Most of us have common sense and avoid dangerous things. Of course, there are adrenaline junkies who like motorcycles, bungee jumping, and rock climbing. But even then, our brain registers that what we're doing is dangerous. We prepare mentally and physically, so there’s no shock if something unfortunate does happen.
But what about the things we sometimes do but have no idea how dangerous they are? One person was wondering the exact same thing, so they decided to ask others: "What are some really dangerous things most people don't realize are dangerous?" If you're curious to know what everyday things you maybe should stop doing, scroll down and see for yourself!
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Once we start calling sunburn radiation burns, people will start taking it seriously.
The top answers in this thread bring awareness to some dangerous activities people should know about. Like driving with barely any sleep. According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report in 2017, drowsy driving resulted in 91,000 crashes. 50,000 of those ended in injuries and nearly 800 even in deaths.
What's the way to prevent it? Get enough sleep! Adults need a minimum of 7 hours of sleep a day, while teenagers need 8. The CDC recommends sticking to a sleep schedule. And if you're prone to snoring or a sleep disorder, don't hesitate to talk to your doctor about it.
Moving water.
It can only take 6 inches of fast flowing water to knock you over, and double that can float a car.
Combining different cleaning products can lead to toxic gas in the room.
Combining cleaning products was also a popular answer. It might seem that the more products you put together, the better clean you'll get. However, some mixes can result in seriously toxic substances. Mixing bleach and vinegar or hydrogen peroxide and vinegar can result in the formation of toxic gasses. They can be harmful if inhaled and irritate the skin and eyes. You should also never mix bleach with ammonia – the gasses this produces can be lethal. Bleach, in general, should only be mixed with plain water.
Another group of products that can be harmful if mixed are drain cleaners. Maryann Amirshahi, PharmD, MD, MPH, PhD, FACMT, FACEP, FASAM, FCP, co-medical director of the National Capital Poison Center, told Martha Stewart that it’s because some contain acids and others contain bases. "Mixing acids and bases can cause a chemical reaction that generates heat, which can cause thermal burns. It may also release toxic gasses depending on the product involved."
Not sleeping. That s**t will ruin your mental state AND just ruin your overall functioning body.
Visiting the wrong doctor. The general public will never know what makes a good doctor and what makes a bad one. The standard of care you get from one hospital to the next can be life changing...
yep I always tell someone to get a second opinion if they get offered surgery.
A surprising entry for some in this list might be sunburns. Hardly anyone hasn't had a sunburn in their lives: it hurts, it peels, and it just isn't a pleasant experience generally. But it's not just that your skin got a little too hot from being in the sun too long. As the Skin Cancer Foundation explains, "Sunburn is an inflammatory reaction to ultraviolet (UV) radiation damage."
The skin peeling means that your body is trying to get rid of the damaged skin cells. But sometimes, it might just be too much – every sunburn raises your risk for skin cancer. The Skin Cancer Foundation claims that even one blistering sunburn in childhood more than doubles the chances of developing melanoma later in life. To avoid this, the best bets are covering up, staying in the shade, avoiding tanning beds, and investing in a good sunscreen.
Indoctrination into the ideologies of charismatic but severely mentally ill and criminally motivated people.
You know how the basic answer is "social media"?
Well, I'd like to up that.
A dangerous thing people get into so casually everyday is arguing with randoms.
It gets addictive, seeing notifs, seeing upvotes or "likes," and reposts.
Pretty soon, you start postponing work because you have to correct someone or you have to reply asap.
You lose sleep, you wake up frustrated, you randomly lash out on your loved ones, maybe even your pet.
You develop anger and attention problems.
When there is someone in your life who behaves in a sexually intimidating manner, or who can't stop from making sexual comments about you, tell someone! Decide who you can trust with this information and tell them *every time it happens.* Make notes about it, too, with dates and witnesses. MOST IMPORTANT: **Don't go anywhere with them alone!** That is when they will attempt to r*pe you. People like to think these sexual comments aren't dangerous, but they truly are. "Just ignore him," isn't good enough because they do this to get you to let your guard down. It's how they groom their victims so that you're so used to the vile comments that you stop regarding the person as potentially dangerous. "That's just how he is," is not an acceptable excuse for sexually denigrating somebody. Maybe the person is just a jerk, but you can't tell by how they look. R*pe victims say, "He suddenly became a very different, very aggressive person and then he attacked me. I never believed he would do anything like this!" Trust your own instincts! If someone makes you uncomfortable, pay attention and never, ever, go anywhere alone with them. Ever!
At the beach, riptide, if you don't spot them and don't know how to get out of one, it can be terrifying and deadly.
Quading or 4-wheeling. It's not uncommon in my area for some feller and his friends to take these vehicles through some forest or some s**t, only to end up overturning them and causing one of them to have a brain injury so bad the docs have to ask the family their thoughts on organ donation.
Posting everything on social media and giving away all your information.
Even family who have known me all my life would have great trouble guessing my passwords.
Garage door springs.
I worked with a fellow who had his face torn off whilst trying to adjust a garage door - call a professional guys!
Driving. Youre literally flying down the road at speeds that would kill you if you got hit in a gigantic hunk of gasoline filled metal.
People dont take safety on the road nearly seriously enough.
This is why signaling is so important. These "gigantic hunks of gasoline filled metal" basically have two ways to communicate, break lights and signals.
Escalators. The torque produced to lift dozens of people and their luggage will not stop for your limbs. Watch your kids, carry your pets, don't be distracted. There are emergency stop buttons at the top and bottom, if you see a problem such as a person falling or loose metal or glass, use the button. Better delayed than traumatized, maimed, or dead.
Places that don't have those emergency buttons have pretty regular deaths. Safety regulations may seem annoying, but they save lives
Not using protection when having sex.
I don't know why this isn't higher. STIs are a very real issue.
Cheaping out on tires for your vehicle.
Definitely alcohol.
Nurse here-most people don't realize the damage even 2 drinks a day does to your mind/body. I've seen so many patients in their early 40s with liver disease. It can be a silent killer and many don't realize how bad it is until it's pretty far gone.
Alcohol is one of the few d***s from which it is possible to die in withdrawl.
- Being in a relationship with a narcissist
- Being in a relationship where you're constantly being gaslighted
These make even the strongest and most confident people develop self esteem issues and doubt everything they say or do.
Falling/knocking people over. hit your head at just the right angle and spot and boom dead.
Ladders.
Always have someone foot a ladder at the very least, or better still, have it tied off/secured.
Riding Electric scooters. I see people zipping around my city everyday easily pushing 25-30mph with no helmet, no pads, no gloves, wearing flipflops or slipon nothing shoes. People apparently don't realize how badly knees, elbows, hands, feet, and heads get f****d up hitting pavement going that fast.
And the injuries aren't being properly reported in the UK because personal scooters aren't legal on the road.
Dull kitchen knives.
I know everyone says dull knives are more dangerous but I've only ever cut myself with sharp knives. I know its anecdotal, but that's just my experience!
There’s a newish trend among wood workers called Fractal Burning or Lichtenberg burning where you use electricity to create this cool lightning like burns across wood. Problem is, it’s extremely dangerous. There has already been at least one person who died trying to do it (probably more but I only remember hearing of one specifically) . There’s a ton of videos of every day people doing this, but if you slip up just slightly, you’re gonna electrocute yourself.
This is so dangerous. My niece had been doing this for several years before she got a little too careless. Thankfully she survived, but she lost 3 fingers and part of her hand where the electricity exited her body and she has severe nerve damage.
People not knowing that “inflammable” means “really extremely f*****g flammable” and not “not flammable”.
"Inflammable" and "flammable" mean the same thing. WTH english language??? 😒
The sun. Like some people are so worried about vaccines them will sit in the sun for hours without sunscreen. Even though it does cause cancer.
Mountains, specifically going hiking in the mountains.
I recently climbed Snowdon (in Wales) and there were hundreds of people up there who were clearly inexperienced. People don't realise how quickly a fun hike can turn into someone's death.
Yes, people really underestimate how dangerous it can get on mountains even in the UK. We were climbing Ben Nevis and saw someone wearing flip flops, shorts and carrying an umbrella. Fortunately he was on the way down but he was lucky. The weather can change in a second and conditions at the bottom can be completely different to those at the top.
Antifreeze. It's way more poisonous than you probably think it is, and it has a sweet taste that attracts cats and children. If your cat laps up a teaspoonful, they're pretty much already dead.
Unsecured cutting boards. Put a dish cloth under it or something. Make sure it doesn’t slip
Water - current and waterfalls are to two that kill people all the time. Even a gentle looking river can be very deceptive if there’s enough water moving along — people, cars, etc. Rip currents at the beach. Flash floods. Water seems gentle, but it’s gives zero f@cks about anything in its path.
The top of waterfalls are super deceptive with the combination of powerful current and slippery rocks that look like a beautiful place to grab a picture — but they can kill you in an instant.
I was on a canoe trip with a group when one of the canoes was sucked under the water by a submerged tree. It was just suddenly gone. Fortunately the people in the canoe were able to get out, but everything other than what they were wearing went under with the boat.
I'm not sure how many people know but I was surprised to find out how dangerous hippos are. Those things will chomp you without a second thought and kill more people than lions.
Any wild animal that people think they can walk right up to and get a selfie, such as bears or moose.
I answered this before a BBL Brazilian butt lift is one of the most dangerous cosmetic surgeries you can get.
Benzos and alcohol. Went from "hey, this feels great" to waking up back home with one vague memory of my parents, in their 70s, with me in an ER. I had apparently attempted to walk to get more booze, and fell off a 6 inch step in front of my own apartments and hit my head.
Benzos, period. To be taken only according to the doctor's prescription. Extremely easy to get addicted to.
Hiring the “cheapest electrician” to change the basement fuse box…
fortunately ours aren't in basements and our houses aren't made of wood, so this is less of a risk. usually ours are in the kitchen and our houses made of brick, so... if they go poof, they just scorch the paint.
Deer. They are one of the animals most likely to kill you when one of them crashes through your windshield.
I mean, it’s a bit rude to say THEY crashed through your windshield. They were just minding their own business and YOU crashed into THEM!
Holding your breath to see how far you can swim underwater… especially if you hyperventilate first.
Your body uses your CO2 level, not your blood oxygen level to tell you when to breathe… and if it drops too low you pass out and die.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shallow-water_blackout.
Inviting a stranger to your house for a first date or to hook up. In hindsight, it's a miracle I was never robbed, injured or killed.
Paracetamol after a heavy night of drinking. That s**t will kill you (via liver failure).
Driving and not being focused.
Falling while existing the shower, please buy a carpet.
Punching people. It’s not like the movies and one punch can easily kill. And if you’re doing the punching, it’s easy to break your hand.
Blue ringed octopus - small, cute and crazy deadly.
But not very painful interestingly enough. Just because you don't feel much pain doesn't mean that you shouldn't hightail it for the emergency department.
Coral Reefs.
The first time I swam in in one, I sliced my foot on one of the corals and had to get stitches. They are really sharp.
Apparently texting and driving.
Dihydrogen monoxide. Absolutely lethal when you breath it, it disables all electronics immediately, and irreparably oxidises most metals. Yes, it‘s everywhere. It has been detected to be in most foods and beverages and research has shown the human body is often saturated with large concentrations of the stuff.
Geese.
A big goose can break your arm with a stroke of its wing. On the other hand, you can as well kill the goose if you grab it by the neck and toss it.
It only takes a 2 foot fall to kill you.
Hypoglycemia especially at night.
Some people don't survive, others are disabled permanently. Others are lucky and there's less damage.
Going to get a wash and cut at the salon. Placing the neck on the front side of the sink they use to wash your hair can cause strokes.
https://www.self.com/story/what-is-beauty-parlor-stroke-syndrome.
Low head dams. Literally drowning machines.
Mount Washington in Spring or Fall. Even experienced hikers end up dying there like every year.
Mixing household cleaners.
Bleach + Vinegar = Chlorine gas. This can lead to coughing, breathing problems, burning and watery eyes. Chlorine gas and water also combine to make hydrochloric and hypochlorous acids. Bleach + Ammonia = Chloramine. This can cause shortness of breath and chest pain. Bleach + Rubbing alcohol = Chloroform. Another highly toxic combination!! Hydrogen peroxide + Vinegar = peracetic/ peroxyacetic acid. This combination can be highly corrosive
Eating just a handful of cherry pits can cause cyanide poisoning.
Lack of oxygen:
1. CO2 canister leak in an enclosed space
2. Rusty marine barge with no wind
3. Root cellar if the air pressure changes from high to low.
Bites. From both animals and humans. "Oh it's just a spider bite, it can't do me much." I realised a week after that sentence that it can indeed do me much. I spent two weeks with a slightly inflated, red and irritating arm. There's also rabbies, blood-transmitted diseases and bloodborn pathogens.
And people often don't realise the jaw is the strongest muscle on the human body. I tried to bite someone's ear out of rage and almost ripped it off his head. There's a bunch of reports of assaults where someone got bitten and there was serious damage done by a simple bite. My favorite example is a thief trying to steal someone's bike and the bike owner started fighting the thief. It ended up by the owner biting the man's fingers and bitting off two of his fingers and ripping his skin all along the other fingers of this same hand.
Having trouble getting past the whole "I almost bit this d00d's ear off" thing. OP has problems.
A lot of these are pretty common ones most people know about...
There are a LOT of things in space that could destroy Earth faster than you can blink (rogue planets are terrifying).
A pulsar is terrifying. There would be no warning, and there would be absolutely nothing we could do about it.
Watch the local news. It’s overwhelmingly car accidents.
Eating organic food and worrying about school shootings is a waste of time.
Turns out driving 2000 pound machines while texting is a bad idea.
Fragranced Products are toxic.
vention. Data were collected in June 2016 using an on-line survey with a representative national sample (n = 1098). Overall, 33% of Australians report health problems, such as migraine headaches and asthma attacks, when exposed to fragranced products. Of these health effects, more than half (17.1%) could be considered disabling under the Australian Disability Discrimination Act. Additionally, 7.7% of Australians have lost workdays or a job due to illness from fragranced product exposure in the workplace, 16.4% reported health problems when exposed to air fresheners or deodorizers, 15.3% from being in a room after it was cleaned with scented products, and 16.7% would enter but then leave a business as quickly as possible due to fragranced products. About twice as many respondents would prefer that workplaces, health care facilities and professionals, hotels, and airplanes were fragrance-free rather than fragranced. While 73.7% were not aware that fragranced products, even ones called green and organic, emitted hazardous air pollutants, 56.3% would not continue to use a product if they knew it did. This is the first study in Australia to assess the extent of adverse effects associated with exposure to common fragranced products. It provides compelling evidence for the importance and value of reducing fragranced product exposure in order to reduce and prevent adverse health effects and costs.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5122698/#:~:text=One%2Dthird%20of%20the%20Australian,health%20effects%20from%20fragranced%20products.&text=Common%20effects%20include%20respiratory%20problems%2C%20migraine%20headaches%2C%20and%20asthma%20attacks.&text=Fragranced%20products%20resulted%20in%20lost,and%20restricted%20access%20in%20society.
Healthcare staff should never wear any kind of scented products. Getting on the elevator at the hospital I worked at was like walking through a perfume factory. Most people do not appreciate it.
Acetaminophen / naproxen and other over the counter pills. S**t will kill your Kidneys, livers and other assorted organs if abused.
Did an edit to just say over the counter s**t is just bad for all organs if over used.
The area from the corners of your mouth to the bridge of your nose is known as the "triangle of death", and you should avoid popping any pimples in this area. Due to the connectivity/proximity with the brain, an infection of that area can lead to cavernous sinus thrombosis (CST), or a blood clot in your cavernous sinuses.
If you have a zit in that area, leave it alone!
Refined sugar. It’s poison and most consume way too much of it.
Every sweetener ever known to man has bad press due to health dangers. And I mean every sweetener. I bet you can't name one that doesn't. Refined sugar is about as safe as they come.
Deer, just your normal whitetail deer. They'll come out of nowhere at night, causing you to either swerve and lose control or hit it and wreck your car. During rut season the bucks can get hyper-aggressive and territorial. Those horns aren't just for show.
This started out OK but got real weird toward the end, like there weren't enough entries for the list so someone just threw in an extra handful of questionable ones to round out the list.
I think there should be a limit of 25 to 30 entries per list to keep the content of good quality.
Pretty sure that's why the articles start out with something like 70 items but get pruned to the top 30 most times. Just read them a week after they're posted, they'll be pruned by that point.
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Kangaroos, Wallabies and Wombats can and will kill you if you make them mad. A Koala probably could if it could focus on doing so for long enough, but their smooth brains and general idiocy makes it unlikely.
Except that, sadly, common sense, like common courtesy and common decency, is endangered and fast becoming extinct.
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Crossing a street in Memphis TN. I live close to a Walgreens. It's a five minute walk, ten tops. I feel like a douchebag driving my car there but crossing the street to get to it is far too perilous. If anyone of you good people also live here, y'all know exactly what I'm talking about here lol
As someone who really loves motorcycles, I'm hurt that they weren't on here
Thanks for letting me know that my dear of heights and deep water is rational (edit: and things like kelp & the ocean)
Deer, just your normal whitetail deer. They'll come out of nowhere at night, causing you to either swerve and lose control or hit it and wreck your car. During rut season the bucks can get hyper-aggressive and territorial. Those horns aren't just for show.
This started out OK but got real weird toward the end, like there weren't enough entries for the list so someone just threw in an extra handful of questionable ones to round out the list.
I think there should be a limit of 25 to 30 entries per list to keep the content of good quality.
Pretty sure that's why the articles start out with something like 70 items but get pruned to the top 30 most times. Just read them a week after they're posted, they'll be pruned by that point.
Load More Replies... Kangaroos, Wallabies and Wombats can and will kill you if you make them mad. A Koala probably could if it could focus on doing so for long enough, but their smooth brains and general idiocy makes it unlikely.
Except that, sadly, common sense, like common courtesy and common decency, is endangered and fast becoming extinct.
Load More Replies... Crossing a street in Memphis TN. I live close to a Walgreens. It's a five minute walk, ten tops. I feel like a douchebag driving my car there but crossing the street to get to it is far too perilous. If anyone of you good people also live here, y'all know exactly what I'm talking about here lol
As someone who really loves motorcycles, I'm hurt that they weren't on here
Thanks for letting me know that my dear of heights and deep water is rational (edit: and things like kelp & the ocean)
