If you’re a true crime fanatic, there’s a good chance that you’ve learned to always trust your gut. Whether you feel like you’re being followed in a dark parking lot or you start having second thoughts about going home with your Tinder date, you should never ignore that little voice inside of you that notices danger. It might even save your life some day.
Redditors have been recalling times that following their instincts helped them narrowly escape dangerous situations, so we’ve gathered some of their eeriest stories below. Enjoy reading about these situations where people were incredibly lucky to survive, and be sure to upvote the ones that give you chills.
#1

I went to my urologist with epididymitis. He found the smallest amount of detectable blood in my urine. On a whim, he sent me to have an IVP (They put dye in your blood and radiologist has a look) He saw a mass on my left kidney. 20 minutes later I knew I had cancer when I saw the blood supply to the mass. That was on Thursday. Tests Friday. Monday he took out my kidney with a grapefruit size stage 3 tumor. There was no margin. Many years later my wife told me the doctor told her that I had a 50/50 chance of living 6 months. That was 1992. Lucky me.
90points
#2

I was out late one night , my car had broken down in the middle of an interchange that was so deserted there was no one there for miles , I did what any other person would do and called a towing number and when I finally got through it was almost 1am , I decided to go take a p**s down at some bushes when suddenly I heard some bikes approaching the car , I wanted to head out immediately to stop them for help when my legs froze and I thought twice , from behind the bush I was , I basically saw them try to ransack the car and apparently they were all armed,
Thank goodness I remained still because these guys meant business they fired multiple shots into the windscreen and door ,it was an old Toyota hilux so there was nothing in there , they busted all four wheels with bullets before getting back on their bikes and zooming off, I believe they were all h**h af which was why they didn't bother to check around or maybe they thought I just deserted that area
Long story short I walked a bit further into an open field and sat on the thick branches of a three where I could see approaching objects , the towing truck didn't get there until past 4am in the morning and I can tell y'all that was the longest night of my life, I made it home in one piece.
Thank goodness I remained still because these guys meant business they fired multiple shots into the windscreen and door ,it was an old Toyota hilux so there was nothing in there , they busted all four wheels with bullets before getting back on their bikes and zooming off, I believe they were all h**h af which was why they didn't bother to check around or maybe they thought I just deserted that area
Long story short I walked a bit further into an open field and sat on the thick branches of a three where I could see approaching objects , the towing truck didn't get there until past 4am in the morning and I can tell y'all that was the longest night of my life, I made it home in one piece.
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82points
#3

In high school at a graduation party, I had a really bad feeling about the guy me and my friends had gotten a ride there with, I'll call him H. I didn't know him well, but I saw him drinking and wasn't sure how much. He was supposed to be our ride home when the party was over. My one friend said she trusted him and not to worry.
Well, I couldn't tell myself not to worry like she could. I said again to her that I didn't think it was safe to drive home with him. She insisted it was fine.
Meanwhile I had made a new friend that night, the first time I saw him I felt like I should talk to him. Turns out he drove there alone and was staying sober to drive home. By 5 am everyone was talking about grabbing an after party coffee and some snacks. People were piling into cars. I told my friend one last time I wouldn't drive with H. I got in the car with my new friend, knowing he was 100% sober. We pulled out onto the country road, as it snaked through the trees. H came speeding out and passed us way too quickly. As we drove around the next corner we went through a cloud of dust and debris.
H's car was wrapped around a telephone pole. 2 of the 4 passengers were dead, including the kid who got in the seat I would have been in. My friend was alive but has permanent injuries to this day.
Edit: I appreciate everyone listening to my story, please don't drink and drive, please help your friends realize how much damage it can cause.
Well, I couldn't tell myself not to worry like she could. I said again to her that I didn't think it was safe to drive home with him. She insisted it was fine.
Meanwhile I had made a new friend that night, the first time I saw him I felt like I should talk to him. Turns out he drove there alone and was staying sober to drive home. By 5 am everyone was talking about grabbing an after party coffee and some snacks. People were piling into cars. I told my friend one last time I wouldn't drive with H. I got in the car with my new friend, knowing he was 100% sober. We pulled out onto the country road, as it snaked through the trees. H came speeding out and passed us way too quickly. As we drove around the next corner we went through a cloud of dust and debris.
H's car was wrapped around a telephone pole. 2 of the 4 passengers were dead, including the kid who got in the seat I would have been in. My friend was alive but has permanent injuries to this day.
Edit: I appreciate everyone listening to my story, please don't drink and drive, please help your friends realize how much damage it can cause.
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75points
#4

About ten years ago, my mom and I stopped at Taco Bell for lunch. I was driving and she was the passenger. I parked my pickup truck with my front end facing the street, in front of an electrical post.
I thought we were eating in, but my mom said no, let's order to go. She told me what she wanted and said she'd wait for me in the truck.
For some reason, i just did not want to leave her there. I was insistent that she come in with me. "What if i get the order wrong?" I said. "Come on, just come in with me." Mind you, i was like 20-21 at the time, plenty old enough to go in a restaurant order on my own. But something just told me she had to come too.
She relented and came in with me. I had just barely finished placing the order when i heard a strange sound outside behind me. The cashier taking my order looked outside right after returning my debit card and says "wow, that crash looks bad!"
I turned around and it turns out that a drunk driver (at 2PM on a Wednesday) zoomed down the wrong side of the road and slammed into the post i was parked in front of. The driver died on impact. The post collapsed and crushed the cab of my truck on the passenger side.
Needless to say, i lost the pickup truck but kept my mom.
I thought we were eating in, but my mom said no, let's order to go. She told me what she wanted and said she'd wait for me in the truck.
For some reason, i just did not want to leave her there. I was insistent that she come in with me. "What if i get the order wrong?" I said. "Come on, just come in with me." Mind you, i was like 20-21 at the time, plenty old enough to go in a restaurant order on my own. But something just told me she had to come too.
She relented and came in with me. I had just barely finished placing the order when i heard a strange sound outside behind me. The cashier taking my order looked outside right after returning my debit card and says "wow, that crash looks bad!"
I turned around and it turns out that a drunk driver (at 2PM on a Wednesday) zoomed down the wrong side of the road and slammed into the post i was parked in front of. The driver died on impact. The post collapsed and crushed the cab of my truck on the passenger side.
Needless to say, i lost the pickup truck but kept my mom.
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71points
#5

When I was 14 my cousin and I found my uncle's gun stash in his closet. My cousin grabbed a pistol and pointed it at my head with is finger on the trigger.
I quickly told him to stop and that's not funny.
He glared at me and told me it's not loaded while he pointed it at the floor and pulled the trigger. Gun was loaded and blew a big hole in the floor.
I think about this a lot. I brought it up once to my cousin and he started to cry. That experience cut us both deep.
I quickly told him to stop and that's not funny.
He glared at me and told me it's not loaded while he pointed it at the floor and pulled the trigger. Gun was loaded and blew a big hole in the floor.
I think about this a lot. I brought it up once to my cousin and he started to cry. That experience cut us both deep.
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69points
#6

My mom.
I was almost 15. I had put on a lot of water weight and she was worried about it. Finally I was in pain and she realized it was literally just water weight so took me to the hospital.
First ER was like “oh yeah it’s just thyroid, take this and follow up with your doctor.”
Mom waited a few hours but felt uncomfortable. So she drove me to another ER who told her if she hadn’t gotten me in when she did, I would have died before the follow up. My kidneys had failed.
I’m better now.
I was almost 15. I had put on a lot of water weight and she was worried about it. Finally I was in pain and she realized it was literally just water weight so took me to the hospital.
First ER was like “oh yeah it’s just thyroid, take this and follow up with your doctor.”
Mom waited a few hours but felt uncomfortable. So she drove me to another ER who told her if she hadn’t gotten me in when she did, I would have died before the follow up. My kidneys had failed.
I’m better now.
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65points
#7

I was riding my bike to school as normal when I was about 12 and I stopped at a crossing. All the cars stopped but I felt that something was off and waited a little longer. As soon as I started to cross, there was a flash of green as a range rover speeded past me barely a hair from the front wheel of my bike. If I had started to cross sooner then I would have been hit head on and most likely not have survived as the car was going that fast. I was so shakey that I turned round and headed home explaining to my mum what happened. As I was still shaking, she believed me and made me a hot chocolate.
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64points
#8

I was travelling in the Philippines in Northern Luzon (that's the part always hit hard by typhoons). It was just the beginning of rainy season.
I was in Banaue and was planning to go up north to Sagada the next day, Saturday. The lonely planet writes about this route as "The scariest road in the world", it's solid mountain on one side, and deep deep deep on the other. There was a Jeepney scheduled in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Everyone who knows me knows, that I'm not a morning person and if there is a later option, I'm definitely taking this one. On a whim the night before I decided to leave earlier and take the 8am Jeep. Super out of character for me and I'm still not sure why I did it.
A few days later, on another bus, I chatted with this nice lady and she asked me what places in the Philippines I've been to so far. And she says **OMG have you heard about the Jeepney accident on Saturday afternoon on the road from Banaue to Sagada??**
So apparently the Jeepney I planned to take came upon a mountain slide lost control and went down the side of the mountain. 10 people died, no one survived.
I was in Banaue and was planning to go up north to Sagada the next day, Saturday. The lonely planet writes about this route as "The scariest road in the world", it's solid mountain on one side, and deep deep deep on the other. There was a Jeepney scheduled in the morning and one in the afternoon.
Everyone who knows me knows, that I'm not a morning person and if there is a later option, I'm definitely taking this one. On a whim the night before I decided to leave earlier and take the 8am Jeep. Super out of character for me and I'm still not sure why I did it.
A few days later, on another bus, I chatted with this nice lady and she asked me what places in the Philippines I've been to so far. And she says **OMG have you heard about the Jeepney accident on Saturday afternoon on the road from Banaue to Sagada??**
So apparently the Jeepney I planned to take came upon a mountain slide lost control and went down the side of the mountain. 10 people died, no one survived.
57points
#9

Had a weird feeling something was seriously wrong with me when I stood up and almost passed out at a big football game. We left the stadium and went to the ER. Turns out my appendix was ruptured and I needed surgery ASAP. I had been having stomach pain prior to this but brushed it off as digestion problems. Good thing I went!
Edit. We were watching the Cotton Bowl in Texas my wife got me tickets for Christmas as the college we went was playing that year. we are from Michigan so we had quite the drive to get to Texas. my appendix ruptured in the third quarter and I ended up finishing the game in the hospital. we stayed a few extra days but I had to get back to college so my wife drove 17 hours straight and we had to get out of the car every 45 minutes to an hour so I could walk around to avoid blood clotting. She was my fiancé at the time and this trip really made us stronger and I knew we would have a happy marriage.
Thanks for all the well wishes!
Edit. We were watching the Cotton Bowl in Texas my wife got me tickets for Christmas as the college we went was playing that year. we are from Michigan so we had quite the drive to get to Texas. my appendix ruptured in the third quarter and I ended up finishing the game in the hospital. we stayed a few extra days but I had to get back to college so my wife drove 17 hours straight and we had to get out of the car every 45 minutes to an hour so I could walk around to avoid blood clotting. She was my fiancé at the time and this trip really made us stronger and I knew we would have a happy marriage.
Thanks for all the well wishes!
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56points
#10

I was drinking and felt something stick in the back of my throat. I almost forced it down because it was really far back and awkward to cough up, but I decided to spit it out anyways.
It was a shard of glass from the bottle I was drinking out of. It still creeps me out to think about even years later because I REALLY was just going to swallow it.
It was a shard of glass from the bottle I was drinking out of. It still creeps me out to think about even years later because I REALLY was just going to swallow it.
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53points
#11

Few years back, my ex boyfriend and I were coming home from work. I had to stop at a gas station to fill up to make it home.
It was super late and boyfriend goes “it’s like 2am. I’m hungry. There’s a Waffle House down the street. Wanna go? I don’t wanna cook when we get home.” I didn’t want to cook either, so I agreed. I sent my parents a text saying “hey, we’re getting food,” and gave them the address, which is something I don’t normally do (being that they lived across the country) but I felt the need to let them know where we were.
We pull up to the Waffle House and I immediately didn’t feel comfortable. I told my boyfriend I didn’t like the vibes and he agreed that he didn’t want waffles anymore, so he just wanted to go home.
Next morning, I wake up to both our phones ringing. At least 30 missed calls. Texts from my cousins. Missed FaceTime calls from friends. I called my mother back and could barely make out her words because she’s hysterically crying, but she finally yelled “MY BABY IS ALIVE” to my dad.
Confused as hell and half asleep, I asked her what was going on. She told me to turn on the tv. I turn on the news and see the Waffle House we were going to stop at with the headline “Nashville Waffle House Shooting.”
I haven’t stopped at a Waffle House since.
It was super late and boyfriend goes “it’s like 2am. I’m hungry. There’s a Waffle House down the street. Wanna go? I don’t wanna cook when we get home.” I didn’t want to cook either, so I agreed. I sent my parents a text saying “hey, we’re getting food,” and gave them the address, which is something I don’t normally do (being that they lived across the country) but I felt the need to let them know where we were.
We pull up to the Waffle House and I immediately didn’t feel comfortable. I told my boyfriend I didn’t like the vibes and he agreed that he didn’t want waffles anymore, so he just wanted to go home.
Next morning, I wake up to both our phones ringing. At least 30 missed calls. Texts from my cousins. Missed FaceTime calls from friends. I called my mother back and could barely make out her words because she’s hysterically crying, but she finally yelled “MY BABY IS ALIVE” to my dad.
Confused as hell and half asleep, I asked her what was going on. She told me to turn on the tv. I turn on the news and see the Waffle House we were going to stop at with the headline “Nashville Waffle House Shooting.”
I haven’t stopped at a Waffle House since.
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50points
#12

My mom had a date with a guy she met on a dating site when I was in middle school. I was sick that day so she cancelled on him to take care of me. A few weeks later she saw him on the news, being arrested for murdering a lady he met on a dating site and throwing her body in the dumpster outside the restaurant my mom was supposed to meet him at. I guess I might’ve saved her life?
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50points
#13

Former professional motorcycle instructor here.
I was riding a motorcycle at night on Highway 17 in Northern California—an infamously dangerous and twisty mountain pass with low-visibility around most corners. Each direction of the highway has 2 lanes.
For no particular reason, I decided to change lanes. Around the next corner, there was a washing machine in my original lane that was only visible after it would have been too late to avoid. At highway speeds, a collision like that would have sent me to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
That one still messes with my head.
I was riding a motorcycle at night on Highway 17 in Northern California—an infamously dangerous and twisty mountain pass with low-visibility around most corners. Each direction of the highway has 2 lanes.
For no particular reason, I decided to change lanes. Around the next corner, there was a washing machine in my original lane that was only visible after it would have been too late to avoid. At highway speeds, a collision like that would have sent me to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.
That one still messes with my head.
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49points
#14

I was running down escalators to catch a train during winter and happened to slip on some ice on the platform. I slid quite fast on my b*m, and I ended up getting stuck in the middle of a train and the plantform, thigh high. I couldn't get myself out because of the awkward position, and called for help. The platform was full of people who just stared.
I was pulled out by a drunk person JUST before the train started moving. Had a pulled hamstring and cuts and bruises in my arms and hands.
Still get quite angry thinking about the bystanders not doing anything but gape.
I was pulled out by a drunk person JUST before the train started moving. Had a pulled hamstring and cuts and bruises in my arms and hands.
Still get quite angry thinking about the bystanders not doing anything but gape.
47points
#15

Mid-1990s. Traveled to northern New Jersey with a friend from college. It was his hometown. We had plans to visit New York city and see a former roommate who graduated the year before (friend 2).
Well, apprently Friend 2 dabbled in low-level organized crime since his last years in college. We had some knowledge of this but were not involved. He invited us to a an associate’s house with plans to go out afterward. We declined. Not our scene. In fact, both of us had applied to law school. I planned to pursue a career in federal law enforcement thereafter. We both wanted distance from that nonsense.
We tried the following day to reach our friend 2 for a low-key lunch before heading out of town. No answer. Well, local police found his body two days later, along with 2 other bodies, at the house to which he invited us. He was m******d at the meeting / social situation. Could have been us too.
I knew that was bad news.
Well, apprently Friend 2 dabbled in low-level organized crime since his last years in college. We had some knowledge of this but were not involved. He invited us to a an associate’s house with plans to go out afterward. We declined. Not our scene. In fact, both of us had applied to law school. I planned to pursue a career in federal law enforcement thereafter. We both wanted distance from that nonsense.
We tried the following day to reach our friend 2 for a low-key lunch before heading out of town. No answer. Well, local police found his body two days later, along with 2 other bodies, at the house to which he invited us. He was m******d at the meeting / social situation. Could have been us too.
I knew that was bad news.
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46points
#16

Idk if it was a gut decision so much as just being knowledgeable and acting, but still I think it is a pretty wild instance of a near-death experience.
My family and I were on holiday in Thailand over the Christmas period years ago and were staying in a hotel close to the beach in Phuket. I was only 7 and my two brothers were even younger. We had been bugging my parents to go Jet-skiing for days on end, much to my parents annoyance, but on boxing day they finally relented.
After breakfast we went down to the beach to have a look around for somewhere to find a jetski rental but before any of that could happen my Dad (a surfer of many years) saw the tide receding in a way that was completely unnatural and recognized the coming tsunami. We thought he was full of it but he was deadly serious so we raced back to the hotel where we considered running for the hills but on the consultation of another couple that recognized the impending disaster, decided to sit tight in our building (which was relatively short and stout, plus we were on the top floor).
Sure enough the tsunami came and bulldozed Phuket, although it only destroyed the lobby of our building - we were safe. I have no doubt we all would have died if my Dad hadn't known the early signs of a Tsunami. (We were also on Phi Phi Island a couple days before that and if we had been there on Boxing Day instead we might well have died too). Just an all round crazy experience that I'm lucky to have made it out of.
My family and I were on holiday in Thailand over the Christmas period years ago and were staying in a hotel close to the beach in Phuket. I was only 7 and my two brothers were even younger. We had been bugging my parents to go Jet-skiing for days on end, much to my parents annoyance, but on boxing day they finally relented.
After breakfast we went down to the beach to have a look around for somewhere to find a jetski rental but before any of that could happen my Dad (a surfer of many years) saw the tide receding in a way that was completely unnatural and recognized the coming tsunami. We thought he was full of it but he was deadly serious so we raced back to the hotel where we considered running for the hills but on the consultation of another couple that recognized the impending disaster, decided to sit tight in our building (which was relatively short and stout, plus we were on the top floor).
Sure enough the tsunami came and bulldozed Phuket, although it only destroyed the lobby of our building - we were safe. I have no doubt we all would have died if my Dad hadn't known the early signs of a Tsunami. (We were also on Phi Phi Island a couple days before that and if we had been there on Boxing Day instead we might well have died too). Just an all round crazy experience that I'm lucky to have made it out of.
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46points
#17

Gut decision eh? I had a change in my bowel movements, went to the doctor, got screened for colon polyps, and had a huge one removed. It would've eventually turned into cancer. Scopes aren't fun, but they save lives.
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45points
#18

I was 22 years old, backpacking through the patagonia for six months camping wherever I could. One day I was fishing by the lake with my camp already set down for the night save for starting the fire. I kept hearing rustling some 30m behind me in the tree line so I stared for a while hoping to see a deer or something. Next thing I know I'm staring down a puma right in the eyes. I started to get up ready to take a sprint but right as I was standing up I remembered I was warned against this so instead I grabbed some rocks from the ground and started throwing rocks and shouting and throwing my arms up in the air until it left me alone. That night I stayed up late next to the fire and then went to (try to) sleep scared as f**k. That was my only encounter with wildlife in the whole trip (save for birds and stuff).
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45points
#19

One time working at a grocery store at night, I had cart duty, and had to collect all the carts from the parking lot and bring them in to the store. It was dark out and I had my headphones in, and I was looking at the ground and pushing a chain of carts, when suddenly it got darker. I stopped for a split second to wonder how it could get darker when it was already night and BAM! One of the huge 30 + feet high parking lot lights smashed onto the ground right in front of me. Hit the carts and missed me by 2 feet. The metal had rusted out and it snapped at the base. If I hadn't stopped to wonder how it got darker I would've definitely died.
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44points
#20
In 2016 my wife and I were in Berlin to explore and visit the Christmas markets. The plan for that evening was to go out to eat and then get the train back to stop into the markets at Breitscheidplatz as it was close to our hotel, this had been the plan for the entire trip as it was the last night.
We had finished our meal and were headed to the train station. Just as we were about to board the train, my wife decided that she didn't want to go the the markets at Breitscheidplatz and would prefer to double back to a smaller one we had passed on the walk from the restaurant to the station. I, being a stubborn p***k, didn't want to change the plans but she got her way and we headed back, staying at the smaller market for about 30 minutes.
After finally getting the train back, we got off and walked towards our hotel. After a minute or so there appeared a seemingly never ending stream of emergency vehicles. Not knowing what was going on, but obviously something serious, we speeded up and locked ourselves in the hotel room. We had the English language 24 news channel on and after about an hour, reports started to come through about a terrorist attack. A man had driven a truck into a crowd at the Breitscheidplatz market. Obviously I'll never know if we would have been in the exact spot, but we definately would have been there at the same time, and I am never allowed to complain about my wife changing her mind, ever again.
We had finished our meal and were headed to the train station. Just as we were about to board the train, my wife decided that she didn't want to go the the markets at Breitscheidplatz and would prefer to double back to a smaller one we had passed on the walk from the restaurant to the station. I, being a stubborn p***k, didn't want to change the plans but she got her way and we headed back, staying at the smaller market for about 30 minutes.
After finally getting the train back, we got off and walked towards our hotel. After a minute or so there appeared a seemingly never ending stream of emergency vehicles. Not knowing what was going on, but obviously something serious, we speeded up and locked ourselves in the hotel room. We had the English language 24 news channel on and after about an hour, reports started to come through about a terrorist attack. A man had driven a truck into a crowd at the Breitscheidplatz market. Obviously I'll never know if we would have been in the exact spot, but we definately would have been there at the same time, and I am never allowed to complain about my wife changing her mind, ever again.
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42points


