More than a million people hurt themselves falling down stairs in America every year. And around 12,000 of them don’t live to tell the tale. It’s a very sad statistic released by several law firms in the country. But it's one that needs to be highlighted in order for the number of deaths and injuries to decrease. Sometimes, a fall is due to pure clumsiness or negligence. Other times, a slippery floor is to blame.
However, there’s another danger lurking about… Utterly terrible and disastrous design. And it comes in all shapes and forms. Whether it’s hand sanitizer packaged in a drinking bottle, or an electrical outlet in a toddler ballpit, it seems that some designers are genuinely out to create death traps.
People have been sharing the shocking examples of dangerous design they’ve witnessed in the wild. And some might truly terrify you. Bored Panda has compiled a list of the worst, and we hope you never, ever encounter any of them.
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Those Are Stairs
What makes this extra funny, is that 'trap' means stairs in Dutch
Load More Replies...They should give an insurance claims adjuster an office at the bottom of the stairs.
Someone is going to pay a couple of hospital bills and meet a lawyer or two.
And no handrail in sight. I'd hate to see a blind person's guide 🦮 navigate that.
There might still be a handrail just out of the frame
Load More Replies...And tile too rather than carpet, just to ensure the maximum amount of damage when you fall.
Never look at the pattern, follow the edge. Same on snowy roads : infer the road's position from the reflector posts along the side, and do not try to see a white stripe through white snow.
Imagine a world where all designers worked with eyes closed and their brains shut off... Almost everything we did on a daily basis could have the potential to end in an accident. People would be burning, tripping, falling, getting poisoned, shocking themselves, or even worse. Then they might land up in a hospital where, once again, safety was not taken into consideration. What a disaster.
Thankfully, many designers do take measures to limit harm, injury or death when creating something. It is, after all, their moral and legal obligation.
Putting This On Arthritis Cream Is Such A Cruel Joke
I'm a 58 year old steel worker but cancer got me so my 11 year old daughter has to open stuff for me. I just have zero strength.
I sympathise. I have various ailments and feel as weak as a newborn kitten sometimes.
Load More Replies...There isn't a simple way round this. I can only suggest using something sharp to pierce it. If your arthritis is that bad, anything you try will be awkward and painful.
There is a relatively simple solution. Before you leave the pharmacy, ensure you can open all of your medication. In this case, ask the pharmacy assistant to remove the protective covering. For me, it is ensuring the medication has not dispensed in 'child-proof' containers. I will not accept medication that I can not open.
Load More Replies...I use pliers on the difficult ones. I keep a toolbox by the laundry and not once have I used the pliers for anything building or fixing related. They exist for those super dinky tabs and to help pry the lid off the water bottle for the dispenser. Other than that, stab it and lever it open.
Those aren't really there to protect the consumer. They're an incredibly inexpensive way for the factory to prevent leakage on the way to the consumer.
They’re there to protect the corporation from lawsuits.
Load More Replies...Simple solution - Sharp knife to cut the plastic just inside the rim of the jar. Forget the sadistic pull tab.
I have asked my pharmacy a dozen times to PLEASE not give me my meds in childproof bottles. I live alone and have two injured hands. Sigh.
How Not To Design A Bike-Lane Route
Several of these seem to have gone the extra mile to really ensure you get the maximum bang for your buck so to speak.
Load More Replies...It's only my personal experience and not a rigorous scientific study, but I'm pretty sure that most people who design bike lanes don't ride bikes.
I don’t think people who design roads actually drive, either.
Load More Replies...I don't know where this drain is, but in my little mountain town in northern California ALL of our street drains have criss-cross grating just specifically so a bicycle tire can't get snagged. Also, look at this drain in photo; using concrete rebar, sure looks like the municipality went for the cheap.
Wheelchair tyres too. I wish the UK was that sensible.
Load More Replies...They has some of these in Reno when I lived there. They were talking about making a law that cyclists could not leave the bike lane if one was provided. Reno was the most bike-hostile city I've lived in, although Mesa, AZ let a guy off who ran over and killed a cyclist in the bike lane, saying it was the cyclist's responsibility to make sure the bike lane had no cars in it before entering.
Hmmm. I lived in Reno for four years, 2014 - 2017, and rode my bicycle all over the city. I found it to be fairly bicycle-accomodating, but the bike "lanes" are of course bike "gutters" only, allowing cars to occupy the same space, so that's a danger for sure.
Load More Replies..."Safety in Design (or Design for Safety, Prevention through Design) involves integrating safety principles into every design phase to reduce risks and protect people, equipment, and the environment," explains the the Antea Group, a consultancy that specializes in environmental, health, safety, and sustainability issues.
The company's experts say while Safety in Design is gaining recognition, not all industry professionals have experience with it, and even fewer have integrated it into existing processes.
This Sidewalk Brick Layout. Perfect To Lose Balance Or Trip
This is nowhere near as bad as the image is trying to convey. If you look closely, you can see roughly where the deliberate blurring starts. The poster (or image producer) has tried to disguise their image manipulation by reducing resolution after they messed with the original.
You can see it on the white fence on the left that is also blurred.
Load More Replies...The pavement is like this at the train station near to where I live. The council also thought it was a good idea to make the road look exactly the same and call it a "shared space". I've missed my footing on the kerb more than once because I can't see it and have nearly been run over because I didn't realise had drifted into the road.
That Seems Dangerous
I wonder how many car tyres they had to pay to replace before they gave in and removed these. At least a pedestrian has a chance of seeing them (so you only have the risk to people who fall). In a car you're probably not going to realise and that looks like a car park.
Load More Replies...But, the homeless! A few deadly or life altering falls are a small price to pay to keep away the poors! /s
Those are anti-skateboard spikes, not anti-homeless spikes. But, yeah, definitely a severe injury waiting to happen.
Load More Replies...Reminds me of houses that used to cement broken glass into the top of brick walls stop intruders. Not allowed anymore for obvious reasons.
Glass shard topped walls are still very common. It's cheap and looks very dangerous. (unless you own a hammer and something thick, like a sleeping bag, but let's keep that between us.)
Load More Replies...That looks like DIY with JB Weld. If a business did this, their liability insurance people would spike them.
Melbourne, Australia Supermarket - Where You Can Self-Checkout, But You Can Never Leave…
🎶 We're on a road to nowhere, Come on inside, Takin' that ride to nowhere, We'll take that ride
Load More Replies...Farnborough, Hampshire, UK.
A rooftop car park. No cars, because they never built the on/off-ramps. Screenshot...2d-png.jpg
good hiding spot for, uh, questionable stuff
Load More Replies...Where are you that people in parking lots even look at the arrows, much less obey them?
You've never been to the parking lot at my local supermarket.
Load More Replies...Someone doesn't understand other nations have other traffic regulations. This is perfectly clear and the entrance and exit are the same place. You can see the width is the same as the two lane road.
They do...as soon as the entry door comes into view and a sign above on the walls or a pillar shows the way out and entry together with adequate space. This is to prevent drivers from driving two ways, and the obvious ..a misguided aerial pic
crikey mate, you think america's all fun and games? Well I'm here to tell you otherwise, mate, fair dinkum! Just cuz youse make the big bikkies ain't mean nothin, brother!
Load More Replies...It may seem fairly obvious why designers need to take user safety into consideration. But as we know, some cut corners, others are just totally oblivious, and then there are those who just don't care. The Antea Group says implementing Safety in Design principles can sometimes seem difficult at first. They add complexity, time and possibly money to the engineering process.
But the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks, add their experts. "By addressing hazards early, organizations can prevent injuries, reduce long-term costs, and improve worker morale," reads the consultancy site. "For instance, designing facilities with easy access for maintenance reduces the need for risky on-the-fly solutions. Additionally, a safe design can lead to more efficient operations and lower insurance premiums, contributing to a healthier bottom line."
Waterfall Over The Entrance To My Apartment When It Rains. No The Gutters Aren't Full. It's Designed This Way
Can't complain about the landlords for this. It is whoever design and built the building that are morons.
Load More Replies...Very very hilarious. I haven't laughed this hard since I saw that "office of urban planning" picture with the letters running off the end of the wall
Guess I’m Paying For The Upstairs Neighbors Heating
I'd never sit underneath that. Always expecting it to fall on my head!
Yup. It might be somewhat inefficient in terms of heating, but it's hanging a 500 pound chunk of metal on the ceiling that I'd worry about.
Load More Replies...I had radiators on the ceiling when I lived in a “garden” apartment. It sucked.
Load More Replies...The neighbours are thankful for the under floor heating you are providing
Cast iron radiator - those things are heavy, never seen one of this size. Mist be easily over 100 kilos. And yes, they go like furnace.
So I Almost Died At School Today (Not A Water Bottle)
Come to the Balkans. Half of the water bottles in the fridge are filled with some kind of transparent hard alcohol! 😅😆
I would find this more believable if you had said "all" the water bottles.
Load More Replies...It seems way less dangerous when you keep the original cap and pump assembly in the bottle. untitled-6...7f1d1c.jpg
That looks like a different bottle, though. Maybe they used a different bottle for emergency production during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic or something.
Load More Replies...I bought a refill bottle of foaming hand soap. I bought pear scented because I like pears. My daughter thought it was a new mouthwash. Tbf, the bottle does look like mouthwash.
It does say DO NOT DRINK in highlighted yellow...if one looks at the label if so thirsty ..hmm
Well, to know languajes is an useful skill. Where I live, in Spain, most non drinkable liquid products have warning symbols printed on them. If you drink these you are a toddler or you are trying to get a Darwin Award. Just a tip: People should read more.
Okay, but what are languajes? Just a tip: People should spell check their comments.
Load More Replies...I've washed my hands with mouthwash at my dentists' office. I even told them it would help to have different containers.....
my mate in oz drank fertiliser once cuz he thought it was his water bottle. the gardeners left it lying around on top of his locker or smt
There are a few critical elements that go into a successful Safety in Design program. The first one being that safety should be top of mind from the outset of any project. This means having minimum safety standards that serve as the foundation for all design and construction jobs.
There should then be regular reviews of drawings, models, and narratives to identify and mitigate potential hazards. "These reviews are integral to catching issues before they materialize on-site, providing an opportunity for corrective action in the planning phase," explains Antea.
Carpet Around The Drain Is Crazy
And the mold, and the fungus and brrr! the maggots... 😱
Load More Replies...Why in God's creation would they put carpet around a drain! Anybody with half a brain would know better than this!
Maybe not cut it, but it made me feel a bit better
Load More Replies...We bought a house with carpet in the bathroom. We had an 8-year-old boy; we tore the carpet out the day we took possession.
Slippery When Wet, I Fell Down Just Looking At The Picture
All the different wall, floor paint colours would give me a headache, way too much everything going in here
If I had to pee I'd go outside rather than use that bathroom. As far as bathing goes, I'd rather use a garden hose. What a garish nightmare. Some interior decorators need to be institutionalized and kept heavily medicated, for the good of society.
My School Tried To Make The Staircase To The Cafeteria Accessible To Wheelchair Users
Pretty badly? I would say "failed utterly" since not only does it have 1 step at the bottom it doesn't even go all the way up.
Load More Replies...12 students start Freshman year disabled. 56 students graduate Senior year disabled.
I don't know what the point of this is, but I do know that 1. It wasn't failed attempt at making a wheelchair ramp, and 2. Somebody thought it would be funny to say it was and people have been falling for it ever since.
So just terrible design for the sake of terrible design. Cool, cool
Load More Replies...Those are stair-stepped seats for a presentation space. The smooth part on the left is the walkway. The speaker and screen would be on the wall behind and to the right. I know because my university built about a dozen 'little amphitheaters.' The issue is that your derriere's comfort begins spiralling down exponentially after the first minute. "Uncomfortable as bl**dy 'uck" pretty much covers it.
But how do they bypass the railing to get to the seats?
Load More Replies...Companies or designers should also continuously carry out risk assessments. Prevention is better than cure. Lastly, all changes in the design have to be documented and reviewed by safety professionals to maintain safety standards. "This element is crucial for adapting to evolving project requirements without compromising safety," warns the Antea Group.
The Entrance Of Possible Death
Yes, was going to say that - no hinges on the part over the steps. Even so I really don't feel it's safe
Load More Replies...This frightens me even to look at. A tiny landing right at the top/bottom of a staircase. What if you're carrying something? What if that mat slips? Nope.
And the mat shown in picture does not inspire confidence in its safety.
Load More Replies...Exit from my gym is like that - 24 hour access, but when it isn’t staffed you come and go via the stairs. Door is right at the very top, and the landing is narrow, so you don’t have room to step out and close the door behind you. I’ve nearly fallen down the stairs several times!
Holiday Spirit Is Going To Cause Some Accidents. Spot The Traffic Lights
This Random Power Outlet Sticking Out Of The Floor (Which I Tripped On 3 Times Now)
Floor outlets for a desk, table, or podium that used to sit there. They can be removed and replaced with a flush metal plate, with or without outlets. The way to make it happen quickly is to have and report an injury accident.
Leg Breaking Stairs
Because there isn't enough room for a landing and it would make the stairs too steep. Many old English houses have junctions like this part way up the the stairs, usually to provide access to a bathroom over the kitchen (so the plumbing was all at one end of the house).
Load More Replies...I once encountered stairs like this in an apartment building I had to go to for work. I sat on the stairs and slid myself down while hanging onto the rails at the side. Needless to say, my a$$ was a bit worse for wear but at least I didn't fall! :P
Nice. Development Planning At Its Finest
Having a sidewalk so far back from intersection is a safety hazard. Cars don't stop before the crossing. They go past it. Another car turning won't see people crossing behind the other car.
If you happen to own the house that this electrical box sits on, you are right for lawsuits as people fall on "your property"
Cutting Holes Through Joist For Hvac?
If you patched over each hole from both sides and along the beam with matching 2x10" splints, and then used about 20 heavy thru-bolts... Then go find the idiot with the hole saw. Wait, maybe do that first.
Surprisingly that probably still has a considerable amount of the original strength, thanks to having that little bit of wood in tension at the bottom. I've seen them just cut a large U shape out, leaving the bottom open. That has no strength. Had to replace 25+ floor joists in a nearly completed house.
Easier access for the pet possum or some wild critter they call a pet
Trying To Prevent Cyclists From Using The Ramp, By Blocking The Passage To Everyone With Wheels (Strollers, Wheelchairs, Etc)
You wouldn't be able to ride through it, but only a world class moron wouldn't be able to stand their bike on the rear wheel and weave through that with no trouble at all. OTOH, it's probably extremely effective at stopping a lot of strollers, baby carriages, and all mobility scooters.
Guess I'm a world class moron, then. (I know how to weave my bike through busy traffic with a kid on the back-seat who's legs are dangling across fully loaded bike-bags, one smaller kid in the steering-seat with two grocery-back hanging from the steering as well, but I never managed to stand on the rear wheel.)
Load More Replies...They have these on the bike track along the river where I live. At every point it crosses a road. It’s meant to stop people from riding through the intersection & causing traffic accidents; instead it just makes it unusuable 🙄
As a wheelchair user , the trip down would be smashing . Oh crazy limbo.
The Layout Of This Street Isn’t Confusing At All
The theory is that it looks like road markings, but isn't. Just close enough to confuse you and make you slow down. Surprisingly effective, we have a similar thing here in town.
Load More Replies...At a quick glance, it looks like a load of bananas fell off the truck.
From the same people who brought you "call 0118, 999, 881, 999, 119, 725...3."
Got that memorized or did you copy from somewhere?
Load More Replies...Done during Covid, I suspect. I still see stores that have the dumb direction arrows on the floor. Totally useless, in hind sight. Too bad Fauci was a liar about...just about everything Covid related.
Crappy (And Dangerous) Lighting Design Burning The Grass
When it get's to 5pm it automatically lights the barbie!
Load More Replies...I'd lay down a narrow brick path to receive the sun and tell people I planned it that way.
Curious and I think not considered in many clear glass lampost shades!
This Death Trap Of A Corridor
But they'll pay the carpet people to get down on their knees too tighten it instead. Looks like they're trolling for a lawsuit.
Load More Replies...Pipe runs? HVAC under the platforms? Massive fear of cyclist and wheelchair users? Old concrete doorsteps? Given the amount of fitting the carpet required (all those corners!), it would have been cheaper to use platforms to make it all one level and just roll the carpet down the new 'floor.'
One of the other corridors in Beetlejuice that didn't make it into the final film.
maybe the guy doing this thought he would have people exercise on stair steppers????? Seriously stupid
The Handle Bar In The New Sauna Burnt My Hand And Almost Sent Me Back Into The Heater
I can’t imagine how this isn’t obvious to everyone
Load More Replies...Should be seasoned hard wooden handles and a safer floor palm ..some,engineers /designers have no idea....of practicality, let alone safety
GLASS... IN A SAUNA. I don't even know what to say, this is just too stupid for words.
That's why the Finns made them entirely out of wood - except the stove.
I'm surprised someone hasn't opened the door too far and broken the door on the heater.
I Almost Fell Down And Rolled My Ankle On This
That looks like it's for a long armed orangutan human perhaps
Load More Replies...WHY??? this household really must not like guests using their toilet lol
At Least It's Padded?
IWhen I was a kid they used to end onto a sandy gap in the ground, but not with a pole in the middle!
Under the one I was using regularly as a kid in the '60, an English bomb from WWII was discovered in the '90 when building a theater; fortunately, there was no Earth-shattering kaboom (but they evacuated a few thousands people when removing it).
Load More Replies...The playgrounds are usually modular and prefabricated. The building is what it is and that pole can’t be removed. Given the space constraints, they didn’t they could. It’s off center between the two slides. They probably wouldn’t hit it if they tried and stuck their arm or leg out towards it. Kids won’t be coming down very fast looking at the slide slope and height in the picture. They’d land at the base of the slide fairly gently and not shoot out off the end.
To be fair, it's between two slides so not in a direct line, and no kid is coming down those little slides at speed.
Looks like the pads were only put there after a few kids broke their tailbones. Now they need to wrap the frickin pole!
So nobody is going to mention that teaching children to associate a stop sign with HAVE FUN, is.... let's be generous and say "unwise"?
Cyber Truck Bike Rack Blocks The License Plate And Brake Lights
At least in Germany police would pick you right off that highway. License plate and / or break lights not visible = not existent.
Also in the UK that counts as two separate offences: obscured numberplate and obscured rear lights.
Load More Replies...Bicycles also stick out beyond the sides of the truck, but then nobody GAF as the whole truck is a hazard to pedestrians with its pointy angles - this is why they are not legal in the UK.
Among several other reasons. The visibility and function of lights is another. But yes, its inate hostility towards pedestrians is one of the reasons I am very glad they're banned here. And that the police keep seizing them from the idiots who import them anyway.
Load More Replies...Not sure if you really refer to THIS rack. But in general? No. Lots of racks and lots of vehicle types, all allowing to see the lights and licences plate, and if not they have their own lights and licences plate (kind like a trailer does).
Load More Replies...Most rear mounted bike racks interfere with license plates and/or brake lights. I can't understand what the cops don't right $100 million worth of tickets in a normal year.
That's an Idaho plate and to prevent you from losing sleep tonight, the bottom line says "Famous Potatoes." I am not making that up.
Yup it is. I'm from the Famous Spud state, and I UP knows his plate.
Load More Replies..."Safe Road For Children"
It's a short person's revenge for all those "You must be this tall or taller to ride this ride" signs.
Off topic, but I think I might be having second baby fever - all I can think about when looking this picture is that I want to give my son a sister or brother :-)
❤️ go for it if you can (and your partner is on board!)
Load More Replies...Of course ..it looks so safe no one wil need to step off on to the road to get by
Play Safe, Kids!
As long as they face the same way, fine. In fact, one can give the other a literal kick start....
I just see my boys trying to jump out of one swing and into the other. Good idea to put pavers under it.
If This Food Processor Container Overflows, Liquids Drain Directly Onto Internal Electronics
Reminds me of vintage British sports cars, with the (leaky) carburetor(s) mounted directly above the electrical distributor.
Yeah, because liquids in a blender stay perfectly still...
Load More Replies...This is a food processor (not a blender) so there should be a blade and/or other attachment in that open plastic space theyre showing. Maybe they arent assembling it right?
No, it doesn't. That is not how centrifugal force works. More to the point, the black shroud diverts liquids past the board, is vented on the bottom and has a drainage tube leading out from from the collar in case you spill on the machine without the hopper in place. Finally this is a slicer, which should not be filled with liquids to begin with, as the manual would have told you if you bothered to RTFM.
Dump it before it dumps you. Made in China, perhaps.. def not Germany
The Idiots That Designed This Garbage Truck Only Allow The Hood To Open Halfway, Making Repairs Needlessly Difficult
Yes! Oh my God. I'm a diesel mechanic and half the trucks in our fleet are like this. God forbid anything happen to the radiator. I was hired because I'm the only one who fits in the engine bay to fix the d**n things.
"Garbage Truck", all right. OH! You mean it's a Garbage REMOVAL Truck! "I didn't mean to say that the Enterprise should be *hauling* garbage! I meant that it should be hauled away AS garbage!" -- Soon-to-be-unconscious Klingon
Unhook the latch on the left side behind the lights. Again, READ THE MANUAL.
Back in the day we had a Toyota Forerunner in for service. It needed a new starter. Guess where the genius' at Toyota placed it? BEHIND the engine mount. We had to disconnect the ENGINE and lift it 8 inches to get to it. F*cking idiots.
Find this to be accurate looksmore like the results of a front-end crash
That Slide Seems Like A Good Time
I wonder how many people have already been hurt on that stupid slide!
Is it being delivered or under instruction for spinal limbs and behind injuries?
Maybe we are just looking at it wrong. Maybe we need to hop up on it and drag ourselves to the top to get out of the pool.
My Landlords “Carpenter” Hooked Us Up With This Beauty Today
Is that really a microwave? And where's the ladder to reach it?
I hope you don't plan on using that for more than a couple of minutes at a time. There's a reason microwaves have a big clunky fan inside (and it's not to blow the steam away) and there's a reason why the instructions talk about how much space to leave around the air vents. That isn't dumb, it's dangerous...(but then height, position over cooker, etc. it is massively stupid)
I'm almost 6 feet tall and I couldn't see into this microwave. This is terrible.
Ok What Is This
Based on the weird proportions of the door it looks to me like it's been photoshopped. untitled-6...4b99cb.jpg
Stairway to heaven - you can’t see it, but it takes you there.
I have these doors on my bedroom/bathroom ect, I wouldn't feel safe with one of these as my main front door
etc. Short for et cetera. ECT could mean electro convulsive therapy.
Load More Replies...Wait... Why Is There A Door?
Is this a theater? Many theaters use these for infrequent installation and changing out of heavy equipment such as projectors and stage lights. They use these door to allow easy loading from a scissor lift or small crane that’s brought in along side. This is easier and safer than bring it up a ladder or building a ceiling strong enough to pull it up and bring old units down.
Why does it look like that is a push bar on the door, indicating that it opens in!?
Probably a safety bar to prevent accidental opening
Load More Replies...Emergency ENTRANCE. WITH a label identifying it as a fire door. Very practical for the ladder truck crew. ^_^
I Understand That These Are For Blind People, But These Are Made Of Metal And Become A Slippery Death Trap When Wet. Which Is Always In London
In Australia they're a hard plastic that deteriorates, breaks up and comes apart.
We have these in Canada. I haven't had issues with them. I have, however, slipped on rocks at the side of the road.
The ones I've seen around here seem to be made of some sort of hard plastic.
They would be! Not metal in Australia, some sort of hard plastic, I think? A pain in the b**t at airports (but I know why they’re essential) but not slippery.
Extremely painful if you have arthritis in your feet, tread on them awkwardly and you can feel your joints grating
Completely foolish design that has spread all over the globe. Lets take away two-thirds of surface contact right where it is the most dangerous
I Have No Idea How They Turn This Off
Parking Spot Failure
Looks like the emergency room parking lot in the old St. Joseph's hospital in Lancaster, PA. That was a great hospital to be a patient in. Part of it was basically abandoned, so when I would go walking with my walker I'd go down there, which was actually on my floor, too. It was a neat old place.
Yes, some concreter was just doing his job from the council parking plan.. No pushing past anyone else..Or to place a waste bin for drop-offs?
The Baby Changing Area In The O’hare Bathrooms - The Whole Area Was Soaked And My 16-Month-Old’s Feet Were In The Sink
That is the worst design I've ever seen, water everywhere and a baby with an electrical socket at arms reach
And the baby is lying an 90° to you which makes it even harder.
Load More Replies...It's not even a flat surface. I can just picture the kid slowly sliding into the sink portion...
An economically minded dumwit who designed this baby change place with their idea of ..well, washing babies' bottoms or anyone's hands? So wrong in every sense The double power point at the back is an additional lethal option to assist.
A packet of tissues isn't going to be enough to wipe an entire countertop, nor would it solve the problem of the baby's feet being in the sink.
Load More Replies...Just Why?!?
It took me a few seconds to figure out what I was looking at. I guess the driver figured if they get in an accident, the pointy prism will make it easier for them to meet Jesus
Doesn’t belong in a list of “dangerous designs” (just in case BP decides to change the title). This is owner idiocy, not part of the design.
Well, the obvious threat to physical safety is an issue of owner safety, but the mixed religious message is a stupid design (Jesus on a crucifix under a four-sided pyramid?)
Load More Replies...Tullock's Spike: "if governments were serious about reducing road casualties, they should mandate that a sharp spike be installed in the center of each car's steering wheel" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Tullock#Tullock's_spike
There’s an old saying that the surest device for driving safely would be an 6-inch knife blade on the steering column pointed at the driver
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gordon_Tullock#Tullock's_spike
Load More Replies...I’m guessing it’s to prevent road rage…instead of honking you see Jesus? Still really bad design. But it does have a “purpose”. (Not that I said it was a good one)
This Bench Has Been Kindly Donated By The Local Concussion And Head Injury Clinic
Really? There is a memorial plaque. Maybe dedicated to someone who got crack-ed on the head by one of the falling rocks. Obviously, trying to avoid censor here.
I was walking along the coastal defences near my home once, saw a small plaque fixed to the cliff, went closer to read it. "In memory of \ who was killed here by a falling rock." Thanks for luring me closer!
This is almost as good as that "Come A Little Closer" advertisement for funerary services, mounted on the back wall of a metro, across from the platform.
Stairway To Heaven
I believe this is the Philippines and yep, looks like I remember it from my visits haha
No inspections needed here..all is acceptable;e no matter the style and shortcuts.
My Neighbor’s Driveway Features A Decorative Boulder Right In Front Of The Garage Stalls
A childhood neighbor of mine had a rock in the middle of his back patio. He was a nice older man who used to teach all us kids to play table tennis. As a kid I asked him why he didn't move it. It was about mid-calf height on an adult, and about 80cm long by 40ish cm wide. Apparently under the ground it was truly enormous and extended all the way under his house and the neighbours. They'd tried to remove it before building his house, but the neighbours house was already there, and it would have been too big a task. I just remember this very sharp pokey bit on the top...
Most people around here leave the car in the driveway, and store stuff in the garage.
Like an iceberg, you can't see all of it. I know a driveway just like this that would've required dynamite 🧨 and massive destruction to move. The rock 🪨 stayed.
Like the stubborn guy who just Won't sell, so they build the mall around his house.
Curling Iron.. Way Too Easy To Grab The Hot Side
I was thinking the same thing, get that straightener out of the sink
Load More Replies...If this is easy to grab incorrectly for you, you should not be left alone with consumer electronics. Not only is the cold side marked AND textured AND cabled, it has LEDs in it so you cannot even make this mistake in the dark.
Why are the straighteners in the sink? Why are there even sockets NEAR sinks!?
Maybe Not Best Design For End Table At Hotel Where You Place Items In The Dark Before Bed
but perfect if you have just eaten 1/8th of a large pie and need somewhere to put the rest
In the dark, the ⅛ is always gonna be in the wrong place
Load More Replies...If the base was cut out as well. I’d say the V section was supposed to face the wall (still doesn’t make sense, but maybe 10% less illogical) but yeah, it’s not.
Groan.... turn it back the other way, you know d**n well you turned this before snapping the picture.
Electrical Outlet In The Ball Pit
It's not great but that's not really a hazard for toddler big enough to play in a ball pit (where they should be supervised anyway). That type of outlet takes metal probes or prongs, like from a fork, and a little work before it will spark. Trust me.
That type of outlet can deliver a fatal shock if someone shoves a conductive thing into the live side of the socket. Unless it's got shutters (not mandatory in the US), you can end up dead just playing with a paperclip.
Load More Replies...No child's finger fits in that, and sharp implements should not be in possession of a child still young enough to use a ball pit.
My Chemistry Teacher’s Emergency Shower Is Right Next To All Of His Electrical Equipment
I totally lucked out and got to accompanying state safety inspectors and fire marshals on building and lab inspections for about two years. It was an eye opening experience every few minutes! I do not believe they would object to this scenario. Things are properly mounted and there are no evident electrical connections on the floor.
Escorting those folks was fascinating. I got to go through all the hidden "Harry Potter" doors, some of which I'd walked passed without noticing before, I was up on the roofs, looking down elevator shafts, wandering around inside HVAC stacks, etc. I was also 'authorized and encouraged' to check the eyewash stations. The model shown drains out of that hole in the lower pipe onto the floor.
Load More Replies...It's a foot off the floor. If you manage to close a circuit at that height, you are doing it on purpose.
Why an emergency shower? Is this a homemade ceiling sprinkler system? And what is that business exactly, with things all on roller wheels ?
It’s a chemistry classroom. Emergency shower is to wash chemicals off in case of an accident.
Load More Replies...Um zoom in on the grey face plateed plug . Are those outlines to the test reset switch you find on gfi outlets ?
Oven Knobs Made Of Quite Soft Plastic Above A Grill That Needs To Stay Open. We’ve Replaced Them 3 Times
in the UK, the grill must be open to be on as a safety measure. If you shut it, it turns off. Not entirely sure why it's safer but yeah
Load More Replies...Availability, maybe? Depending on how old the grill is, these may be the only type that fit.
Load More Replies...had a similar oven but it came with a metal guard/heat deflector which you clipped on lengthwise, underneath the knobs to protect them from the heat
These are getting painful. On the bottom of your grill is a drawer called the warmer. Inside, you will find a metal vane that hooks into two studs in the top edge of the oven, extending well beyond the knobs. The manual you were instructed to read before use, told you about this feature, and even clarified which way around to mount it, in case you're hard of thinking.
Impossible To Plug Anything Into This Hotel Lamp Outlet
Being that it is a hotel/motel, the traveler probably would not have thought to pack that.
Load More Replies...Christ on a bike. THAT IS WHERE THE PLUG GOES when you roll the cable around the lamp for moving. R the F'ing M for pity's sake!
Which you'll always carry with you when travelling/staying in hotels??
Load More Replies...My Porch Drains Directly Onto My Neighbor’s
My best friend's balcony has a floor drain that is... on a tiny, ELEVATED square of the floor. Physics are wild
Ours is above grade as well. Will cost about $5k to have it redone.
Load More Replies...I have this situation where I live, too. My upstairs neighbor loves to water their plants to overflow. I gave her my number to text me before doing it to avoid being drenched. Then I realized the drain dumped water from all 3 floors above and out an umbrella under the drain pipe. Sigh
I lived on the second floor of a 3 story apartment building. One day I discovered water dripping from my bathroom light fixture. I went upstairs to the apartment directly above me to find out where the water was coming from and found the girls living there mopped their bathroom and let the mopping water go into the drain in the middle of the bathroom floor. I found out later from talking to a maintenance man who complained about the corners cut in the building of the apartments that those drains weren't hooked to a drainage system.
Fumbling For The Lightswitch In The Dark Is A Dangerous Game
I doubt it. My furnace has a “light switch” to cut off electricity just to the furnace so it can be worked on without cutting electricity at the switch board (breaker box).
Load More Replies...Box For This TV Mount Shows A "Helpful" Ruler That's Wildly Inaccurate
If you ask a man, that ruler is accurate. "Yes babe. Mine is the biggest 2 inches you'll ever see."
A Pedestrian Friendly Feature In India To Give Them More Leg Strength & Workout
This is there in many Indian cities, actually 😑. Sometimes there are narrow gaps you can slip through, and sometimes not.
Jus made me realise how I have stopped ‘seeing’ these as not normal. I am an Indian.
Load More Replies...I'm actually even surprised to see a crosswalk. I was in Ahmedabad India which is the capital city of Gujarat and I swear that city didn't have any zebra crossings if I remember correctly maybe in like the shopping district area but I don't think they were even there . You just crossed when you can or when you've waited long enough to just cut off all the bikes and just go for it
Yup. Where I live, in south India, the road in front doesn’t have a zebra crossing. You just run ahead wherever and whenever you want.
Load More Replies...So what are people in wheelchairs or other mobility aids supposed to do?
Whenever It Snows, This Intersection Turns Into A Death Trap
At least at night you see the light... I have to go back to see if they didn't correct it but it's also one of the slippiest arthery of the city and one of the busiest...
These Bare Metal Armrests On My Hotel Chair. I Asked, They Said These Are By Design
The rest of the sentence was "to hold the comfortable armrests, which are long gone."
A Plastic Combination Lock That Can Be Pried Open In Seconds
Don't give any ideas! Especially anything with metal
Load More Replies...The Buckles On This Pillow Are An Eye-Poking Hazard
I hate pillows with buckles in general. Give me a nice, smooth, pillow case with no unnecessary decorations.
Are these a thing??? Tell me they aren't a thing!!!
Load More Replies...With a stitch ripper and like 20 minutes, it won't be a problem anymore. They look like they were just sewn to the front panel, so it should be easy to remove them (if they belong to the person posting this, of course)
Cycle Path In Budapest
This Tiny, Almost Invisible Ledge Has Made Multiple People Trip Up - And It’s On A Balcony
This Curb Has A Curb. Nearly Twisted An Ankle Stepping Down It
Do full steps, a slope or just commit to the scary high step. Now it's a scary high step with an extra trap
The Handicap Entrance To The Playground Is 6 Inches Off The Ground
Looks like there's a vertical lip under the metal. That is, the gravel surface in front seems to be not flat, but angles upward just past that little strip of grass. If so, the metal plus that upward gravel lip might total to six inches. Need a better perspective to be sure.
Load More Replies...The wheelchair has to get passed the turf and gravel first. Hopefully there's a ramp we can't see.
If it’s a UK regulation it needs a ramp a minimum of 1:12 gradient or 1:16 for self propelled wheelchair users. Powered wheeelchairs will not go over that drop, there’s a risk of tipping too. It also means that if someone has a wheeled mobility and, such as a 4 wheeled walker, they have to be able to physically lift it up and onto it. Unfortunately, bodied people often don’t realise how “small” things like this can disable someone far more than their disability does.
Load More Replies...Of Course Florida Has A Bike Lane In The Middle Of A Highway
We have these here in Colorado. Merging through the bicycle lane 😁
Haha… came here to say the same. Bike lane crosses between a through lane and a right turn lane.
Load More Replies...So ... you shouldn't have bike lanes on roads with intersections? The only problem here will be cyclists that aren't smart enough to move right until the on ramp merges.
Move right to where? What's the green for? Why does the sign/arrow say straight ahead instead of move right?
Load More Replies...This Closet In A German Hotel Needs Several Warnings. And I Still Almost Hit My Head
Those aren't closets but individual lockers. And they're supposed to look like that, so each person has room for both hanging clothes and storing bulky items like luggage. You can even see the keylocks on them, to prevent theft in a shared space. Not to mention plenty of perfectly visible warning stickers 🙄
They Knew Their Hair Product Looked Like A Beverage, So Instead Of Redesigning, They Put A Label 'Do Not Ingest'
Not in Europe. I like that shampoo, and I can't find any beverages that has the same bottle.
There are some here too. My laundry detergent looks like a cardboard juice box and has a similar warning on the cap. My husband even put one in the fridge once while unpacking groceries. Less plastic, more confusion. Edit: I'm also fairly certain that the picture is from Normal, which is a Danish chain store.
Load More Replies...Lamp Put In Front Of A Sign
I would say lamp was there first. Signs are usually meant to be a certain distance apart, but they usually make exceptions to stop obstructing view. I would complain to relevant authority.
Did They Build The Road Or The Pole First?
Why Would You Have Any Color Of Light On When The Unit Is Off?
A lot of things do that, they show that the unit is still functioning. No light would mean no power is coming through to whatever it is, or the unit itself is broken.
I have a computer monitor where the light is on when the monitor is off and off when the monitor's on.
Well, I've always thought light switches should give off a little light so you can find them in the dark.
"Why would you have any color of light on when the unit is off?" Because DESIGN ENGINEERS, that's why. No bauble, bell, whistle, beep or light too small, too insignificant, too useless. Design engineers= "If it can be included, include it, regardless of whether it's functional or necessary."
I used to have a computer that had a blue light when it was off, but it was so bright we had to cover it up because it turned the whole room blue at night. Why was it even needed? Also had a keyboard that had an instant-turn-the-computer-off button that was right near the NumLock button. So annoying if you touched it accidentally. Who needs that except clandestine p**n addicts!
This Hand Drier Is Placed Right On Top Of The Socket And Ends Up Spraying The Water From Your Hands Onto The Socket
Shouldn't be a socket at all. Should be permanently wired in.
Load More Replies...Never ever use the hand dryers. That's how you get everything from stomach bug to influenza and a covid bonus. Those things are nasty
How Long Before Someone Breaks Their Nose On This Invisible Door?
They already have the recommended warning marks (the little squares). It took me a year to get those applied to a similar situation. These could be larger but they work because they move in their own focal plane from everything on either side of the glass, which really gets your attention. NB somebody had to get a concussion before I won that battle.
Are the warning marks/little squares that you mentioned, just the hinges for the door?
Load More Replies...Confusing “Trendy” Bathroom Signs
I stand like the sign on the left normally until I have to pee, then I stand like the sign on the right XD
I assumed the women's bathroom was the other one, now I see it is meant to have a dress 🤦🏻♀️I would have 100% entered the wrong bathroom 😅
Load More Replies...I hate when you have to stand there and think about which one is the one I want. It's really annoying the bigger the need to get in there quickly.
They Finished The Building This Spring And Now Every Time It Rains Mud Flows All Over The Pathway
This is poor planning for now, but once heavy root systems get established, it won't be a problem unless there is severe weather.
It's being caused by the down-drain pipe outlet. The landscaping installation just disregarded the pipe even being there; "Not my job, man."
Load More Replies...That happened at my parents' house. They had the garden terraced by new landscapers and the next time it rained all the dirt and mulch ran down in to their pool. The pool had been there for 30 years and the hillside had never done that before. Turns out the landscapers did it wrong. They (landscape company) not only had to fix the garden, but they had to pay to clean the pool, which had turned in to a mud pit.
I Wonder How Many People Fell Into This
Hotel Bathroom Sink With Barely Enough Room For Your Hands Because The Spouts Are Too Long/Low
Bad design? Yes. But I don't think I'd consider this a "death trap"....
It all works out because while the paper towels will get wetter, your hands remain wet.
Roundabout Or Not?
Could be instructions for people to cross at intersections and not cross over diagonally using roundabout
Load More Replies...The Lowest Heat Setting On This Space Heater Looks Like The "High" Setting
That's Just Dangerous
From the reddit comments "This is in Taupo, New Zealand. It’s a prank button to get you to push it. If you do you get sprayed with water. Source: I got sprayed with water."
😂😂😂 Love NZ sense of humour (Aussie here)
Load More Replies...Look At What I Found, How Are You Supposed To Hold This Mugs ??
My first thought was what my Dad always says about stuff like this…”very carefully.”
Load More Replies...This Bike Lane
Wheelchair Accessible Playground Digger That Has Become Inaccessible Due To All The Rocks Being Dumped Out. The Scoop Isn't Low Enough To Reach The Ones Outside The Pen
Ah yes the shovel I carry around 24/7 will come in handy here! Said no one ever
Whose Brilliant Idea Was It To Put The Sleep Button Here?
My dell has the delete button next to the power button on the keyboard.
Bus 'Stop' Button Right By The Hip
With a name like Roland I wouldn’t be digging at fat people!
Load More Replies...
