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(Don’t) mess around and find out. Life is chock-full of important lessons that we have to learn, both large and small. It’s usually best to save your time, energy, health, and nerves by learning from the blunders your friends, family, and peers have made. However, there will inevitably be moments where you massively mess up yourself.
Well, some of the members of the r/AskReddit community wanted to pass on their wisdom to others. In a viral online thread, they spilled the tea about the times they messed around with something, only to find out that their actions had very negative consequences. Scroll down for their top life advice and safety concerns.
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#1
Just because you climbed up something doesn't mean you can climb down.
RELATED:
#3
Do not attach two very active dogs to the handle of a Razor scooter because you want to see if they'd be good sled dogs. .
Research shows that fear and anxiety reduce our likelihood of taking risks. However, the exact strength of this relationship is in question. One meta-analytic review from 2020 noticed that scientific studies with clinically anxious samples showed greater risk aversion on average. Furthermore, studies using tangible rewards also showed greater effects of fear on risk aversion. Aside from those, fear seems to have a small to moderate average effect on the willingness to take risks.
Inc. magazine points out that risks can help us grow stronger and become better by challenging us. However, these risks should be calculated, not reckless ones. First, you should try to evaluate the actual risk you’re facing and consider how you’d handle things if they didn’t go as planned. You should also take whatever steps you can to increase your chances of success.
#4
Driving through standing water. Just because the car in front of you makes it through doesn’t mean you will.
#5
Don't work full time and go to school full time.
I was like meh. I can do whatever I put my mind to. It broke my brain. I repressed my stress but my brain and body didn't care. Started waking up in middle night with panic attacks thinking I was dying. Got agoraphobia. Places like airports and malls I would get vertigo. Dizzy and lightheaded and feel like I was floating which would trigger what is wrong with me panic attack. Rinse repeat.
I went to dr and he was like you are doing way too much. Stop doing that. And he was right.
So you actually can do too much. And even if you can brute force it, your brain and body will eventually rebel against you.
Laserleader 1 year ago
This is actually important. There's a lot you can do in 12 hours, a whole lot. But if you never take a day off it causes actual physical and psychological damage. Some groups bank on this outcome as a way to break people, so they are tok tired to even consider alternatives.
#6
Hiking alone in Iceland being a confident hiker. Paraphrasing: the most dangerous hiker is a confident hiker.
I got lost, didnt pack enough food and got caught on the side of a mountain. 20 people had to rescue me. Never again.
As with most things in life, there’s a balance to be found when it comes to your personal safety. On the one hand, your survival is paramount. You want to make sure that you’re as healthy and capable as you can be in order to get the most out of life. In short, you don’t want to be reckless.
On the other hand, you don’t want to go overboard with safety concerns to the point that you’re constantly anxious, hiding in your metaphorical comfort zone, scared to take the opportunities that life keeps throwing at you.
#7
Motorcycles.
It does not matter how good of a driver you are, there are other cars on the road and some of those cars are driven by idiots.
Tim Gearing 1 year ago
“ watch out for the idiots on the road” is a common expression. Personally, I watch out for everyone. We are human and as humans we all make mistakes.
#8
Regular check ups and screenings. Get the damn colonoscopy on schedule, get the skin check yearly. Get your prostate exam or pap smear. If you smoked or are high risk get scans for lung cancer regularly. Talk to your doctor, find out what you should get and when and follow the schedule. I have lung cancer, one of the 20% of people with lung cancer that never smoked, and the difference between the outcomes from stage 1 to stage 4 is literally life and death. Do not wait for symptoms, do not put off getting that weird mole checked.
Boo 1 year ago
It seems like as soon as I hit 50, I was invited to all sorts of examinations. Took each and every one seriously and so far, so good. Found out I am diabetic type 2, high blood pressure and slightly high cholesterol...got my meds and have reduced my numbers by half. Was one hell of a wake-up call. Please make sure you get screenings as you age, it may just save your life.
#9
Don’t fry bacon when you’re naked.
Many of us know the basics of staying safe and healthy. Look both ways before crossing the street. Know what to do in case of a fire. Don’t eat food that smells like it’s gone off. Don’t interact with random wild animals that might have God only knows what illnesses. Don’t speed when you’re behind the wheel of a car. Exercise, eat well, get plenty of sleep, have an active social life, and avoid nicotine, alcohol, and chronic stress. The list goes on and on.
The fact of the matter is that there’s only so much we can do to prevent getting hurt. We can prepare to avoid the most common risks. However, we can’t see the future. We can’t predict random accidents that might end up with us getting hurt. But this shouldn’t be a reason to lock yourself away from the world. If anything, it’s a reminder to take care of yourself while also trying to live life to the fullest. With courage and conviction.
#12
Alcohol, 22 years drunk, 18 months sober.
What are the hardest life lessons you’ve learned due to sheer bad luck, dear Pandas? What advice would you give everyone to help keep them safe(r) every day?
Feel free to share your opinions and experiences in the comments at the bottom of this post.
#13
Considering coworkers true friends lmao.... whenever money or power is involved, human beings are two-faced.
#16
Texting and driving. I was around 27, driving out of my neighborhood around 3pm and remembered I forgot to text a friend about an assignment for grad school. I looked down and within 5-10 seconds, ran up onto the sidewalk. I was so mortified that I could have killed someone, kids, a woman with a stroller, etc. Never did it again.
It’s been a few years and I still think about that stupid choice that could have ended horribly.
#18
I was in the ocean with my then wife. We'd gotten out to the sand bar, and were just chilling... she was on a beach raft sunning and I was just gently pushing us around. I had my back to the shore, and I saw something go by. it was sofa-sized, and it went by pretty fast. I had this immediate understanding of what was going on... I'm standing in chest deep water in prime shark attack territory. I said, "Hey, let's go in," and started pushing towards shore. it went by between us and the shore. then there were two of them. then three. we still had to cross the ditch, and I was realizing that we really might not make it.
but it turned out to be dolphins, not sharks.
I'm quite a bit more cautious in the ocean now.
SM 1 year ago
People don't seem to understand that this their domain, not ours. I got news for you, the sharks have no problem with shallow water, that is a myth. Have a look at some aerial photos of some beaches some time, and you will see in some places where sharks are swimming right in between the beach goers, and they have no clue.
#19
Private student loans. No Ivy is worth it. Take the spot that offers you the most funding. Undergrad, grad and professional.
The interest should be illegal and the terms are insane.
For some, even death doesn’t release you from the obligation. Permanent disability? They don’t care.
Just don’t do it….
I_imagine_even_worse_w***s 1 year ago
It is beyond wrong that higher education in some countries is so expensive.
#20
Well, I knew not to f**k around with it, but Covid kicked my a*s so hard I went from climbing and 6 mile hikes with a kid on my back to walking with a cane. Additionally I have cognitive problems, ended up with a stent for kidney stones for 2(!) months so now I might have some internal scarring, made my asthma SO much worse and because of exercise intolerance I developed type 2 diabetes.
Good news is, I'm a mother fracking cockroach so after 3 years I'm slowly kicking it's a*s.
cerinamroth 1 year ago
Good lord, I hope you are nearly recovered now. I have got covid for the fourth time just now (most people with little kids have had it at least twice; my husband has still yet to get it!). So far, it's been fine. But I totally understand that I am one of the lucky ones, as my sister was hospitalised with it and other friends have been hit with long Covid. It's a trickster.
#21
In ground yellow jackets.
Pay the dude with the bee suit and the right s**t to kill them safely.
#22
It's a lot easier to get lost in the woods than you think. I wandered away from our campsite a little tipsy because I love looking for mushrooms. I kept going in just a little further until one time when I looked back I couldn't see my wife and friend back at the site. A few big steps to the left to reorient myself, wait... maybe a few steps over in this direction… Oh s**t.
I yelled for help but the sound doesn't carry. The sun was just setting when I went in but it gets dark a lot faster in the thick of the forest. I panicked. I ran. I cursed at myself. I yelled for help over and over. I tried to stay calm but also decided to keep moving because it was getting dark and cold and I knew I was in very deep s**t if I didn't get out before nightfall. I spent about an hour and a half totally lost, the longest 90 minutes of my life. Finally, I heard a truck rumbling in the distance and sprinted towards it. I almost cried when I saw the clearing and popped out on a gravel road 3 km west of our campsite. Looking at a map after, had I gone any other direction it was just forest with no end in sight. My wife and friend said they went in to the forest yelling my name, of course I was probably too far at that point and heard nothing. I don't know what would've happened if that truck hadn't been going for a late evening drive along the service road. I thought I was going to die.
Any 1 year ago
It's pretty hard to stay put in such circumstances, but I understand why it's advised, especially in very big foresty regions. In germany it's likley to find civilisation in every direction... US not so much. x.x A very true horrostory to get lost in the woods.
Con O Cuinn 1 year ago
Even more so in Ireland. Which is why it was so baffling that Bear Grylls filmed an episode here. He's talking about being lost in the wilderness on the beach while OAPs are walking their dogs on the dunes behind him.
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Agamemnon O'Neill 1 year ago
Look up Geraldine Largay. She was an experienced hiker, doing the Appalachian Trail. She leaves the trail and goes into the woods to go to the bathroom, gets disoriented and disappears. They found her body in her tent months later. Terrifying.
Diana Schlafer 1 year ago
My husband and I hike every day, but we stick to marked trails. We've discussed her story at length - what she did, could have done, should have done. Thinking about her I can't even imagine the panic she much have felt. It takes my breath away.
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veryvenasaur 1 year ago
When I was like 7 I got lost in the woods while camping and in all of my hatchet and my side of the mountain glory I just decided to build a lean to. Thankfully my dad found me in a half hour but I was absolutely certain that I'd spend the rest of my life in the woods and I was perfectly chill with that. My dad was not chill about my plan.
Regina Holt 1 year ago
When I was a kid, my brother and I were hiking through the woods at a state park. We decided to turn back, but I wasn't sure we would find the way back to where the picnic area. He insisted he would get us back ok I wasn't sure, but I saw wires above us, so I just wanted to follow them straight up to the top, where there were buildings, and thus people. I got back quite quickly. My parents asked where my brother was,, he got back a long time after I did. I followed signs of human activity in a straight line, and never left a well-marked trail again.
The Camera Man 1 year ago
Also, if you have a compass with you, TRUST it. I got turned around in the Northern Alberta wilderness and thought I knew the way back but the compass disagreed with me. I spent the next 90 minutes going the way I thought was right before smacking myself and trusting the compass. It was only 60 minutes going the right way going back to camp from there.
marianne eliza 1 year ago (edited)
I'm (64f) a former Search and Rescue K9 handler. We went to schools and taught the class Hug-A-Tree-And-Survive. 2 things to carry when outdoors in a wilderness area. A whistle and a large lawn and leaf trash bag. Whistles are louder than voices and the trash bag makes a good rain poncho and or sleeping bag for emergencies. And do not stay near flowing water. The sound will drown out the rescuer's calls and the sound of engines.
ILoveMySon 1 year ago
Great advice. I carry a whistle but will remember the garbage bag next time.
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Sara Kreps 1 year ago
didn't go into the woods tipsy. (that's also probably a bad time to be looking for mushrooms as well )
Jay Cee 1 year ago
Story from the local newspaper Thunder Bay ONT 1975: man and wife out picking berries in the forest. She looks up and he's GONE. She calls, she sounds the car horn - nothing. She tied a scarf to a bush and drove off in search of help. By this time - it's late fall - it's too late to search or put a chopper up. First light the chopper goes up and the search party arrives. Pilot sees a thin pencil of smoke rising and directs the search party. The husband had seen some lovely berries over there, more over there and . . before he knew it he was lost. Heard the car horn but couldn't figure out which direction to walk. So he hunkered down in the shelter of a rock and a fallen tree, made a fire and ate the berries. He ended up walking over a mile and a half through thick forest away from the track where the car was parked. The lessons learned were 1 - don't do it 2 - if you do then stay put 3 - carry fire lighting equipment (be careful) 4 - carry a loud whistle 5 - did we say don't do it?
Kangaroo 1 year ago
Depends on a lot of factors, but yes the general consensus is don’t wander too far away from where you became lost
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keyboardtek 1 year ago
A little tipsy? Getting drunk and wandering around in the forest. What could go wrong!
#23
Inverted Storm Surge.
This happens as a hurricane approaches a coastline. If you search, you'll find pictures of people walking around in shallow, empty stretches of beach. The storm gets close enough and the low pressure within the eye basically sucks up millions of gallons, pulling it away from shore. It can go for miles sometimes, depending on the strength.
Anyway, that water comes back. With prejudice.
I grew up on the Alabama Gulf Coast. Walked down to the beach as a hurricane was approaching. I was in middle school, and had no idea you couldn't "see" a hurricane the same way you can a tornado. Anyway, the beach was drained entirely. Not knowing any better, I walked out to the end of the public fishing pier that would normally be about 8-9 feet deep. A few minutes passed, I was satisfied with this excursion, so I turned around. About 2/3rds of the way back to the shore, I felt the ground rumble, and I instinctively hauled a*s as fast as I could. I'd say I finally got to about 20 feet from a jetty (rocks piled up to mitigate erosion) and got hit from behind by a wall of water. It actually carried me up and onto the very top of the jetty, and slammed me down. I could feel that my sandals left my feet, and by pure luck, they floated up and gently settled right by my hands where I was holding on to the rocks. The water receded slightly, enough for me to get over the jetty and away from the beach. I was so embarrassed that I never told my mom about it, and snuck into my house to get a shower and changed.
Fast forward to 2017 when I was living on the Florida Gulf Coast, a bunch of people walked down into Tampa Bay right as Hurricane Irma was rolling in. I legit got anxiety watching the footage from the local TV station. Needless to say, I've never gone anywhere near the water ahead of a hurricane again.
#24
If an older man has a "saddle nose deformity" or cauliflower ears, let them be. A saddle nose deformity nose is also called a "boxer's nose".
An old man with training will f*****g kill you. That's how they got to be old.
#25
Pitbulls.
My family has always had and loved dogs. Thought the breed was fine and just got a bad rep.
My dad brought a puppy home, we had her for 6 years. Loved her, house trained, no behavior issues, we thought.
Came home one day and she had killed our old boxer, who had been with her everyday that we had her and also was so old she had no teeth, and was chewing on her severed leg like a chicken bone.
Never again. And it makes me want to puke when people have their children crawling around with these dogs.
#26
Overwork and exhaustion can be a potential killer.
When I was in my late teens I spent a few years working 80-100 hours per week. I found out that at a certain point, your body just... stops.
I woke up in a hospital bed and it took me 6 months before I started to feel semi-normal again.
David Jeffery 1 year ago
Yep, definitely this. I remember in the early 2000's I had two jobs and was working 7 days a week, with only a couple of afternoons as breaks, that I used to do housework/shopping etc. After only six months of this, I was driving my wife to Coles to do some shopping, as they were open late. I remember trying to park and not being able to, as I could no longer see the road, I was just so tired. No one thanks you for working that hard - there is no reward. Just DON'T do it
#27
As a child i learned, Geese are the crowned prince of a******s of the bird world .
#28
Pedestrian safety. Was hit by a car crossing the street. After cpr onsite and coma in hospital had to learn to walk and talk all over again. I triple check both ways. Even when I have the right of way.
Widdershins66 1 year ago (edited)
In the UK 1970s we children were taught by The Green Cross Code Man, to "look right, look left, look right again!" And "stop, look, listen, think!" - by non other than Darth Vader! (David Prose). Edited for wrong way round🤦
#29
Road rage, I was chased by a guy threatening me to shoot me, that was the last time I yelled at somebody while driving.
Geekymummy 1 year ago
I try to avoid clipping people off our telling at other drivers, mainly because I always think they could be the person interviewing me for a job one day or end up being my daughter's teacher or something. Lol.
#30
Don't f**k with the ocean, I got swept away by a wave while stupidly sitting on a rock too close to the water. I thought I was a goner and never to be found again but then it got tired of me and thew me back towards some rocks like a used intimate hygiene tissue.
Regina Holt 1 year ago (edited)
I won't go any further than my ankles into the ocean. It took one bad experience, courtesy of my brother, never again.
#31
Shared housing with people you've just met. I did it out of necessity for many years, now that I have my own place I finally feel free.
Kangaroo 1 year ago (edited)
Yep, I’m lucky enough to have my own apartment now but I’ve shared before and honestly hated it. There was always tension over something, whether it was dishes or cleanliness or bills. I didn’t have the best roommates I guess. Much happier with me and two cats (although they suck at paying bills and doing dishes too. I forgive them cause they’re cute.)
#32
Chainsaws.
I don’t even like the sound anymore.
I had an accident with one and cut up my leg.
#33
Dehydration and overheating. Being covered in ice in an ambulance and pissing black pee will change your perspective.
Edit: one thing I have never really explained to anyone is how big of a personal victory it was for me when I regained the ability to workout hard and push myself. the experience i described below took a huge amount of recovery physically and psychologically and when I got back to a healthy state of going hard, not being afraid of my heart getting up into the cardio zones, etc. was like regrowing a cutoff limb and wining the lottery and coming back from the darkest inner fears and I don't know if I could ever communicate how big a deal it was for me.
#34
Sleep deprivation.
Damn near died in a car accident (round 1), then went mildly psychotic and paranoid (round 2).
Just dumb. There are better paths to adrenaline-fueled euphoria.
lauren hughes 1 year ago
Experienced this during menopause and the doctors wouldn't help me! I was actually hallucinating and vomitting from lack of sleep!
#35
Medical concerns.
That bump on my testicle I just wanted to ignore? I didn't. And it was a tumor that I caught early.
The terrible pain in my abdomen causing me to throw up even though I didn't have any food in me? I didn't wait for it to go away. I went to an urgent care clinic and they sent me to an ER where they found that my appendix was necrotic and ready to burst.
Ignoring medical warning signs and waiting for them to pass is not being "tough". Get yourself checked out.
Plenty Pineapples 1 year ago
The hardest thing is when doctors don't believe you. Medical gaslighting is a thing. Trust your gut, people.
#36
GHB. No hangover! Makes you more social! Like booze but better! Like Molly but better! No calories! You feel great about yourself! You are more empathetic! You can score it for super cheap! You never have to feel bad again! You can use it to manage your sleep! You can use it to manage everything you don’t like! You can do it every day and feel great! You can use it to sleep because you can’t anymore because you’re so addicted! You can use it 24/7 so that you don’t go into DT’s! You can use it after you have a seizure from doing it so much! You can use it to forget about that fact that you ended up in a hospital because of it! You can use it to forget about that fact that no one wants to hang out with you anymore because you’re high key crazy and out of control! You can use it to try to end your life because you ruined it by doing g constantly! You can detox and have the worst few weeks of your life and still crave it! You can spend 4 years in treatment and recovery and have to completely rebuild your life from scratch and still crave it all these years later! You can go through your life sober for years but knowing that if you ever have another drop of it you will binge until you’re very shortly thereafter dead! Are we still having fun?
#37
Taking sleep meds (ambian) and laxatives (myralax) within the same 24hrs. What a nightmare!
Jane Jayne Jain Jeign Jein 1 year ago
Sorry but this one made me laugh. I imagine the nightmare started when you woke up.
#38
Appendixes!!
My mother thought it was just stomach cramps. She holed herself up for days until finally my dad begged her to go to the doctor. They told her if she hadn’t listened to him and waited one more day it could have killed her.
A year or so later mine burst while stretching so I thought it was just a pulled muscle. I waited over a week before going to the ER. They said the ONLY reason I didn’t die was because by some miraculous event that they had never witnessed before, my body sent a swarm of white blood cells to form a ball around the pus. I should have been dead and I was only 13 years old.
#39
Thinking you can skip the bathroom before you leave the restaurant for an hour drive home because “I can hold it” 🥸.
#40
Wasp nest. They're not chill like bees. They are very aggressive and will attack you and they don't die when they sting you they just keep stinging, and it feels like getting hit with a red hot spike.
#41
Paying my taxes. Worked for myself through college and didn't have a penny to spare so I just didn't file for three years figuring I'd pay it off when I was done and working.
Ironically, my first job after graduating was for the state tax and rev dept. They figured it out lickety split and gave me a month to make good. Paid some pretty serious interest and penalties and learned to never do that again.
Geekymummy 1 year ago
It seems so crazy to me that you have to work out what you owe and pay it yourself. In the UK, tax is taken from our wages and self-employed people are given very strict rules. In the US, people are expected to calculate the tax the owe before they are considered old enough to drink alcohol.
#42
Weathermen.
Heard one on TV say, "If you're within the sound of my voice, get to your tornado place NOW!"
I was a little jaded due to the many times I'd heard this before. Still, I told my son to get in the hallway then went outside to get our Beagles. And I saw the f*****g thing. A 400m wide F4 coming down our road. I got in the hallway with just a couple big couch cushions, pulled my son into my lap, hunched over him, and held the pillows over us.
He was unhurt. I had a dislocated shoulder with torn ligaments, tendons and muscle, splintered ball, torn rotator cuff, and so on. I was in so much pain from that once all the pieces stopped moving that I didn't even realize I had hundreds of pieces of rock, splinters and glass embedded in my skin, mainly in my back. Not a single thing even scratched my son.
Had I gotten moving the moment he said that on the TV, we would have been sandwiched between two matresses. We lived, both of us, both dogs and our cat. It seems like we were all huddled under those two cushions. One of the dogs had a single glass shard in his beck left side. It fell out when he started walking. Me, I had pieces of stuff being pushed out of my skin for the next month.
The house? Nothing much left. Of a $290k house it took $273k to rebuild it. The foundation and much of the framing were OK.
Edit: This was the Enterprise, AL tornado on March 1, 2007. There were 8 students killed at the high school and one elderly woman just down the road from the school. 50+ were injured from this in the area.
Our daughter was at the school. It took 4-5 hours to find her. She was badly traumatized from the experience, but luckily, only light injuries. This experience affected our family mentally for years, if not a lifetime. There are so many others who are as well.
We did not have a shelter and did not put one in. Basements are not common for that area. I was stationed at Ft Rucker with two years to go until retirement. Tornadoes of that kind were not common to that area of the US. With climate change, they are now.
Insurance paid for most of the repairs and replacement of our house and stuff. "Non-recoverable depreciation" took a big chunk out of our savings, though. This is something so few people realize will financially affect them in a large loss like this.
We currently live in Florida. We've been through a few hurricanes turned tropical storms, but not a direct hit. We care for my mother in law who is 83 and has dementia. Once she passes, we are moving, likely to Tennesse near our daughter. I would take a tornado over a hurricane. We were 18 miles west of the damage path of Hurricane Michael. What we saw of the damage from that during recovery efforts was staggering. I have been to war in the Middle East. While those experiences helped me process that one, the sheer destruction visited upon Florida was mind-numbing. Two years ago, we spent 8 hours in a strong tropical storm with 70mph winds and gusts to 90. The tornado lasted less than two minutes from when I first saw it to when I was stepping outside to survey the area. Except for the minor intrusion of water from our pool, we didn't have a single bit of flooding from the tornado. With my combat experience, very little scares me these days. There was surprisingly little fear during the tornado considering. Most of it came after while trying to find our daughter. That tropical storm? The length of time, the wind and the amount of rain? That was scary.
My injuries were more extensive than just the shoulder and cuts/bruises. Due to a TBI from an explosion in Iraq, I suffered a secondary TBI from the tornado as well. My shoulder was put back in place by EMT's in the area, and surgery didn't happen until after we moved back in. Too much to do. The TBI wasn't recognized or treated until after we had moved back in. Honestly, I knew I had another TBI, but my family needed me to be strong for them. Especially our kids. Once things settled down, I started getting regular headaches. Next thing you know, I'm at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta for four months and also two months of hyperbaric treatments in New Orleans.
We are all doing well these days. When we are all together, we often talk about that day. It is as much a part of our family history as any other significant event.
Thanks for the awards!
#43
Oral health. Brush your damn teeth or you’ll sorely regret it later
Edit: brushing is often times not enough, I brushed regularly and still got cavities in between my teeth from not flossing. At least once a day do a full routine of flossing, brushing, tongue scraper, and mouthwash. I usually just brush in the morning and do the full shabang at night. Would’ve saved me thousands of dollars if I had started this earlier.
Maciej Zajaczkowski 1 year ago (edited)
People keep talking about brushing teeth and flossing - sure this is important and you should do it but the main root cause for oral problems is sugar consumption and diet. these control the types of bacteria in your mouth - eating a bad diet will let bad bacteria reproduce and damage your teeth. Seriously think about this and do it.
#44
Women who warn you that they are crazy... She is indeed crazy.
#45
Moose. If they decide they don’t like you, they can f**k you up. Only orcas get to mess with them.
kissmychakram 1 year ago
Now I'm trying to imagine the set of circumstances that would result in moose v orca.
#46
Mental health. Neglect it, and it'll wreck you faster than anything else. People think they can tough it out or push it aside, but that’s a losing game. Once you’ve seen the damage it can do, you realize it’s not something to take lightly.
Tempest 1 year ago
I unfortunately can relate to this. Was suïcidal pre-teens and then went through my teens knowingly suffering from severe depression. I knew I needed help but absolutely refused to speak out and seek help for several reasons. Convinced myself that I can fix myself. Come university years and I was actively suicïdal again. Then suffered a sort of mental breakdown in my final year last year. Finally started meds and then therapy this year and I’ve now been officially diagnosed with a total of at least 5 issues (depression, CPTSD, etc) and it’s an enormous struggle trying to fix it all. It’s not easy to take the leap to get help, but if it’s even remotely possible, please do!
#47
Sunburns will in fact lead to skin cancer.
Montanavanna 1 year ago
All these youths thinking they need fancy skincare routines. I told my teen niece the only thing she should do is apply sunscreen and use a moisturizer. My MIL has always cared for her skin with sunscreen and a good moisturizer since she was young. She is almost 70 and has the skin of someone in their 40s. It really is magnificent.
#48
Cars in snow. You ever seen a video where someone does a 360 in the snow and hits something? I did that and got lucky the thing I hit was a curb.
Jon Steensen 1 year ago
Your tires means lot.... Learned that last winter, when the first snow fell before anticipated, and I hadn't changed to winter tires before then. I though I was an experienced driver, who had been through a lot of winters and could handle a bit of snow.... But no, when you drive towards a bigger road in a T, and you put on the brakes lightly and the car just keeps going at the same speed, it is not any fun at all.
#49
Being a cheater. Ruined my entire life. Definitely got what I deserved and more.
#50
I had an extremely close friend for years and they were always SOO nice to me, went above and beyond all the time and I felt so appreciated and loved as a friend. This was years mind you too. One thing that was red flag that I ignored and I mentioned to my partner that was concerning was that this friend was really horrible to people they didn’t like or felt somehow wronged or slighted by. I remember saying I just need to make sure I’m never in their bad side. Well, long story short, always judge someone’s character to include how they treat people even if they don’t necessarily like them. If they talk badly, spread rumors, etc about others they will likely at some time do it to you.
Edit to add: I also co-owned a business with this “best friend” and so my second advice would be DONT ever go into business with a friend. Even if they have no red flags! Don’t do it!
#51
Made my kidneys bleed by drinking too many energy drinks while severely dehydrated.
So two things,
Easy on the energy drinks
Drink more water.
#52
Sleep apnea. Had it my whole life and didn’t get it fixed until I was 31. The first night I used a CPAP machine I woke up and felt like I was touched by Jesus. I cannot believe how s****y I felt for my whole life and didn’t even know that everyone else didn’t feel that way.
Multa Nocte 1 year ago
I'm not sure I want to be touched by Jesus in my sleep. He would need my consent first.
#53
Flipping the bird at a driver. It's been 40 years since I tried. On that particular adventure I was on a 4-lane road, 2 in each direction (Rte 29 through Virginia). I was going maybe 5 mph over the speed limit to pass a slow car when a car came up on my tail. The road wasn't limited access and had a lot of blind driveways. Going more than 55 really wasn't safe. The highway, named Dixie Highway, has also been referred to as Dixie Die-Way.
Anyway, I passed the slow car as quickly as I could safely do so then pulled over to the right as soon as I was safely in front of the slow vehicle. The guy who'd been riding my tail passed me at a high rate of speed and I held up the third finger as he passed. Ooops. The driver obviously saw it as he pulled in front of me the instant he was past me and jammed on his brakes. I was so relieved that I didn't lose control of the car. Since then I avoid anything that might induce a road rage incident. The satisfaction of displaying your annoyance from the comfort of your car isn't worth the consequences.
Koalafied to komment 1 year ago
When I get the urge to tell another driver how I think about his behaviour, I always give a thumps up with a bright smile.
#54
Pain. Basically, just because you can tolerate a lot of pain doesn't mean you should. Listen to your body; you are feeling pain for a reason, so don't push yourself just because you "can handle it.".
#55
Hurricanes. Stayed in New Orleans for Katrina. When they say to leave, leave.
#56
Portuguese Man O' War jellyfish.
If you think you see someone's lost floaty toy out in the ocean, just leave it.
#57
Domt f**k around with a mandolin! Use the guard , you can lose a fingertip …. I didnt… but came close damn its sharp!!
#58
Cults and MLM. Plan and simple. Stay away from them and keep your money and sanity intact.
#59
Repressing emotions. Grief. Anger. Anxiety. Sadness. Because if I don't process them, they manifest with some sort of physical suffering, illness, injury, etc.
Judy Reynolds 1 year ago
Yup. Finally dealing with stuff from 60 years ago. It's all still there, waiting...
#60
An infection. Killed my mother because the doctor f****d around. She was in the hospital and did everything the doctor told her, but he didn't want to come in during vacation time and he f****d around and it killed my mother.
I tell people this all of the time, any time you get an infection, please do not mess around with it. Seek care immediately and get it stamped out ASAP.
#61
This question pops up here a lot and "The Wu-Tang Clan" is never the top answer and it makes me question humanity.
#62
Chipmunks.
All I was trying to do was feed the little bastard and he took a chunk out of my finger. Little bastards can starve now.
Agfox 1 year ago
Also squirrels: we took a half-day bus tour in Vancouver years ago & one of the stopping points was Victoria Park. The driver told us to be wary of squirrels as one had, in his terms, "danced a fandango" on a previous passenger's head & result was unpleasantly painful & bloody
#63
Lithium batteries. I’m a curious fellow who likes to take stuff apart to see how they work. Had a camera battery go dead and thought I’d take a look see on what makes them tick. Go to work on it with a knife…Well what happens is that even “dead” batteries will f*****g explode in your hands, burn said hands, and couch, rug and carpet. I now choose much more carefully as to what I dismantle.
Pheebs 1 year ago
Don’t let laptop lithium batteries go fully dead. You run a serious risk of the forbidden capris sun. We had a battery go from fine to exploding in our kitchen sink two hours later. Didn’t realize the battery had hit rock bottom, and trying to charge it caused it to short and swell. Happened at midnight, and it was only by chance the laptop was close enough to us we heard the plastic popping as the battery swelled up, and could get it to a sink where it wouldn’t burn down the house. Still came close, as the flames were over 3 feet high.
#64
I was taking a bath while my phone was charging. I picked it up to use it. I was promptly electrocuted. I will not do that again.
Edit; I have been proctored on my word use- because I am still alive, it seems that I was not “electrocuted”; rather, I was “shocked”. It was, despite the wording, still really intense. When it happened, I tried to drop the phone and it was like, stuck to my hand. It took several attempts of me trying to THROW the phone to break the connection between the circuit and myself.
#65
Heat in the house during winter.
Although I still blame the governments “Only heat the rooms you use!” Guidance during the cost of living crisis, I completely took for granted how my house was different from my apartment when it came to keeping it heated during winter. That my house is much older and draughtier compared to the small apartment in the shared building.
Resulting in a frozen pipe and - ultimately - a burst pipe.
Homeowners - it’s better to just grit your teeth and pay the large gas/heating bills during winter. Water can do a LOT of damage to a property.
Edit: while it’s still fresh in my mind: make sure you all know where your stop-c**k valves are in your property!!
#66
Non-medical forms of birth control.
Je souhaite 1 year ago
It's always the ijits that seem to breed the most too because of non med birth control
#67
Kidney stones!
Woke up from a dead sleep SCREAMING it hurt so bad. Ambulance ride later, best they could do was some dilation meds or something because pain killers did not help.
Was super sore and uncomfortable for days… was told based on the tests & scans I had like 10 more. Never cut out so much soda / teas / chocolate so fast and increased water intake like it was my job.
Must have worked, almost 10 years later and no issues so far 🤞.
#68
Sugar free gummy bears....
#69
If you're feeling dizzy, don't stand up and try to find a comfier spot. Sit down on the ground where you are and wait for it to pass.
I didn't, and I planted my face into the sidewalk from full standing height.
Also that was two days ago, on vacation in a foreign country.
I_imagine_even_worse_w***s 1 year ago
Oof this happened me once on a packed train. There was barely standing room...that's actually what saved me from a bad fall because I passed out and literally was propped up by the people around me!! Very embarrassing all the same!
#71
Steers. One slammed me into the side of the barn once, out of absolutely nowhere, and I was alone. Bovines are not to be trusted.
I_imagine_even_worse_w***s 1 year ago
I feel this one. Grew up on a farm and even when practicing all farm safety accidents can and do happen.
#72
Mentally unstable women. Or mentally unstable people in general. No, I can not f*****g fix her. If they don‘t do therapy they will drag you down deeper than you can imagine.
#73
Don't compromise on your values and boundaries—stick to what matters most to you.
#74
Alcohol and credit cards.
#75
Electricity.
Jane Jayne Jain Jeign Jein 1 year ago
This is currently #37 out of 92 - who is upvoting a single word? Where is the story? How did you fück around and what did you find out? BP - why did you even include this in your list?
#76
Road Rage is real. Beeped at a guy being an a*****e, riding the wrong lane and cut me off. Not even a middle finger or curse, just a beep. Four dudes hopped out at the next light with guns. Luckily they were just trying to scare me and yell and got back in but I am much more forgiving while driving and generally just get out of an a******s way if I see them being reckless.
JJ 1 year ago (edited)
This is the third time I read some sort of this in this thread. Maybe "road rage" isn't the problem but letting every idiot possess and carry guns? If you mess up driving in Germany, people will give you a thumbs up and that's it. If someone really "road rages" you report them to the police and let a state prosecutor handle it.
#77
Cooked rice is to be consumed hot and refrigerated IMMEDIATELY, reheated only once, and thrown away in a few days if not eaten by then.
Had me butt naked in my tub sweating and shaking coming out of both ends. Couldn't eat anything but toast for 2 weeks after that. I no longer play with rice 🙅🏾♀️.
Ace 1 year ago
Often grossly exaggerated these days as a result of one case where someone died after eating pasta that had been cooked then left out, unrefrigerated and uncovered, for five days before being eaten. Leaving it (covered) for an hour or three before refrigerating is absolutely fine.
#78
Walking home alone late on a Sunday night in a dodgy neighborhood.
#79
Wolves. They’re way smarter than you’d think.
#82
Health bro, everything else is either expandable or manageable….
#83
Water. It’ll kill you with no warning, even the strongest swimmers.
cerinamroth 1 year ago
Well, it depends on the body of water. I think the bath is pretty OK, as long as you don't fall asleep in it. Drinking a glass of it is positively good for you.
#84
Not leaving at least one sense open/aware of your surroundings in public. I got suckerpunched knocked out by a methhead in broad daylight in hollywood because I looked at my phone to check bus times for 5 seconds.
I_imagine_even_worse_w***s 1 year ago
I had a phone once that at night kept pinging me to tell me to be aware of my surroundings as I was mobile in area with high crime rate. Like chill out phone...I just went from one room to another in my apartment lol. Took me ages to figure out how to turn off theat setting. Funny thing was it was a decent enough area but I guess one side of my apartment was deemed to be within the zone of a neighbouring not so nice area!
#85
Skunks. Paper boy experience.
Biytemii 1 year ago
It's actually kind of hard to get sprayed by a Skunk unless it is young. The younger ones are still dumb and can't controll themselves like the older ones. I have a family of skunks e ery year at my house and they're kind of like cats I can get close enough to pet them since they eat the cat food I put out for the strays but never once has one gotten even a little puffed out and angry with me lol
#86
Park. Had a "friend" slam my car into park while we were cruising down interstate! Terrifying, but thankfully no injuries.
I_imagine_even_worse_w***s 1 year ago
Would that be like slamming on the brakes at speed or more like gear slipping out?
#87
Not checking online if a skin product causes acne. Had to endure 5+ months of horrible acne and then scarring after years of clear skin for using a specific face sunscreen. Too much money/time spent on fixing it. Never again.
#89
I know a lot of these replies are serious, so I'll take it one step further: pre-ordering AAA games. Never again. Been clean for seven years now.
What do you think ?
duckie 1 year ago
Please, never pick up any metal things you find lying around anywhere there ever was a war in the last century. Also warn your kids abut it, again and again! Our extended family lost a nine year old boy to a found grenade in Croatia.
DarkViolet 1 year ago
I've heard of grenades specifically designed for children to handle. Sick, absolutely sick
Load More Replies...
BookFanatic 1 year ago
Table saws. Neighbor noticed his saw was getting stuck on a piece of wood. His response? Push harder. Lost his thumb and his index finger right in front of his 9 yr old grandson. Fun times.
Ace 1 year ago
There's about a dozen that give genuine examples of stuff that they shouldn't have messed with, the rest are nearly all just common sense things or stuff people have read somewhere else and decided to repeat as if they've learned the hard way.
Mike Rodrick 1 year ago
Common sense has become very uncommon these days. No matter how or why, the message gets out.
Load More Replies...
Schnitzel 1 year ago
I messed around and found out one time while going through customs at JFK (coming from Heathrow). I had brought alot of candy with me that was wrapped in plastic bags. When the officer asked me what it was I said "d***s". (I was young and stupid). The look he gave me is permnently etched to the back of my brain! He went through the bags and then said "I will let you go this time because I can tell you were being silly but if you EVER want to have problems, do this again". Yes, Sir! I mean, NO, SIR!
Ace 1 year ago (edited)
I was once made quite uncomfortable flying into San Fransisco on a business trip. They asked me what I was there for and who I worked for, which was a major Pharmaceutical company. then said Ah, so you're a drüg dealer, right? Now I was 99.9% sure the guy wasn't trying to trip me up, he was laughing when he said it, but I was still cautious in my reply to not actually say yes.
Load More Replies...
Mike Rodrick 1 year ago
How many times do we have to hear about children dying in hot cars? Are people really that stupid?
DarkViolet 1 year ago
Yes. It's easy to lose track of time, whether shopping, or in one case, gaming, while your child is slowly dying.
Load More Replies... Livingwithcfs 1 year ago
Illnesses, if you don't look after yourself when your sick it will come back to haunt you. Long term side affects from some Illnesses can cause major problems for the rest of your life. Eg, sore throat can cause serious heart damage
PFD 1 year ago
I had to open the full list and read all the way down to find it after this comment. Yep - funny, and I'm disappointed in the BP community for downvoting it.
Load More Replies... duckie 1 year ago
Please, never pick up any metal things you find lying around anywhere there ever was a war in the last century. Also warn your kids abut it, again and again! Our extended family lost a nine year old boy to a found grenade in Croatia.
DarkViolet 1 year ago
I've heard of grenades specifically designed for children to handle. Sick, absolutely sick
Load More Replies... BookFanatic 1 year ago
Table saws. Neighbor noticed his saw was getting stuck on a piece of wood. His response? Push harder. Lost his thumb and his index finger right in front of his 9 yr old grandson. Fun times.
Ace 1 year ago
There's about a dozen that give genuine examples of stuff that they shouldn't have messed with, the rest are nearly all just common sense things or stuff people have read somewhere else and decided to repeat as if they've learned the hard way.
Mike Rodrick 1 year ago
Common sense has become very uncommon these days. No matter how or why, the message gets out.
Load More Replies... Schnitzel 1 year ago
I messed around and found out one time while going through customs at JFK (coming from Heathrow). I had brought alot of candy with me that was wrapped in plastic bags. When the officer asked me what it was I said "d***s". (I was young and stupid). The look he gave me is permnently etched to the back of my brain! He went through the bags and then said "I will let you go this time because I can tell you were being silly but if you EVER want to have problems, do this again". Yes, Sir! I mean, NO, SIR!
Ace 1 year ago (edited)
I was once made quite uncomfortable flying into San Fransisco on a business trip. They asked me what I was there for and who I worked for, which was a major Pharmaceutical company. then said Ah, so you're a drüg dealer, right? Now I was 99.9% sure the guy wasn't trying to trip me up, he was laughing when he said it, but I was still cautious in my reply to not actually say yes.
Load More Replies... Mike Rodrick 1 year ago
How many times do we have to hear about children dying in hot cars? Are people really that stupid?
DarkViolet 1 year ago
Yes. It's easy to lose track of time, whether shopping, or in one case, gaming, while your child is slowly dying.
Load More Replies... Livingwithcfs 1 year ago
Illnesses, if you don't look after yourself when your sick it will come back to haunt you. Long term side affects from some Illnesses can cause major problems for the rest of your life. Eg, sore throat can cause serious heart damage
PFD 1 year ago
I had to open the full list and read all the way down to find it after this comment. Yep - funny, and I'm disappointed in the BP community for downvoting it.
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