There are many things people perceive to be more dangerous than they are, including skateboarding, skydiving, and even riding the subway in New York City. Here are several other mildly dangerous things that people act like are life-threatening.
1. Strangers
Many grew up hearing about “Stranger danger” and passed that on to their kids. However, strangers statistically are far less dangerous than the people in your daily life. Friends, family, coworkers, and even church members are a much more significant threat. Ensure you tell your kids that not all adults are good or right — even family.
2. The Bermuda Triangle
Do you remember growing up believing that The Bermuda Triangle was a much bigger problem than it is today? Modern navigation equipment has eradicated the fears they installed in us in school about the place.
3. Flying
Airplanes are the safest way to travel but one of the scariest for many people. Yet, roughly 40% of Americans have a significant fear of flying. Nonetheless, these same people get into the driver and passenger seats of vehicles and other modes of transportation daily, which are statistically far more dangerous.
4. People With Few Friends
Often, people without many friends wave a red flag to society. However, many people are shy, socially awkward, quiet, or isolated. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 12.1% of Americans have social anxiety at some point in their lives. It doesn’t make them dangerous.
5. Swimming After Eating
Did you grow up hearing you needed to wait an hour before swimming? Do you remember why? Many people grew up believing they would drown if they didn’t wait that hour. However, it’s more about not getting a painful swimming cramp. And probably partially about keeping kids from puking in the pools.
6. Quicksand
Many of us grew up traumatized by quicksand in cartoons and films like our beloved The Neverending Story scene where we lose Artx, the horse. However, people quicksand doesn’t pull you down and suck you under. If anything, a person may become trapped and die from exposure to surrounding elements. Nevertheless, it’s not the problem we grew up believing it was.
7. Sharks
Hollywood has traumatized much of the population with deadly shark horror films and shows like When Shark’s Attack. I binged that show on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I’d never feared the ocean, but now I get creeped out at knee level despite intellectually knowing that, statistically, I’m not in any danger.
8. Beekeeping
Unless you’re allergic to bees, beekeeping isn’t as dangerous as many perceive. I personally do not care to participate. Nevertheless, according to BeeAware: “On average, a beekeeper receives 58 stings annually.”
9. Hiking
A surprising number of people think hiking is far more dangerous than it is. A fear of bears is a primary factor despite it not being a significant danger. However, some fear getting lost or for safety on trails regarding human predators.
10. Traveling Solo as a Woman
Many countries around the globe are perfectly safe for women to travel solo. But that doesn’t stop people from looking at you sideways when you discuss solo travels. People who do not travel have an inaccurate perception of the rest of the world.
11. Alligators
Alligators are all over Florida, and that sounds and looks dangerous to me. But the National Institutes of Health (NIH) reports: “From 1948 to August 1, 2004, 376 injuries and 15 deaths have been reported in the United States as a result of encounters with alligators. The number of nuisance calls as well as the alligator population is increasing.”
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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 spirituality.