Local Folder was overwritten by old repository due to reset command

It is not everyday you find all your work gone and there's no way of restoring the work locally.

I am quite dumbfounded as to what has just happened as I was working with git to try and push changes to GitHub. In the process I was having some difficulties while learning and was trying out a few things including reset command. The problem is that when working in the Linux terminal you are unaware of the changes made to folders and files.

With this reset command there were no warnings of any overwrites and the deleted files are not even in my Linux Rubbish bin.

How is this possible - this bypasses all the most fundamental rules of a computer OS!

Surely there are ways to avoid this especially as default behaviour. I can assume with flags you might be able but as default there needs flashing lights for noobs.

BR

Colin.