We all do dumb things as teenagers. The notion of consequences can completely go out the window because, realistically speaking, when you’re underage, there’s a lot you can get away with. But you’re also much more prone to putting yourself in dangerous situations.
But once you’re an adult and start looking back, some memories will actually make you think, “Wait, did I really do this?” And that’s when it dawns on you just how irresponsible you were. And so, users on TikTok shared the moments that made them realize how lucky they are to still be alive. Here’s what they said.
#21
So me and my friend went to a concert in the other end of the city. We were 14 and 15 and it was a free concert with a popular singer so like the whole city was there. When the concert ended it must have been 1-2am and we were looking for a taxi home (eastern European country we don’t have uber here) anyways we didn’t see any branded taxis all we saw was a yellow dodgy car with taxi printed into it.
We go ask the guy how much to take us back to our houses and he says €20 which it would usually be €5-10 but we were like whatever they probs just wanna make money. We get in the car and he starts asking us our age, where we go school and personal info and while he was driving we didn’t see a taximeter and he was taking us through some backroads that we had never ever seen before and we’ve lived there our whole lives.
My friend was texting my brother at the time. She tells me oh your brother left me on seen and praise life360 for this I get a notification that my brother has 1% so I show it to her and say his phone probably died. The driver was like how would you know and I say me and my family have each others locations. He was like “Oh but you probably stop it so they don't know where you are.” istg I sobered up then and I was like “No we trust each other bla bla bla.” and thats when he decided to make the right turn and get us home.
Then when I asked him how much he said €20 exactly which was even weirder cuz usually with taxi meters it’s never exact. It should’ve been like 8.72 or some stuff like that. I fully believe that was a trafficking attempt me and my friend talk about it to this day.
We go ask the guy how much to take us back to our houses and he says €20 which it would usually be €5-10 but we were like whatever they probs just wanna make money. We get in the car and he starts asking us our age, where we go school and personal info and while he was driving we didn’t see a taximeter and he was taking us through some backroads that we had never ever seen before and we’ve lived there our whole lives.
My friend was texting my brother at the time. She tells me oh your brother left me on seen and praise life360 for this I get a notification that my brother has 1% so I show it to her and say his phone probably died. The driver was like how would you know and I say me and my family have each others locations. He was like “Oh but you probably stop it so they don't know where you are.” istg I sobered up then and I was like “No we trust each other bla bla bla.” and thats when he decided to make the right turn and get us home.
Then when I asked him how much he said €20 exactly which was even weirder cuz usually with taxi meters it’s never exact. It should’ve been like 8.72 or some stuff like that. I fully believe that was a trafficking attempt me and my friend talk about it to this day.
8points
#22
My “friends” left me in a field at a party with a bunch of random guys I didn’t know.. 40 minutes from home they said they would help me get home. One guy took me to the woods to a mattress on the ground. I called her phone over and over no response. I had this instinct I was in danger. I shoved him and ran through the woods.. it was like midnight and I called my aunt sobbing once I found a road and saw a street sign and told her where to go. My aunt called my friends mother cussing her out. Never spoke to any of them again. I got mocked in highschool for this.. as the girl who couldn’t hang. They left me to men who were blackout and older than me.. god knows what they had planned for me.
8points
And while we may often think actions like getting into someone’s car stem from innocence or ignorance, developmental psychologists say that teenagers are actually surprisingly good at recognizing and identifying danger, just like adults. The difference is that while an adult may evaluate the risks and immediately reject something that could cause harm, a teenager may be more likely to focus on the immediate reward rather than the potential consequences.
Truth be told, we’ve all been there. We’ve all made decisions that we look back on and immediately wonder how we got away with them. That’s part of life, and some teens will simply be more reckless than others. But which type were you, Pandas? Do you have any stories similar to these? Let us know below!
#23
Went on a date with a guy when I was 18, met about a mile into some woodlands and he drove a big white van. There was absolutely no signal I got lost and ended up meeting at like 11pm. He had the whole back of the van filled with d***s but actually we had a lovely time and he was really kind, we didn’t date but we’re still friends now! This could have ended so so so badly.
8points
#24
When I was like 16 I used to love staying up at night and usually around 2 am to 3am.
I used to go to the grocery store that was near my house like at the corner and I used to usually listen to music.
Once when I was going as usual. I saw my neighbor who was really old staring at me from his house that was beside the grocery store. My family knew him so I waved at him but he didn’t wave back so I just left.
The next day my mum told me that the old guy in that house died like yesterday afternoon. Never told my mum about this but I never went out alone at night again.
I used to go to the grocery store that was near my house like at the corner and I used to usually listen to music.
Once when I was going as usual. I saw my neighbor who was really old staring at me from his house that was beside the grocery store. My family knew him so I waved at him but he didn’t wave back so I just left.
The next day my mum told me that the old guy in that house died like yesterday afternoon. Never told my mum about this but I never went out alone at night again.
7points
#25
Back when I was in middle school, I used to stop at a shop for snacks after school. There was a man who would always ask for my number, but I never responded and would just walk away. Then, news broke about a girl going missing in my town, a few days into the search, her body was found inside a freezer box (she had been r4ped and then stuffed into the freezer) and the perpetrator turned out to be the man who had asked for my number. If I give out my number that time, I might go through the same thing.
6points
#26
When I was younger me and a few friends went into an abandoned sweet factory that had been burnt down. There was 5 of us and we all went into different rooms.
We were all wearing costumes since it was near Halloween and we thought it would be a good place to chill out. Since everyone was in different rooms I got nervous and it felt off so I went looking for everyone.
About an hour later I saw one of my friends down the hallway with an axe and I thought he had just took it out of a room. He started sprinting at me, me playing along I ran away and hid.
About 15 minutes later I decided to go outside to pee and all of my friends were outside looking scared. I asked what was wrong and they said they couldn't find me and there was a guy in there with an axe starring at them.
We were all wearing costumes since it was near Halloween and we thought it would be a good place to chill out. Since everyone was in different rooms I got nervous and it felt off so I went looking for everyone.
About an hour later I saw one of my friends down the hallway with an axe and I thought he had just took it out of a room. He started sprinting at me, me playing along I ran away and hid.
About 15 minutes later I decided to go outside to pee and all of my friends were outside looking scared. I asked what was wrong and they said they couldn't find me and there was a guy in there with an axe starring at them.
5points
#27
I accidentally missed my school bus not knowing the bus was stolen and the bus driver was a kidnapper and 17 kids went missing that day my mom drove me to school tho.
4points
#28
The most terrifying incident happened when my brother, my cousin, and I, as children, went out without our parents' knowledge and ran away to the mountains to play. The mountains were a residential area, but not very populated. While we were playing, we encountered three men who chased us, and somehow we managed to escape, only to discover later that they were serial k**lers.
4points
#29
Yep, I got in a strangers car thinking it was my uber.
Surprisingly, when I approached him, he asked if it was me (he mentioned my name). You know how uber drivers usually check if you’re really the person they’re going with by asking your name? I thought it was one of those situations.
Little did I know that he was my stalker, he knew everything about me. I got in the car and sat behind his seat, he smiled at me and asked “Do you by any chance now how risky what you’ve just done is” and I was so confused but he kept quiet and drove away with me. I got a notification from uber that “Your driver has arrived, free waiting period …” and that’s when I knew that I was fcked.
I pretended as if I didn’t know anything because there was nothing I could do at that point. He then asked me if it’s okay that he stops by the petrol stations for gas and I said okay, he stopped there and I immediately got off the car and ran away…but something fell when I climbed out, a picture of me with a red cross on my face.
Surprisingly, when I approached him, he asked if it was me (he mentioned my name). You know how uber drivers usually check if you’re really the person they’re going with by asking your name? I thought it was one of those situations.
Little did I know that he was my stalker, he knew everything about me. I got in the car and sat behind his seat, he smiled at me and asked “Do you by any chance now how risky what you’ve just done is” and I was so confused but he kept quiet and drove away with me. I got a notification from uber that “Your driver has arrived, free waiting period …” and that’s when I knew that I was fcked.
I pretended as if I didn’t know anything because there was nothing I could do at that point. He then asked me if it’s okay that he stops by the petrol stations for gas and I said okay, he stopped there and I immediately got off the car and ran away…but something fell when I climbed out, a picture of me with a red cross on my face.
2points
#30
When I was little like 7 years old I was obsessed with the chewable grape Tylenol. My Mom would buy the biggest bottle of them at Costco. Every single time I would eat them all. Once my Mom realized she started freaking out and I was just confused now looking back I understand why.
1point