Is there anything you do or notice others doing like they are safe when they aren’t? While I am confident, the list is long — after someone asked an internet community: “What’s really dangerous but everyone treats it like it’s safe?” — Here are their honest confessions. Do you agree?
1. Sunburns
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) describes a sunburn as “A radiation burn to the skin caused by too much exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays or artificial sources such as tanning beds.”
The most significant risk factors for sunburn are the time the skin is exposed to UV rays and the intensity. A forum member believes, “Sunburns would be treated much differently if they were called by their true name, radiation burns.”
2. Driving
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), car accidents are responsible for approximately 1.3 million deaths annually across the globe. Roughly 3700 people die daily in fatal accidents, half of which are cyclists, motorcyclists, or pedestrians.
3. Long Hair Around Machines
Moreover, long hair around pulleys or belts is extremely dangerous. A survivor shares: “In 11th grade, I had hair down to my bum and was weirdly pretty good at working the horizontal lathe at my school. Tons of rotating parts are used to cut and shave down pieces of metal.
I had my hair in a ponytail instead of a bun, and I thought someone was pulling my hair. Then my head slammed down to the machine, and within three seconds, my hand broke because I put my hand in to save my hair. My classmate pulled the plug on the machine and saved my life!” That is terrifying.
4. Infections
Infections can be severe, and everyone is affected differently. One notes: “Sepsis is no joke.” Another person shares: “I got cellulitis from a mosquito bite while on vacation. I was running a fever and wanted to go to the doctor when we got home.
Got home and was like, ‘I’ll go in the morning,’ but my wife had other ideas and made me go to the ER that night. Ended up admitted for three days of IV vancomycin and linezolid and two more weeks of oral linezolid.”
5. Wild Animals
The number of people approaching wild animals such as bison and bears is staggering. As a result, every year, there seems to be a report of a tourist doing something stupid and getting injured or killed.
A user elaborates that the book Death in Yellowstone: Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First National Park “Tells the story of humanity’s incessant stupidity” before adding, “An excellent read.”
6. Compressed Air
Playing around with compressed air is extremely dangerous and can be fatal. A lady explains that her boyfriend thought spraying Dust Off in her ear would be funny. Naturally, she panicked and freaked out on him. “My ear was ringing all day, and everything sounded like I was hearing it from underwater.”
Dynamic Engineering reports that mishandling compressed air can “Force an eye from its socket, rupture the lungs, stomach, and intestines if blown into the mouth. It can penetrate human skin, and if it enters the bloodstream, that air can be fatal by causing a heart attack.
Playing around with compressed air can also “Puncture an eardrum, cause deafness, and blast poisonous particles into your body (where they immediately combine with your blood) if you have been painting or are covered with dirt or soot.”
7. Water on the Road
As someone who has hydroplaned into a telephone pole totally my vehicle after driving through a large puddle, I can attest that water on the road is dangerous. On another note, I’ll never forget the first time I bought a car without taking my father. I got a sweet deal on a Mustang and pulled into his driveway excitedly.
However, his first words were, “You got a vehicle with rear-wheel drive in the Washington rain?” I had no idea what he was talking about until I hit an onramp corner too fast and fishtailed all over the road. Forget about driving in the snow with one of those.
8. Riding Horses
HorsesOnly reports: “Horseback riding is more dangerous than skiing and motorcycling. Also, 74.83% of equestrian deaths are caused by head and neck injuries. Horseback riding is the leading cause of sports-related traumatic brain injuries. Wearing a riding helmet reduces the risk of severe head injury by 50%.
Furthermore, 81% of equestrians get injured at some point in their riding career. Over 100,000 horse riding-related accidents occur yearly in the U.S., and 83.4% of horse riding injuries are caused by the rider falling off the horse.”
9. Alcohol
Alcohol is dangerous for people’s bodies, minds, and mobility. Still, 63% of Americans regularly consume alcoholic beverages. The CDC warns: “Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems, including High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems.
Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum.” Furthermore, did you know that 37 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes daily? That’s one American every 39 minutes.
10. Blunt Kitchen Knives
Did you know that blunt (dull) kitchen knives are more dangerous than sharp ones? A user notes, “A sharp knife goes where you want it to go. A dull knife goes where it wants to go.” Roughly 350,000 people are injured by kitchen knives each year.
11. Household Chemicals
Household cleaners and chemicals are dangerous in several ways. They are poisonous if consumed. They can also irritate your eyes, throat, and lungs, and mixing the wrong chemicals can be fatal.
For example, mixing bleach and ammonia can kill you, releasing a deadly chloramine gas. Don’t mix them; never use bleach on litter boxes or areas where your dog had an accident. Urine has ammonia in it.
12. Trampolines
Did you know that over 100,000 people in the U.S. are treated in emergency rooms for trampoline injuries, with 500 resulting in permanent neurologic damage? A neurologist in the forum admits to seeing many injuries over the years and wishes they would ban them entirely.
13. Texting While Driving
Texting while driving is extremely dangerous, yet I see people doing it every time I am out. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports: “Texting is the most alarming distraction. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for five seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.”
Furthermore, the NHTSA states that in 2021 — 3,522 people died in distraction-related crashes. A number 12% higher than the year before and accounting for 8.2% of all road deaths. Nearly 390,000 injuries occur each year from accidents caused by texting while driving. I wonder how many occur due to TikTok idiocy.
14. Stairs
Did you know that over one million Americans are injured by falling down stairs every year? The American Journal of Emergency Medicine conducted a study, with results indicating an average of approximately one million injuries per year.
It is the country’s second leading cause of accidental injuries, the first being motor vehicle accidents. Additionally, falling down the stairs causes an average of 12,000 deaths annually.
12 Stupidest Things People Brag About Like We Are Supposed to Be Impressed
What is the stupidest thing people brag about? I’ll go first and say when Americans brag about not tipping. I understand tipping culture has gotten out of hand, but if you’re in a sit-down restaurant and don’t tip, you’re a jerk, and it’s nothing to be proud of. After someone asked for other examples in an online forum, here are THEIR top responses.
20 Skills People Born Before 1990 Possess That No One Uses Anymore, Do You?
I love reminiscing about the good ole days sometimes, and that is how I stumbled on this fun thread in an online forum: “People born before 1990, what trivial skill do you possess that no one uses anymore?” Here are some of their best answers! Do you remember?
15 Jobs That Women Admit Are Automatic Deal Breakers for Dating Them
Are there any professions that would make a person undatable for you? You’re not alone. A man recently asked women in an online forum, “What job would a man have that would be an automatic deal breaker for you?” Here are THEIR honest confessions.
Top 12 Most Racist Disney Classics That Are Better Left in the Vault
Exploring film history often exposes tales of awe, imagination, and cultural shifts. Did you know that there are racist undertones in many Disney classics? It makes sense as progress evolves throughout the decades, but it’s cringe-watching it now. Here is a look at the most racist Disney films.
Things That Donald Trump and His MAGA Cult Ruined for the Rest of Us
What did MAGA ruin for you? I’ll go first and say relationships. Family and friends I have known for years revealed a side to them I didn’t realize existed or represented their thoughts on things like the rights of people of color.
Source: Reddit.
Elizabeth Ervin is the owner of Sober Healing. She is a freelance writer passionate about opioid recovery and has celebrated breaking free since 09-27-2013. She advocates for mental health awareness and encourages others to embrace healing, recovery, and Jesus.