# Life lessons learned the hard way **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 17, 2021, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104 "2021-03-17T17:39:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/141 "2021-03-29T13:11:37Z")
All of them? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/142 "2021-03-29T13:37:06Z")
[quote=“Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan, post:131, topic:938104”] When using a power washer, wear heavy duty boots. That way, when you get muck on your foot, and reflexively use the power washer to clean it off, you don’t take your foot apart in doing so. Fortunately my shoe protected me enough to just leave a raw streak across my foot. The shoe was history though.[/quote] The average person doesn’t fully grasp how dangerous high-pressure liquids are. People have accidentally injected themselves with hydraulic fluid or diesel fuel while working on pressurized systems, and the broken skin is just the the start of the horror show: without proper medical attention, the injected liquid can destroy your limb from the inside out, eventually requiring amputation. If you have a strong stomach, google “hydraulic injection injury” to see what it’s all about. Consumer-grade pressure washers certainly can shred the skin; it sounds like you got lucky. > [@saje](#): > > In the summer, give anything wasps may build nests in/on a swift kick or poke from a distance before grabbing them and moving them. I sometimes use my bank’s night deposit slot, which is on the outside of the bank building. On one occasion I discovered that yellowjackets had made a nest in the handle, right where a user would put their fingers. I was fortunate to have spotted their activity before I actually grabbed the handle. > [@Die\_Capacitrix](#): > > If you have access to protective equipment, such as steel-toed shoes, safety goggles, etc., use them outside work if the occasion calls for it. This is according to my company safety people, as accidents outside of work are also covered by worker’s comp. This is for Switzerland, so it might be not encouraged by companies in other countries. I’ve had coworkers come in on Monday with injured hands and feet due to injuries which would have been prevented by protective equipment they had sitting at their desk. My employer buys us new hard-toed shoes/boots every year for work, and I’ve used this policy to maintain a spare pair of boots for home duty. Good for lawn-mowing and any kind of work where I might drop something substantial. ---
**Author:** ![mbh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a6a055/32.png) [@mbh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mbh)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/143 "2021-03-29T18:03:11Z")
> [@saje](#): > > In the summer, give anything wasps may build nests in/on a swift kick or poke from a distance before grabbing them and moving them. > > Rolling tool box, ladder, pipe gate, large collection of baling twine hung on a nail, wide plastic rake hung correctly (for once), plastic flip-lid storage tote … all of these have bitten me in the past. When dealing with scrap lumber, or any wood that has been exposed to the elements, remember that surprisingly large scorpions and black widows can squeeze into surprisingly small holes. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/144 "2021-03-29T18:13:07Z")
Paint the house before you move all the furniture in. Not after. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/145 "2021-03-29T19:33:32Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > Never put potent chemicals, such as ink stripper, in soda bottles. Even if you put masking tape labels with DO NOT DRINK written prominently in black or red sharpie, you will still mistake it for soda and drink it because your brain doesn’t always work. I’ll just amend this to say “don’t put anything you don’t want to drink in soda bottles.” I once had drained used fryer oil that was pretty dark into a 2-liter soda bottle and left it on the counter to throw in the outside dumpster the following day. Little did I realize that I’d go in there the following morning, think that it was a bottle of soda, decide to take a hearty swig, only to remember that nope, not soda, but used fryer oil. I spat most out in the sink, but man that was nasty. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/146 "2021-03-29T19:42:07Z")
Gasoline will dissolve a styrofoam cup. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/147 "2021-03-29T19:48:18Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > Never put your wallet down on the roof of your car while you sort through your pants pockets looking for the car keys. Or your iPad. I learned that the hard way twice. (I’m a slow learner) ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/148 "2021-03-29T20:03:09Z")
Everything not secured or left on the deck of a sailboat will end up overboard. Everything not secured or left on the table of the sailboat cabin will end up broken on the floor. If you’re asking yourself if you should put in a reef, you’ve waited too long. If you’re wondering if you should tack, wait. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/149 "2021-03-29T20:18:37Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I’ll just amend this to say “don’t put anything you don’t want to drink in soda bottles.” My parents taught me that, but when I moved into shared housing I found that not everyone had been brought up the same. It was all a learning experience for me, so I didn’t impose my opinions on my house-mates. But I observed that my parents were right about this one… ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/150 "2021-03-29T20:23:30Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Gasoline will dissolve a styrofoam cup. And turpentine will dissolve a plastic cup. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/151 "2021-03-29T21:05:42Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > If everyone in your family and all of your friends tell you the relationship is a bad idea, listen. Yes, the super power people have to jinx relations that are none of their business is amazing. I have been at both ends of it. None is a good place to be. ---
**Author:** ![Dogginit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dogginit/32/16920_2.png) [@Dogginit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogginit)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/152 "2021-03-29T21:35:35Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > If you’re an atheist, don’t date mormons. Where were you with this advice 30 years ago? 😜 ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/153 "2021-03-29T21:37:58Z")
In high school, trying to romance a mormon. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/154 "2021-03-29T21:38:16Z")
Yeah, get your feet out of the way too, unless wearing serious shoes. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/155 "2021-03-29T21:39:02Z")
(Clue, the movie) _“Too Late!”_ ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/156 "2021-03-29T22:22:23Z")
If you like to brag that you’ve been driving you whole life without an accident, it only takes a second of inattention to ruin a perfect record in a potentially spectacular fashion. No, this did not happen to me, but it almost did, just earlier today. On a related note, when backing out of a parking spot, there is _ **always** _ going to be a jerk rushing by much too fast, who at that precise instant will be hidden by the immense truck right beside you. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/157 "2021-03-29T22:23:24Z")
> [@begbert2](#): > > In high school, trying to romance a mormon. I initially read that as “trying to romance a moron”, which is also probably a bad idea. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/158 "2021-03-29T22:34:00Z")
Can confirm, bad idea. My first and only high school boyfriend was dumber than a box of rocks. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/159 "2021-03-29T22:36:05Z")
I worked in a fast food restaurant in high school and this was actually the practice. If we were rounding the corner carrying whatever potential hazard, we’d shout it out before we got near the corner. “Hot Chili!”. “Hot OIl!”. Then it devolved a bit… ok, “Cold Meat!!!” wasn’t that crazy, as spilling several dozen raw burgers might have been a mess. But “Dry Napkins!!!” led a lot of amusement! ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2021, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104/160 "2021-03-29T22:37:58Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > Or your iPad. I learned that the hard way twice. (I’m a slow learner) Why is it dangerous to put your wallet on your iPad? Does it demagneteze it or something? … what? … never mind… 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/life-lessons-learned-the-hard-way/938104.md?page=9)