Man cringing looking at smartphone
Leah Berenson
Leah Berenson
June 16, 2024 ·  7 min read

17 People Who Witnessed Really Cringeworthy Situations

Everyone has done or said something embarrassing or cringeworthy at least once. But sometimes, people are lucky enough to witness others’ amusing mistakes. Several times over the last few years, people have asked fellow Reddit users questions regarding strange things people have ever witnessed another person doing, and the answers didn’t disappoint.

1. Cringeworthy Cake

Moist Chocolate Sponge Cake Brownie Pieces in Black Plate
Source: Shutterstock

President_Calhoun answered the question with a stomach-turning response, particularly those who hate when their food touches. “When I was in high school, a friend asked me and two other friends to his house for dinner. His mom served homemade bean soup, which was very good. Toward the end of the main course, she brought out chocolate cake for dessert.” They shared. “She cut each of us a slice and plopped it into our bowls… in which we each still had about an inch of soup. Us guests exchanged puzzled glances, but the family dug right in, so apparently, chocolate cake soaked in bean soup was an ordinary thing for them.” One user questioned the response, wondering if it was good, to which President Calhoun explained, “It was not.”

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2. Sharing a Toothbrush

The head of a blue toothbrush. Blurred gray background.
Image Credit: Ray_Shrewsberry | Pixabay

Although some couples may share a toothbrush in times of emergency, it’s rare that anyone feels comfortable sharing a toothbrush, let alone with the whole family. Nonetheless, schoolsucka** explained: My ex and her entire family share a tooth brush she argued it like they were all sharing a hairbrush…. glad that ended.” Many Reddit users were concerned. However, it’s a seemingly common act as one user responded their former roommate was secretly sharing their toothbrush until they walked in one day to witness the cringeworthy moment.

3. A Cringeworthy Snack

Domestic waste for compost from fruits and vegetables. Woman  throws garbage.
Source: Shutterstock

At a music festival, walking past a garbage bin, my buddy walks up to it to throw something in. He looks inside, bends in, comes out again holding half a kebab and goes ‘look at what people throw away!’ and proceeds to eat it.ilikedmatrixiv disclosed. While unhygienic, the act may highlight that person’s belief in reusing, reducing, and recycling.

4. Trash Piles are Only Cringeworthy to Some

Heaps of trash. Sunset in the background.
Image Credit: Karuvadgraphy | Pixabay

“Dated this girl briefly. Went to her house, she was 18 lived with her parents, no big deal. They didn’t throw garbage out, just threw it to the side. Was piled up about 2 feet high. There were pathways through the garbage to get around the house. Really nice house in a really nice neighborhood too.” KingThermos shared. Sadly, many people suffer from mental health disorders that lead to hoarding. Or what some would call laziness. While it’s unknown if that was happening with this family, having piles of trash in a person’s home is objectively cringeworthy.

5. Spitting on the Floor isn’t Hygienic

Drooling on the paving slabs. Spit on road. Texture of paving slabs. a walk in the Park. Muddy road.
Source: Shutterstock

Saw my friend spit in her house, straight onto the carpet. I didn’t go back.” kb1878 explained. Meanwhile, another Reddit user was so disturbed by the information that “It’s been a full 90 seconds since I read this and I still can’t focus enough to move on to the next one.” They responded in disgust and disbelief. “I’m learning that it’s the filthy people who shock me. I guess I expect perverts, but peeing in bathroom drawers and spitting on the carpet is too much for me.”

6. Old Shoe, New Shoe

Worn out pair of brown Vans shoes.
Image Credit: WOKANDAPIX | Pixabay

Most people agree that working retail is a trying job that requires an absurd amount of patience. More so, when customers feel an odd and cringeworthy sense of entitlement. After all, some people are owed what they paid for, yet others take that too far, as stephers85 learned.

Working customer service at Walmart I once had a customer take off her very worn, very smelly shoes and put them on the counter looking for a refund because the insole in one of them was coming apart. It was a brand we hadn’t even carried in four or five years.” They explained.

7. Recycled Juice

Fresh squeezed glass of orange juice. Wood, orange slices and a juicer in the background.
Image Credit: stevepb | Pixabay

It’s interesting if not heartwrenching, to learn some of the lengths people go to to ensure they get the most out of every dollar, especially when they’re struggling to make ends meet. While it can put things into perspective, reminding others how lucky they are to be able to feed and house their families, this cringeworthy story is likely more than most people would be able to handle.

This was when I was a kid, I was at my friends house, and her mom got us some orange juice with our lunch. When we finished eating she took the remaining juice from the cups and poured it back into the container. Even as a kid I thought it was disgusting.” Shared Munkkky.

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8. Apparently Trash Piles Are Common

Garbage separation concept. Female hands separate paper and plastic into separate containers in the kitchen at home. Waste segregation, waste sorting, waste recycle.
Source: Shutterstock

Ghostshriek shared a cringeworthy memory from their childhood that would make most people question their environment. “when i was like 10 i had a friend that had a room that was just filled to the ceiling with trash and they just started playing in it and sh**,” they recalled.

9. Cringeworthy Peach

A fuzzy peach with text. Cardboard box in the background.
Image Credit: Reddit

Peaches are a delicious and popular fruit but no one enjoys eating a peach that’s gone bad. However, one user shared that the health department wrote up their company because a rotten peach amused a co-worker.

10. Pregnancy Scare

Elevator buttons
Image Credit: StockSnap | Pixabay

In an amusing and possibly cringeworthy moment, one user shared their parents were in a crowded elevator while their mom was pregnant. She jokingly questioned her husband about “when he was going to tell his wife about her?” The user shares the couple is still happily married.

11. Contemplating Ownership

A deli sandwich wrapper with writing on it. A sandwich in the background.
Image Credit: Reddit

Typically, restaurants write notes for other staff members to understand specific requests made by customers. Amusingly, one user shared a time they were confused by the notes on their sandwich, wondering why someone else might have any say in how their sandwich was prepared.

12. Change of Plans

Preteen student girl standing in middle of classroom and answering question while reading from textbook in front of classmates and teacher.
Source: Shutterstock

Reddit isn’t the only place where people have happily shared cringeworthy moments. For example, one Twitter user shared an embarrassingly cringeworthy moment from 8th grade. “I had a crush on a boy in my class. At some point, I found out my family was moving & I was switching schools.” @roxiqt disclosed. “So, I wrote him a very long love letter. The day after I read it to him in front of my class, my parents decided I could keep going to the same school.”

13. Cringeworthy Opposites

Education and science concept - group of colorful books and microscope on the wooden table in the classroom, blackboard background
Source: Shutterstock

@asteriek asked for help from users when they embarrassingly answered their biology teacher with a less-than-school-appropriate answer. “My Biology teacher asked what’s the opposite of “dominant” and I confidently answered “submissive” in front of the whole class. They wrote.

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14. Stealing Chicken

Fried chicken drop from falling paper bucket isolated on white background, Deep fried Chicken in paper bucket on white With clipping path.
Source: Shutterstock

Sophie Petzal explained a cringeworthy moment that most people found downright amusing. “The worst thing just happened. I won’t recover.” She started, before explaining the wildly embarrassing moment that unfolded. “I just reached into a box of free samples outside a chicken restaurant.”

She concluded: “Only it wasn’t free chicken. It was a man. Holding a box of chicken. His chicken. I tried to steal this man’s chicken.”

15. Insulting the Boss

Smiling indian business man working on laptop at home office. Young indian student or remote teacher using computer remote studying, virtual training, watching online education webinar at home office.
Source: Shutterstock

One unlucky Twitter user shared a time they accidentally insulted an investor for their company.

“NOOOO YOU GUYS my dad was watching a video on his laptop in the living room and I walked up behind him and said, “Who’s that f***ing nerd.” @loveclarke divulged. “And to my horror, the nerd laughed on the screen. It was a Zoom meeting. The nerd is one of our company’s investors.”

luckily, the investor was seemingly amused, not letting the joke impact their professional relationship.

16. Mistaken Belongings

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada - 18th October 2016 - Edmonton metro station with train and passengers
Source: Shutterstock

Alasdairkenned1 shared an amusing story regarding their grandfather who made a well-intended mistake. “My granddad was on a train once and noticed that a passenger had forgotten his bag. He grabbed the bag, ran after him, and yelled “Wait, you forgot this!” Then threw it out onto the platform as the doors were closing. Turns out it was another passenger’s bag.”

17. The Last Straw

Set of paper take away cups of different black coffee isolated on white background, top view
Source: Shutterstock

We’ve all had a cringeworthy encounter with a cashier clerk or restaurant server. Like when they say, “Enjoy your meal.” And in response, you say, “Thank you, you too!” Well, @itsnashflynn had a similar experience, ultimately refusing the good wishes of a barista. “I thought the barista was going to ask me if I wanted a straw but unfortunately, instead she said, “Have a nice day!” to which I replied, “No, thank you.” and drove away.”

Read More: 10 Women Share Stories of What It’s Like When Your Ex Tries to Contact You Years Later

Sources

  1. 28 Of The Most Cringeworthy, Embarrassing, And Painfully Awkward Conversations In All Of Human History.Buzz Feed
  2. 15 People Who Witnessed Really Cringeworthy Situations.” NISE. Olga.

    Attention: These stories are based on posts found on Reddit. Reddit is a user-generated social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website where registered members submit content to the site and can up or down vote the content. Our staff cannot confirm the accuracy and authenticity of each story.