It is not at all uncommon to see people taking selfies out and about. Turn your phone on and we bet you will find a selfie posted by a friend on your social media feed. However, you might not know just how dangerous, and even deadly, selfies have become. Did you know that 259 people have died trying to capture a photo from 2011 to 2017? Whoa. Many of these fatal selfies were snapped while people were traveling. Some of them fell off after scaling cliffs, bridges, and skyscrapers. A number of them had no idea what they were getting into, although there are also daredevils who knew exactly what they were doing. Feel free to take a selfie if you feel like it. However, the people in these photos took things way too far!
These People Risked Their Lives To Snap The Most Amazing (And Dangerous!) Selfies On The Planet
Don’t Try This At Home
Let us start this list with this photo by Angela Nikolau in Tianjin, China. She risks her life on the regular to take hair-raising photos like this one here. We have no idea how she even got there in the first place, but what we do know is that this is much too dangerous.
Don’t Try This At Home
No Words
Like a lot of people on the list, this selfie-taker was aware of the risks that went into this photo. “Do you know how many people in the world have died due to selfie incidents?” he said in the caption. We do, as a matter of fact. We are pretty disturbed by what we have found out as well! Can someone explain to us why they didn’t just take a photo from the solid platform right beside the spot they’re perched on?
No Words
All The Up Way Here
The tourism board of Brazil challenged photographer and travel blogger Lee Thompson to get a selfie on top of the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio. He took them up on it and lived to tell the tale!
All The Up Way Here
This Selfie Is Banned
We have a fun fact that will drive you insane. Can you believe that train selfies like this one have become such a big problem in India and Sri Lanka that they have been banned altogether?
This Selfie Is Banned
Consider Us Stunned
Did you just gasp aloud after seeing this photo taken by Daniel Lau? He is easily one of the most well-known daredevil photographers in the world. He often shares details about the things he does to get the right shot. In the photo below, his backdrop was the Hong Kong cityscape.
Consider Us Stunned
Too Calm And Happy
Like Daniel Lau, another famous daredevil photographer would be Alexander Remnev. Take a look at him and his pals in this shot. Taken in Shanghai, none of them look like they have any care in the world!
Too Calm And Happy
All Good Here
Here is yet another photo of Alexander Remnev. This time, he was perched over the Hong Kong skyline as he posed for the photo. At any rate, he looks way to chill for a photo like this one once more.
All Good Here
Feeling Nauseous
Taken in Yekaterinburg in Russia, this photo is both alarming and dizzying at the same time. There has been a surge in young daredevils taking very dangerous selfies as of late. There were so many related deaths and injuries that the Russian Interior Ministry started a “safe selfie” campaign! Whoa.
Feeling Nauseous
Do Not Do This
The Serra do Mar in Rio de Janeiro has this gorgeous gorge bridge with active trains. In the last couple of years, risk-takers have gone to the trestles to take some insane selfies. Almost a dozen people have died after falling off bridges since 2014. This includes a woman who fell from the Puente de Triana in Spain.
Do Not Do This
Skip The Selfie And Run
In Pamplona, the running of the bulls is a practice that goes back to 1591. In 2019, three people got gored. Those all happened without taking selfies, so we doubt that it was a good idea to do this.
Skip The Selfie And Run
Hot As Hell
Did you know just how many people were taking volcano selfies? The answer is ‘too much.’ The Royal Geographic Society in the United Kingdom had to warn people to stop this because of deadly falls.
Hot As Hell
Too Hot In Here
George Kourounis is a National Geographic “storm chaser” and explorer known for his insane selfies and photos. The one you can see below was taken close to the Ambrym volcano in Vanuatu. How scary is that? At the very least, we are glad that he donned a protective suit.
Too Hot In Here
Awareness Is The Key
Here is another example of a photographer who was fully aware of just how dangerous this stunt was. “I don’t always take selfies, but when I do; they’re dangerous,” he added in the caption but noted that he likes to “stand on the edge of a bunch of stupid s***.” He was standing on the edge of a canyon in Canyonlands National Park in Utah.
Awareness Is The Key
Not A Good Idea
Fun fact: a male California sea lion weighs up to 660 pounds. It is not a good idea to turn your back on this animal. This selfie-taker soon found out about this when the wild creature bit him! Ouch.
Not A Good Idea
Stay Away From Here
In China, you will find the Tiger Leaping Gorge trail. It reaches 8,694 feet. It is considered to be a dangerous trek for hikers. If you are a daredevil selfie-taker, you should stay away from here.
Stay Away From Here
Be Very Careful
There are many hikers at this spot who want to take the perfect selfie. If you wanted to know, this is at Horseshoe Bend in Arizona. Sadly, there have been two deaths related to selfie-taking since 2018.
Be Very Careful
Just Photoshop It
Here is yet another photo taken at Horseshoe Bend. As you can see, it can truly make for a wonderful photo backdrop. Despite this, you should never forsake your safety even for a great photo like this one.
Just Photoshop It
We’ll Have To Pass
Can you believe that there are more selfie fatalities than shark attacks? It seems like the daredevil here was tempting death and encouraging other people to do the same thing. However, you will see that he is doing the opposite of that when you read his caption. “I have been diving for over a decade and done 1000’s of dives around the world,” he said. “I have spent a lot of time in the water gaining experience. You must get specific training before just jumping in the water with sharks. It’s better for us and the sharks this way.”
We’ll Have To Pass
Listen To Him
Her boyfriend added these hashtags when she posted a selfie at Riley Falls in British Columbia, Canada: “don’t try this at home,” “leave it to the selfie pros” and “dangerous woman.” He knows where it’s at.
Listen To Him
Hope It Wasn’t Windy
Taken in NYC, this photo is a prime example of a trend that has become known as “skywalking” or “roofing.” A lot of travelers, normally young men, scale tall buildings to take selfies like this one.
Hope It Wasn’t Windy
All The Way Up Here
As you can see, “roofies” can truly be fatal. However, it does not seem like anything can stop these people. Even the story of a teen falling to his death from a mall rooftop is not stopping any of them.
All The Way Up Here
Much Too High
The selfie-taker used this caption to go with his photo: “Needed to take my artistic mind to a higher level…” That is fine and all, but we have to admit that it makes our rational heads hurt a little.
Much Too High
Don’t Do This Alone
Just this April, a man fell to his death at the Grand Canyon. It was truly tragic news, but was this man going to let such a thing stop him from taking this shot? No, sir.
Don’t Do This Alone
Never Turn Your Back To The Sea
A photographer from San Diego took this photo seconds before the couple got drenched by the waves. Kids, it is always a good idea to keep in mind just how unpredictable the ocean can be.
Never Turn Your Back To The Sea
It’s A No For Me
It is perfectly fine to take in the gorgeous views of Mistras from atop the Villehardouin Castle. Do you know what is a lot less advisable than that? Sitting right on the edge. That’s a no for us, folks.
It’s A No For Me
Time To Reevaluate Her Friends
This is what the Instagram caption reads when you translate it to English: “What some people would not do for a selfie.” If your friend is willing to take a photo of you like this, maybe they are no friends at all!
Time To Reevaluate Her Friends
Why Would You Do This?
This man wanted a selfie as the train passed him by. Can you believe that he even enlisted the help of a friend to video the whole thing? It’s not a good idea, as the man who got hit by a train in 2018 knows.
Why Would You Do This?
Hungry Gator In The Back
Indeed, deadly alligator attacks are not at all common. There have only been 24 cases reported since 1973. However, we would never let ourselves get this close to a gator just to get a good selfie!
Hungry Gator In The Back
Just So You Know
We are sure that the woman in this photo does not know just how fast alligators can go. They have a speed of 20 miles per hour, you know. She would have been running for her life had she known this.
Just So You Know
How About Bears?
Yeah, we doubt that this woman knew that bears can run as fast as 25 miles per hour either. Never do this unless you want to be lunchmeat, okay? This lady should have known better!
How About Bears?
Again And Again
These guys would have been dead meat if it were not for the fact that the fellas in the back had been too busy eating. We doubt that you need to be told how much of a bad idea this was.
Again And Again
This Will Still Sting
We know that you feel worried, but this photo seems more dangerous than it truly is. The photo comes from Jellyfish Lake in Palau, Oceania. This body of water is safe for snorkeling, but scuba diving is not allowed here. It is not because of the jellyfish but the high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide.
This Will Still Sting
Truly Out Of This World
The guy in the suit is a Japanese astronaut who could only take the selfie with the use of a special camera. He was dropping by the International Space Station when this “spacie” happened. Awesome!
Truly Out Of This World
Risking Her Life
Who would have thought that even cats would jump in on the trend? If you ask us, this is not at all safe to do. We hope that the two Rottweilers were kind enough to spare this kitty some mercy…
Risking Her Life
Too Close For Comfort
He trekked Mount Evans in the Rocky Mountains, so he knew that this cliffside shot was very dangerous. In fact, he even joked about how it would give his mother a heart attack. It’s not just your mom, pal!
Too Close For Comfort
Her Face Says It All
He said she was “so brave” and hashtagged this “havin fun.” However, we can figure out the way she felt when they sat on the edge of this ancient volcano in Edinburgh. Arthur’s Seat is over 800 feet high.
Her Face Says It All
Craving World Peace
She had been balancing on this rock staircase in Oran, Algeria. Even if this was tough, she was still able to flash a peace sign. In 2015, a tourist fell down the staircase and died while snapping a selfie at the Taj Mahal. Sorry, but you can see why we do not feel at peace after looking at this!
Craving World Peace
Peace From Above
Have you noticed the rise of sports selfies? The French skier in this photo got an awesome shot, but we wonder if he landed on his feet. How come we never see what happened after the selfie anyway?
Peace From Above
Eyes On The Road
The guy here even took pride in snapping a photo of himself as he drove. He said he was just “clowning around.” The National Safety Council said that 1.6 million crashes each year happen because of cellphone use on the road. This did not take account of the specific type of cellphone use, but we are sure that there is nothing responsible about “clowning around.”
Eyes On The Road
In Front Of You
He had been videoing the drive and was so focused on the selfie stick that he failed to see the brake lights the car in front had on. If you watch the video, you will see him crash into the truck and canoe.
In Front Of You
Avoid Wild Animals
The girl said that she got attacked by her monkey of a co-star not long after this selfie was taken. It turned out that he wanted her beads. This is one more reason to not take photos with wild animals!
Avoid Wild Animals
The Tame Ones Too
In case we failed to make ourselves clear, we want you to know that selfies and wild animals make a recipe for disaster. This includes even the supposedly tame ones! Just take a look at this photo, will you?
The Tame Ones Too
An Example
However, feel free to ignore our words of advice if you do not mind finding yourself in this situation. This woman here had to learn things the hard way. Don’t say we did not warn you, okay?
An Example
Look Out
The reporter in the photo below only wanted a selfie from the Green Monster at Fenway Park. Sadly, she took for granted how dangerous batting practice can be. It’s a good thing it was only a close call.
Look Out
Completely Unbelievable
We cannot believe that someone managed to snap a selfie while doing this jump. Whoa. It was only then that we noticed the child hanging off the back. What on earth was going on here?
Completely Unbelievable
Next Level Stuff
Yes, you are looking at the selfie of a person taking a selfie of another person taking a selfie. This might look like a cool photo, but the truth is that this is only tripling the danger in one go.
Next Level Stuff
A Long Way Down
This is yet another photo of Angela Nikolau. She was taking a selfie while looking a very long way down. Whoa. Of course, it is also possible that she just got bored and checking her phone. Who knows?
A Long Way Down
Proud And Worried
“So my girlfriend just sent me this selfie,” one guy posted. To be honest, she is pretty kick-ass. However, this is not something anyone should do. Driving at 60 miles per hour is nothing more than a bad idea. Trust us, it is on top of the “do not try this” list!
Proud And Worried
Behind You!
The woman below recorded herself while a wild cheetah gave her the once-over and sniffed her. What a terrifying photo! We doubt that any conservationist would recommend giving this a try. Yikes. We hope she made it out of there.
Behind You!
New Pilot Please
Have you ever wondered what the pilots do behind closed doors? At any rate, we are sure that this is not what you want them to be doing inside the cabin. This does not look good at all.
New Pilot Please