“Don’t Assume You Are The Average”: 15 People Discuss Things That Seem Safe But Actually Aren’t

Some mundane things seem harmless at 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.

15 PHOTOS

#1 Vaping

#2 Social Media

#3 The old folks running the US government.

#4 40+ hour work weeks. I shouldn’t see my coworkers more than my family and friends.

#5 Sunburns would be treated much differently if they were called by their true name, radiation burns.

#6 Texting and driving.

#7 stupidity

#8 Religion.

#9 Childbirth for both mother and child

#10 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.

#11 Stress

#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.

#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.

#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.

#15 Water on the road. You *might* be able to drive through it, but more often than not you shouldn't try to.