Many of us did stupid things as kids. But for some people, the stupid acts don’t stop when they reach adulthood. Just like kids, they have to be told “no” in order not to do something extremely foolish, yet even that doesn’t always prove effective.
An abundance of stoopid things people—young and old—have done in their lives was recently discussed by members of the “Ask Reddit” community. One user asked them, “What’s the stupidest thing you’ve seen someone do despite being expressly told not to do it?” and the community delivered.
Scroll down to find stories ranging from hilarious to concerning (but mostly hilarious), and see for yourself just how many stupid ideas and how little common sense some people have in everyday situations.
#1
When I was in grade 8 we had a science class were we were supposed to be describing the properties of chemicals. We were shown how to waft the hand over a vessel to get a smell, not to taste it, etc and then were given a beaker of liquid to write observations about. We were constantly warned to follow the protocols we were taught.
One kid grabbed his beaker, drank it down, and said it’s water. He was immediately kicked out of class and later that day I heard the teacher talking about how at the last minute he decided to use water as a first chemical instead of an acid because of how stupid this one kid would be. He wasn’t wrong.
Image source: Hammerhil, syda_productions / freepik
#2
When I was in college there was this idiot that, despite being told multiple times that it was a bad idea, decided that he just HAD TO grab onto the electric fence around his friends property. I’m told that the noise that came out of him was hilarious.
Yes. I was that idiot.
Image source: Afraid_Ad_1536, wirestock / freepik
#3
Had an ex-boss who was expressly told by HR to quit with his sexual harassment; he had “two strikes” by then.
He then decides to specifically mention my breasts in a public conversation. He was gone within the hour.
Image source: DarkField_SJ, Grinvalds/ freepik
#4
One that happens entirely too often.
Tell the new guy do not watch p**n on the company computers.
Then I get a call from my boss saying the new guy got himself fired for watching p**n.
Seriously people, if it is on their network they can see it. Incognito mode will not save you.
Image source: Ok_Spell_4165, Wavebreak Media / freepik
#5
Leaving the boardwalk in those areas of Yellowstone where you could break through the surface into a scalding hot spring.
Also in Yellowstone, approaching a bison “because they’re so cute”.
Image source: merciful-tehlu, wirestock / freepik
#6
Co-sign a car loan for a friend.
Image source: SousVideAndSmoke, senivpetro / freepik
#7
Safety video: “Do not stick your hand in liquid molten plastic.”
5 minutes on plant floor
Supervisor to Me: “Hey, take Johnny to the hospital because he stuck his hand in molten plastic and has 3rd degree burns.”
That was the end of Johnny. I never saw him again.
Image source: TimeWear6053, rawpixel.com / freepik
#8
I had a friend looking for his first car and he wanted a BMW or Cadillac, which was pretty crazy considering we both worked the same job making less than $30K a year. After searching for two months, he finds a 2011 BMW 335i for $16k. But after six months of having the bmw it breaks down badly and it’s back to him getting a ride from people to work. Four people out of the six of our friend group told him to get a Honda or Toyota as a first starter car and he said “no I’m worth more than that. I want something nice”Now three years later hes still paying on the bmw that hasn’t been driven in 2 1/2 years
Image source: Johnnytestikal, Luis Quintero / freepik
#9
I worked in an aquatics store, and I told a new hire to be careful when working in the coral vats because the halogen lights got stupid hot (this was before LeDs and they were out the way of customers) so I told him not to touch. As soon as the words left my mouth, he stuck his fingertips on the light. Had to get him to A&E (accident and emergency or the ER for the Americans), and almost 20 years later, I can still hear the sizzle of skin
Image source: Ulfgeirr88, teksomolika / freepik
#10
The tech next to me was using canned air to clean a dusty computer. I noticed he was tilting the can to the side really far to get into the fans so I told him to be careful because if you tilt it too far it’ll spray sub zero temp liquid that can freeze-burn your skin. He said “really?” and then immediately turned the can upside down and sprayed directly into his palm. I was just speechless while he clutched his hand and cursed.
Image source: stanley_leverlock, Archist- / reddit
#11
It was me.
I saw a red hot burner, asked my mom what red feels like. She responds telling me not to touch it that it’s very hot and will hurt me badly. I then decided I wanted to see what red felt like.
Image source: somedoofyouwontlike, EyeEm / freepik
#12
We where out and drinking with some friends. In the group was this guy and he was drunk as f**k and was saying he could jump over a car. We laugh not thinking anything of it. All of a sudden he runs in to traffic and jumps towards a car. Got hit and got thrown across the street where an other car hit him again.
No need to say, he was in the hospital for a long time. Never saw anything stupider than that
Image source: Souleke_sounix, rawpixel.com / freepik
#13
I was chaperoning a field trip where the 7th graders got to shoot compound bows. They were expressly told multiple times to NOT dry fire the bow (pulling back and letting go without an arrow).
One kid literally did that as soon as he was handed a bow and broke it. Luckily these were small/low strength pullback bows so he didn’t get hurt, but he sure as heck got benched for the rest of class.
Image source: ConsultantForLife, RDNE Stock project / pexels
#14
In the Navy, there was this guy who literally sucked at everything he did. You could put him in a 4×4 room with a giant steel ball and he’d find a way to lose it or break it. We were doing elevator testing, very clearly making it go up and down and ensuring people were CLEAR of the shaft before every operation. Obviously you’d get crushed to death hanging around that area while the platform was moving.
We get to the bottom of the shaft and I checked to ensure it was clear. I start walking up to tell the operator it’s all clear and they ask “Where’s McPhearson?” I look behind me and see he didn’t follow me up. I go all the way back down to the bottom of the shaft. Where is this MF? INSIDE the elevator shaft SLEEPING.
Image source: Money_Breh, Brett Sayles / freepik
#15
Not me, but saw a video of a woman tell her husband not to put diesel in their car just because it’s cheaper.
Cut to… the car having to get towed.
Image source: chenosmith, alexgolovinphotography / freepik
#16
I was a prep cook in a college town restaurant kitchen. One of the other cooks was in the university’s ROTC program and was bragging about his “fire proof” nomex gloves. He decided to show off what they could do by donning a glove and submerging his hand in a pot of boiling water.
Nomex is a fire-***resistant*** fabric. It is neither heat resistant nor water proof.
Image source: DrownEmTide, pixel-shot.com / freepik
#17
I used to work at a restaurant that specialized in soup. We always kept it on the burner on the stove so it would be piping hot when it was served. Every time I would bring it to the table I would say the same thing:
“Bon Appétit! Here’s your soup. Now be careful because it’s piping hot.”
And every. Single. Time. They would say:
“OK!” And then immediately take a sip of it and go.
“Ah! Thats..That’s… really….”
“Hot?”
“Yes..”
“Yeah, I know. I just told you that.” 😆
Image source: wetfootmammal, denisgrishyn / freepik
#18
Climb into a cardboard baler because he threw his phone in and wanted to check after he already crushed it. I yanked the key out and he was fired immediately
Image source: tryinandsurvivin, Walmart / flickr
#19
My cousin was living with us and the milk he purchased for himself was several days out of date. “Hey Nate, just a heads up that this milk is really expired so make sure you don’t use it.” Then I left it in the fridge so it didn’t stink up the trash before I could walk it to the outdoor trash bins. He immediately got up from the couch, walked in the kitchen, opened it and took a sip. Then immediately started heaving into the sink. It was straight up CHUNKY. He could have just taken a small wiff of it or even LOOKED at it to tell that it was, indeed, very spoiled.
Image source: Echolmmediate5251, Doug Floyd / flickr
#20
Saw a truck driver get his fuel tank caught on fire hydrant. Everyone yells at him to stop and points at the problem. Driver gets out looks at it, jumps back in and proceeds to try RAM his way through. Ruptures his fuel tank AND breaks off the hydrant.
Image source: Complete-One-5520, isaac1112 / freepik
#21
Wearing gloves while using a table saw. He “didn’t want to get any splinters”, and I believe he didn’t, though I did have to sift through a pile of sawdust to find his severed thumb for the paramedics, you win some you lose some I guess.
Image source: Simple_Knowledge6423, prostooleh / freepik
#22
I worked tech support for copper phone lines. Had an old German sounding lady on the phone saying her phone was electrocuting her while she was holding it. The phone she was talking to me on. I told her to please stop using the phone and we’d send someone out to see what’s going on. This lady just kept screaming about how bad it hurt to hold the phone and how much pain she was in. I was like lol just hang up idk what to tell you, but she just stayed on the phone in agony until I ended the call.
Image source: Grub-lord, freepik
#23
Picking up a box jellyfish and continuing to hold it the entire time it was stinging him.
Image source: Zoidberg_Why_Not_31, EyeEm / freepik
#24
Pour hot water on their icey windshield.
Like 4 of us going into the corner store told her not to do it, one of the guys told her in Spanish. She looked at us for like a second holding the steaming cup of water. Then broke her windshield by pouring hot water on it.
She then stared at it in total disbelief. One of the people who tried to warn her exclaimed in an extremely animated manner. Throwing his hands in the air then dropping them down near his knees “B***H, we f****n’ told you”..then she cried.
Image source: MiasmaFate, EyeEm / freepik
#25
When I was a manager at an oil change place we had this kid who was a total idiot. (My boss told me everyone deserves a chance)
He pulled the wrong plug and drained a transmission. We told him several times to not pull a plug unless he was 100% sure it was the oil drain plug. He drained about 6 more transmissions before I finally had enough and fired him
Image source: AJDrake405, Drazen Zigic / freepik
#26
New hire running a press brake, which is a large machine used to bend sheet metal. The new hire was holding the part with one hand and resting his other hand on the bed of the machine.
Three different times he was told to NOT put your hand on the bed. The last time he was told there was a large amount of four letter words used to try an impress upon him that you do NOT rest your hand on the bed.
He would keep his hand away for awhile then go right back to it. He got into a rhythm and he placed his hand on top of the bottom dies rather then the bed. Top dies came down with 35 tons of force and crushed all four fingers off of his hand.
Image source: Empereor_Norton, aleksandarlittlewolf / freepik
#27
When I was 5 years old, my dad poured some sort of strong and relatively toxic deep cleaning liquid on our wooden dinner table to remove a stain. He jokingly told me not to taste it, and left the dining room for a moment while the deliciously green liquid was dissolving the stain.
I stared at it for a while and proceeded to lick it.
Image source: TennoHBZ, The Yuri Arcurs Collection / freepik
#28
A guy i used to work with in a composites factory was moving a 10 ton mold from one part of a machine to another. The guys working with him told him not to rotate it after putting it down because he would drop it. He immediately rotated it and it fell to the bottom of the machine, breaking lots of stuff along the way. He doesn’t work there any more.
Image source: isurelovemylife, senivpetro / freepik
#29
Saw a guy attempt to climb a ladder his friend was holding. Not supported by a wall, just his friend holding it.
Just as I passed it started to go wrong and I helped catch the ladder. He got down and we laughed at the close call. I get 10 steps away and he is head first in a hedge with the ladder around his waist.
Image source: cogra23, EyeEm / freepik
#30
My daughter, always jumped in front of traffic. Most untrustworthy individual I’ve ever been around. My nerves were shot until she grew out of it in her mid teens. Nobody could convince her not to do it. How’s she’s still alive is beyond me.
Image source: DucktapeCorkfeet, ruslan_ivantsov / freepik
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