You're about to play a prank on someone and everything is in place. What's left now is to just do it and let everyone bask you in applause for the humor and wit in your prank. But hang on - have you considered the possibility that your prank could be dangerous?

Pranks are meant to be the physical equivalent of telling a joke, hence it's also called a practical joke. Just as a distasteful joke can hurt someone's feelings, a bad or dangerous prank can result in bodily injury or losing a friend. Often times, a prank is not considered for it's merits and downsides before it's being played, leading to serious consequences. Do yourself a favor and ask yourself these questions you play your prank.

1. Does your victim have a fragile ego?
Most people with fragile, overinflated egos tend to take pranks poorly. In other words, play it and you just might lose the friendship. If you treasure your relationship with this person, it's best you avoid playing a prank on him.
2. Will it possibly harm the victim?
Pranks such as the buttered floor usually result in the victim falling down. While the human balance mechanism normally prevents serious damage to your victim's falling body, the occasional sharp edged object in the area might turn an otherwise funny prank into a tragic one.

3. Will it trigger an allergy?
Your victim may have allergies that you might not know about, so it's best you find out before you add that hot sauce into his drink. That small drop might be fatal.

4. Could it harm me or other pranksters who are in it?
Occasionally, there are pranks that will unintentionally put the pranksters in harms way. For example, if you were to try a scare prank on someone with martial arts training, you'd probably get your teeth knocked. If you tried that on a victim with a firearm, you just might end up being a dead victim yourself.

5. Can it be viewed as bullying?
It never quite feels nice to feel bullied by people who are supposed to be your friends, so don't do that to your victim. If you find yourself targeting the same person who's not retaliating in a prank war with you, consider picking someone else, even if he laughed at the last one.

Got through the list unscathed? Consider yourself lucky. You've probably found a prank that's both funny and safe that you can pull over your buddy. That said, be sure to use your judgment before you continue as this list might miss something that's unique to your situation.

Enjoy your prank!  Damien Ung