25 Instances Of Justice Being Served Through Satisfying Instant Karma

Lady Karma appears to be delivering her signature poetic justice lately, and with a bit of sass. Whether it’s due to greater access to information or the collective will at play, Redditors keep sharing satisfying stories of instant karma. It’s reassuring to know that forces of balance might be at work. After sorting through countless experiences of karma in action, we’ve curated the best tales for you in the gallery below.

#1

Image source: anon, Brandon Hoogenboom/unsplash

Watched an entitled angry man belittle his server to the point of tears. Then he hitched up his belt and looked pleased with himself as he swaggered off the restaurant deck, tripped on the stairs, and face planted in the sand on the beach. (This was a vacation in Fla.) My wife looked mortified as I laughed right out loud at the guy. He got up, saw everyone staring and at least one person openly laughing, and quickstepped off down the beach.

#2

Image source: SuperDada, Tammy Nikolas/unsplash

I have a positive instant karma. Not sure that counts. But it’s a good story

I took my three kids (5f, 5m, 7f) to a local carnival/feast. My wife had some girl brunch thing, didn’t come. We parked kinda far so To get to the rides, we had to walk through the concert field where people were staking their spots for the show later. Tarps, etc.

A young mom and her young daughter walked past us quickly, the Mom holding chairs, tarps, etc and basically has her hands completely full. So, i catch up to her, ask her if she needs help and I take a couple of the bags from her. We followed them to a spot they had, dropped their stuff, chatted for a minute, she thanked me and we walked off. Just as we left, my older daughter, 7, looks up at me and says “that was really nice dad”. Very cute.

Right after she said that, a dad walking out of the feast handed/asked if I wanted some ride tickets they weren’t going to use. So i took them and thanked him. Instantly, my daughter (same one) says to me “dad! That was karma! The tickets were karma for helping that lady” she was so right! Such a great dad moment.

#3

Image source: MyNameIsNotRyn, Shannon Potter/unsplash

I used to be a zookeeper.

This jerk was making fun of our llama for looking ugly. The llama was a rescue who had corrective jaw surgery.

The jerk pointed and laughed at our llama.

The llama spat in her mouth.

I gave the llama a treat and told her that she was a good girl.

#4

Image source: Never_says_Savage, Getty Images/unsplash

I liked going to the local fruit stand near my old job before work. It’s a small family owned and run place. A little kid was working the register and accidently gave me back more than I gave them. I give back the money and correct the mistake, insisting it happens and to not worry about it, I’m not telling nobody.

The kid must have told her kin folk about two weeks later and I didn’t pay for fruit for the next month until I got another job.

Karma works both ways!

#5

Image source: cervidaes, Andrej Lišakov/unsplash

Was buying some drinks at a circle K one day while visiting someone in Florida and these old tourists cut us in line, all the while complaining loudly about everything, how expensive everything is, how crowded the beach is, it’s too hot, etc. they are also really rude to the cashier and take forever arguing about the price of the hot dogs they were buying or something. They leave and as we walk out we witness a seagull come and snatch the guy’s hot dog right out of his hand. His wife then shrieks and proceeds to drop hers out of surprise.

I know it isn’t that big of a deal but it was so hilarious watching that happening that I still remember it 5 years later.

#6

Image source: anon, Dylan G/unsplash

While working for the fire department, on a call for a multi vehicle rollover accident on the interstate. We got on the interstate one exit away, running into traffic, so we moved over to the emergency lane with lights and siren.
We were about half way there and a BMW pulls in front of us trying to cut through the traffic, he didn’t even look.

I laid into the air horn and he came to a complete stop, with his middle finger out the window.

I’d had a lot of people do stupid things when seeing lights coming at them, but this guy was being a jerk for the sake of being a jerk.

He got out of his car and started screaming at us.

Meanwhile he was blocking the only fire engine and 2 ambulances available. People were really hurt half a mile away, and he was making his stand because we honked our air horn at him for blocking us.

I looked out at my mirror to see a highway patrolman running between lanes towards us..he was pissed.

BMW boy was immediately arrested, his pretty car got pushed out of the way into a ditch and he went to jail.

The people in the accident were hurt bad, and 2 cars had to be cut open to get people extricated from bent metal.

It was frustrating.

#7

Image source: ttaptt, Kenny Eliason/unsplash

We were driving home late from work one night, (both bartenders, maybe midnight). We live in a small community, and we were at the 1/4 mile section that goes from 55, to 45, to 35, to 25.

A giant lifted truck decided that he wanted to continue going 55, he was UP OUR BACK, brights on, so close you couldn’t even see his bumper. It was like his lights were in our car.

Pretty much 2 seconds after one of us said, “Where’s a cop when you need one?”, a deputy passed us going the opposite direction and immediately pulled him over.

Still gives me the warm fuzzies.

#8

Image source: cruisefromottawa, QwertyJayy/reddit

That time I had my SHOES stolen! I was 17. Went to a party where there were kids from two different high schools. When I went inside I took off my brand new Nike Air Mada shoes that I had just bought for $140. Hours later, when I went to leave, my shoes were gone. We had an idea of who took them (a guy from the other school) but didn’t have proof. I was so sad and so embarrassed. I had to drive home in my socks. Long story short … a week later, Monica (the girl who threw the party) shows up on my doorstep holding something behind her back … turns out she went to a party and saw the guy who stole my shoes – wearing them! When he took them off after a smoke break she snagged them! Now, standing in front of me she reveals my Nikes!!! She told me the best part was watching him look for them (just like I had) and then leave in his socks!

#9

Image source: MommaBearJam, Mike Cox/unsplash

A guy kicked a dog and ran full speed into a brick wall as the dog chased him.

#10

Image source: killagoose, Getty Images/unsplash

Not 100% “instant” karma, but pretty quickly. See, I work for a staffing agency. I’m a recruiter. Pretty small team and this was actually another recruiter on my team that this happened to.

My co-worker was working with this guy who was pretty sharp. He was a programmer. His company was doing layoffs but he was told he wouldn’t be affected. My co-worker contacted him, chatted about the situation and he said he would be interested in looking around. We just had a new client give us a position to help on that fit his background. We lined up an interview pretty quickly, he interviewed and got the position! Great. It was even a little salary bump. Straight direct hire, no contract stuff. He goes in, works his first week. All is great, all smiles.

Well, that next Monday shows up and he isn’t there. The company calls us asking where he is, so my co-worker calls him. He answers the phone and my co-worker asks “hey, is everything okay? You no call no showed today over at XYZ company.” And the guy proceeds to tell us “Yeah, I never actually quit my job. I just took vacation for the week to see if I liked the place. It was okay but I’ll just stay here.” My co-worker responds “Man, is there anything I can do? This puts us in a tight spot, this is a brand new customer of ours, can I do anything” and the guy tells us “Quite frankly I don’t care what kind of position it puts you in nor do I care if they are a new customer. I’m staying, don’t call me again.” And hangs up the phone.

He got laid off the next week.

#11

Image source: FenwayAnfield, Giulia Squillace/unsplash

At a big sports tournament after a game and it’s raining a bit – an aggressive driver can’t be bothered with people rushing to their cars and almost runs over a kid, yells at people in his way and decides to weave around traffic to get out of the place quicker. There is a saw horse blocking the exit he is not supposed to go out. The rain is getting heavier. Everyone is watching this impatient person as he gets out his car to move the saw horse and bypass the traffic line and pedestrian traffic due to self entitlement. When he gets out to move the saw horse / barrier he closes his car door and locks himself out of the car with the car running. Downpour ensues. Instant Karma.

#12

I was working in a supermarket when panicked customer A came up to me and said he’d accidentally left his cash in the ATM and had anyone handed it in. I was about to say no when customer B appeared behind him and said he’d been trying to catch up to him – he’d been queuing behind him at the ATM and saw what happened, so he’d got the money for him. It was £200 so a decent amount. Customer A was super grateful and offered him some of the money but he wouldn’t take it. Customer B then bought a scratchcard, scratched it, and found he’d won £5. Not a whopping amount of karma, but karma nonetheless.

Image source: thewerepuppygrr

#13

Image source: danpisha, Getty Images/unsplash

My wife was jogging, and a man starts driving slow and cat calling her. Doesn’t realize it’s a red light and rear-ends a truck, totally destroying his Prius. Cop was stopped at the same red light and saw the whole situation. Cop laughed and asked my wife to fill out a witness statement.

Edit: it was a busy street, so when I say “driving slow,” I mean he slowed down while passing her, probably hit the lady in the truck doing about 35 in a 50.

#14

Image source: Bubbalicia, Nik/unsplash

Loaded up an egg in one of those water balloon slingshots to launch at someone’s car. The thing snapped backwards and launched the egg straight toward the window of my own car parked nearby.
The window was open maybe an inch and the egg entered that space and fantastically exploded all inside of my car. We were cleaning up tony bits of eggshell even months later. Never egged another car again.

#15

Image source: anon, Getty Images/unsplash

Saw a guy yelling at another guy in traffic, the guy that was yelling continued to speed off and got pulled over by a under cover cop car on the side of the road.

#16

Image source: blooodghoul, Curated Lifestyle/unsplash

A chick at a pizza place took money out of the tip jar to pay for her extra toppings. She did this after screaming at the poor person working that she couldnt believe it was an extra 50 cents for more cheese. On my way home I saw her getting arrested, not sure for what, but I’m sure she had it coming.

#17

Image source: insurance_novice, A. C./unsplash

I hit my girlfriend in the forehead with a spinning fidget spinner.
She chased me, I jumped on my bed, and my ceiling fan smacked me.

She was on the floor laughing for a solid 5 minutes.

I am a firm believer in karma now… or maybe just idiocy on my part.

#18

Image source: Lostkiddo101, Geoffrey Crofte/unsplash

Happened while visiting NY. I watched someone bend down to pick up a wallet someone ahead of them had just dropped. All of this was going down in the crosswalk and I was in the passenger seat with my dad driving. GuyA who picked up the wallet began run it to GuyB who was already across the street and while doing so, *his* wallet fell out of his pocket and on the sidewalk/crosswalk area.

Some dude in the bike lane rode up a little ways ahead, bent down, and picked it up and just started heading off. Just grabbed it and began to ride away like a bunch of cars hadn’t just watched him. My dad was about to say something when a cop car adjacent to us swerved in front of cycler and made him give it back. Cycler bumped into the cop car and was trying to go around when he was tackled. I think they might’ve arrested him but he light changed so we couldn’t stick around.

Coolest instant karma I’ve ever seen.

#19

Image source: anon, Albert Stoynov/unsplash

Used to commute to DC from 40 miles away. Driving home one evening, this dude decides he MUST merge into my lane NOW. Beeping and all, he pushes me off the road.

The car behind me was a cop. As soon as I was on the shoulder, lights and sirens went on and the dude was pulled over.

#20

Image source: AgainstBelief, Nick Kimel/unsplash

My first car wasn’t the greatest vehicle, but I managed to scrape some money together to be able to afford it, and it was something I was proud of being able to have when I was young.

I was out driving running errands in an affluent part of the city when I came to a red light, and these two dudes around my age in some expensive car that was obviously paid for by their parents, with music blaring through their expensive subs, pull up beside me and are kind of snickering to themselves, taking a few glances at me every now and then. Whatever, it’s fine. Eventually the driver rolls down his window and asks “Hey, bro. Wanna put that thing to the test?” And starts revving his engine. Now I start revving my engine because I knew they weren’t expecting me to do that. The two bros go “Ohhhh” and start getting fired up.

Green light comes, and we both slam on our accelerators, except I cap out at the speed limit. The two douches speed off in a big display and head around the bend.

Now the thing about this stretch of road, is that there are usually cops set up with speed traps. Lo and behold when I come around the bend, their car is pulled over to the side with a cop parked right behind them, lights flaring.

They did not seem amused by my smile and wave as I passed by them.

#21

Image source: raych_arles, Getty Images/unsplash

I work at a movie theater. One afternoon I was selling tickets at the box office when an older lady came up and asked me a question about our app (it’s a Cinemark app).

I, however, wasn’t sure about the answer and told her that. She proceeded to say, very rudely, “isn’t is your job to know??? Are you stupid or something?”

Then, she turned around and noticed the mall cop was writing her a ticket for parking in a handicap spot when she did not have a handicap plate or placard. She took off running screaming “wait stop! That’s my car!”

I couldn’t keep the huge grin off my face for the rest of the day.

#22

Image source: garguk, Ashkan Forouzani/unsplash

My boss told me I was useless as a 3 peckered donkey and threw a can of wd40 at me which missed and broke the screen on his laptop.

#23

Image source: Sublata, Chris Wong/unsplash

I have a happier good karma story that happened to me a few months ago on vacation in San Francisco. Late at night after a potluck and drinks, my friend drove me to a BART metro station near her house and gave me directions to take the train back to my hotel.

I walked in, paid my fare, and went underground only to find out I’d just missed the last train. Fortunately my friend was awesome and gave me bus directions back, but there was another person who’d missed the same train, and he was in a far worse situation than mine. He was drunk, high, carrying massive bags of groceries and alcohol, and was trying to get back to Richmond, the way I came from and super far away. He also had no way to call an Uber.

Feeling bad, I offered to call him an Uber and he could pay me back what he could. He only had $3, but so be it, I wasn’t going to turn him down. We chatted awhile until his ride came, he went off on his merry, inebriated way, and I went to catch my bus.

Except when I got on, I realized it was a MUNI bus, the other transit company, and so my BART fare wasn’t transferable – I’d have to pay again. I realized I had no dollar bills left in my wallet. I spent it all on that useless fare. Panicking, I reached into my back pocket where I keep small change, well knowing I didn’t have enough for the $2.50 fare. And that’s when I felt the $3 that guy gave me. It was such a beautiful feeling. I think we were mutual guardian angels that night.

Also I realized halfway through the bus ride that I was going the wrong way, but that ruins the story so I don’t usually tell that part. I did manage to get back on the other side, to be fair.

#24

Image source: TheMadTherapist, Fox

Worked after school care for school age kids. There was this one kid who was pretty obnoxious and got under everyone’s skin. One day I see him walk into the room just needling another kid. He ends his provoking with a Nelson from the Simpsons “ha ha!”, spins around, and face plants on the ground. The kid he was provoking gave him a “ha ha!” back and walked off. Obnoxious kid gets up, dusts himself off, and humbly slinks away and is pretty quiet for the rest of the day.

#25

Image source: BigRedRN, Rodrigo Rodrigues | WOLF Λ R T/unsplash

Last week, my youngest daughter had her last day of preschool. Between my two girls, we’ve been associated with this school for almost 10 years. My wife and I wanted to do something nice for them so we offered to buy them Starbucks.

As I’m about to enter the Starbucks’ parking lot, a guy runs a stop sign, narrowly missing me. He pulls in, I pull in next to him. I hurriedly scramble out of my car to beat him to the line.

It was fun listening to them call my name for all 15 drinks before that guy got his.