27 Of The Most ‘What The Heck?’ Things People Have Shamelessly Done In Public Spaces
Some people just have no shame. They don’t care who’s watching or what the consequences will be; they just do whatever they want, as if the whole world is there to serve as their personal putrid playground.
One person asked the internet, “What’s the grossest thing you’ve seen someone do in public?” and netizens were only too happy to spill the tea. Here’s a collection of some of the most offensive examples.
More info: Reddit
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I watched a guy walk up to another guy at a bar, look him in his face, pick up the Budweiser bottle on the table and take a drink of what he thought was the other guy’s beer. He was trying to be intimidating but instead got a big gulp of the other guy’s tobacco spit bottle. He threw up on the spot.
Oh dear, how sad, never mind ... (in a monotone transmitting zero cares)
Walk out of a supermarket, squat in between the automatic doors, lift dress, take a huge dump right there, not even bother wiping with anything, stand up and walk away while the automatic doors squash the s**t …
I honestly felt like I had landed in bizarroworld. So did the dozen or so other people watching this happen in broad daylight.
The fact that her 6-7 yr old stood next to her and was completely ~~un-phased~~ unfazed by any of it, made me think it was neither the first nor the most extreme thing she’d ever done.
My ex wife never washed her hands after she took a s**t, a always a thing that bothered me.
I asked every time and got the same answer.
She said she didnt touch the poop.
Glad were divorced now , and I teach my kids to was their hands after they s**t.
The bacteria can pass through 8 sheets of toilet paper. Your hands will not be clean.
Ever noticed how people act wilder in large groups? It’s called deindividuation, a psychological state where people lose their sense of self-awareness in crowds. This is why someone might spit, burp loudly, or even pick their nose in public. The crowd offers a cloak of invisibility, and suddenly, manners get tossed out the window.
Here’s the thing: humans are wired to be disgusted… but also oddly fascinated. Psychologists call it “benign masochism”; when we enjoy mildly unpleasant sensations. Think pimple-popping videos or ASMR slime squishing. For some, this fascination slips into real life, where gross behavior becomes a form of twisted entertainment, even if everyone else is horrified.
I saw someone at a water park use the pool to wash their baby’s poopy butt off while changing their diaper.
I saw a homeless woman pull lice out of her hair and drop them in another woman’s hair who was sitting in front of her.
Once, while I was having dinner at a chicken place with my family many many years ago, this couple in the corner literally started picking each other's face acne and wiping it with napkins. A manager came over and kicked them out.
Some people genuinely believe their actions don’t matter because no one’s really paying attention. Whether it’s cutting toenails on public transport or flossing at a café, their internal shame dial is turned way down. That invisibility illusion (especially in big cities) makes folks feel like they exist in their own little gross bubble.
What’s considered gross in one culture might be totally normal in another. For example, slurping noodles loudly is a sign of appreciation in Japan, but it may get side-eyes elsewhere. Some “gross” acts are less about rudeness and more about different social expectations clashing, often unknowingly. Not all grossness is malicious. Sometimes it’s just… cultural.
Watched a kid lick a New York City subway handle. He's either dead now or immune from everything.
The elevator door opened and saw a man inside peeing in the corner casually.
I obviously decided to take the stairs..
Better exercise, as well. (I'm still amazed at our local gym which proudly advertises the lift to take you up one flight to visit it, but doesn't mention that there are stairs as well)
I was at the gym (24 hour fitness) big sweaty guy comes in the sauna sits down with a bottle of water…normal right? no…he drinks a mouth full and proceeds to spit it into the water evaporator hole thing on the wall so me and the other 5 people leave fast because in a few secs the sauna would have been filled with his evaporated spit water.
Ever heard someone say, “Everyone does it” to excuse a nasty habit? That’s moral disengagement. People rationalize their behavior to dodge guilt, making public nose-picking or shirt-sweat wringing seem harmless. When folks convince themselves it's no big deal, they're less likely to self-censor, even when they're visibly grossing out everyone around them.
Let’s face it: shock factor can be social currency. Whether it's social media or IRL, some people want to be the center of attention. Doing something outrageous (and disgusting) is a quick way to get noticed. It might seem immature, but for some, the reaction, even if negative, is still better than being ignored.
Was at a Ralph’s grocery store waiting in the self checkout lane. There was a young couple in front of us that were very touchy, especially the girl. At one point the girl full on sticks her hand up the guys butt, like full on trying to get up there and penetrate. The dude jumps a bit and pulls it out and she’s there smiling and coming in closer to him. I get being cute and lovey, but the hand in butt was not on my bingo card that day.
In my science class a girl had her period, proceeded to check with her fingers and then cleaned them off with her mouth... I was a solid 2 foot away watching.
Upvote this comment if you wish you could unread this post like me...
Beautiful Japanese woman on the train from Shibuya to Shinjuku, casually opened up the sleeve of her white silk blouse and vomited litres of alcohol and bile into it. Then closed it up and held it up so that she and she alone was responsible for her p**e until she got off the train.
While a little unsightly, kudos for owning the consequences of your actions, I guess? Either way, Japan's mindset is pretty much don't bother or trouble others so this might very well be common practice. Sometimes to a fault too...
Not everyone feels embarrassment the same way. People with low shame sensitivity, or traits linked to narcissism or even psychopathy, often act in ways others wouldn’t dare. They’ll eat messily, burp proudly, or touch everything in a public restroom without flinching. It’s not that they don’t know the rules; they just couldn’t care less.
Burnout, stress, and emotional overload can chip away at our social filters. When someone’s running on caffeine and zero sleep, they might stop caring who sees them sneeze like a dragon or change a baby in a restaurant booth. Sometimes, gross behavior is just survival mode.
On the last train leaving London after new years eve... Woman in a tiny dress on all fours puking in the aisle. That was pretty bad already on a packed train... But she also s**t herself while puking. There was no hiding it, that dress barely covered her cheeks. Very unpleasant.
What some people call a "Good Night Out". Shame they feel they have to do it in public, though.
Saw a guy put his bare foot on a leather seat at the shops and proceed to pick out stuff from between his toes. Never sitting on a shopping centre seat or bench again.
I used to work in an old bank building that looked closed from the outside, but the call center employees still worked there. One day I’m sitting at my desk near the window and some lady parked her car and came and took a dump right in front of my window. In her defense it had a nice bush to hide from the road, but she had no idea people were right behind the window.
Gross public behavior isn’t always about hygiene; it’s a window into psychology, culture, and self-awareness. From curiosity and attention-seeking to group invisibility and moral gymnastics, there are dozens of reasons people ignore polite boundaries. Still, whether they know better or not, their habits may leave the rest of us wondering, “Seriously... were you raised by wolves?”
What do you think about the examples in this list? Have you ever come across someone shamelessly grossing out the strangers around them? Upvote the ones you found most offensive and leave a comment if you can relate!
At a Hooka lounge, girl smoking started puking on the couch and 2 minutes later the waitress came over turned the pillow on the couch around and everyone continued with their evening.
Once I saw a dude s**t himself on the treadmill at the gym. All out his shorts and down his legs, onto the treadmill and subsequently onto the floor and wall behind him. It was disgusting.
About 10 or so years ago I went into a fast food restaurant and saw a woman on d***s dipping dollar bills and napkins into a massive mound of ketchup on a tray and then licking and eating them. The sight and overwhelming smell of it was enough for me that I still get nauseous thinking about it. Since then, I have not touched ketchup and the sight and smell of it completely grosses me out.
Chatting with a guy at the local pool. After each sentence, takes a swig of water into his mouth, sloshes it around (like mouthwash), spits it back into the pool. 🤢🤢
I GOT THIS! Was sitting in a movie theater waiting for everything to dim and the previews to start. One row in front and 3 seats to the left of me this guy starts cutting his toe nails! Not only feet but the nails flying. It ruined my whole week. Apparently my yelling was hilarious for everyone tho
I used to run a store that was on the street leading to the local psychiatric hospital and every Thursday was out patient day. Patients would get off the bus on Main Street, then walk the 4 blocks to the hospital, right past my store so I would regularly see and hear some pretty weird s**t. Probably the weirdest / grossest was when a customer entering the store told me there was a naked woman in my parking lot. One of the patients was apparently having an episode. It was pouring rain and she’s naked in a huge mud puddle, just rolling around, washing herself with mud, and not in a nice way.
Took about an hour, EMT’s, and the police to sort her out. Fun times! So glad I left retail!
Saw a Burger King employee stand on lettuce, and another person was taking a photo... So gross, I left immediately.
Here it is! The infamous, "Burger King foot lettuce." Covered by many YouTubers including the original, "Chills."
Pick up a Lidl bakery item with their bare hands… drop said item on the wet floor, pick it up and put it back in with everything else
My workmate used to play by the 30 second rule before he retired. Miss you Binky.
I saw a guy at Walmart who randomly grabbed a cosmetic item and farted on it. He returned the product and walked away like nothing happened.
Dob him in. Now. with any luck he'd get banned or trespassed. This was intentional, and he needs an intentional consequence.
At a water park I saw a teen girl pull her swim suit to the side take a s**t in the wave pool then get out.
Once when I was homeless, I had the s***s. I was too far away in either direction from a store bathroom and had no choice but to duck inside a dumpster enclosure and blast the wall, and had nothing to wipe myself with but my sock.
The thing is... I saw someone else a day or two later wearing the sock. It was a very unique looking, both in color and pattern, sock. I only used and left the one sock, he was only wearing one of that sock, and I never saw another sock like it before or since.
I'm sure he cleaned it first? Right? ... Also hopefully OP is no longer homeless. I wish you the pair of socks best.
I once saw a guy, who didn’t appear to be homeless, walk along the sidewalk eating a slice of pizza. He stopped at a public trash can to continue eating and I didn’t think anything of it until I saw him reach into said trash can, pull out a half drank Diet Coke and started drinking it himself.
Some of these are pretty hard to believe... because I want to forget them. Hopefully if I believe hard enough they won't be real anymore.
Today in Tesco I urgently needed to wee. Am on diuretics so much more wee than usual. Go to the toilets which are in a narrow passageway. Some dozy bint and her brat were playing catch making it difficult to get by. The looks and muttering from the mother when I said please can I get into the loo. Then the screeching from this 4 year old Banshee doesn't cover it. His mother seemed shocked at my request and mutters something. Get inside and there I find her mother and grandmother. Four generations of chaviness. Queue more banshee wails from the brat who's now running in the aisles bumping into shelving. Awful people with a kid heading in the wrong direction. Pity his teachers.
Some of these are pretty hard to believe... because I want to forget them. Hopefully if I believe hard enough they won't be real anymore.
Today in Tesco I urgently needed to wee. Am on diuretics so much more wee than usual. Go to the toilets which are in a narrow passageway. Some dozy bint and her brat were playing catch making it difficult to get by. The looks and muttering from the mother when I said please can I get into the loo. Then the screeching from this 4 year old Banshee doesn't cover it. His mother seemed shocked at my request and mutters something. Get inside and there I find her mother and grandmother. Four generations of chaviness. Queue more banshee wails from the brat who's now running in the aisles bumping into shelving. Awful people with a kid heading in the wrong direction. Pity his teachers.
