wildlife in general.
What is with these YouTube people taunting things with big, sharp teeth?
Stay Quiet
dont tell shut up GIF by BounceGiphy"If someone at work tries to badmouth someone else and they ask you about what you think about that person, JUST KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT!!"
Kororo_chan
Bodies of Water
"Water. Rivers. Current. I'm a fairly good swimmer, and I wanted to swim in a river where the current seemed really tame. Boy was I wrong, just a small moving body of water dragged my poor body like a leaf in the wind."
guacamol705
"Do not go swimming in (or jumping over) the Strid. Hella undercurrents, several kolkgate (I don't know what it is in English but like water-carved potholes in rocks), slippery round boulders at the top, etc."
"The river seems narrow and innocent, but it's basically a big flat river turned sideways. There are bubbles all throughout the water so apparently you cannot float or come up as you aren't buoyant anymore. There are some cool YouTube videos about it."
7CuriousCats
You can feel it...
"Intuition. If something feels wrong stop. It doesn't matter if it's stepping out onto a snow-covered slope, pulling up to a sketchy gas station, or putting too small of a piece of wood in a table router, listen when your brain tells you 'This is a bad idea.'"
5hiphappens
"I read an article that intuition is your subconscious brain picking up on cues that you are unaware of. After I read that article I pay more attention to it."
CCrabtree
The Killer
"Heat. Your sanity is the first thing to go in heat stroke. You aren't even aware anything is wrong. You just know you're pissed, there's a weird buzzing sensation in your head/chest, and the world doesn't feel right. And then you're a zombie looking for anything to cool off with, and shortly after that, you're unconscious."
"It escalated too quickly for half a dozen rational adults to notice before exhaustion set in. Heat will kill you quicker than you think."
MikkelandDime
Stay Clean
Shocked Champions League GIF by Manchester UnitedGiphy"Not immediately washing and disinfecting an open wound."
slimpawws
"My mom knew a guy that had to have his leg chopped off because a cut got infected. It was insane. Chop. The infection kept coming. Chop some more. He survived, but he lost a leg. Spent a long time in the hospital."
FrostyIcePrincess
Do not play games with open wounds.
Infection is everywhere.
Be clean and safe.
Watch the Fall
Season 6 GIF by ABC NetworkGiphy"Ladders. I worked in an ED at a major trauma center and the number of otherwise healthy people who came in paralyzed or soon-to-be-dead from falling off ladders was eye-opening."
StrebLab
Stay Alert
"Drowsy driving..."
"ETA: Back in 2015, I had an incident where I fell asleep behind the wheel."
"It was in mid-August, and I had fallen asleep on my way home from work after a 16-hour night shift because my job messed up the schedule (we couldn’t work more than 12 in a single shift). All I remember is I was driving, then I was waking up in a hospital 4 hours away from home."
"No clue where I was or what happened. I had suffered a major TBI and have been mentally different ever since. Had a pretty major concussion following the accident. It happened in the backroads of southern Idaho, and I was lucky to have come out of it with 0 broken bones. Everyone at the hospital was saying I was lucky to have survived. There were witnesses who saw the whole wreck, a couple of high schoolers on their lunch."
"I read the police report and witness statements, and according to them, my car rolled 6.5 times, ended up wheels up and I was partially ejected (laying half in and half out of the car through the window) my seatbelt buckle had broken as the car was coming to rest."
i_am_invictus
Trust Me
"My health. Getting older you rediscover all those old hurts. When I was 20 I hyperextended both elbows playing volleyball. 15 years later my elbows started aching in the winter. :( "
"Also my teeth. It falls under health, but not everyone thinks about the dentist when they think about health. If you are reading this please floss. It's a small thing that can make a huge difference later. Trust me."
kongwasframed
Friday Night
"Head injuries. I had a single friend that got into a bar room scuffle. He got knocked down and hit his head on a tiled floor. Got back up and said that's it for tonight. He lived alone and that was on a Friday night."
"When he didn't show up for work on Monday with a no-call, that raised some eyebrows. When he didn't show up on Tuesday, someone went out to his place and broke in after no answer. He was dead on the kitchen floor. The doctor guessed a brain bleed."
"I think about him every time I see a video of someone getting knocked out."
lestairwellwit
Trust Me
Girl Car GIFGiphy"Trusting people's blinkers to mean they are turning."
Ok-Avocado-5876
"Alternatively, trusting people’s lack of blinkers to mean they are going straight."
GhostRideATank
The turn signal situation is something that burns me.
HOW HARD IS IT TO USE YOUR SIGNALS!!
Drives me crazy!
Best not to get involved
"No shame in running away from a fight."- SuvenPan·
Always be open to alternatives
"There's more than one way to get home."
"If you see something shady going on on your normal route you're better off taking the long way than getting involved with whatever is happening."- RedPanther1
Show confidence... even if you arent...
"Always act like you know where you are going."- Grenuille
GIF by Town & KeyGiphySometimes bringing attention to yourself pays off...
"Know that criminals rely on their victims to be polite and not cause a scene or draw attention to themselves."
"When something happens to you, scream and shout."
"Make it known you’re in danger."- brkh47
Be aware of your surroundings, and hold on to your belongings
"If you're in a big town or a city and a group of kids surround you, keep your hands in your pockets and don't let them get behind you."
"Some will try to distract you while others pickpocket you."- Melonmode
How long have you got...
"There is no good reason to loiter in a city, especially at night."
"Stay moving."
"Look at street signs and sh*t only long enough to know where you are."
"Walk quickly, but like you're in a hurry to go somewhere, not leave where you are."
"Mind your business."
"Any yelling, fighting, or any source of commotion should be ignored."
"Move away from it immediately--you have more important shit to do, act like it."
"If someone calls out to you or tries to stop you, don't break stride."
"Respond immediately by briefly glancing at their face, their eyes, and their hands, in that order."
"Immediately look back in your direction of travel, shake your head and loudly say 'I got sh*t going on'."
"Keep moving."
"If they persist, just repeat it while walking away."
"A stressed, visibly engaged person looks dangerous."
"Cultivate a pissed-off expression."
"Not 'bad@ss', don't try to look like someone you're not."
"Just look mad, inconvenienced, and on the way to deal with it."
"Don't hold eye contact longer than four seconds, and don't break it faster than two."
"When you break eye contact, glance down to diffuse a situation, and look away to the side to display confidence."
"Break one law at a time."
"If you're doing nefarious sh*t, dress like you're on the way to or from work."
"Make sure your car is sorted, all lights work, tags are current, full tank of gas, etc."
"Keep your speed within five MPH of the posted limit."
"Don't have bumper stickers, window decals, or anything hanging from the rearview mirror."
"Wear your f*cking seatbelt."
"Unless you absolutely know you need a gun, just don't f*ck with them."
"Never keep it on you."
"Never carry drugs, stolen sh*t, or anything illegal with a gun, and don't keep or store any of that stuff in the same place as a gun."
"Anything + a gun = much longer sentencing guidelines, and mandatory minimums."
"Just don't f*ck with guns."
"Never let someone force you into a car, an alleyway, inside a house, anything."
"Never."
"No matter what the situation, your odds are better if you fight or run."
"If someone pulls a gun on you and is farther away than about 15-20 feet, run away from them at an angle."
"It is a lot harder to hit a moving target with a handgun than most people realize."
"Even if you know how to fight, avoid it whenever possible."
"Graveyards are full of people who thought they were hard."
"If any of this is something you have to think about on a regular basis, change your life."
"This is not the way people are supposed to live."- kiloheavy
Don't text and drive... or walk!
"Stay THE F*CK off your phone and pay attention to your surroundings."
"Best way to get knocked over the head and your pockets ran is with your nose in your phone and your earbuds in."- mediaG33K
Sometimes best NOT to give the benefit of the doubt...
"Don't talk to any strangers and don't let them stop you on the street."
"Just keep walking."- gmilfmoneymilk·
Vivien Leigh Quote GIF by Top 100 Movie Quotes of All TimeGiphyNo matter where you are, it's always best to be aware of your surroundings.
And whenever possible, wise to avoid walking alone at night.
That's why we have Lyft.
Curious to hear why strangers would volunteer to wear a face covering, Redditor VerySlump asked:
"What’s a non-covid reason that you like wearing a mask for?"
Some people like that masks are a partial disguise.
Hiding Idiosyncrasies
"Whenever I’m concentrating or working on a task I tend to stick my tongue out or leave my mouth open and I really like it when people don’t see that."
– Conscious_Fondant634
What Loose Skin?
"Covers my double chin."
– Catlover2727
"Made me realize the top half of my face looks gooood. Chin waddle not so much."
– Unique-Drawer-7845
Covering Pimples
"Hides my acne."
– gabrielcutler21
"Thank you! A few years ago this tailgating lady confronted me and called me a druggie and I assume it was because of my acne and it really took the wind out of me. I really don't look like a methany... I hope?"
– shewholaughslasts
Self-Consciousness
"It hides my teeth."
– salmonsensual_69
"Same! Overbite checking in. I am considering getting braces while wearing a mask is still a thing."
– Blijerd
It's A Look
"Black mask goes hard with my outfit and hairstyle."
– pineapple_boiii
Half The Effort
"Don’t have to put on a full face of makeup. Fill in my eyebrows, put on mascara and I’m good!"
– tofueggs
Some prefer masks as a block from social stigmas.
Leaving A Shadow
"Nobody notices if I didn't shave."
– paulfromatlanta
These Low Effort Jobs Have Surprisingly High Salaries | George Takei’s Oh Myyy
Have you ever worked one of those jobs that paid you to kinda sit there? If you have, you know the joy that comes with watching the entirety of Breaking Bad ...For The Introvert In All Of Us
"Allergies, and so I can ignore people."
– FightingBlaze77
"Took awhile before I found someone saying they can ignore people. For me it's more of I can fly under the radar of people I know. Sunglasses mask combo is complete anonymity!"
– deepdalecobra
Protection From Olfactory Assault
"Nasty smell in subway."
– ChristianaDarkness
"I agree. Smells in general."
– butterandsaltforever
Masks Make Me Look Attractive
"When this all started I noticed women making eye contact with me more than normal. The I figured it out, I'm a 6 foot tall guy in decent shape, nice hair, and a face like a chimpanzee. With the mask I look like I could be attractive."
– AUSTRALIA_IS_MADE_UP
Talking To Myself
"I can talk to myself without people seeing my mouth move."
– Weak_suicide
Workout Performance
"Same. I can 'lip sync' along to my Spotify while at gym and no one can see 😂"
– ChenzyHouse
Warmth
"I was in New York a month ago (I live in Florida). It wasn’t cold enough for New Yorkers to wear scarfs yet, but it felt like it to me because I live in the south. So wearing a face mask was a handy way to warm my face without looking like a tourist lol."
– selfmade117
Viral pathogens aren't the only things floating in the air that can wreak havoc when entered through your nasal cavity.
When The Pollen Count Is High
"I have pollen allergies, mask helps a TON."
– UnclePiccolo
Outfit For Lawn Mowing
"I wore a mask to cut my grass due to bad grass/weed allergies before Covid and now I wonder if my neighbors think I’m just insane wearing a mask cutting the grass now."
– Escalante81
A Shield For All Occasions
"I haven't had a cold for nearly 2 years IT'S BEEN AMAZING"
– fluffofthewild
Extra Protection
"I'm a fresh heart transplant patient and I'm required to wear one in public for the first year. Not strictly COVID, but literally any pissbaby infection that most anyone can shrug off could kill me at this stage. 🤷♂️"
– MikoRiko
When I was a kid, I always found it unusual that people in Japan always wore masks out in public.
No one bats an eye.
Turns out they were on to something. Many cultures outside the U.S. have employed the use of masks to prevent the spreading of the cold or flu or other infectious pathogens way before COVID-19 wreaked global havoc.
It's nothing for them in endeavoring to protect others and themselves from a nasty bug.
Personally, wearing masks actually trained me not to rub my nose in public, which is how I've been prone to getting sick in the past when my hands weren't always clean. So even if I don't have to, I wear one to make remind me that I don't have an itchy nose.
What are your non-pandemic reasons for wearing a mask?
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