25 Surprising Facts That Could Save You In Strange Situations

The internet is full of fascinating information, but some knowledge is more than just interesting—it can be life-saving. A Reddit user posed the question, “What is a fact that can possibly save your life?” and the responses poured in with vital tips that could mean the difference between life and death. Here are some of the most crucial and potentially life-saving facts shared by Redditors.

#1

Image source: allthedifference, Bexar Arms / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

All firearms are loaded. Even if they are not, they are.

#2

Image source: MyNameIsRay, Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

“There are no rules if a stranger puts their hands on you”

Yell, scream bloody m****r, kick, bite, make the biggest scene you possibly can and run away as fast as you can.

Make sure your kids understand that this is the exception, the time they MUST draw as much attention as possible and do ANYTHING it takes to get away and get help.

#3

Vaccines work.

Image source: anon

#4

Image source: Busyuty, Paul Hanaoka / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

This is a New Zealand specific one, but all emergency numbers work here. The official number is 111. But 999,000,911, etc. will all work. This is so that tourists can still reach emergency services easily.

#5

Image source: Dubthehusky, Christin Hume / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Double check advices in this thread with your own research.

#6

Image source: TheDarkIsMyLight, Chris Karidis / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Do not delay getting out of a burning building. The flames are not what will k**l you. The smoke will get very thick and toxic very quickly and you will not be able to see the way to get out.

#7

Image source: Fluffy-Bluebird, Onur Burak Akın / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

If you are ever buried in rubble (earthquake, tornado, building collapse etc).

Don’t shout. You’ll lose your voice and waste energy.

Instead, grab a piece of rubble and knock in patterns of threes. Humans are expert pattern makers and pattern notices.

Rescuers will hear the distinctive pattern sound and go toward it.

Once you can hear people, then use your voice.

Edit: cite my source. I learned this from the Podcast The Big One. It’s about how to realistically survive a massive earthquake day by day with certain scenarios.

#8

Image source: lagganlosberne, Nate Neelson / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

If you ever almost drown to the point of throwing up water or passing out, even if you feel 100% fine, get to a hospital. Your lungs can unwittingly self-fill up with fluid over the next few hours.

#9

Image source: TempoGuest3

If you smell a fish smell in your house (some people also report a urine like smell) for no reason, 9 times out of 10 it means there’s an Electrical Fire.

#10

Image source: randomfish2, Joel Vodell / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

If the ocean is retreating there is a tsunami coming, evacuate the beach immediately.

#11

Image source: vogdswagon26, Hassan OUAJBIR / Pexels (not the actual photo)

Maybe not your life but possibly others.

In an emergency situation pick 1 person to specifically call 911. In lots of stressful or emergency situations there are significant delays in calling 911. Some people assume that others will call 911 while other panic/freeze up and dont think to call 911.

If you’re faced with an situation where 911 is necessary, pick a specific person to contact 911.

#12

Image source: AppropriateAlgae5, Martin Podsiad / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Never pull out a gun or any weapon unless you are prepared to k**l or die. Weapons escalate the situation to another level. If you have a weapon, intend to use it and risk having it used on you.

#13

Image source: twister2004, Getty Images / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

If a tornado looks like it isn’t moving, it’s heading right towards you.

#14

Image source: Briggsnotmyers, Blake Cheek / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Maybe not your life, but someone else’s. Most drowning is silent. The victim quite literally cannot speak to call for help, as they are too desperately trying to get any air at all. Drowning can look simply like a person bobbing in the water until they no longer come back up. Keep a watch out. Especially if it’s kids.

#15

Image source: silvachuscout, Jens Petersen / Wikipedia (not the actual photo)

When you’re in Australia (mostly on beaches) DO NOT TOUCH THE TINY ADORABLE OCTOPUS WITH BLUE RINGS it’s venomous and will usually k**l you. In fact, don’t touch any snakes or spiders or marine life, a lot of it is poisonous, venomous or will k**l you in other ways… don’t let this stop you from coming to Australia though, most of the humans are pretty nice.

#16

Image source: Isaccs2tonboot, Harrison Kugler / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

If you get impaled or stabbed leave the object in and call 911 (or your country’s equal) That object is keeping all the blood on the inside of your body.

#17

Image source: anon, Natalia Blauth / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

If your vomit look like coffee ground, you are bleeding internally, you need to go to the hospital.

#18

If you are depressed or s******l, there are many paths back to life which are available to you. It means something to feel this way, and it is understandable that this happens given what you went through. You are still you. You aren’t broken beyond repair, and you aren’t bad for feeling what you feel. People don’t get like this for no reason. It isn’t permanent especially when it feels like it is

Once the reason for the feeling is known and seen and held with enough love, it becomes way way easier to be compassionate to oneself and address the wounds we are carrying. It becomes way easier to get help, which in turn makes many other steps easier still

We isolate ourselves because we feel ashamed for turning out this way. We were taught that this is how we make ourselves good. I have good news for you here. We don’t need to do this to be good. We were born good. It is still there

As long as you keep with it at whatever pace works for you and show yourself some strong genuine kindness and love in whatever way matters to you, you will progress out. It does happen a lot and increasingly often, nobody is beyond healing. Progress starts slow as sun melts ice, and with consistent exposure to the light of our attention and love it will melt completely. Our cold selves pushed and locked away so long ago will come back

Crying is a very good thing to do, even when alone. Ice within melts into tears. It flushes the sinuses and eyes, releases endorphins, and expresses the hurt we have been carrying all this way. We can set it down, we can look at it with kindness, and we can progress into a space where this experience is a strength far more than an injury

I have been in this state for a very long time, over a decade. I chose to sit here and study it so I could show others the way out and warn them of the deception depression will use, the lie that the pain won’t end. It was very hard to do alone, and I was not always alone

Beware the serpent, the lie of unending pain. Every storm ends, and after every flood there comes a bloom

You are not beyond help

Here, have a lifeline.

Image source: monkeyman0112358

#19

Image source: TheDarkIsMyLight, Julia M Cameron / Pexels (not the actual photo)

If you’re being tied up, puff yourself out as much as possible so it’ll be easier to wiggle out of. Tense muscles, inhale deep and stretch out your arms and legs to make more space.

#20

If you’re visiting an unfamiliar location like a cinema or concert hall, take a few moments to look around for the nearest exit, then pick out a second as a backup in case the first becomes blocked or cut off.

If something happens, especially in a crowded public place, most people’s first instincts are to turn around and head for the main entrance but this is not always the closest, safest or easiest way out. Nine times out of ten there will usually be a closer exit.

Image source: DevilRenegade

#21

So I grew up helping my dad with his apiary in our backyard. Some bee facts that might help:
1. Honeybees die when they sting you. At the TOD, they release a pheromone that marks you as the hive’s current enemy so all the other soldier bees can find you. This is why you should never ever slap at honeybees or otherwise try to k**l them. Because believe me, they have a ton of angry family.
2. Our soaps and shampoos are very convincing as flowers. Similarly, honeybees often mistake blonde or red hair as great big flowers. Once the bee circles you a few times, she will figure out you aren’t a flower even though you smell like one. This is the part where you stop freaking out and flailing like a dummy so that you don’t accidentally k**l her and acquire those murder pheromones.
3. The best bee defense is quite literally calmly walking away, but you also have two distraction options that will not help you if you’ve been pheromoned. One is smoke. Beekeepers in history often used smoke when tending their apiaries. The reason being that smoke masks any chemical communication and the bees get confused, thinking the hive is on fire. Second is that low hanging branches and shrubbery are your friends. Circle around in that stuff, and once again, bees get confused as to where you are. But like I said, that dead bee pheromone will make them come after you hell or high water, smoke and shrubbery be damned.

I understand being afraid because you are allergic. Hell, once I moved away and was no longer exposed to bee venom on the regular, I developed an allergy. I carry an epipen when I’m outside. Know what else I do when I visit my dad? I don’t run away screaming like an idiot when a bee mistakes me for a flower. I calmly walk though some shrubs till that bee goes away. Be safe, tell your primal brain to shut up, and ask that one friend who still smokes to light one up to protect you from inquiring bees.

Image source: dare-blau

#22

If you’re driving and your accelerator pedal gets stuck in the down position (meaning your brakes won’t work and you will only continue to increase speed), do NOT turn off the engine. Your steering wheel will lock up and you will very likely crash. Instead, turn on your hazards and shift into neutral to let your car gradually decrease in speed.

Image source: CallMeRiver03

#23

Image source: JadedSociopath, GoodEats YQR / Unsplash (not the actual photo)

Soy sauce is deadly if consumed in large quantities at once. So no stupid soy sauce dares or challenges please.

#24

Do ***NOT*** inflate your life jacket before exiting the aircraft.

This is especially true in case of emergency water landings. As any air safety expert would tell you, inflating your life jacket inside a rapidly submerging airplane will cause you to float up to the cabin’s ceiling, unable to move without help. The right thing to do is to take a deep breath and swim out of the airplane with your life jacket still deflated. Only when you’re safely out of the plane should you pull the inflation cord.

Image source: puggybutton

#25

If your diabetic friend starts acting like a drunk, stumbling around, talking nonsense and slurring, throwing up, their bloodsugars could be dangerously low. Make them drink something sweet, sugary soda, juice or just feed them plain sugar. Be aggressive they might resist. If they pass out and can’t swallow rub honey or sugar on the insides of their cheeks. Or if their breath smells really bad their bloodsugar is probably really high and at risk of ketosis. My stupid T1 a*s has been saved many times by friends and my mom

Image source: bogpudding