15 Times ‘Being Nice’ Can Backfire On You

Whenever you go out of your way to help someone, you’re usually thanked, feel good about yourself for doing a random act of kindness, and continue on with your day. Other times, lousy things happen to the people trying do right by others. Hence the saying, “No good deed goes unpunished.”

1. PARKING.

You try to get as close as possible to the car in front of you so another car can fit behind. The car that squeezes in behind you gets too close to your back bumper and now you’re pinned in and unable to leave the spot.

2. GROCERY STORE ETIQUETTE.

You have a cart full of items and are next in the checkout line, but offer to let the person with only a couple of items go ahead of you. The cashier announces that the person, now in front of you, will be the last customer for that lane. You end up on the back of a long line, costing you an extra thirty minutes of your day.

3. DATING.

You sit through a first date that you know in the first few moments won’t go anywhere. You have to deal with a stranger you never want to see again for additional time and then pay for drinks and food when that time is up.

4. HELPING A FRIEND MOVE.

Your friend is moving and asks you to help. “No problem,” you say. Then you go to pick up the couch and pull your back out.

5. LOOKING OUT FOR THE HOMELESS.

You give a homeless person your leftovers. The homeless person opens the carryout bag to see what you ate, throws it out, and calls you a “Cheap Bastard.”

6. FEEDING ANIMALS.

You see a few swans floating along and throw them pieces of bread. The swans look beautiful eating. Then you run out of bread and the swans become vicious. They grunt and peck at you.

7. DRIVING.

You allow a person to merge into your lane as the light turns from red to green. The driver behind you holds down his or her horn while the car goes in front of you, as if you didn’t realize the light changed. Then the angry driver behind you pulls up next to you, points to the traffic light, rolls down his or her window, and gives you the finger.

8. COVERING FOR A COLLEAGUE AT WORK.

Your colleague is out sick. Since you’re covering, it’s your job to complete your colleague’s work, as well as your own. You complete your colleague’s tasks first and then get yelled at when you turn one of your projects in late.

9. COACHING.

You decide to give back to your community and coach a Little League team. You allow all of the players, regardless of talent level since they’re all so young, equal playing time and the opportunity to play every position. When the team loses, all of the parents yell at you.

10. APARTMENT SUBLET.

You sublet your apartment to a friend of a friend at a cut rate without signing a formal agreement since your friend vouches for the person. The person subletting then only pays you for two out of the six months, but stays in the apartment for all six months. The lease was in your name so you have to cover the rent for the person who lived in your space.

11. PET SITTING.

You agree to watch your friend’s dog. Within moments of arriving, the dog is nervous and goes to the bathroom all over your brand new rug. You rug is now tainted forever.

12. HELPING A FRIEND GET OVER AN ‘EX’.

You take your friend out to lunch in an effort to lift up his or her spirits after a breakup. You say how your friend is better off and that he or she can do better than the person your friend dated. A week later the two get back together and your friend’s partner now hates you since he or she found out what you said.

13. GENERAL ADMISSION.

You invite a friend to a concert as a date. Your friend sees other friends and leaves you all alone shortly after you enter the venue.

14. NO OVERHEAD STORAGE.

You allow passengers to board the plane before you only to see them get the last overhead storage spaces. The flight attendant makes you check your bag.

15. FILLING UP.

You go to fill up your parent’s car with gas and end up backing into the metal in front of the pumps. You then have to pay to repair the new dents and scratches on your parent’s car.

The bottom line, stuff happens. Keep helping others, but just be aware of potential consequences that may arise from your thoughtful actions. Before you put other’s needs first, it’s not a bad thing to think of your own.