People share 10 traits and behaviors of individuals that prove they are walking red flags

First impression says a lot. 

People often say we shouldn't judge a book by its cover. But there are times when the first impression left by a person on you is a clear indicator that you should not associate yourself with them. There are countless people in society who might be your family, friends, co-workers, or simply a stranger. And some of their habits and thoughts have made it easier for you to determine if they are a red flag or not. So, when u/Permanentpleasure asked the Reddit community to share their experiences of encountering individuals who immediately exposed themselves as an embodiment of a red flag, many people came forward to share anecdotes. Here are some of the best answers that a lot of us might relate to.

1. Not managing your shopping cart

Not putting your shopping cart in the stall and leaving it in the parking lot to potentially hit other cars. u/Swiftraven. One time a person left their cart right next to someone else's car, I grabbed it as if I needed it, followed the person to their car, and left it behind them. They saw it in their backup camera, yelled at me, and moved it to a bush. So I put it back behind their car. They cursed at me and I watched them bring the cart back to its proper home. u/Squeaksington

2. Being rude to service workers

If they're rude to service workers. u/tomorrowistomato. Or just anyone in general that doesn’t deserve it. There are rude service employees who are rude to customers unwarranted. Service workers also sometimes deserve it if they’re rude first. They aren’t guaranteed victimhood status. u/Particular_Fuel6952. Not much to it, one man got drunk and started treating our waitress like trash. The thing is, he works in the food industry but we (me and the other friend) figured out he's a misogynist after the fact. We did apologize to the waitress for his behavior and gave her a big tip. u/FrustratedKaijuFan

3. Abandoning their pets

We found an Angora rabbit in our yard. My dog picked it up like it was her favorite stuffed animal. It was the heat of the summer in the southern US, so 100+ degrees heat. I had no idea what I was doing with it, so I found someone online who knew what they were doing and gave it to them. A week later, signs were posted around the neighborhood with pictures of that rabbit. That poor baby was left outdoors, was never brushed, and it looked like it was being used for backyard breeding. The woman who took the rabbit loves it so much, and it’s been integrated into their family. I felt zero regrets about finding it a new home. u/Flaky_Findings_3902

4. Rudely honest fellows

"I'm brutally honest." u/WeimaranerWednesday. I'm on the autism spectrum, and this irritates me to no end. I've been told by several people, both friends and family, that I'm "very blunt". And I don't take people's feelings into account when I speak. Yet the things I hear others say on a daily basis are way worse than what I've been called out for in being "blunt". I just treat everyone the way I want to be treated and I don't particularly like to lie to people so I don't lie to them when I'm talking. If they get upset, I apologize even though I don't think I did anything particularly wrong but I still understand something I said upset someone. If you go on about your way through life with no regard for others you're just a bad person. u/pccharger

5. People who casually litter

I was in line at a double drive-thru and the person on my left was just tossing all their trash near the speaker box. She turned and saw me and looked like a deer in headlights. I said loudly, so the person on the headset could hear, “That’s right, the lady in the white Eclipse. I saw you empty every bit of your trash at the drive-thru speaker.” u/epiccenter69. Hate these people. I just don’t get it. I saw a guy throw some garbage out his car window while parked one day and I went and picked it up and threw it back in the car, in his face and said, “You dropped something." I think he was too stunned to do anything (luckily as I’m a 120lb girl and he was a large man). It just made me so furious in the moment I didn’t think, just acted. It was wrong but at the same time, it felt great! u/Left_Net1841

6. Obsessed with other people's money

Being obsessed with how much money everyone they encounter makes. u/jorginthesage. My brother is 7 years older and is very successful. Seemingly always has been. I took the road less traveled and with a bit of dallying and a lot of travel, am finally there myself. Ever since I can remember, each time I have had a new job, my brother would ask me one question: What car does your boss drive? Immediately scored the merit of my new role based on his opinion of my boss's car. It has always felt like I’m being endlessly weighed and compared. Anything below a Mercedes equals a “worthless life path”. Drives me bonkers. u/RealComercial9788

7. Not cleaning after yourself

Not cleaning up after yourself in public places because “otherwise the custodians wouldn’t have jobs.” u/maldevivre. My son works at a movie theater and called me the other day asking how you clean vomit out of the carpet. He had to climb the handrail to get into the theater to tell people to leave out the exit doors because the lobby doorway was completely blocked. No one informed him there was a mess and every patron would have stepped in the 3’x10’ projectile puddle had he not smelled it first. The amount of bodily fluid this kid has had to clean up in addition to the copious amounts of food left behind thrown on the floor is alarming. u/TeslaAndKids

8. Mocking less fortunate ones

Make fun of others who have less. u/_mothafcka_. Or just making videos bragging about the expensive shit they have. u/Amish_Warl0rd Making videos of “helping” homeless people. u/graciepaint4

9. Referring to themselves as alpha male

I've got a guy in my gym I met who's got an Instagram with alpha in front of his name and he is always talking about himself always ranting about how he's always the hardest working in the gym etc. He was a nice guy talking to me at first but he's getting annoying to deal with as I encounter him. u/ohwhatsupmang. Broke up a 2-year long-distance relationship over this, and I have the receipts. Somehow he got crazy after COVID and even got fired from some shootings because of this, too bad he is in a union so he is still in the wild being a condescending red flag to women in the film industry. u/Golden_ribbons

10. Using phones in movie theaters

Talking or using their phone in a movie theater (while the movie is playing). u/Anthroman78. Sincere question. I actually stopped hanging out with a close friend because of this. I realized if he’s willing to put people through that, talk loud during the movie, then answer his phone in the movie, then walk out while talking on the phone, he is an inconsiderate person who I don’t want to be friends with anymore. Plus, he literally interrupts you as you speak because he anticipates what you’re going to say and then says it over you. u/planty_pete