step on a rake

Etymology
The second sense was popularised by a gag in the 1993 episode "" of , in which, already injured, accidentally steps on several rakes, causing the handles to hit him in the face.

Verb

 * 1)  To step on the tines of a garden rake, causing the handle of the rake to rise from the ground rapidly, striking the person walking in the face.
 * 2)  To fall victim to an avoidable (usually self-caused) hazard or error.
 * 3) * 2012, Kevin Roose, "The Libor Scandal Is About to Hit Home", Intelligencer, 16 August 2012:
 * But having seen Wall Street step on a rake time and time again when it comes to incriminating e-mails and villainous characters, you can be fairly confident that Liborgate is going to be just as big a hit in the U.S. as it was abroad.
 * 1) * 2020, Scott Stinson, "Scott Stinson: The MLB could have come out on top of COVID-19. Instead, it's descending into chaos", National Post, 6 July 2020:
 * Major League Baseball has displayed a unique ability to step on a rake in recent years, with a championship team marred by a cheating scandal and a sudden change in the performance of its baseballs that the league has been unable to explain.
 * 1) * 2023, Evan Michealson, "What to make of a weird Timberwolves team", 9 March 20223, page 9:
 * Looking at the team's schedule to this point reveals signs of progress followed immediately by stepping on a rake.

Translations

 * Finnish: astua miinaan
 * Latvian: kāpt uz grābekļa
 * Russian: наступи́ть на гра́бли