Poor design choices seen in real life that made everyone suffer

Prepare for a lighthearted journey through questionable, quirky, and unintentionally funny design decisions. From slippery sidewalks to mugs only a parent could love, this collection proves that sometimes the road to innovation is paved with good intentions (and concrete pavers you’ll never grip). Ready to laugh and cringe in equal measure?

“Neighbors went upscale in their sidewalk replacement, but picked incredibly slippery pavers”

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KSMO/Reddit
KSMO/Reddit

Whoever picked out this sidewalk clearly had class in mind, but now every neighbor has to channel their inner figure skater just to check the mail. It's the fanciest way to guarantee some winter wipeouts, and I'm genuinely curious if the installation came with free helmets.

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“Everything about this. No right click, A scroll wheel that is impossible to use, and terrible ergonomic design just to match their computers”

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GeneralSplat/Reddit
GeneralSplat/Reddit
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So this is what happens when style overrules everything else in tech design. Sure, it looks minimalist, but good luck trying to right-click without regretting your life choices. That scroll wheel might as well be an Olympic event, and ergonomics went straight out the window just for the sake of matching with the computer.

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“Glass on a remote...why??”

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chiletrain/Reddit
chiletrain/Reddit
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A remote with a glass front? What could possibly go wrong—aside from dropping it once and getting a fractal art masterpiece for a control pad. There's nothing quite like living on the edge, especially when you just want to watch TV and avoid stitches.

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“This mug I made for my dad when I was 8”

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SenorElenor/Reddit
SenorElenor/Reddit
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This is the kind of mug only a dad could truly appreciate—one-of-a-kind, lovingly unique, and just a bit hazardous with every sip. At eight, all design choices feel reasonable. Thirty years later, it's equal parts sentimental and confusingly spiky.

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“Not only does this laptop stand improve your posture, it also DOUBLES THE SIZE OF YOUR SCREEN!”

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themolitor/Reddit
themolitor/Reddit
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This diagram has clearly cracked the code: improve your posture by doubling the size of your screen (but mostly just tilt it vertically like a majestic monolith). It’s ergonomics meets optical illusion, and I’m half convinced my laptop stand will someday let me join the IMAX experience from home.

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“Psst...”

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Kyno50/Reddit
Kyno50/Reddit
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I didn't know trees moonlighted as mysterious roadside strangers, but this one is out here whispering offers like it's in a cheesy noir film. Seriously, I’ll never trust a bush near a stop sign again—they’ve been waiting for this sneaky moment their whole lives.

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“An unfortunate logo for a fitness center”

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Dingwallace/Reddit
Dingwallace/Reddit
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Someone really didn’t think through the font and logo spacing on this fitness center. That sign does not promise the long-term inspiration you'd usually expect from a gym. I'm guessing their clients have great senses of humor, or at least a strong tolerance for awkward signage.

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“Braille numbering on a bumpy surface.”

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TheCarrot_v2/Reddit
TheCarrot_v2/Reddit
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Whoever designed the braille here decided to make it as challenging as possible by putting it on the bumpiest surface they could find. Nothing says 'welcome!' like needing both patience and sandpaper sensitivity to find your room.

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“I saw this on a box. I don't know how to lift it like the picture said”

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HelloImWeirdo/Reddit
HelloImWeirdo/Reddit
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This box is giving some very questionable lifting advice, or maybe just wishes everyone good luck with their lower backs. I’m pretty sure the illustration is a cryptic warning—not just a set of instructions.

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“Thats not where teeth go”

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Delicious-Trade/Reddit
Delicious-Trade/Reddit
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Dentist playset or science fiction creature? Either way, that’s definitely not where teeth go. It’s a visual puzzle for kids and adults alike—mainly, 'what am I even looking at?'

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“Imagine being drunk”

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M3strefi/Reddit
M3strefi/Reddit
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Nothing says 'good design' like a stairway carpet with optical illusions built in. Even the sober are at risk of a trip—pun intended. If you can make it down safely, you deserve a medal (or perhaps a helmet).

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“The ad literally says, "Modern Kitchen, Great Layout, Bright and Spacious!"”

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mercuryrising137/Reddit
mercuryrising137/Reddit
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This kitchen claims brightness, space, and a modern layout, but I’m mostly just left with existential questions about functionality. It's probably best not to try cooking with a group unless you enjoy interpretive dance with your drawers.

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“The display doesn’t indicate which tire is which. And according to the manual the numbers are displayed randomly each time you drive.”

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recovery_room/Reddit
recovery_room/Reddit
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So, you want to know which tire is low? Good luck, because these tire readings change spots every time you drive. It’s like playing a random memory game instead of just checking your tires. Thanks, I guess?

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“The new school in my community has a wheel chair access button for the door, but no way for a person in a wheel chair to reach it”

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crimxie/Reddit
crimxie/Reddit
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Nothing says 'accessibility' like having the automatic door button completely out of reach for those who need it. Looks like this new school gets an A+ in irony and a solid F in actual design logic.

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“A measuring scale - but on a non-transparent bottle”

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[deleted]/Reddit
[deleted]/Reddit
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A measuring scale on an opaque bottle takes guesswork to a whole new level. Is my bottle half full, half empty, or just full of mystery? Designers, sometimes you just have to see through your own ideas.

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“Worst doctor ever”

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[deleted]/Reddit
[deleted]/Reddit
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Giving congratulatory cards might be a risky profession if you accidentally pick this one up. Maybe rethink the phrasing so it celebrates zodiac signs without accidentally delivering a life-altering health announcement.

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“The placement of this baby's head wasn't quite thought through...”

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ninimalini/Reddit
ninimalini/Reddit
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I see what they were going for, but now it just looks like this baby has stumbled into another dimension. Fashion meets horror movie chic—a true trendsetter.

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“The style is supposed to be in 'marble', but instead they just look dirty.”

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daggercats/Reddit
daggercats/Reddit
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Supposed to evoke the elegance of marble, but instead looks like a stack of dirty drawers after a toddler art attack. Who wouldn’t want to pay extra for this high-end 'smudgy' look?

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“The quotation marks on this sign gives it a malevolent undertone...”

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sleightlymagical/Reddit
sleightlymagical/Reddit
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Quotation marks on a sign always give it that little extra…threat. Are my holidays really “safe,” or should I be keeping one eye open all night long? Definitely trusting my instincts instead of this sign.

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“Exactly what I want on my shirt: someone else wearing a similar shirt”

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LoneW0lf77/Reddit
LoneW0lf77/Reddit
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Nothing says individuality like a shirt featuring someone else…wearing the same shirt. It’s a self-perpetuating fashion paradox. Trendsetters, beware: you might just disappear into the void.

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“My hurricane grade metal roof didn’t survive Category 1 winds (Hurricane Isaias)”

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Reddit
Reddit
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That awkward moment when your hurricane-grade roof can’t withstand a stiff breeze from a Category 1. Back to the drawing board—waterfront living has never been so suspenseful.

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“My school’s official anti bullying presentation. Every title slide is the same way.”

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dru122/Reddit
dru122/Reddit
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When your official anti-bullying slides are so hard to read that you consider bullying your own computer. Next time, pick anything except the font that looks like alphabet soup.

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“THEY YOU WHAT WILL YOU”

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pacemakersean/Reddit
pacemakersean/Reddit
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They you what will you. Will you what they? Motivation decoded—now go, do… something? It’s like the office wall is challenging you to a riddle you’ll never solve.

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“This Habitat for Humanity van.”

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EasterChimp/Reddit
EasterChimp/Reddit
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The sliding door on this Habitat for Humanity van offers up some truly unintentional threat levels. 'PRACTICE YOUR KILLS' is not exactly the wholesome message they intended. Maybe just close the door next time… or completely rethink all van graphics.

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“They built this school like one month ago.”

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WifideRouter/Reddit
WifideRouter/Reddit
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One month old, already a classic blunder. New school construction means new design fails, apparently. Duck!

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“Prevent your kid from being afraid of the dark”

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Brilliant999/Reddit
Brilliant999/Reddit
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That moment when your child’s night-light intended to soothe them does the exact opposite and turns into a pitch-black silhouette of doom. Well, now we know how to create new childhood fears out of literally nothing but clever lighting.