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The ancient Romans used to say, "Forewarned is forearmed." Well, they were generally smart and reasonable folks, so it's actually hard to argue with this saying. So indeed, if you definitely know that some thing or activity can be really dangerous, then most likely you minimize this danger.
Well, some will call this list of ours a tad bit paranoid, and some will say that we are exaggerating. But, firstly, it’s better to always be on guard, and secondly, it’s not only us who think so, but also numerous netizens in a viral thread, a selection of the most interesting opinions of which we suggest to you today.
More info: Reddit
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Someone else in the vehicle not wearing their seatbelt. A 200 lb passenger not wearing their seatbelt turns into a 200 lb sack of meat and bones flying around the cabin during a collision. If they smack into you then you're f****d.
Even if you don't respect your own safety and wellbeing, respect the safety and wellbeing of the other people in the car. Wear your seatbelt, wear your seatbelt, WEAR YOUR F*****G SEATBELT!
DennyS (denzoren) 2 weeks ago
Same with loose objects in your vehicle. Any item of weight on the back dashboard turns into a projectile during a crash.
RELATED:
#2
Moving water. It doesn't take much flowing water to knock you off your feet, or float a car.
#3
Pool drains. I have the worst fear of pool drains, especially the large square drains, because in 2000, I got stuck to a massive square drain the size of a door at the bottom of a community pool when it accidentally turned on. Luckily, the lifeguard immediately jumped into action and had the drain turned off. They had to cut out my hair and I had the worst Posh Spice bob for the rest of 5th grade. In most recent years, due to several pool drain-related deaths, I’ve read that pool drain covers have to be “dome-like” and there are two drain systems, so if someone gets stuck on one drain, the suction goes to the other drain. I have a slight obsession with looking up pool drain safety these days.
The original thread appeared on the AskReddit community quite a long time ago, and during this time, probably many new potentially dangerous things have appeared (suffice it to say that the thread is pre-Covid). However, the question "What could k**l you in your daily life that people don't even understand [is] that dangerous?" collected over 29K upvotes and around 16K different comments.
So we sincerely believe that a selection of people's opinions on this issue, given the number of comments, will really be useful and interesting for anyone. Because in this case, the number of comments clearly turns into quality.
#4
Stress. stress can k**l. had a few middle aged friends who were working on this or that project. often not even work related. pulling late hours. definitely complained of stress. no health issues. just stress. boom, they drop dead or don't wake up.
likewise have known people in grief or other emotional stress. they die planning the funeral or on the way to the funeral or something. no previous health issues, just intense emotions. stress can k**l.
#5
Falling. From any height including on level ground. You just have to hit your head in a particular way and that's it for you. One of my biggest fears is falling in the bathroom, hitting my head and dying. Then someone will have to retrieve my dead, naked and probably rotting body. So embarrassing.
#6
18 wheelers. Can’t believe the amount of future Darwin Award recipients playing road games and brake checking semis...
DennyS (denzoren) 2 weeks ago
Not to mention trying to "rush" an oncoming semi. Saw a guy do it once and the car got dragged for about a quarter mile...no one felt sorry for him (only vehicle damage, no injuries).
By and large, after reading this selection of stories, even the calmest and most cold-blooded person can get goosebumps. From stairs to pool drains, from beach umbrellas to escalators - literally everything that surrounds us can become a source of an unpleasant incident with a fatal outcome. And people from all over tell many stories that only confirm this fear.
#7
Mixing alcohol with Tylenol. You might not see the effects for years, but it can cause crazy liver damage.
#8
Ladders.
There's a surprising amount of fatalities from people falling off ladders every year.
Edit: there have to be at least 100+ stories of fatalities, people getting maimed, injuries, or at best lucky close calls in response to this post. I've read them all and some of it is downright tragic. Be careful people, and don't let your boss browbeat you into using a ladder when you shouldn't (rickety ladder, too short for the job, on a slippery surface, etc).
Kathy Richardson 2 weeks ago
I was using a 2 foot stepladder, my foot got stuck when descending, I fell and hit the ground. Snapped my fibula and broke my knee in two places, had to use a wheel chair for two months then a walker for an additional month and a half before I was allowed to put my full weight on that leg. The weird thing is that it didn't even cause that much pain (I guess I have a high tolerance), but every time I have to step on a stool or even just one step up a ladder I feel my heart start racing, I break out in a cold sweat and get the shakes really bad. I HATE ladders now.
#9
Water.... we take it for granted, but that b***h will k**l you.
Don't drink enough.... dead. Drink too much.... dead. Inhale some.... dead. Standing outside when it's coming down... swept away and dead.
On the other hand, aren't these fears excessive? After all, virtually anything around us can play a fatal role in our lives - one just has to gape a bit, or find themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. As for examples and statistics, you can really pick suitable examples for any life situation, providing these examples with convincing statistical data.
#10
Not getting enough sleep - short term, just not being alert increases your risk for an accidental injury or worse, and longer term sleep deprivation issues could lead to illness or death.
Green Tree 2 weeks ago
I don't remember the exact mechanics but sleep is essential for brain functioning. If you wanna keep your brain working get your sleep.
#11
Smoldering ashes. Ashes can smolder for hours, and you won't even notice. I have a two stage system for outside ashtrays, and a safe spot for the grill to cool down overnight. Never take chances with any form of fire.
Speaking of, dryer lint, clean out your lint trap, clean out the exhaust point for your dryer, and check that everything is working properly.
Mel in Georgia 2 weeks ago
Don't empty your fireplace ashes the morning after you've had a fire - the little coals can smolder a long time. And use a metal ash can!
#12
Escalators can completely destroy you.
"All the examples from this collection can actually be divided into three groups," says Irina Matveeva, a psychologist and certified NLP specialist, whom Bored Panda asked for a comment here. "The first are fears based on literally isolated cases, the second are sometimes dangerous things, and the third are widespread and well-known dangers - for example, stress or lack of sleep."
"Accordingly, a person's reaction here should be different - you need to sensibly assess the risk from unlikely dangers. For example, the fact that sometimes people get stuck to pool drains doesn’t mean that you should avoid swimming pools for the rest of your life. But it is really worth taking reasonable precautions - for example, checking the probable risks."
#13
Diabetes. Had a friend die the year after high school from diabetes no one knew he had. Everyone said the only possiblity was some sort of accident, as we'd all seen him only weeks prior and he was healthy then (plus you couldn't not like the guy, no way anyone would ever k**l him). Was shocked to say the least when I found out he died of diabetes. Sounds like a very painful way to go.
#14
A rotten tooth put my friend in intensive care for ten days with a terrible infection in his blood. He almost died.
DennyS (denzoren) 2 weeks ago
Infections in the mouth are close to nerve endings and once it becomes inflamed pain meds have difficulty working...also remember that your teeth are very close to your brain.
#15
So I know this wouldn’t apply to everyone’s daily life, but my full time job is at a zoo and I work at our sea lion exhibit where people can feed the animals from the top of a ledge. One of the safety rules we have is don’t dangle your arms over the ledge because it’s teasing the animal and that’s the signal to them that you have fish so if you keep your arms over long enough looking like you’re holding a fish, it’s possible that sea lion will jump to your hand and bite you. A lot of people disregard this rule because the want to get the animal’s attention. What a lot of people don’t realize is that 1) sea lions have extremely sharp teeth and can and most likely will hurt you if they bite you. 2) Sea lion bites have an extremely high infection rates and if you’re bitten you will most likely contract an illness called “seal finger” if not treated properly, seal finger can actually lead to the loss of hand function and fingers themselves. If not treated it all it may possibly lead to death.... and not a lot of medical professionals are used to treating sea lion bites so.
"As for such widely known dangers as stress or lack of sleep, it seems to me that they appeared in this selection precisely because they represent a delayed menace to our health. Accordingly, people often neglect these risks because they don’t believe that something bad can happen to them. And then, alas, it becomes too late to react..." Irina Matveeva summarizes.
What you definitely shouldn't do is give in to panic and deprive yourself of the usual or unusual joys of life simply because someone once suffered from this. In the end, it is far from certain that the described danger will definitely turn into something more real. But you shouldn't lose your vigilance either.
#16
There was a story [two years ago] of a woman who was struck and k****d by a beach umbrella that wasn't fastened down properly while vacationing in Virginia Beach. The wind picked the umbrella up and it landed on her chest as she walked by. Worst of all, this was on her birthday AND marriage anniversary.
#17
Hydraulics. If you work in industry you're constantly around hydraulics containings hundreds of psi of a heavy, non compressable fluid that requires zero licensing or specific training to work on. Just as potentially dangerous as electricity without many understanding just how hazardous it can be.
Jeremy James 2 weeks ago
I just went down a rabbit hole, learning how hydraulics work. It's pretty mind-blowing!
#18
I still see people light up a smoke while pumping gas. You’d think this would be common knowledge as well as common sense, but evidently not.
In any case, we do believe that this selection will become a source of useful information for you, and from now on, you will look at familiar things from a new angle, sensibly and rationally assessing the probable risks to health and life. By the way, if you also have something to say about this, we’re already waiting for your comments under this post.
#19
The sun.
Most common cause of heat stroke is not covering the back of your neck when out on a hot day.
Forrest Hobbs 2 weeks ago
I'm pretty sure the entire population of Australia is up to date with the risk posed by the sun. 😁
#20
Don't hide in a clothes dryer when playing hide and seek. Some of those are airtight and you will suffocate to death.
Edit: RIP, my inbox, holy s**t.
#21
People don’t realise how toxic alcohol is.
DennyS (denzoren) 2 weeks ago
Especially when it's consumed as often and regular as some people do.
#22
Carbon monoxide - get a detector. Not sure how big of a deal it is anymore but it was like THE k****r thing in the 90s
"Carbon monoxide is a poisonous gas that has no smell or taste. Breathing it in can make you unwell, and it can k**l if you're exposed to high levels. Incorrectly installed, poorly maintained or poorly ventilated household appliances – such as cookers, heaters and central heating boilers – are the most common causes of accidental exposure to carbon monoxide."- NHS England.
Serena Myers 2 weeks ago
Had a large and irritating person at the door the other day "selling" safety things. "Do you have a carbon monoxide detector? Yes. Do you have fire extinguishers? Yes. Do you have fire blankets? Do you have a smoke alarm? Yes. He gave up and went to sell his wares aka pester someone else.
#23
General anesthesia. My friend's mother went in for a routine surgery on something completely non life threatening. She never woke up.
DennyS (denzoren) 2 weeks ago
The one where you're paralyzed but can feel everything is a top tier fear of mine.
#24
I see a lot of videos of people getting attacked by trained animals that are still dangerous (lions and bears for example)
People need to know not surprise a trained bear (coming in too close behind it for a photo) Don't get mad at an animal for acting like an animal.
saw a girl get bit by a wild shark. She was hand feeding it. Like what did you expect would happen????????
BarfyCat 2 weeks ago
I was taking a class with wildlife biologist who studied black bears for a living. Boy, did she have some stories! I think the worst one was the family who covered their child's arm in honey thinking that the bear would come over and lick the honey off. Spoiler alert: the bear did not *lick* the honey off.
#25
Tires, just check out some of the top posts on /r/TiresAreTheEnemy. A loose tire from a semi or car can come out of no where and just wreck you as you as you walk down the street minding your own business.
The Majestic Opossum 2 weeks ago
Fun story: My dad was a truck driver almost my entire childhood, I practically grew up in an 18-wheeler. One thing he always told me when I started driving was don't drive next to a semi, in their blind spot, or as he called it "the splash zone" - the spot that their tire or any debris they hit will fly. I remember driving with a boyfriend on the interstate and we were near a semi. I asked him to move away from it and he looked at me like I was a paranoid nutter. Less than 10 seconds later the semis entire rear tire flew off and hit exactly where our car would've been.
#26
Mental health.
Mimi M 2 weeks ago
Several MH diagnoses (Anorexia, BPD, Schizophrenia, Bipolar 1) have high (10-20%) fatality rates. One can say - 'this is not true if the illness is successfully managed' - but often these conditions are managed at one point in life and not managed at another point - they are not static.
#27
Trees. They are everywhere, just waiting to fall on you.
#28
If your really unlucky brain eating worms that can be found in water out of the hose. A 12 month old baby was playing in his shell pool in my state w a garden hose his mum had given him . 3 days later he was gone. From my understanding u can get them from swimming pools too.
Johnnynatfan 2 weeks ago
If the pool is properly chlorinated then you have nothing to worry about
#29
Cellulose tampons. Leave them in too long and you can die from toxic shock due to bacterial infection.
Julianne Johnson 2 weeks ago
Doesn't matter what kind, leave anything up there for more than 4-6 hours and you are risking toxic shock. This is why it's not recommended to use tampons for an entire menstrual cycle, and it's ridiculous that women are never told this.
#30
Puppies with rabies--
Sure as hell, puppies are cute.
But rabies? No good.
What do you think ?
AuspiciousTree283 2 weeks ago
Many of these were important to know, but a few of these are paranoid fear-mongering. Of course a tree may fall on you, but it doesn't mean you should be scared of every one of them.
Brian Droste 2 weeks ago
There is a lot of things out there that are dangerous if you are not careful.
AuspiciousTree283 2 weeks ago
Many of these were important to know, but a few of these are paranoid fear-mongering. Of course a tree may fall on you, but it doesn't mean you should be scared of every one of them.
Brian Droste 2 weeks ago
There is a lot of things out there that are dangerous if you are not careful.
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