Your worst self-inflicted, stupid accident?

F

Fyrefox

Well-known Member
Many of us have had them…avoidable accidents caused by ourselves that resulted in personal injury.

Well, a few weeks ago I opened a high kitchen cabinet door. An article fell out of the cabinet, which I bent down to retrieve without first closing the door. Retrieving the item, I then stood up directly into the pointed corner of the cabinet door, impacting my head and opening up about an inch and a half cut on my scalp. I didn’t know about the cut at that moment.

I felt the impact…how dumb of me, I thought! Thinking that I had just suffered a blow to the head, I paused a moment, putting my hand to my aching head. It came away bloody. Uh oh, I thought. Soon blood was pattering down upon my shoulder and shirt, lots of it! I grabbed paper towels to staunch the flow. I remembered that scalp wounds tend to bleed profusely, having taken first aid in the long ago and as a teenager suffering a scalp wound in gym class. There’s not much padding on your head to absorb blows. At least I didn’t freak out.

Well, I got the bleeding stopped and didn’t have signs of more serious problems like dizziness or blurred vision. Sleeping was interesting that night, and there were blood stains on my pillow the next morning. I had to baby my scalp for days afterwards, and couldn’t shampoo normally. I was so mad at myself that I wanted to pound my head on the wall, then thought that might only add to my problem…

It only takes a moment of bad judgement to get into some stupid accidents. What were some of your most memorable ones? 🙀😖
 

Moving a pot of boiling veggies from the stove to the sink, water splashed on the floor. I slipped on it, and fell, injuring my elbow. I drove myself to emergency .. where I was questioned as to whether or not my story was true or not. They must have had a lot of women who were assaulted by their partners. I assured them my story was true - had my arm put in a sling, and went home.
 

Lee said:
My temper got the best of me once. High school sweetie made me mad and I slammed my locker door real hard to show just how mad I was.

Trouble was my middle finger was in the door. Needed stitches and I still have the scar today.
Click to expand...
Ouch!


My girl friend way back when made me angry so I kicked the door jam. Forgot I only had my slippers on. I limped around for a few days after that.
 
I was converting a spa tub into a terrarium display area, covering it with heavy wood shelving. Duh. It was pure laziness (or stupidity), but I thought that I could just balance an extremely large, heavy board for a moment as I jiggled another piece into place. Well, it slipped, naturally, on the smooth ceramic tile, then did a very acrobatic flip and came straight down, short edge first on my bare toes. Instantly, they were horribly bruised all the way to the sole. It took 3 months for the colors to normalize and 6 months for them to stop aching and a year for the nails to grow back. Dumb and lazy, for sure!
 
How much time you got? I could tell dozens of stories.

Here's a silly but painful one.

I was on a short ladder spraying wasp killer in the door track of my barn, you know, to kill the wasp. The can ran out of spray and the wasp started dropping on me like parachutes with very bad intent. I jumped off the ladder backwards and as I watched the wasp swarming at my face I did the only sensible thing possible, I swung the empty can of wasp spray up at them like a tennis backhand swing.

Tore my rotates cuff. Two fully detached cuff muscles and also fully tore the upper bicep muscle. I have had partial tares for years but that one swing tore up everything. Do to the amount of damage the fact the shoulder had been previously injured conventional reattachment surgery wasn't an option.

I have beat my body up badly over the years, lots of injuries and a few broken bones. Nothing ever hurt as badly or for as long as that shoulder injury.
 
Cutting my foot in the lawnmower the day before my 18th birthday.

Timing was interesting, I had to call the draft board from my hospital bed. Told them I could not register in person, and would probably never walk again, LOL. In the end I got a very high draft number and so did not bother trying to get the 4F medical deferment. Not sure it would have worked.

I walk fine today, and have fewer toenails to worry about!
IMG_2879.jpg
 
Like @C50 I am always in the wars.. can't tell you how many times like the OP> .I've hit my head on the corner of the kitchen cupboard 😫.. and many other things..falling off ladders.. and so on.. but last year many of you will remember, I was cleaning the top of the curtain rail in the bedroom, and instead of getting ladders, I stood on the bed. I had no idea the bed was so bouncy and it launched me right into the air as if I was on a trampoline, and I somersaulted in the air and landed flat on my back on the floor.

Oh the pain.. I couldn't get up.. turned out I'd cracked my shoulder blades... fortunate that I wasn't killed.. but it was agony for 6 months to dress, sleep and brush & wash my hair..

The previous june, I'd been wearing backless shoes ( flip flops basically), and as I stepped out of the back door into the garden while holding a cup of tea.. and my heels caught on the doorstep and I tripped, the mug smashed and boiling tea went over me, and I fell flat on my face in the gravel path outside the door.. ripped the skin off my knees, shin, and shoulder..
IMG-6514.jpg
 

Your worst self-inflicted, stupid accident?​


Many

Latest was up at the cabin

Wrote about it;

Well, I did it.

Found a saw stop.

My hand.

I'm careful. To a fault.
But there apparently are times, like today.

I was zippin' off some wood chalks.
No measurement required.
Got into a rhythm.

Forgot....I don't have rhythm.

A stuck pig comes to mind.

Thing is, my lovely better half was up at the neighbors.
She hardly ever goes to the neighbors.
Today is nine eleven.

Fitting.

So, after nicking the large artery in the top of my hand, I kept my composure and immediately ran down the road, screaming.

Juuust kidding.

I stumbled around, muttering fond remembrances of my childhood puppy.

Kidding again.

I knew to stop the blood.
Thing is, when one uses the good hand to help the hurt hand, well, there's just no other hands.

I was rather amazed at my sensibilities during what could rapidly develop into a somewhat dire situation, by;

Sticking my hand up in the air

Pressing my fingers on the vein

Pouring water on the cut

Then pouring good Scotch on it

Then finding a clean cloth, ripping it in shreds, and tying it tight.

I stood there looking at the smart phone.
Thought about asking siri what next to do.
Then realized the bleeding had stopped.


Went back to work.

My lady got home an hour or so later.
Got a bit excited about the carnage...'blood everywhere!'.
She should be well aware of my thin, onion paper Irish skin, and I bleed most every working moment of every day.

What agitates me is I didn't think to apply super glue.


klmnV6G.jpg




somebody posed a question
'how in heck did you manage to cut the top of yer hand?'

Well, that's a fair enough question.
Although, I thought it might've been obvious.

Permit me to illustrate;

Haphazardly put your left hand in the path of the whirling saw blade by placing it directly underneath while the other hand is reaching for another piece of wood.
gjHRG2p.jpg



Hurry

Deftly use the sliding feature of the compound sliding miter saw;
pushing down and forward while it's wind milling (not under power) during a state of confusion
as to what's wood, and what's your hand, and whether or not the saw is on,
and what a saw is. while considering changing your political party affiliation.

Permit the teeth to grind into your flesh until it stops.

Wince

Bug your eyes out with amazement at the idiocy of the event

Call yourself several defamatory names

Bleed on everything

Run to and fro




That about covers it
 
Gary O' said:

Your worst self-inflicted, stupid accident?​


Many

Latest was up at the cabin

Wrote about it;

Well, I did it.

Found a saw stop.

My hand.

I'm careful. To a fault.
But there apparently are times, like today.

I was zippin' off some wood chalks.
No measurement required.
Got into a rhythm.

Forgot....I don't have rhythm.

A stuck pig comes to mind.

Thing is, my lovely better half was up at the neighbors.
She hardly ever goes to the neighbors.
Today is nine eleven.

Fitting.

So, after nicking the large artery in the top of my hand, I kept my composure and immediately ran down the road, screaming.

Juuust kidding.

I stumbled around, muttering fond remembrances of my childhood puppy.

Kidding again.

I knew to stop the blood.
Thing is, when one uses the good hand to help the hurt hand, well, there's just no other hands.

I was rather amazed at my sensibilities during what could rapidly develop into a somewhat dire situation, by;

Sticking my hand up in the air

Pressing my fingers on the vein

Pouring water on the cut

Then pouring good Scotch on it

Then finding a clean cloth, ripping it in shreds, and tying it tight.

I stood there looking at the smart phone.
Thought about asking siri what next to do.
Then realized the bleeding had stopped.


Went back to work.

My lady got home an hour or so later.
Got a bit excited about the carnage...'blood everywhere!'.
She should be well aware of my thin, onion paper Irish skin, and I bleed most every working moment of every day.

What agitates me is I didn't think to apply super glue.


klmnV6G.jpg




somebody posed a question
'how in heck did you manage to cut the top of yer hand?'

Well, that's a fair enough question.
Although, I thought it might've been obvious.

Permit me to illustrate;

Haphazardly put your left hand in the path of the whirling saw blade by placing it directly underneath while the other hand is reaching for another piece of wood.
gjHRG2p.jpg



Hurry

Deftly use the sliding feature of the compound sliding miter saw;
pushing down and forward while it's wind milling (not under power) during a state of confusion
as to what's wood, and what's your hand, and whether or not the saw is on,
and what a saw is. while considering changing your political party affiliation.

Permit the teeth to grind into your flesh until it stops.

Wince

Bug your eyes out with amazement at the idiocy of the event

Call yourself several defamatory names

Bleed on everything

Run to and fro




That about covers it
Click to expand...


Hope you are ok.

Good that you kept a clear mind during the whole thing.

I am not sure if super glue is ok for a deeper cut. Might have to do an old fashioned butterfly and wait a few days before thinking about the super glue.

Not positive, but I would check it out ...


And re accidents? that is like my middle name...endless ones.

There may be a limit to human intelligence, but there definitely is no limit to my stupidity...
 
C50 said:
How much time you got? I could tell dozens of stories.

Here's a silly but painful one.

I was on a short ladder spraying wasp killer in the door track of my barn, you know, to kill the wasp. The can ran out of spray and the wasp started dropping on me like parachutes with very bad intent. I jumped off the ladder backwards and as I watched the wasp swarming at my face I did the only sensible thing possible, I swung the empty can of wasp spray up at them like a tennis backhand swing.

Tore my rotates cuff. Two fully detached cuff muscles and also fully tore the upper bicep muscle. I have had partial tares for years but that one swing tore up everything. Do to the amount of damage the fact the shoulder had been previously injured conventional reattachment surgery wasn't an option.

I have beat my body up badly over the years, lots of injuries and a few broken bones. Nothing ever hurt as badly or for as long as that shoulder injury.
Click to expand...

Yup, I have rotator cuff tears, from car accidents and before. Those take forever to heal and easy to re-injure.

sorry about the problems


And re accidents? that is like my middle name...endless ones.
There may be a limit to human intelligence, but there definitely is no limit to my stupidity...
 
Gary O' said:

Your worst self-inflicted, stupid accident?​


Many

Latest was up at the cabin

Wrote about it;

Well, I did it.

Found a saw stop.

My hand.

I'm careful. To a fault.
But there apparently are times, like today.

I was zippin' off some wood chalks.
No measurement required.
Got into a rhythm.

Forgot....I don't have rhythm.

A stuck pig comes to mind.

Thing is, my lovely better half was up at the neighbors.
She hardly ever goes to the neighbors.
Today is nine eleven.

Fitting.

So, after nicking the large artery in the top of my hand, I kept my composure and immediately ran down the road, screaming.

Juuust kidding.

I stumbled around, muttering fond remembrances of my childhood puppy.

Kidding again.

I knew to stop the blood.
Thing is, when one uses the good hand to help the hurt hand, well, there's just no other hands.

I was rather amazed at my sensibilities during what could rapidly develop into a somewhat dire situation, by;

Sticking my hand up in the air

Pressing my fingers on the vein

Pouring water on the cut

Then pouring good Scotch on it

Then finding a clean cloth, ripping it in shreds, and tying it tight.

I stood there looking at the smart phone.
Thought about asking siri what next to do.
Then realized the bleeding had stopped.


Went back to work.

My lady got home an hour or so later.
Got a bit excited about the carnage...'blood everywhere!'.
She should be well aware of my thin, onion paper Irish skin, and I bleed most every working moment of every day.

What agitates me is I didn't think to apply super glue.


klmnV6G.jpg




somebody posed a question
'how in heck did you manage to cut the top of yer hand?'

Well, that's a fair enough question.
Although, I thought it might've been obvious.

Permit me to illustrate;

Haphazardly put your left hand in the path of the whirling saw blade by placing it directly underneath while the other hand is reaching for another piece of wood.
gjHRG2p.jpg



Hurry

Deftly use the sliding feature of the compound sliding miter saw;
pushing down and forward while it's wind milling (not under power) during a state of confusion
as to what's wood, and what's your hand, and whether or not the saw is on,
and what a saw is. while considering changing your political party affiliation.

Permit the teeth to grind into your flesh until it stops.

Wince

Bug your eyes out with amazement at the idiocy of the event

Call yourself several defamatory names

Bleed on everything

Run to and fro




That about covers it
Click to expand...
Gary I had an injury similar to that many years ago. I worked as a machinist and one day I raked my hand across the end of a drill bit in the tail stock. It sliced a two inch wide flap accord the back of my hand that you could flip back and forth like an envelope flap. Bloody mess for sure.
 
My hubby has always been the "accident" prone one. Electrocuted (not his fault, though) on the job, sliced his thumb almost off at the paper-mill he was doing maintenance at (again, on the job) and many stitches, always hitting his head on something, dog bite on his hand from a "friendly" dog. The list goes on for him, but last Fall, we stopped at a convenience store (when we lived in AZ) to get a lottery ticket and when I got out of the truck, I didn't notice the asphalt had built up from the heat and vehicles driving on it and pushing it up into a mound and I tripped over it; fell against the curb and crashed into a sign. I tried to catch myself (which is impossible) and stoved up my right thumb so bad, I thought I had broken it. Not to mention the deep scrapes on my knees. To top it off, everyone just stood there looking at me as I rocked back and forth because my thumb hurt so bad, I thought I was going to be sick. I was so embarrassed. We were in the middle of packing to move and I could hardly do anything with that thumb. It still hurts and I can't open my hand to grip anything any more. I was so mad at myself for being so clumsy :(
 
..another one.. this was my worst injury I think..

My mother had just died, it was New Years eve.. I was 18.. the whole family were home and no-one was celebrating, everyone was doing their own thing somewhere in the house. My father was asleep in his armchair, and there was very little food in the house. At just after midnight I went into the kitchen and found some crackers, so I got the butter knife out, and the butter, and instead of making washing up by getting a plate, I just put the cracker in my hand and spread the butter... but the cracker snapped and the butter knife which should have been blunt sliced right through my pinkie finger at the first joint nearest the palm of my hand

My little finger was hanging off, I could see the tendons ( white worms ).. and everything. :sick:
I woke my father and said I needed to go to the hospital.. he wasn't having any of it.. he hated hospitals , so he got a tea towel.. to try and stem the bleeding, that soaked through with blood in seconds, so he tried with more and more rags , and then with an actual sheet .. but he wouldn't allow me to go to the hospital...

Eventually the bleeding stopped, and over the months my little finger knitted together, but for years I couldn't straighten that finger at all .. and I still bear the scar today 50 years later..

Incidentally turns out my younger brother had been playing with the knife sharpener and had sharpened all the butter knives..
 
Last edited:
re accidents? that is like my middle name...endless ones.

There may be a limit to human intelligence, but there definitely is no limit to my stupidity...

First stupid one was really my mother's. And that would be giving birth to me. Horrible, horrible mistake.

At 3 years old, they found me sucking on some batteries...and off to the ER with me.

4 years old, saw two dogs fighting and threw some stones at them to make them stop. They were not fighting. They were engaged in a romantic interlude. The boy dog did not like the interruption. Bit me in a few places...and off to the ER with me.

7 years old..climbed a tree. Fell out of tree...and off to the ER with me.

10 years old, basketball goes over the fence. I go over fence, retrieve ball, climb back over fence...all of my makes it, except my hand, which I impale on the fence...and off to the ER with me.

19 years old, hitchhiking around the country. Hiking in the Badlands. Rattler up and after me. Got away. Did I stop and go back to the ranger station? Uh, no, what would be the point of that? And of course, then more rattlers.

19 years old, hitchhiking around the country.Three Montana hillbillies tried to take my life. Did I stop hitchhiking? Uh, no, what would be the point of that?

19 years old, hitchhiking around the country. Hiking in Glacier. Bear country. Grizzly country. Had a bear bell. Also had something else...and as far as a stupidity contest, this entry may be world class stupidity. What else did I have with me? Yes, an actual jar of honey. What else? Yes, the jar was cracked and honey was leaking all over my pack.

IN BEAR COUNTRY!

IN GRIZZLY BEAR COUNTRY!

IN THE ONLY PLACE IN THE CONTINENTAL US THAT HAS HAD FATAL GRIZZLY MAULINGS!!!!!!!

And, wait for it...did not hike my pack into a tree, just left it near the tent.

Grizzlies came around that whole night. Would moan that deep Grizzly growl, crawl close, then crawl away. All night long.

I think what saved me was that I had not showered in days. Perfect bear repellent.

+++

And if folks want to imagine they can match my level of stupidity...I have plenty more...
 
Well, this one is relatively small compared to the other things that have been described here. But once, about 10 years ago, I was taking the clean dishes out of the dishwasher and putting them away. One glass was still wet and slippery, and slipped right out of my hand. Instinctively, I slammed my hand down on it to try to catch it before it landed on the counter, but by then it had broken into several sharp pieces, and my finger landed right on the sharp edge. It wouldn't stop bleeding, and I called a friend to take me to the ER. I wrapped a dish towel around my hand to keep her car from getting all bloody. I ended up with xrays (nothing was broken), a tetanus shot, and 5 stiches. I still have the scar. When I got home, my kitchen floor and counter looked like a murder scene.

Could have been worse, of course. I could have sliced the finger off!
 
Then there's always the risk vs reward injury, you know it's going to hurt but do it anyway. Running the chainsaw knowing in my position the the branch was going to fall back on me. But it was only about 4" in diameter so plunged ahead anyway. Little scrape, no big deal, saved me like twenty seconds not having to reposition myself. lol0612221019.jpg
 
Gary O' said:

Your worst self-inflicted, stupid accident?​


Many

Latest was up at the cabin

Wrote about it;

Well, I did it.

Found a saw stop.

My hand.

I'm careful. To a fault.
But there apparently are times, like today.

I was zippin' off some wood chalks.
No measurement required.
Got into a rhythm.

Forgot....I don't have rhythm.

A stuck pig comes to mind.

Thing is, my lovely better half was up at the neighbors.
She hardly ever goes to the neighbors.
Today is nine eleven.

Fitting.

So, after nicking the large artery in the top of my hand, I kept my composure and immediately ran down the road, screaming.

Juuust kidding.

I stumbled around, muttering fond remembrances of my childhood puppy.

Kidding again.

I knew to stop the blood.
Thing is, when one uses the good hand to help the hurt hand, well, there's just no other hands.

I was rather amazed at my sensibilities during what could rapidly develop into a somewhat dire situation, by;

Sticking my hand up in the air

Pressing my fingers on the vein

Pouring water on the cut

Then pouring good Scotch on it

Then finding a clean cloth, ripping it in shreds, and tying it tight.

I stood there looking at the smart phone.
Thought about asking siri what next to do.
Then realized the bleeding had stopped.


Went back to work.

My lady got home an hour or so later.
Got a bit excited about the carnage...'blood everywhere!'.
She should be well aware of my thin, onion paper Irish skin, and I bleed most every working moment of every day.

What agitates me is I didn't think to apply super glue.


klmnV6G.jpg




somebody posed a question
'how in heck did you manage to cut the top of yer hand?'

Well, that's a fair enough question.
Although, I thought it might've been obvious.

Permit me to illustrate;

Haphazardly put your left hand in the path of the whirling saw blade by placing it directly underneath while the other hand is reaching for another piece of wood.
gjHRG2p.jpg



Hurry

Deftly use the sliding feature of the compound sliding miter saw;
pushing down and forward while it's wind milling (not under power) during a state of confusion
as to what's wood, and what's your hand, and whether or not the saw is on,
and what a saw is. while considering changing your political party affiliation.

Permit the teeth to grind into your flesh until it stops.

Wince

Bug your eyes out with amazement at the idiocy of the event

Call yourself several defamatory names

Bleed on everything

Run to and fro




That about covers it
Click to expand...
I have a bigger version of that type of saw and every time I use it from now on, I will remember this tale of woe!
 
Gary O' said:
Yeah, it's supposed to be used in dire situations.......like imminent death if you don't.
Click to expand...
I used superglue for years to glue in a broken dental crown in my mouth. I know it's even been used to glue brain parts together. "Not recommended," but not all that dangerous, in my totally unprofessional opinion.
 

You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top