People Who Beat The System And Broke The Rules
It takes all types of people, from the ones who love the structure of a rule system and prefer keeping their toes in line to the ones who defy authority as a pastime. The latter has earned a special place in our hearts and also on our list of the people and pets who have defied authority in brilliant ways. You probably won’t be surprised that a cat is out here breaking rules, but what about a rogue cow? Don’t forget how one guy outsmarted his doctor’s cancellation policy by moving his appointment around to beat their silly rules. Anyone, at any age, has the ability to outsmart who’s in power, and our list proves it. You’ll be impressed by the kids who have worked their way around their parents’ rules and the employees who have outsmarted their entire company!
What About Dogs ON Bicycles?
Upon first glance, this seems like a classic sign from the manager of a property to keep unwanted things from the property. Namely, dogs and bikes need to stay away from being tied to the fencing. The picture of the dog riding the bike is a clear defiance of authority – but it gets better when you think about it.
The sign simply says to not tie dogs or bicycles to the fencing. It never says to not tie dogs ON bicycles to the fencing. It’s all in good fun if someone gets a real-life tricycle, puts a puppy on it, and then secures it to the fence. Maybe a lawyer should have written that sign.
Jeweler? I Don’t Even Know Her
Lewis Hamilton is a British race car driver who currently drives for Mercedes in F1. He’s a legend, with 7 world championships and 103 wins. Hamilton is also not the kind of person who will take no for an answer, as evidenced by the amount of jewelry he wore at the press conference in this photo.
In the beginning of the 2022 season, one of F1’s new race directors made it clear that the ban forbidding racers to wear jewelry on the track would be more strictly enforced. Shortly after, Hamilton spoke in this press conference wearing rings, necklaces, earrings, and even three watches. He argued that wearing jewelry had never been a problem for him since he joined F1 in 2007. It’s a real stick-it-to-the-man move!
Drink Your Tequila While You Can
There are many places in public that don’t allow you to bring alcohol: parks, beaches, hiking trails, you name it. You’re guaranteed to see a sign at what could be some great drinking spots that prevent you from bringing your handle of tequila any further. But you’re not guaranteed to see these signs defy their own authority.
This sign, which prohibits anyone from bringing alcohol beyond that point, tells the reader of the sign to start chugging. This piece of advice inadvertently turned the space in front of the sign into its own drinking spot! Next time you want to meet up with your friends for a quick booze, they can meet you in front of the sign that says “start chugging.”
Not Much Chemistry Happening Here
Some professors just have it out for their students. They feel the need to “teach them” about reading test questions more carefully, so they purposely write exams that trip people up. One student defied the professor’s authority by technically circling the right answer… just not how the professor wanted.
The irony of this situation is that even though the professor marked the answer wrong, he didn’t even follow his own instructions when he corrected it. The question clearly says to circle all of the salts, not the letter choices. By that logic, the names of the compounds should have been circled, not A, B, and C. Now that our verbal reasoning lesson is concluded, let’s return to chemistry.
The Moment We’ve All Been Waiting For
Throughout your four years of high school, there are certain moments that you look forward to experiencing once you’ve graduated and you’re no longer living under the school’s arbitrary rules. That cute new admin assistant who’s only 4 years older than you? No longer off limits once you have your diploma!
What about something even more risky: Standing behind the sign in an office where students are forbidden? So tempting. That’s just what this recent graduate did, and she got the picture to prove it. Look how sneaky that smile looks. If that wasn’t enough, she also dyed her hair blue – talk about the moment we’ve all been waiting for.
You Can’t Argue With This Logic
Every student knows the pain of taking a math test they’re not prepared for. Unlike an English exam (you can fake your way to an A with a few lines like “It’s a comment on the human condition” in your essay), it’s much more difficult to succeed on a math test. In math, there’s usually only one correct answer.
This student defied authority with uncanny logic when his math test asked him to write out numbers with certain digits in the hundreds, tens, and ones places. For each answer, he wrote the same digit in all three spots, guaranteeing that he would get the answer right! And there’s nothing his teacher can do about it. Evil Mastermind in the making!
Merry Christmas to All, Except the HOA
Everyone who observes Christmas celebrates the holiday in a different way. Some people enjoy making handmade cards for their loved ones. Others prefer surprising their partner with a getaway trip. And a few of us like to spread the Christmas spirit throughout the neighborhood with some serious decorations.
When one neighbor received a complaint from the HOA about Christas decorations, they defied the so-called “authority’s” negativity and responded by putting up even more blow-up Christmas figures on their lawn! The neighbor didn’t stop there! Each year, the display gets bigger and bigger. And the corner lot means that people driving from every direction get to enjoy Snoopy, Minnie Mouse, the snow globe, and all of the other goodies there. Who is on the naughty list this year?
Something Doesn’t Quite Add Up
It doesn’t always go well when our parents ask us to do something and we blatantly ignore them. Directly defying their requests is one route to take, but it’s asking for things to get ugly. Outsmart authority, though, and your parents can’t blame you for a misunderstanding. Here’s the perfect example.
Laziness is definitely the key ingredient for this one! When parents asked their son to make a blueberry pie, he could have gone for the obvious answer and baked a pie with blueberries. But he cleverly thought about the situation and interpreted their request as a “pi” made of blueberries. Something doesn’t quite add up here, but it’s nothing a trip to the bakery can’t fix.
Get “On Board” With the Message
What’s the purpose of a whiteboard if not to write on it? We’ll never know, because the sign posted on this board makes it clear that you are not supposed to write here. But the person responding to the message defied authority by writing okay. Not a bad way to outsmart the bosses. We’ll even say that it’s more than just ok – it’s okay!
To take the defiance even further, we have a suggestion. Instead of writing “okay,” maybe this guy could have written “on board.” It would be both defying the authority and creating a pun to show that he was “on board” with the message. Get it? We know you like our humor.
You Can’t Dim Their Pride
It’s exciting to see people who are proud of who they are and not afraid to show it. One family had a pride flag hanging in their yard since 2016, but was forced to take it down when their neighbor’s HOA decided that no flags were allowed except the USA flag. But did this family take the rule lying down?
Of course not! They looked through the new rules and saw that removable lights are allowed without any limits set by the HOA, so they bought six floodlights and displayed them in pride colors across the front of their house. You can’t dim pride – especially when it comes to outsmarting an authority who wants to suppress who you are.
What Kind Of Test Is This?
Take a look at this Twitter post and help us figure this out: What kind of test is this? It’s not testing any specific skills, as the students can pick any five words they know and spell them. They could write the names of five of their family members and get the answer right.
In any event, the kid in this case outsmarted the teacher with his answer. Since the question asked to “write five words you can spell,” the kid took it as an easy out and used each word as one of his answers. His teacher thought it was very clever, although we don’t think it takes much to impress someone who thought this was a valid test question.
Josh… The Master Of Authority?
Admit it: you’ve been in Target before and wished that you had the power to tell people what to do. That woman who keeps running to the back of the store to grab one more thing during checkout should be banned from the premises. And where’s the parent for the child who keeps throwing everything off the shelves?
On Black Friday, one teenager dressed up as a Target employee to boss people around. Look at that photo of him – such a master of authority. Just kidding. Even though Josh looks impressive in his red polo and khakis, we can bet that the manager either kicked him out for being a nuisance or let the kid stand there and provide free labor.
When Your Mini-Me Beats the System
There comes a day for all parents when they realize that their child can outsmart them. They just don’t expect it to happen when their child is still young enough to need a nighttime diaper and drinks from a sippy cup. This little boy is just one example of a mini-me who beat the system of rules that his parents set for him.
His mom told him that the tablet wasn’t allowed into the kitchen and food wasn’t allowed into the living room. Presumably, this rule exists because his mom doesn’t want him eating while he watches TV. But this little guy realized that it’s possible for him to follow his mom’s rules while enjoying a meal with his favorite show – genius.
That’s a Very Green Vehicle
In an effort to make more people go green, the government and certain business entities offer incentives to buyers who are willing to make better choices for their carbon footprint. For example, look at cars. Big benefits include getting a tax cut of thousands of dollars for buying an electric vehicle, and small benefits include reserved parking spaces.
The guy in this vehicle is making everyone get much more specific of what it means to drive a “green vehicle.” While his car doesn’t look at all eco-friendly, there’s no denying that it’s green. It looks to be the same shade as the parking space lines, and pole of the sign, and the parking block – fits right in.
So You Think You’re Above Me?
Maybe it’s an unpopular opinion, but there’s something satisfying about seeing the “bad guy” come up with clever ways to escape authority. You know, things like throwing the cops off their trail or tripping up the protagonist with a decoy. This picture captures a guy who’s above the police – both in terms of outsmarting authority and his physical location. A slanted roof with an attic conversion is in someone’s favor here.
While on the run, he managed to make it out of the house before police found him. But how did he escape? Where did he end up?! Naturally, a policeman looked through the window onto the street. Where else would someone run off too? Little did he know, the man who he was looking for was standing directly above him on the window ledge! Better luck next time.
No Signs Were Posted Here
Even what appears to be the most simple and clearly written signs can leave plenty of room for misinterpretation – the perfect breeding ground for defying authority. The side of this metal box has it clearly written to “post no signs”. What? Post zero signs here or post the certain type of sign that is known as a “no” sign?
It’s unclear, but we’re going to go with the second option. It makes more sense in this context. Now that you’ve taken a look at all of those no signs, tell us what you think. Are you reading each one of them in a different voice? There’s NO way that all of those fonts don’t reflect multiple people saying no, each in their own way.
Was It Worth The Trip?
Everyone’s passed by a sign that says no one is permitted past a certain point. Most of us just ignore it without thinking. Some of us are tempted to defy authority, but keep on going because we know it’s not a big deal. The rest of us have to go behind that sign because it’s in our blood to go against what other people tell us. Does this kind of defiance make a trip more memorable?
Among those of us who always give into our temptations to break the rules are Cubs fans. We’re not biased – we just think Cubs fans are objectively some of the most annoying people on the planet. So when this Cubs fan visiting New York decides to pose behind this sign prohibiting the entrance of tourists, we have just one reaction: annoyed.
A Fishy Situation
We don’t always have to outright defy authority in order to feel good about standing up to it. Sometimes, just doing the smallest rule break works well enough. Say that your neighbor’s yard has a small lake that would be perfect for fishing, but they’ve made it clear with their “no fishing” sign that you’re not welcome on his private property.
You’ll show him! But you’re not going to bring over your rod, bait, and fish hooks. No, you’re going to defy his power in a much more subtle way: You’ll stand in front of the sign and play a game that lets you explore underwater yourself. This seems like a fishy situation for fishing, but it will do.
We Stand and Sit With Ukraine
Ever since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, organizations all over the world have been showing their support. Some partners include UNICEF, United24, and the Prytula Foundation. As this picture shows, sports venues have been posting signs expressing their solidarity for the cause.
But these messages seem to defy themselves when they’re not thoughtfully displayed. The sign hung on the fence of this field that says “we stand with Ukraine” is right next to another sign that says “no standing”! How are we supposed to react to these conflicting messages? We sit with Ukraine doesn’t have the same ring to it.
Pick Me Up Some Slim Jims
Most people will agree that getting a tattoo will fit into one (or both) of these categories: the tattoo is artistic or it has a significant meaning to you. Sometimes, though, people will just get a tattoo for the fun of it and ask around for ideas. When this guy asked his mom about what tattoo he should get, he had A LOT of fun with her snarky response.
Instead of taking her dismissal of his tattoo idea to heart, he took it literally – that’s how to creatively defy authority. He got an exact quote of her text message on his arm, complete with an attribution to her! Now his forearm will forever remind him that he needs to pick up some Slim Jims and hand sanitizer on the way home.
I’ll Come Out When I’m Ready
Sexuality is a serious topic that all parents should respect when it comes to their children. Many kids need space to figure out who they are on their own before they feel comfortable opening up to their parents. That being said, it can be fun to poke light at coming out when you have accepting parents.
When this mom asked her son to come out (implying that he needed to come outside), he interpreted it as a joke and came out to his mom over text. When she corrected him, he then playfully responded by coming out to the car. This guy is more than ready to come out – just not in the literal sense of leaving the house for their plans. He’ll need five more minutes.
Hanging His Mom Out To Dry
It’s fun to pull pranks on our parents, especially when they set themselves up for being the butt of the joke. It’s all too easy when they don’t see how their own actions played a part. One mom stuck a sticky note on a shirt, asking he son to “hang this out please.” Anyone with a brain would know she was talking about the shirt.
But anyone with a big brain would know that the sticky note was the perfect opportunity to hang his mom out to dry. He left the shirt and hung the sticky note to the clothesline with two clothespins. We’re laughing just thinking about the mom’s reaction when she came home to see the little green paper flapping about in the wind.
Paint Me Like A Smoke Detector
Every home needs a smoke detector. They will alert you when they detect a fire, smoke, CO2, or even fumes from an appliance that wasn’t shut off properly. In order for smoke detectors to work properly, you need to follow certain rules: don’t install one near a door or window, don’t install one lower than 12 inches from the ceiling on any wall – oh, and don’t paint them.
This artist cleverly defied authority with her watercolors and sketchbook. Even though the smoke detector clearly states “do not paint” in capital letters, she could not resist creating a perfect replica on paper. It’s probably for the best that she interpreted the rule the way she did and didn’t paint on the whole thing. That tiny little white edge and a realistic sketch will do.
You’ve Gone Above And Beyond
It’s great when our workplace offers incentives to people in order to boost morale and reward employees who are working hard. It’s even better when we’re able to outsmart the incentive idea that our employer has created to make it benefit us, especially when that idea involves days off of work!
When one employer used a ticket system to give away prizes to employees who went above and beyond as good boys, one employee went above and beyond in her detective skills. She found the identical tickets on Amazon and now her chances of being a prize winner increased enormously. We think this company should give out prizes for ingenuity too.
The Authority-Defying Ticket to Saving Big
When did traveling by train become so expensive? According to this Twitter post from 2019, a train ticket to Leeds would cost him 125 Pounds. We’re sure the price has only gone up since then, and we know that you’re wondering if there’s any possible way to lower the price. Matt, a rule-breaking genius, has found an authority-defying method to saving big with train travel.
Never again should you pay that 125 Pounds ticket price. For that matter, don’t pay for any ticket that costs more than 80 Pounds, because that is the fine for not having a ticket anyway! You’re in better shape getting caught for not buying a ticket than actually paying for one! Best case scenario, you get away with paying nothing. Impressive work Matt!
One Tattoo From The Top
Who doesn’t love being around your mom and hearing obvious – if not condescending – advice from her? This Twitter poster talks about the time she changed in front of her mom, who saw a tattoo next to her bra line. Her mom felt it necessary to tell her daughter that her boss should not see the tattoo, because tattoos aren’t professional.
Sarcastically, Emily responded that now she can’t sleep with her boss since the tattoo would make the encounter unprofessional. Tattoos get in the way of everything, don’t they? Don’t worry – someone else had a solution for her that defied her mom’s comment. Just charge her boss for the sex so he thinks she’s a professional at that!
She Lives On Her Own Terms
Have you ever met someone who is so inspiring because they never let anyone else dictate how they should live their lives? They make every decision on their own terms, and they’re not afraid to do something that’s unpopular if it means staying true to themselves. Just take a lesson from this independent cow who now lives on her own island!
The cow was not willing to accept her fate of becoming dead meat in a slaughterhouse, so she escaped en route! During her grand exit, she smashed a metal fence and broke a human’s arm. She then jumped in the water and swam to an uninhabited island… an example for us all. Defiance and true dedication. You go girl!
How To Cancel The Cancellation Policy
It’s standard practice for doctor’s offices to have policies that charge clients for canceling appointments at the last minute. For instance, you’ve probably been the victim of the 24-hour rule that prevents you from getting a refund if you cancel on the same day as your appointment. This doctor’s office does things a little differently…
And a little stupidly, we might add. Clients must pay $200 to cancel a doctor’s appointment within a week’s notice, but rescheduling it is free. One client defied the rule by rescheduling his appointment for three weeks out, then canceling it to avoid paying the fee. That’s how you cancel the cancellation policy.
Cats Don’t Care About Your Rules
During the Covid-19 pandemic, it was common for seats in airports and other public spaces to have “no sitting” signs on every other seat in order to encourage spacing between people. But the joke’s on us, because pandemic or not, cats do not care in the least about what we humans want them to do.
This kitty was going to lounge on this seat whether we like it or not. And she’s too cute for us to be mad. To be fair, this cat isn’t even technically breaking the rules. The sign says no sitting, and she’s clearly laying down in a restful and cuddly nap. Cats can’t read anyway. There’s no stopping her.
Meet A Deer Friend Of Mine
Imagine being a forklift driver. Although you’re sitting down all day, you’re twisting, bending, and turning your body. You work through sweltering hot and freezing cold conditions. It can be a dangerous job with a high risk of injury, which means you need to be attentive at all times – even when the job gets boring.
That’s why meeting a new friend makes a day on the job much better. This forklift operator had spent 20 years behind the wheel before meeting a deer friend worth defying the rules for. By deer friend, we mean an actual deer. Check out this picture – they’re making the same facial expression. Best friends already.