Some mundane things seem harmless at a first glance, and while a few of them actually are, others can be quite hazardous to one’s well-being. Not realizing that often leads to people failing to take necessary precautions and—consequently—paying the price.
Members of the ‘Ask Reddit’ community recently discussed such instances after the redditor ‘u/Deviant55’ asked them what’s a really dangerous thing that everyone treats like it’s safe. The netizens’ answers covered everything from stress and loneliness to sun and sugar, showing that something people often consider humdrum can be pretty dangerous. Scroll down to find more of their answers on the list below.
#4
40+ hour work weeks. I shouldn’t see my coworkers more than my family and friends.
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263points
#5
Sun burns would be treated much differently if they were called by their true name, radiation burns.
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236points
#9
The heat. I feel like people still dismiss it way too easily.
I had a massive heat stroke about 5 years ago and it almost took me out; my body will never be the same. It went through so much trauma, that it now works harder to keep me cool making me even more susceptible to heat-related emergencies.
196points
#12
Wild animals
I was in Thailand when a 30 year old got bitten by a monkey. Her complaint? No one had warned her not to pet the monkeys. Honest to God.
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171points
#13
I get a lot of tourists in my area trying to casually summit the local 14,000ft mountain in sandals. Some weeks in the summer are absolutely nuts for search and rescue and the emergency room staff.
It’s frankly disturbing how common this kind of interaction is. But a lot of people don’t have the exposure to nature to really understand that the elements can and will endanger you at the drop of a hat.
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162points
#14
animals
like they're cool and all but like they're still animals, it's not a reason to try and get up close to them, there's a reason that safari tours stop 200 feet away from the animal, there's a reason that zoos have glass and metal bars separating you and the animal. just because an animal is USED to be people doesn't mean you should get up close to it.
same thing with pets, pets have the restraint to not ACTUALLY try and hurt you if you bug them because they love you and know you are not trying to hurt them but they are still capable of enforcing boundaries, meaning don't act like your pet won't bite or scratch you or a kid when the kid is messing with his face or actively causing pain or fear without intent.
too many animals were killed or labeled as dangerous because humans assumed they didn't have boundaries.
158points
#15
Water on the road. You *might* be able to drive through it, but more often than not you shouldn't try to.
152points
#16
Revealing personal information about yourself on the internet.
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148points
#17
Long hair around pulleys and belts.
There’s a YouTube channel where two young ladies are working around a sawmill with long hair, and I can’t count how many times people have begged them in the comments to tuck their hair up. They don’t.
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144points
#18
Blunt kitchen knives. One might think, oh this is just a flat piece of steel but cutting becomes tearing and crushing. The extra force this takes can easily send the knife off in an unintended direction in a swift and uncontrollable manner. Then you find out what a flat piece of steel can do to your fingers.
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137points
#19
Everyday household cleaning chemicals. Especially if you mix them to make a 'better, stronger' cleaner.
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124points
#20
Going to a bar, drinking, and driving home. It's so goddamn casual.
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123points