Walking Under a Ladder Bad Luck ladder for fear of something It's common sense to avoid walking under an open falling on you, but there are superstitious reasons for doing so as well.Consider the shape of an open ladder a triangle that signifies life to some. When you walk though the triangle, you are tempting the fates. You may also awaken spirits that live within the triangle(including evil spirits who may not be happy with the disturbance). If you do accidentally walk under a ladder, you can counter the bad luck by placing your thumb between your index and middle finger. Another method is to cross the fingers on both hands to call upon the sign of the cross to protect you from evil.