The world isn’t all sunshine, rainbows, and cuddly pandas. Neither is it as scary and on the verge of collapse as some news channels might tell you. Either way, we think that most of you might agree that our safety and the safety of our loved ones should be our top priority.
We shouldn’t live in fear that something bad is bound to happen when we least expect it, however at the same time, we can’t be naive and think that accidents don’t happen or that bad people don’t exist. So we shouldn’t scoff when someone shares some advice on how to stay safe.
Redditor u/directinLA asked people to open up about the safety tips they think absolutely everyone should know, and they were more than happy to share their pearls of wisdom. From the fundamentally basic to the surprisingly genius, you’ll find their best safety tips below. Scroll down and make sure you have a notepad, dear Pandas.
Bored Panda reached out to the author of the thread, redditor u/directinLA, to get their opinion on safety, as well as which tips they personally found to be the most important.
“Among the many replies I got, I think one from u/CharlieMike12 was most helpful. Not to take away from all the other responses, but as a firefighter the tips shared were relevant to everyday safety, and I think that is the epitome of a safety tip that is useful to know,” u/directinLA said.
“As far as most poignant responses, u/LamarB said, ‘It is better to correct an unsafe friend than to bury one.’ We all have to look out for each other regardless of our differences. Everyone is living a life that is meaningful to someone. So if any of these tips actually save a life, I can retire my account successfully!” they stressed how important community is in helping keep each other safe. Scroll down for our full interview.
#1
For women especially. If someone is making you uncomfortable or just giving off weird/creepy vibes, you never should worry about being “rude.” You don’t have to be nice/polite, your safety comes first.
Image source: PurpleDreamer28, Nadine Shaabana
#2
One for knowing what to do when encountering bears:
When it’s brown, lie down. Brown bears are pretty aggressive. The first thing to do is put your arms above your head and stand as firm as possible to make yourself look big. When the brown bear is still coming to you, don’t run! Lie down, curled in a ball with you backpack still on; it’ll protect you. The bear will paw you, see that you’re no longer food and move along.
If it’s black, fight back. Black bears are less aggressive and can easily be fought back. Just like with brown bears, make yourself look as big as you possibly can. It’ll see you as a threat and move away.
If it’s white, say goodnight. Polar bears are the biggest species of bears on earth. If you’re running away from one, throw your pack to the side; polar bears have a short attention span and will go to the parcel you threw to the side. If that doesn’t work, and the polar bear is still gaining on you, there’s unfortunately nothing left but to accept Christ as your Lord and Savior because it’ll un-alive you in minutes.
Image source: Fast_Enthusiasm_6655, Zdeněk Macháček
#3
Firefighter here;
Sleep with your doors shut at night (helps prevent fire spread/smoke inhalation)
Be able to crawl, blindfolded, out of every room in your house.
Make sure everyone in your home knows what to do in the event of a fire. Where to meet afterwards, etc.
If you have kids, explain to them that firefighters may look ‘scary’ in full turnout gear, but they can not be afraid of us.
Friendly reminder while I have your attention; check the batteries in your smoke detector. They truly are life savers.
Image source: CharlieMike12, Pixabay
#4
If you ever find yourself in possession of a firearm:
1. All guns are loaded, even if you just unloaded it.
2. Do not point the gun at anything you’re not willing to shoot kill/destroy.
3. Do not put your finger on the trigger unless you are trying to fire the weapon at that moment.
Image source: gumboandgrits21
#5
Don’t merge back in front of a semi truck until you can see where its steer (front) tires meet the pavement, then keep going.
Truckers don’t leave big gaps in front of themselves in traffic out of the kindness of their hearts. They do it because trucks are hard to stop even with powerful air brakes, and the kinetic energy in an 80,000 truck/load combo traveling at 65mph would turn you into a fine pink mist if they hit you.
WAY too many drivers don’t know how to act around semis, at their mortal peril.
Source: am trucker
Image source: The206Uber
#6
A falling knife has no handle.
Image source: Billbapoker, Markus Spiske
#7
Never EVER sneak up behind a horse, EVER
Image source: VeeSquibbles, Helena Lopes
#8
Worked in a machine shop. I was told the top three rules were these: 1) Know where the emergency stop button is on every machine. 2) If you wouldn’t touch it with your penis, don’t touch it with your finger. 3) If something falls, let it hit the floor (don’t try to catch anything falling).
Image source: theunknowngoat, Andrew Haimerl (andrewnef)
#9
As a life long Floridian, I see this all the time here, and else where in the news. In the event of a disaster, stay the [hell] away from downed power lines!! Don’t walk along the street with them, don’t drive your car over them, don’t take selfies with them. They’re thunder noodles and have been known to kill.
Image source: kowog1, Andre Moura
#10
When walking down the street with a one-shoulder bag, keep it on the building side of your body — not the side on which people pass you. It makes the bag harder to slash/snatch.
If asked for the time on the street, don’t check your phone. Check your watch, but do so by lifting your wrist to within your field of view – don’t look down at your wrist. If you don’t have a watch, then say you don’t know the time.
Be cautious if a person asks you to look at something, like “that car behind you”.
Collectively these tips will help avoid some basic mugging tricks.
Image source: ByEthanFox, Godisable Jacob
#11
Don’t say, ‘Someone call an ambulance.’ Do it yourself, or directly tell one person to do it.
Don’t move someone injured unless there is an imminent danger to the victim.
Puncture wounds, the puncture object acts as a cork, leave it in until medics arrive and let them deal with it.
Learn cpr for adults and children, the same goes for choking techniques like heimlich.
Image source: nobenap5, Pavel Danilyuk
#12
If you are the passenger, never put your feet on the dash. With or without airbags, don’t do it. Level 1 trauma hospital worker here. Seen a fatality of a passenger who had their legs on the dash during the collision. It literally shoved their (broken) leg back into them and their own leg bone (shard) pierced their chest cavity and heart.
Image source: xray_anonymous, Ljupche Vasilev
#13
Wear safety glasses when working. Wear safety gloves when working. Wear safety boots when working. Do not make excuses — one mistake can cost you your finger, eye, toe.
Image source: bstefanovic, Matilda Wormwood
#14
“It is better to correct an unsafe friend than to bury one”
Image source: LamarB, michal dziekonski
#15
Be gross if you’re being kidnapped. Men don’t like gross girls. Force yourself to throw up, rip your hair out, pee yourself or defecate. Try to fight back and scratch as hard as you can. Leaving physical evidence everywhere at the very least helps identify your body and get him prosecuted for the crime. Not to be morbid but. If it looks like you’re about to die then make sure you leave as much evidence as you possibly can.
Image source: DoloresHaze7
#16
Turn your music down. I promise you will not like tinnitus.
Image source: caananball, Dylann Hendricks | 딜란
#17
Around any body of water:
– Feet first first time – never dive unless you know how deep the water is.
– Drowning looks like climbing a ladder, and it’s silent.
– If you get into a dangerous current swim perpendicular to it.
– If you’re in water over your head, or in a dangerous current, flip, float, and follow.
Image source: tremynci, eberhard grossgasteig
#18
In these cold times. Don’t drive wearing anything you couldn’t walk a half mile in.
Image source: 46692, Emily Gouker
#19
NEVER mix cleaning products.
Image source: jtho78, Kelly Sikkema
#20
The really bad people who want to do really bad things look for weakness. They test and probe.
It’s awful that the best we can hope for is that we avoid what some other person might be victimized with. But that’s nature.
Pay attention to your surroundings. Watch to see if anyone is watching you. Any stranger that offers you something or has a question that doesn’t feel right, that’s the moment to keep yourself vigilant. Don’t put on a false front, but don’t be weak. Have good body posture. Speak clearly. Use short simple statements, and be rude if you have to. No thanks, I’m good, or firmer if you think it’s necessary.
Don’t let anyone stop you from walking.
No is a full sentence.
If they get physical, f**k, if they even touch you, scream and yell and don’t let them get you away from the public area, away from light and people. We often have the impulse to not make a scene- f**k that. Make the biggest fuss you’ve ever made.
Learn to listen to your instincts and intuition. They aren’t always right, so you should evaluate them, and then proceed.
Image source: BeardsuptheWazoo
#21
Never plug in space heaters to power strips! ALWAYS plug them directly into wall outlets. This is one of the most common fire starters in home fires.
Image source: poshquail, Alirad Zare
#22
if your being followed (Car or walking) dont go home, rather head toward the nearest police station and park/sit there for a bit.
also craigslist deals can be done in police parking lots, it can be a bit awkward asking someone to meet there to sell you their old ps4 but if they are honest then they will have no reason not to.
Image source: oti95
#23
Uniforms (especially of high function, such as doctors, fireman, army…) can trick your mind. Just because someone wear one doesn’t mean they are kind and safe, and can’t hurt you. Even if it’s a real one or during work hour/on duty.
Image source: Memetastikk, RF._.studio
#24
Oh I have a really good one. In the event of a disaster, such as earthquake or flood, The drinking water system frequently becomes contaminated.
Therefore you need to shut off the intake valve to your water heater.
Then your water heater becomes an emergency drinking water tank.
Image source: thedrakeequator, cottonbro
#25
When boiling a pot of water, turn the handle inwards towards the center of the stove / counter. That way somebody (especially a kid) won’t come by and knock it over or grab it and pull it over on themselves.
Image source: Actuaryba, Michal Balog
#26
Never take a sleeping pill and a laxative at the same time.
Image source: LusciousLennyStone
#27
Sharp tools are safer and easier to control than dull ones. This goes for basically anything with a blade, whether it’s a saw blade, utility knife, chisel, or simple kitchen knife. You’re more likely to slip, lose control, or kickback with a dull blade.
Image source: Djdubbs, NIKOLAY OSMACHKO
#28
If you have been on the fence for a while about being too cold to continue, in a backcountry situation, you are already too cold. Immediately make emergency efforts to get warm. Being hypothermic severely clouds your judgement.
Image source: latolat2
#29
If you get bitten by an animal that you even think is rabid get vaccinated RIGHT AWAY.
Rabies is a brutal way to go out and if you miss your window there’s not much nothing that can be done.
Image source: a_clown_with_a_piano, Mufid Majnun
#30
Walk against traffic so you can see what’s coming, not with your back to it!
Image source: Redjet4
#31
Do NOT put objects in the driver’s foot space. Even things as small as a tennis ball. It’s very unsafe for the driver.
Image source: AvianDragon_Minokawa, Unervi González
#32
You’re more likely to be attacked in a transitional space. Going into and out of buildings, cars, and especially between the two. You let your guard down because you’re thinking about what you’re going to do when you get there, not what you’re doing right now, and not what’s going on around you. Stay alert, stay safe.
Image source: pevip6, Brett Sayles
#33
F.A.S.T. For strokes.
F = Face Drooping – Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?
A = Arm Weakness – Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
S = Speech Difficulty – Is speech slurred?
T = Time to call 911
Image source: pihip2
#34
Check and clean out the lint collector in your dryer regularly.
Image source: Whig_Party, PlanetCare
#35
There’s a principal in safety called Heinrich’s Pyramid, and while the precise numbers are open for debate, the general principal is that after a certain number of unsafe acts you will have a serious injury or fatality. This is typically used for workplace safety, but the point is, every time you decide that you don’t need that piece of safety equipment, or you can skip that one step even though the book says to do it, you’re ticking down the clock until a serious accident happens. In Heinrich’s original, he posited that for each serious accident (major injury/fatality), there would be about 30 accidents with minor injury, and 300 unsafe acts. So eliminate those minor unsafe acts, shortcuts etc, and significantly reduce or eliminate the corresponding number of serious accidents.
Image source: DJLowZ
#36
No matter how cute the wild animal is…don’t approach it! It’s NOT worth it!
Image source: philistine-slayer
#37
Nobody wins in a street fight.
Image source: Jellybean720, Keira Burton
#38
If you have a skin mole that has blurry edges, isn’t symmetrical, is a weird shade of red, weeps fluids, or acts like an open wound that won’t heal, you might have skin cancer. Go to a doctor IMMEDIATELY. Melanoma kills fast.
Image source: vivav5, Karolina Grabowska
#39
If your child goes missing in your home, first check any spots that would be dangerous for them to be (near water heaters, sump pumps etc…) then check their common hiding spots.
Image source: CthulhuBae1111, Scott Webb
#40
If you’re confronted, it’s far better to run away if at all possible rather than try to fight your attacker. Even if you think you are a badass.
Image source: Hokusai135, Barbara Olsen
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