Redditor Was Late to a Date Because a Submarine Blocked the Path — They Called It an “Unskippable Ad” and Reddit Agreed

A Reddit post on r/mildlyinfuriating showing a submarine slowly crossing a user's path — with the poster describing it as "an unskippable ad" for why they were late to a date — has drawn an amused and surprisingly informed thread.

The thread split between those who called it a perfectly valid excuse, those who found it genuinely funny and several who offered detailed explanations for why the submarine was on the surface at all

One commenter wrote, "If a guy was late to a date and he showed me this picture, literally all is forgiven." Another wrote, "I've seen many planes and helicopters stationary. You always kind of stop and look at them in motion. I don't know if I've ever seen a sub on the surface. I'm definitely enjoying this sight."

A third added, "Makes you wonder how many legit excuses weren't believed back in the days people didn't have a camera with them at all times."

A commenter seemed to have locked in the location: "It's Istanbul. It used to happen quite often there. The Bosphorus is the only connection between the Black Sea and all other oceans. For other military ships you usually see a lot of sailors on the top decks. At the moment, Russian ships are not allowed to pass unless they are going home to a Black Sea harbor."

The Bosphorus waterway runs directly through Istanbul, one of the world's most densely populated cities. A submarine transiting the surface of that waterway in full view of pedestrians, restaurants, and roads on both banks is a regular sight for Istanbul residents, if not for the tourists and visitors who stop and film it.

One commenter who said they had served aboard submarines until 2015 wrote that tours were still being offered by commands up to that point.

Another commenter recalled attending "Navy Days" at Port Everglades in the 1990s, where a carrier battle group and at least one Los Angeles-class submarine were docked for public tours. "Sadly, I don't think they do them anymore," they wrote, "so something like what's in OP is the closest you're likely to get."

As of publication the original poster had not updated the thread on how the date went after the submarine passed.

The details above reflect the original poster's account as shared on r/mildlyinfuriating. The poster's identity and the exact date of the incident have not been confirmed.