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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
Alcohol. I f****d around and found out the really f*****g hard way! The anxiety, depression, weight gain, apathy..horrendous cycle of living hell. Sober 69 days today (: woo.
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#2
Just because you climbed up something doesn't mean you can climb down.
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
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. .
#5
Driving through standing water. Just because the car in front of you makes it through doesn’t mean you will.
#6
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 4 months 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.
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
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.
#8
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 4 months 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.
Shawn Adams 4 months ago
My dad said if you ride a motorcycle "it's not if you crash, it's when you crash." prepare for the accident not the ride.
Vera Diblikova 4 months ago
Young men on motorcycles are oftier organ donors.
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Me. Just Me. 4 months ago
My favorite is the bumper stickers that say something like "Save a life, motorcycles are everywhere." Yeah, because it's your own life you are saving. I am amazed at how poorly motorcyclists drive and how they feel the rules of the road don't apply to them. I drive on the interstate regularly and it's a common occurrence to see a motorcyclist drive right between lanes in bumper-to-bumper traffic just because they can fit.
Kangaroo 4 months ago (edited)
It’s called lane-splitting - it terrifies me too, but my bf is a motorcycle rider and mechanic and he says there are situations where that actually makes them safer on the road. He also says medical workers tend to call motorcycles “donor-cycles” because of the high fatality rate (a nod to organ donation)
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Sky Render 4 months ago
And in the area I live in they often are. Weaving through traffic at 25mph over the speed limit, whenever I see this behavior all I can think is "they clearly haven't gotten in a wreck yet and I really hope they don't while pulling a stunt like that!".
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Aileen Grist 4 months ago
No matter how good a driver you are, you too can make a mistake. When I do (luckily I've never hit anthing) I try to show that I apologise for it.
Agfox 4 months ago
In my much, much younger days, I road a motorcycle in Papua New Guinea dressed in T-shirt, short & thongs. Looking back now, what was I thinking?
Colleen Glim 4 months ago
In your younger days. Nuff said. When you’re young, you’re ten foot tall and bullet proof
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DarkViolet 4 months ago
The reason for helmets, leather jackets, gloves, pants, and boots. To some, it's overkill. To others, it's not getting killed.
Load More Replies... Kelly Scott 4 months ago
"...and MOST of those cars are driven by idiots." There, fixed it for you.
Miss Mali 4 months ago
The very first driving lesson my father gave me started with: "don't get hit and don't hit anybody . . . In that order" and that was the exact same thing I told my daughter when she finally decided to get her license, and it is the rule I dri e by everything I get behind that wheel!!!
Anne Glare 4 months ago
My father once told me when I got my license - "Drive as if everyone is out to get you"
keyboardtek 4 months ago
It has been my understanding that the reason people ride motorcycles to begin with is they like the thrill of near death experiences on a daily basis. Which is usually caused my too mush testosterone in men and not enough brain power.
ZombieMommy 4 months ago
Best advice I ever got from Drivers Ed was be a defensive driver and remember that there are human beings in those cars, people are crazy.
MalibuClassicMan 4 months ago
I can confidently say , you are right, I have been riding all my life (66 YO now) and people do not respect anyone any more , it's all about self these days and as Motorcycle riders we have to always be more alert because we are at a disadvantage on two wheels.
Robert Trebor 4 months ago
There are idiots on two wheels, too. Dark road, Motorcycle with no taillight. Disaster waiting to happen. I've seen what I believe to be the same bike at least five times when I'm going home at night. One time a distracted driver takes a text, fails to see the bike, hamburger and ketchup all over the road.
#9
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 4 months 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.
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.
#10
Don’t fry bacon when you’re naked.
#11
First responder here. Garage door springs. Let a pro fix them.
#12
Not wearing hearing-protection when necessary. Tinnitus sucks.
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
Alcohol, 22 years drunk, 18 months sober.
#14
Considering coworkers true friends lmao.... whenever money or power is involved, human beings are two-faced.
Feelings are fake 4 months ago
Change your definition of friends and it will be better for you.
#15
Customs officers. They have no sense of humor, don't ask me how I know.
#17
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
USE your right to remain silent. Don’t be an idiot and yap.
#19
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 4 months 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.
#20
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 4 months ago
It is beyond wrong that higher education in some countries is so expensive.
#21
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 4 months 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.
#22
In ground yellow jackets.
Pay the dude with the bee suit and the right s**t to kill them safely.
#23
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.
#24
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.
#25
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.
#26
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.
#27
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 4 months 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
#28
As a child i learned, Geese are the crowned prince of a******s of the bird world .
#29
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 4 months 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🤦
#30
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 4 months 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.
#31
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 4 months 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.
#32
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 4 months 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.)
#33
Chainsaws.
I don’t even like the sound anymore.
I had an accident with one and cut up my leg.
#34
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.
#35
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.
What do you think ?
duckie 4 months 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 4 months ago
I've heard of grenades specifically designed for children to handle. Sick, absolutely sick
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BookFanatic 4 months 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 4 months 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 4 months ago
Common sense has become very uncommon these days. No matter how or why, the message gets out.
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Schnitzel 4 months 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 4 months 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.
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Mike Rodrick 4 months ago
How many times do we have to hear about children dying in hot cars? Are people really that stupid?
DarkViolet 4 months 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 4 months 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 4 months 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 4 months 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 4 months ago
I've heard of grenades specifically designed for children to handle. Sick, absolutely sick
Load More Replies... BookFanatic 4 months 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 4 months 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 4 months ago
Common sense has become very uncommon these days. No matter how or why, the message gets out.
Load More Replies... Schnitzel 4 months 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 4 months 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 4 months ago
How many times do we have to hear about children dying in hot cars? Are people really that stupid?
DarkViolet 4 months 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 4 months 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 4 months 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... You May Like 30 Harsh Life Realities 20-Somethings Don’t Realize Yet, According To People In Their 40s “Like Something In A Movie”: 36 Hospital Workers Share Their Wildest Stories 30 Life Hacks People Have Used Since They Discovered Them Because They Actually Work
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