15 Times Someone’s Stupidity Led To A Near-Death Experience

I’ve made some dumb decisions, but nothing quite like these stupidity near death experiences. Watching how close things got makes me feel a little better about my own track record.

1.

“I decided to do a mid winter hike in Scotland from a guidebook that clearly stated ‘Do not use this book in winter’ I ended up ascending a steep shoulder which was iced. By the time I realised I was in great danger it was riskier to down climb than continue. I had to climb about 60m of vertical ice with no ropes, crampons or axes (before I even knew how to use these things). Just as I topped out onto safer ground the rescue helo flew overhead. If he had been just 3 minutes earlier I would have been waving at him for rescue. I walked off that hill and back to my van shaking, pale and nauseous. I scrapped my plans for the next few days and went home. I”ve still never told my wife about it. Next winter I went and got the training and go ice climbing whenever I can. I guess you can’t fix stupid.”

2.

“Eating sushi in a remote mountain town. Got salmonella and that for sure could have killed me.”

3.

“When I was learning to drive, the car my parents got me to learn in had squeeky wheels. I tried to solve this by soaking them in WD 40 to stop the noise before sliding down a major road in my hometown like im on a jamaican bobsled team. I was looking for the cruise control button like that was the reason. My mom was nice and supportive but when she walked away from me I heard her say ‘she’s got to be the dumbest in captivity’.”

4. “Overestimating my stamina against the ocean. Nature doesnt care about your ‘ willpower’ once your muscles hit their limit.”

5.

“Swimming out a little farther than I should have because the water looked calm. It wasn’t until I tried swimming back that I realized the current had other plans.”

6.

“Ignoring sinusitis for about a month, because I just started a new job and didn’t want to take time off to go see a doctor. I have the nicest doctor, but he yelled at me for not coming in sooner. If you wait too long the infection can travel to your brain and can cause a brain infection. I get sinusitis about once a year and I am really careful and see a doctor if it stays bad for more than a week now.”

7.

“Driving on a 2 laner at night, stuck behind a semi going 40 in a 60. Passing zone comes up, see another car off in the distance, but think “oh i got plenty of space to just nyoom around the truck real quick”. Yeah I totally misjudged how far that oncoming car was. Trucker saved me by hitting his break so I could finish the pass in time while also flashing his lights to alert the oncoming car of my dumbassery. Sorry trucker bro lol. I don’t pass in the dark no more unless it’s like, completely clear.”

8.

“Drove all night. Closed my eyes for “just a second”, when I opened them again, the center line was not where it’s supposed to be. It was a narrow single lane highway too. tf there was no one coming head on.”

9.

“My dog and wife fell through the ice in January. I crawled out by spreading my 200 pound body as best I could. I was able to pull both of them out and then crawled back…happy ending, but it could have been a nightmare!”

10.

“I went for a trail run where I was going to pick up my then-partner halfway through. Realising I was running late, I decided to run a rocky downhill trail faster than I’ve ever done. Well, my foot hit a rock, I stumbled, and went over off the side of the track and tumbled down the side of the mountain.”

11.

“Getting drunk, leaving the party for a quick walk and laying down outside to take a break during winter. Luckily my friends came looking for me.”

12.

“I was hiking along a river in New Zealand by myself. It was astonishingly clear but fast moving water, so I was staying well clear of it as much as possible. At one point, I got to a spot where I couldn’t see an easy way forward, until I spied a small patch of greenery sticking out over the water that looked like a good stepping point. I should’ve tested my weight on it, but I just went straight on to it. Well, it was actually just a clump of small lily pads. I went straight through into the freezing water, and found myself drifting out into the main channel where the fast flowing water was. Just as I was about to end up way out in the river, my pack snagged on a branch. I clung to that branch for a good minute just catching my breath and managed to pull myself in after that. But if not for the branch, I’d have probably drowned.”

13.

“I tried to save a drowning person once. They almost killed us both in their panic. I remember being so tired I “surrendered” to my impending death. It was terrifying. As much as you want to help someone in that situation I wouldn’t recommend it without serious help or skills.”

14.

“I had to stop someone from trying to drunkenly wander home 20 miles away in a monstrous blizzard when I worked front desk at a hotel. He had gotten slammed with his buddies that were staying in the hotel and was convinced that he could walk back. Uber driver ended up doing the ride for free when I told him what was going on.”

15.

“A 19 year old kid just died this way at University of Michigan this winter. He was walking home from a party with no coat in subzero temps, lay down in someone’s backyard, and wasn’t found until the next day.”