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“Terrible Advice”: People Urge Others To Stop Believing In These 40 Dangerous Survival Myths
Have you ever thought about what you would do if you got lost in the woods? Or if you ever got stranded on an island in the middle of nowhere? The average American has thought about this, as they usually believe they would survive 16 days alone in the wilderness. When it comes to emergencies like blackouts or natural disasters, only 54% of Americans say they have made emergency preparations at home.
If you're a fan of shows like Survivor or films like Twisters, you probably think you've got some knowledge. But folks online would like to break it to you: some Hollywood films get stuff about survival very wrong sometimes. One netizen even asked others to share the most common survival myths that people believe because of movies. It turns out, instead of saving our lives, some of them can be outright dangerous!
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#1
Hiding under a bridge during a tornado. Reality is the underpass will act as a funnel, increasing the wind speed. Better to find a low spot or drainage ditch and lie down on the ground, protecting your head from flying debris.
Joanne Mendonza-Earle 1 month ago
I never knew that! I believed the 'safety under the bridge' thing till now!
RELATED:
#2
Pulling out the bullet. They do it in all the movies. It’s a stupid intervention that has no indication and can just do more harm.
Source : ER doctor.
Beak Hookage 1 month ago
Likewise, if you get stabbed, leave the knife in until you get to the hospital. It's plugging the wound and stopping you from bleeding out.
Riley Quinn 1 month ago
I watch a lot of action movies where they always pull the object out while I'm screaming at the screen "Noooooo!".
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Hellen 1 month ago
Basically, any wound in your body, where the foreign object that stabbed or s**t you, is still inside of your would--assune that the foreign object is preventing massive blood flow and shouldn't ever be removed unless by a medical professionals with easy access to blood donations in case you bleed out, hemorrhage, etc...and remember that antibiotics are your friend once anything has punctured your body, sepsis can not be treated at home and body cannot build up a tolerance to or antibodies against.
Hellen 1 month ago
Carry a tampon as part of your first aid kits, since a different article I read earlier (regarding first aid info), said to pack a bandage or similar absorb any items into a gun shot wound so the victim wouldn't bleed to death. As opposed to just wrapping the would itself, risking the victim bleeding out before reaching an ambulance.. A tampon is perfect.
joann fielding 1 month ago
In fact, I believe tampons were invented for gunshot wounds long ago WW1, or maybe even the Civil War. As was super glue. And ,horrifyingly, a manual, primitive kind of chain saw for difficult births. Yikes!
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No Name No Pack Drill 1 month ago
The bullet may be nice and sterile due to heat but the fibres of clothing punched into the wound aren't. True in sword fighting in the bronze age and still true
JenC 1 month ago
He means don't pull it out yourself, go to the hospital so you don't bleed out
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Ge Po 1 month ago
Never understood it. Yeah, you have a bog wound in your shoulder, because a piece of metal was rammed inside of it at high speed. Now let me dig it even bigger by pressing my fingers into at, spread them so I can get a hold of the piece of metal and pull it out, so the blood can flow even more freely. Out here in the wild.
azubi 1 month ago
"In medicine, an indication is a valid reason to use a certain test, medication, procedure, or surgery. " (wikipedia)
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Sam Trudeau 1 month ago
A lot of action movies where people do this are ones where the character has enhanced durability
KrazyChiMama 1 month ago
Bullets containing heavy toxic metals like lead and arsenic, do indeed need to be removed, but safely.
#3
You do not need to wait 24hrs to report a missing person. If you think someone is missing report it as such. The faster a missing person report is filed the greater the chance the person will be found.
Lea S. 1 month ago
Civilians can report it all they want but it's the police that will decide whether to take formal action. I've heard a policemen say - it's too soon for someone of this age.
Bob Brooce 1 month ago (edited)
If you look up at the top of the page you'll see that this is about "survival myths." There's an enormous difference between not knowing where somebody is because they didn't come home from work or show up at your party and somebody not getting back from an adventure in the woods. For the latter the person will ideally have left a time they expect to be back, a time to start worrying, and a deadline to send help. For the latter the professional help may wait a bit for various reasons, but they won't treat it as somebody imply not following a poorly defined schedule you thought they'd follow.
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StrangeOne 1 month ago
Minors you can report immediately. Adults, you're told to wait for a day or 2. "He's a big boy, he can take care of himself. Now, tell me why YOU think he ran away. What is going on?" This was how the missing persons agent spoke to me when I reported my now ex-bf missing. He didn't even show up for work. Gone for 3 days straight.
Tyranamar Seuss 1 month ago
Was he on a d**g run? All my friends who would disappear like this were doing d***s. C*****e at the time. That's what was popular back then.
Load More Replies... Hellen 1 month ago
Which is ironic because when you hear of a kidnapping, the TV shows all repeat "that the first 48 hours are most important". So which is it? Personally I'd rather be the overbearing b*tch that reports a loved one as missing too soon, then if they turn up you simple call back the police& explain what happened...when you call the police to report a loved one missing, even if it under the 24 hours or whatever, SIMPLY EXPLAIN HONESTLY why you think it endangers your loved one to wait that full amount of time and what your suspicions are...honesty is always the best policy, even if it becomes TMI. just be real.
anne young 1 month ago
Even if I trusted the cops for me it depends on the person.
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Marnie 1 month ago
You don't need to, but it's not as if this were a myth made up out of thin air. I've heard enough true crime stories to know that it used to be common for police to not start searching right away and telling the family to come back later.
Anyone-for-tea? 1 month ago
It usually depends on the risk factors involved with the person going missing, such as their age, if they’re vulnerable - due to any learning disabilities, mental health issues, etc. I say this as a former police officer who has searched for many missing people.
Load More Replies... Joanne Mendonza-Earle 1 month ago
Plenty of people try to report right away but the cops are the ones that say 'they're an adult, call us after 24 hours'.
Dane 1 month ago
I am 9-1-1 operator/dispatcher. Call immediately if someone is missing. If it is a child, a mental health consumer, someone with serious medical issues, the response is immediate with officers, drones, what is needed. If it is an adult with no issues, questions will be asked to determine the priority of the call and the appropriate level of response, but the sooner the request is made, the sooner all those questions are asked, and other possibilities are dismissed, and the search, if necessary, can begin.
Fabulous chocolate cookie 1 month ago (edited)
Unfortunately very wrong, but might depend on the country. I hear a lot you have to wait 24-48 hours before filing a report at the police or they simply just refuse to do anything with it.
#4
Walking anywhere if you're lost in the wilderness. As long as someone knows where you should be and when you should have been back, stay put so rescuers can find you.
Pieter LeGrande 1 month ago
Yes, you lose your voice very quickly when yelling at the top of your voice, unless you are a keen Liverpool fan of course.
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Bob Brooce 1 month ago
Good rule of thumb to not keep moving, but it sort of depends on the definition of lost and your general knowledge of the area. By my definition I was only lost once, when I was a 12yo cub scout. There have been many times that I didn't know exactly where I was while wandering off-trail, but knew the general lay of the land and how to get to a place I could identify. Making sure a reliable person knows where you've gone is a vital fail-safe.
StrangeOne 1 month ago
Take string with you and tie it on something every 12 steps or so. Or take some chalk and make a signature marking. Chalk washes away.
anne young 1 month ago
And I'm going to trust random people I don't know and have them look after me and feel worse? That's funny.
#5
Drinking alcohol warms you. In reality it cause a rush of warm blood to the surface making you feel warm but lowering your core temperature.
Pieter LeGrande 1 month ago
There was an instance in the Australian high country some years ago. A group of bush-walkers got lost in a blizzard. They kept on going and eventually found a road, followed it and found a lodge. Stopped in sight of the lodge and celebrated by downing a few shots of rum. They were found dead the next day on the road with the open bottle of rum still in one hand.
Bob Brooce 1 month ago
Somewhat related to Marnie's post and my reply, alcohol dilates blood vessels in the extremities. If you're already hypothermic enough your body will be shunting blood to you core and blood in your extremities will be getting cold. Alcohol and improper warming can both cause the cold blood to flow back to the core too rapidly, which can cause shock or heart failure.
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Tabitha 1 month ago
Look up “lying in the road deaths”. First heard about them when I lived in North Carolina. They can happen any time of year, but especially in summer. What happens is someone goes to a backwoods juke joint, gets blind drunk, then tries to stagger home. The alcohol, meanwhile, has had time to lower their body temperature and they feel cold. The road—-dark, curvy back road in the boondocks—-is warm under their feet, because it baked in the summer sun all day. They lay down in the road to get warm and pass out. The next person to drive down that road—-and country people drive fast, especially the young ones—-doesn’t see them, then runs over them, and kills them. It ends up being classed as a lying in the road death. I thought it was an urban myth until I had friends who were cops in Raleigh. They confirmed it’s a real thing that happens, and there are several every summer in the most rural areas of the state.
L.V 1 month ago
It would have been more efficient to cuddle with the dog!
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Gracie Mae 1 month ago
Taking a shot of brandy after being outside is great, but being stranded outside in a snowstorm or freezing weather? Drinking is definitely NOT advised!
Joanne Mendonza-Earle 1 month ago
I wonder if that's what happened to those 2 guys that froze to death in another guy's yard after going over to watch football.
Bob Brooce 1 month ago
Even if you're naked and walking in snow it's hard to get frostbite before you're hypothermic. Drinking alcohol will just accelerate heat loss and compromise mental function.
Load More Replies... #6
If an animal eats it, you can eat it. Terrible advice.
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 1 month ago
Birds can eat berries that are poisonous to people. Scottish people can eat deep fried food which would normally cause heart attacks in anyone else.
Lukas (he/him, it/its) 1 month ago
Wow, I'm surprised you didn't go for us Americans with the deep fried food comment lol
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UnclePanda 1 month ago (edited)
Did you need to look farther than the nearest sh*teating dog to find proof?
Pieter LeGrande 1 month ago
Ever seen a dog get stuck into two-week old road k**l? Not really my cup of tea.
Hellen 1 month ago
Dogs have different bacteria in their gut microbiome to not be bothered by raw chicken or road k**l, whereas a human would be made super sick...
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Geobugi🇰🇷🇰🇭 1 month ago
I never heard this before, who came up with this? Surely a person who does not have a dog
Crystalwitch60 1 month ago
Yeah brilliant idea this one NOT 😳birds love holly berries , they will k**l us !! and deadly nightshade ones , again birds love em , us 100% huge no !
TheForrestGreene (he/they/it) 1 month ago
i've heard this one piece of advice from a fishing show about figuring out whats safe to eat, where you're supposed to put it on the ground and see if the ants come over to eat it. if they come over it's safe to eat but if they ignore it then it's probaby toxic. is that one also false?
#7
Running down hill while a bear is chasing you will not make the bear stumble and fall. Most likely you will fall and become easier prey.
No Name No Pack Drill 1 month ago
Human development has shown that developing wide bore percussion weapons is the solution
eMp Tee 1 month ago
Someone's gotta say it: Hike with someone who is a slower runner than you.
Bob Brooce 1 month ago
"One of us is going to get some *great* pictures."
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Nikki Sevven 1 month ago
A black bear can run at 35mph. You can't. They can climb too, and faster than you can. If you don't have shelter, make a lot of noise. Unless the bear is a mom with cubs, in which case, you're fücked.
BeesEelsAndPups 1 month ago
Not really. If you make a lot of noise while hiking the momma bear will hear you long before you get to the cubs, and she will move them away from you to keep them safe. Brown and Black bears are smart creatures, and they don't see you as food, so will generally try to avoid you. Your advice was solid, just make lots of noise. This does not apply in the arctic. Polar bears DO see you as food.
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Scott Rackley 1 month ago
"If it's black fight back, if it's brown lay down, if it's white, say goodnight"
Rachel Reynolds 1 month ago
If it's black fight back (but 90% of the time black bears won't attack unless you're being a d**k to it), if it's brown lay down (and cover the back your your neck. It'll hurt, but you will probably survive), if its white, say good night (sorry, the polar bear will eat you, get right with the god of your choice)
Mook The Mediocre 1 month ago
Did we REALLY need a picture of someone running downhill, just in case we didn't know what running downhill looks like?
Tom Brincefield 1 month ago
You're lucky it doesn't show someone crawling uphill.
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Serena Myers 1 month ago
Hopefully, that is on my list of "things that will never happen to me" but you never know, of course. I wonder what OP suggests we do instead?
JenC 1 month ago
I worked in the mountains in Colorado, this was part of employee trianing. Whatever you do, don't run, that makes the predator instinct kick in. Don't hike alone, and make noise on the trail to warn them you are coming- bears usually avoid people. If you encounter a black bear, hold up your arms or coat over your head to look bigger, back away, and do not bend down to get a stick or rocks. Get loud, and back away.
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Randomosity 1 month ago
You're not outrunning a bear whether it's uphill or downhill or straight ahead.
#8
Any time you see a character say “haven’t we crossed this stream before?” they are being supremely stupid. (I’m looking at you, Blair Witch Project). You do not *cross* streams. You *follow* streams. (Downstream)
Practically all human habitation is build in proximity to water. Streams lead to rivers. Rivers lead to lakes and oceans. Follow a waterway downstream, you are *guaranteed* to find civilization. This is true on every continent that has unfrozen water.
JB 1 month ago
Except this one gets people k****d too. Don't follow the water, stay put. Rescuers will come to you.
Bob Brooce 1 month ago
This one has swapped the myth and the reality. There are places where going upstream and down e other side of the divide is a short trip to a better place and downstream is a very long trip through undeveloped places. And sometimes, even if you're more or less lost, there can be good reasons to cross a stream to get to a better spot.
Load More Replies... Lee Gilliland 1 month ago
Unless you're a Ghostbuster. Then sometimes you need to cross the streams.
Jane Doe-Doe 1 month ago
So.. what one do you do? Stay put ( as the last one says) or follow a stream?
joann fielding 1 month ago
Stay put by the stream. It's a landmark for helicopters out looking for you, and, importantly, a source of water. Also, if a helicopter is overhead, lay down. You're a bigger target to see than when you're standing up. Try to wave a shirt or something colorful when laying there. Motion attracts attention.
Load More Replies... Pieter LeGrande 1 month ago
Does not apply to the big high tension lines on big pylons. They are often routed to avoid urban areas and also cover huge distances.
Load More Replies... Judes 1 month ago
Streams sometimes run into gullies and down waterfalls. They aren't always easy to follow and can be extremely dangerous. It depends a lot on the country you're travelling through.
Pieter LeGrande 1 month ago
It ain't necessarily so. Follow Coopers creek in central Australia and you'll end up at Lake Eyre and unlikely to find any help.
#9
Unless you are very lost very far from civilization...eating dubious food. This is popularized by *Man Vs. Wild* and similar.
Over the course of a few days, which you should have some packed food for anyway, you don't *need* to eat. You won't be happy but as long as you can get water, you're okay. It's not worth eating anything that might make you sick. .
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 month ago
We just had an article on BP that reminded us that a man (in Norway IIRC?) survived for two months in a snowed-out car with no food. You CAN live for months without food if you're decently healthy and stay hydrated. But if you are lost and you eat something dubious and get diarrhea, that'll weaken and dehydrate you and make your situation WAY more precarious.
Val 1 month ago
Dang, I missed that one. How did he survive? What did he do all day for two whole months?
Load More Replies... UnclePanda 1 month ago
I've seen this question posed about eating unknown foods when lost or stranded and it comes down to trying the new foods when you're still relatively strong vs waiting until you're so weak you have no choice and try the new foods then. My take is if you're going to die either way, you may as well die full.
UnclePanda 1 month ago
In hindsight, the answer is obvious. This is why you brought your idiot BIL along.
Load More Replies... Rachel Reynolds 1 month ago
Rule of threes: 3 minutes without air, 3 hours without shelter (extreme heat or cold), 3 days without water, 3 weeks without out food (results may very based on fat stores.)
Riley Quinn 1 month ago
And, if you're lost surrounded by snow, do not eat it. Melt it first. Eating snow will cause hypothermia.
Billo66 1 month ago
I read an article on here, BP, that a man didn't eat for one year and seventeen days, living off of his body fat and vitamins. I'm not saying it as fact, just that I read it here.
Megalodon Meg 1 month ago (edited)
Angus Barbieri went on a very extreme diet of fluids and vitamins but he did regular checkups at the doctor throughout.
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The Other Guest 1 month ago
There was an episode of Star Trek: Voyager where the captain & crew were trapped in a cave. They found some grubs and the captain ordered the crew to eat them for survival, under threat of mutiny charges or some such. I was thinking, a) you've only been trapped for an hour and b) are those grubs toxic? You don't know! It's a alien planet and you know NOTHING about the fauna! Never did like Janeway...
#10
Jumping into water will save you from a fall.
If you’re falling from huge heights with speed into flat water it’s like falling on concrete.
Geoffrey Scott 1 month ago
I have jumped from heights of 80 ft( my USCG officer was not amused as I did it from the bridge of our ship in Key West harbor). The cannonball method has never let me down.
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JB 1 month ago
In a lot of bridge jumping suicides their legs are broken and they die by drowning. ...there's a super-depressing fact for y'all.
Bob Brooce 1 month ago
Unfortunately, for those contemplating s*****e by bridge, it's surprisingly difficult to fall in a controlled position without training and practice. If you keep you arms up it's not that hard to fall feet first, but for s*****e you'd probably want to land flat on your back. For those jumping from survivable heights for fun, not being quite upright enough is a serious risk.
Load More Replies... Gracie Mae 1 month ago
and even a belly flop from a high dive will feel like you've hit concrete!
Danielle 1 month ago
I jumped off a cliff and messed it up so my shins hit the water first. Big blue bruises for weeks over my entire shins.
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Blackmoon The Dragon 1 month ago (edited)
ITS NOT MINECRAFT YA DUMMIES. water is literally the most dense liquid out there, its almost as dense as some solids and even more than some others
BK BigFish 1 month ago
I'm not sure what this one is arguing - that if you're going to fall, better to fall onto land than water? In any situation, if you're going to fall, better to fall onto water than land - but preferably, don't fall at all (unless you're the protagonist in a movie, then go ahead, you will survive, and no one will dare follow)
Jaya 1 month ago
Surely it's less hard than on concrete? It doesn't make any sense for it to be equally hard.
JB 1 month ago
It’s down to 3-4 things (I think): cohesion, surface tension, the surface area of the part that hits the water, and the speed at which it hits. Next time you go swimming, try slapping the surface of the water as hard as you possibly can with your hand flat.
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#11
It's not a pack of wolves that'll get ya.....a moose on the other hand...
Doctor Strange 1 month ago
Wolves do not attack humans. In all of recorded history, there have been TWO deaths of humans caused by wolves in North America. Less than 0.001% of all livestock deaths are caused by wolves. Wolves will flee from people. But a moose? A moose hates you and wants you dead. Source: I am a tour guide for Howling Woods Farm, a wolfdog sanctuary.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 month ago
Can confirm Doc's comment. I don't want to eat ANY of you.
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Daisydaisy 1 month ago
Thank god I live in Australia where we don't have these big scary animals!
No Man 1 month ago
Heh... Everything in Australia wants to rip your face off (except maybe quolls or qokkas). Even Koala Bears are notoriously ill-tempered. Only in australia is there a bug big enough, to prey on a spider large enough, to spin a web strong enough to catch a bird on the wing.
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No Man 1 month ago
A predator asks itself two questions... Am I hungry? Can I catch and k**l that thing without getting injured/maimed myself. If either answer is no, you're safe around most predators unless you encroach on their personal space or appear to menace their young. Don't be a d***e like those morons in Yellowstone. Prey animals will stomp, gore, bite, kick, claw or otherwise maim you just for looking at them cross-eyed. Prey animals only have 2 choices... Run like a bunny or stand and fight it out. In africa, the deadliest animal, the one that kills more humans than any other is the hippo, not any carnivore.
pelemele 1 month ago (edited)
And the black buffalo, nicknamed the black death.
Load More Replies... Gracie Mae 1 month ago
I never realized how big those suckers were until I saw a video of one STEPPING over a fence (3-4 ft high)
Serena Myers 1 month ago
We don't get many moose in the West Midlands, or wolves either, but I'll bear that in mind.
Bob Brooce 1 month ago
Not really survival in the sense of the whole page, but moose k**l a lot of people that are in cars. They're a lot darker than deer, and their height makes them harder to spot. That height also means that if you don't brake for moose and hit one the front of the car will probably take its legs out from underneath it and it will slide up the hood and through the windshield. There's a good chance that wont k**l it, and the upset moose in your lap will start struggling to get out of your car.
Tom Brincefield 1 month ago
And if you stop before hitting the moose, don't honk at it. You don't want to p**s it off.
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Ray Carrillo 1 month ago
Moose can stomp you dead. Wolve attacks are unlikely, however a starving pack of wolves will still eat you.
#12
Sleeping in trees guarantees safety...
No, big cats climb trees, snakes live in trees, and even monkeys are carnivores...
What you need is solid shelter, whether on the ground or in the trees; simply being in the trees doesn't guarantee anything, even a mosquito can k**l you in a forest.
#13
Getting shipwrecked on an island then building a ‘boat’ and leaving the island to find civilization. There are way too many things that ca hurt you in the water and you are so much harder for rescue personnel to see. Always stay on the island.
UnclePanda 1 month ago
"The first thing we should have done was killl Gilligan." ~ Russell Johnson/The Professor
️Rando Panda 1 month ago
Makes sense. Gilligan was made of meat, after all.
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Tucker Cahooter 1 month ago
Plus of course if you go to sea you run the risk of losing your best buddy Wilson
Sue Denham 1 month ago
Besides, it might be kind of good to stay away from civilisation for a while.
No Name No Pack Drill 1 month ago
If the island is incapable of supporting human life then leaving makes total sense
Lukas (he/him, it/its) 1 month ago
The ocean is much more dangerous and big. Again, you are much more likely to be found on the island and the ocean can't exactly sustain human life either.
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Brian Droste 1 month ago
What are the chances of being rescue if you leave an island? Oceans and seas ate huge.
Tabitha 1 month ago
Use the wood to build a fire so you can be seen. If you have enough wood, spell out “HELP” with it, so your fire will send potential rescuers a clear message.
No Name No Pack Drill 1 month ago
But if the island is incapable of supporting life then leaving is the only choice
StrangeOne 1 month ago
There is some sort of life on every island, and a way of surviving on an island. You can use something to collect rain water, used wreckage, something, to make shelter. You have a higher chance than being lost out at sea hoping come across the next island.
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#14
This may be a myth in of itself but never wear black when trying to hide at night. It's something I learned in the military but it was recommended to use a darker Grey or Brown. Since black is the absence of light it would silhouette you in low light conditions like full moons.
BeesEelsAndPups 1 month ago
This is a weird thing to learn in the military. When I was in the Army cammo was the "color" of choice. It may seem dubious, but it actually works. Basically that commo pattern is designed to break up any straight lines that you wouldn't see in nature. I've walked into the woods knowing there were guys 3-4 meters from me, but they were practically invisible. It's actually amazing how well it works if you keep your skin hidden and stay still.
Nikolaj Christensen 1 month ago (edited)
Or dark green, or gray, even brown, but never true black, is what we are told in bujinkan, for the same reason as stated above 👤
Load More Replies... Chich the witch 1 month ago
What I recall is discovering that with practice most humans are fairly easy to sneak up on. They just do not pay attention.
UnclePanda 1 month ago
Vetenari prefered a combination of dark greens and greys.
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#15
Hmm, a lot of movies and tv shows I see feature characters successfully challenging or fighting off a mugger. Just give them the wallet. General self-defense in order to build confidence and get some key moves under your belt in a dire situation is a good idea, but it doesn't matter if you're Tyson is his prime, street violence is very different from structured self-defense classes.
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 1 month ago
Carry a false wallet with an old debit card and a small amount of cash. Hand that over.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 month ago
And back up the thousands of photos of your cat on your phone regularly so that you don't sit there thinking "I CAN'T hand over my phone, that's the only place I still have photos of Sir Potatoshins, my beloved cat that died when I was 12!" (semi-joking tone, but serious advice. Back up your photos to the cloud or an external hard drive!)
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StrangeOne 1 month ago
Put your purse around your body and then put your jacket over. That way your purse is out of view and harder to steal. Have a fake empty wallet in your pocket.
Gracie Mae 1 month ago
Nothing in my bag is worth losing my life over or being injured for. Everything can be replaced--even family photos, thanks to cloud storage!
Sam Trudeau 1 month ago
My karate teacher says that "the best place to get stabbed is in the dojo" for context, this is using what's basically pool noodles as fake knives for practice purposes. He says that you can easily get stabbed no matter what, but what really matters is where. But yeah, comply until they go "get in car"
Lady Eowyn 1 month ago
I have to downvote, despite some otherwise good advice about being aware of your surrounding, because you said phones only get stolen from idiots. Phones get stolen for a variety of reasons. And here I thought it might just be possible for you to post just one comment without being judgmental. Silly me.
Load More Replies... #16
Not necessarily from the movies, but a popular survival myth that is perpetuated by anti-seatbelt activists is that if you don’t wear a seatbelt you have a better chance of survival being thrown clear of the wreckage rather than being trapped in it, apparently it’s how their third cousin or friend-of-a-friend survived a crash they were in 🥴.
JenC 1 month ago
Wear your seatbelt, its there to protect you. My family was in an accident where the other person was thrown through the windshield. A seatbelt would have saved her life.
V 1 month ago
It also helps you protect other people by not becoming a projectile
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Lotekguy 1 month ago
If you think seat belts are part of some conspiracy, then don't wear them. You won't be missed, either.
Mike F 1 month ago
That's what we say about antivaxers, but they are still wasting our oxygen.
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Howl's sleeping castle 1 month ago (edited)
My colleague was the only survivor of a road accident because she was driving and wearing the seatbelt by habit. Her husband, son, and brother died. She has marks all over her face and body but atleast she is alive
Oliver 1 month ago
My mom used to use this one all the time because my uncle very much was ejected from the glass t-tops in a Trans Am when it went off the road and fell hard ten feet down. He was launched through the roof into a tree and barely lived. Had to learn how to do everything all over. Finally got her to wear the d**n belt when I pointed out that steel was above her head, not glass.
StrangeOne 1 month ago
I knew someone who was k****d in a crash. His gf wasn't wearing a seatbelt and got thrown out of the vehicle, instantly dying. He was in the vehicle as it lit up and exploded, k*****g him. Don't drink and drive.
Bookworm 1 month ago
If you're driving refuse to start until everyone is buckled up or gets out. Don't drive with an unsecured projectile.
Scott Rackley 1 month ago
I was in a wreck once (before airbags) when I had two broken ribs from the belt. One of the T tops was 100 yds down the road which is where they would have found me without it.
Chich the witch 1 month ago
Was at a scene where the guy went off the road and the truck rolled a few times. No seat belt and he was thrown out and the final roll of the truck landed on top of him. Had he his seat belt on he may have been banged up but likely alive as the cab was bent but not crushed.
#17
Have taught self defense for years. Most of the c**p they sell is worthless is a real attack situation. Your best bet is prevention, not reaction. Paying attention and being able to say “no.”.
No Name No Pack Drill 1 month ago
As a HEMA instructor I totally agree. My knowledge of 16c Italian sword techniques won't help me for a second if some b*****d shivs me at close range in the street
Multa Nocte 1 month ago
Whoa, but can we all agree how cool 16 century Italian sword techniques are?
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Anxious&Bored Bear 1 month ago
I've seen self-defense lessons focus on the "knock them down long enough to run away" theory.
Gunný Petersen 1 month ago
My husband is a legionaire veteran and he told me that the best defence for me if a big strong man attacks me is to go and aim at the throat with as much power as possible and kick him hard in the groin and then run as fast and far as I can because there is no way I can deal with that situation any better without years of training and because I'm a small thin woman.
Load More Replies... Serena Myers 1 month ago
Oh, and lock your doors at night. This seems to be a mystery to some of those from the US, who apparently leave their doors and windows unlocked so that any Tom, D**k, or Harry can wander in!
Megalodon Meg 1 month ago
"But it was such a safe, small town, nobody locked their doors!"
Load More Replies... Serena Myers 1 month ago
As an old person, I never carry cash, just a debit card, well hidden, my bus pass, and a burner phone, and LISTEN and be aware of what is going on around you. Dog barking? Probably fine. Kids yelling and laughing, also probably fine. Just have situational awareness, don't walk anywhere after dark unless you have to, use all the senses that you have anywhere, anytime. It's a dangerous world we live in now, and we need to know how to avoid that dangerous world as best we can.
Sam Trudeau 1 month ago
Yep. You see some that are obviously fake, such as where the aggressor isn't moving, or the defender is just crazy prepared. The real secret? The faster they're on the ground, the better
Tom Brincefield 1 month ago
Until the cops show up and gun down the "good guy" because he's the one standing there holding a gun. And this has happened.
Load More Replies... #18
Running away from an alligator in a zigzag. You'll just give it a better chance to catch you. Run straight; they're fast over short distances, but not for long.
WindySwede 1 month ago
But then it turns out it was a crocodile, and he knocks on your door in the evening!
Load More Replies... Doctor Strange 1 month ago
Alligators are ambush predators not chase predators. They won't chase you,
Jaya 1 month ago (edited)
Look at that cutie, why would you run from him? I'll be running towards him, for cuddles. Look at how cutely sneaky he's walking, like he's a character in a Disney movie or something. (FYI, no I haven't made my will yet, but I live in a country without alligators, so I'm fine)
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 1 month ago
Or if you can, hold the mouth down. The muscles that open an alligator's mouth are weak, you can hold the mouth shut.
Lotekguy 1 month ago
I don't think I'll ever test your veracity on this one.
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Brian Droste 1 month ago (edited)
Mythbusters tested this out. Whatever they did, they could not get any alligators to chase them. Mythbusters and also someone else mention this, they are ambush predators.
Jeff Peiffer 1 month ago
And they don't hunt away from water. If it chases you, you got too close to a nest, and simply getting away from it will calm it back down.
#19
Food.
In general people misunderstand how little food there is around them. I once heard the statistic that every city in America has about 4 days worth of food in all of the grocery stores, home kitchens, restaurants, etc. I’ve worked in two grocery stores and have seen how fast shelves get emptied and how many semi-trucks arrive daily to restock. Some of the supplies on semi-trucks for basic food items come from 5,000 miles away.
People also misunderstand how much food they need to eat in a year to survive. It’s about two thousand pounds for a 200lb human. Just one.
Ultimately in survival situations, starvation and violence to avoid starvation are big concerns.
The Big Bad 1 month ago
Our bodies can handle fasting for a long time. It's actually healing for your body to fast. Water is the bigger problem. Make sure you have enough water in your home and have a way to get clean water after that's gone. Make the food you do have last as long as possible. Cans of sardines and other fatty foods.
Tabitha 1 month ago
Yes, but be careful about the content of that stored food. Cans of sardines and other such preserved foods are extremely high in sodium—-salt—-and can dehydrate you fast, making you use more of your water supply to rehydrate, and therefore depleting it faster. Though we do need a certain amount of sodium in our diets, try to keep it to the recommended minimum in times of extreme privation when water supplies are also limited.
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Alex Fountain 1 month ago
I thought the same thing! I didn’t dig too deep, but on the surface, Google seems to agree that that’s about right. 2000 is probably a touch high, but apparently we eat 3-5 pounds of food per day! Who knew!
Load More Replies... Brian Droste 1 month ago
I have a friend that works at Walmart. He has to work Sunday afternoons. Where we live it is extremely cold right now. I ask him if the store has less customers than normal. He said no. In fact Walmart have more customers because there are last minute shoppers but the shelves have whole lot less on the shelves because other customers came in a day to three days earlier to stack upon groceries.
Sara Frazer 1 month ago
2000÷365=5.47.....im definitely not eating 5 and a half pounds of food a day and I'm just fine
StrangeOne 1 month ago
I'm not understanding. Are they trying to say we underestimate, or overestimate? I've been realizing I don't need to eat as much food as I thought I did.
Bob Brooce 1 month ago
This one is more about disruption to the supply chain. If you've got 4 or 5 days worth of food at home and something stops food delivery to stores the food is going to be gone within hours of people knowing there's a problem. In my area (Hudson Valley) a forecast for 3 or 4 inches of snow means there wont be any milk at 5PM.
Load More Replies... Alewa 1 month ago
A month, maybe. It's not fun, though, and people will fight over food during that month.
Load More Replies... #20
Here's one: I'm an ex military sailor. We were instructed unequivocally *Do not put on a lifejacket while within a vessel that is travelling over or within water.* Vessel sinks, you're inside with lifejacket on, water inside activates self inflation and you're pushed against the deck head/ceiling because of pressure. You can't deflate it, and you can't take it off because of air and water pressure.
So every time I see a movie with sailors wearing life jackets below decks, I cringe. I also cringe when I see in flight attendants instruct every passenger to put on their life vest over their neck before exiting a sinking aircraft, if they have to ditch over water. Seawater in a plane and you have that thing on? You better hope the aircraft's flotation is in working order or you'll drown with your face pressed against the ceiling. Jump in the water with your life vest inflated? You will break your neck.
None of these things are explained and should be.
Heffalump 1 month ago
Flight attendants also instruct you NOT to inflate the life jacket until you're out of the aircraft. Pro survival tip: listen to the d**n safety briefing.
Bartlet for world domination 1 month ago
TIL to only inflate it AFTER hitting the water.
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Alewa 1 month ago
This argument makes sense, but in many cases practicality weighs in as well. In an aircraft with 100+ people that are untrained for emergencies, you need simple and practical instructions to increase the chance of survival for everyone. Accessing and putting on a life vest while still at the seat is the only way to get people into life vests on commercial planes. Small sail boat where you are constantly under and on deck: impractical to take the vest of every time. Commercial ship where you work under deck for hours and are well trained for emergencies: not putting it on probably makes sense if vests are available everywhere.
Judes 1 month ago
The type of lifejacket you wear on a boat is not the same what as you have under your aeroplane seat, so the rules are different. It's fine to put on the lifejacket inside the plane, because it's not inflated so doesn't obstruct your movements. You only inflate the lifejacket once you are outside the plane.
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JenC 1 month ago
He's talking about self-inflating life jackets. Often preferred because they are less bulky and cumbersome.
Load More Replies... #21
Closest I can think of is brace yourself if you are about to get in a accident. Try to go limp, you're more likely to walk away with minor injuries if you go limp. That's how drunk drivers survive crashes.
StrangeOne 1 month ago
Depends on the severity of the crash. No, not all drunk drivers survive crashes. They are less likely to be wearing seat belts, too.
Val 1 month ago
Yes, one of my friends died in a car crash and wasn't wearing her seatbelt. Nobody was drunk, her mom fell asleep at the wheel.
Load More Replies... Becky Samuel 1 month ago
Take your hands off the wheel just before impact unless you want broken wrists and fingers.
Brian Droste 1 month ago
As long as you see it coming, your natural instinct will be to brace yourself. You are not going to have time to think "I need to go limp.".
Chich the witch 1 month ago
Can usually identify the driver because the fingers will be broken backwards from bracing against the steering wheel. Worst I've seen is all almost snapped off.
Jaya 1 month ago
I tried to find information online, I could only find random people giving their opinion and lots of injury lawyers, I couldn't find any reliable sources or any research. So I´m just gonna conclude "nobody knows"
AlexJ 1 month ago
Odd that people is downvoting you, the only one that mentioned that did research before commenting. I asked ChatGPT, Copilot and Gemini AI and they all said that going limp is a myth and also bad advice by itself.
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Bob Brooce 1 month ago (edited)
The trick is to be sober until right before the impact.
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#22
If your house gets broken into and you have a gun or weapon. you are not brave heart. Call the cops and hide or get somewhere with cover. Keep the advantages you have which are knowing the layout and more than likely higher ground. Be on the defense not offense.
StrangeOne 1 month ago
Know your local laws on what is okay and what isn't. Sometimes it's not worth the lawsuit if the burglar can sue you for getting injured from your booby trap.
eMp Tee 1 month ago
That would have made Home Alone either a much shorter film or turn it into a courtroom drama.
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No Name No Pack Drill 1 month ago
Make a lot of noise and turn lights on. Most burglars are scared of been seen and will run. That said, never engage with them. To force them into a confrontation is a terrible idea
Mike F 1 month ago
When I bought my place I noticed that the master bedroom door was a solid door, that sucker weighs at least 60 lbs, and it has a dead bolt in addition to the lock on the kn0b. When I found out that SHE got the place from some old folks it made sense. I sleep well behind that baby.
Ryan Mercer 1 month ago (edited)
This seems to be ignoring that some of us are responsible for the safety of others in our home. My family has the privilege of being on defense, but I do not. I willingly accept the risk.
Becky Samuel 1 month ago
Look around your house for good hiding places or ways to exit the building discreetly (if possible). Emergency rope ladders are relatively inexpensive and can save your life. Introducing a weapon into a situation is an escalation that is likely to get you seriously hurt.
️Rando Panda 1 month ago
I heard someone once say (jokingly!) that if someone is in your house, call the police, give them your address and tell them you're about to shoot someone.
Riley Quinn 1 month ago (edited)
If you insist on having a gun for home protection, make it a short-barreled sh0tgun. Your agility and aim won't be good as you stumble out of bed, but a sh0tgun has a wide dispersal and will likely hit your intruder.
Scott Rackley 1 month ago
Nah, Taurus makes the ultimate home defense weapon. Revolver that shoots both .410 s*****n shells and 45 long colts. You can buy .410 home defense rounds. Doesn't go through walls and k**l the neighbors, but definitely will do something to an intruder.
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#23
If you ever find yourself in snake country, make as much noise as possible. Most people want to avoid snakes so stay quiet, but they are more scared of you than you are of them. Talk loudly, stomp, but obviously keep an eye and ear out for any fellas who don't want you to be there.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 month ago
It IS worth noting that many snake species lack an outer ear and don't hear sounds the same "way" we do. They "hear"/feel vibrations. So stomping and smacking the ground/objects with a large stick would be more effective in this case than talking loudly. Snakes CAN hear some "airborne" sounds (i.e., talking loudly) but it's more effective to cause large scary ground vibrations by stomping.
Geobugi🇰🇷🇰🇭 1 month ago
Absolutely correct. Talking loud has pretty much no effect on snakes, many people get bitten because they accidently step on it wich snakes do not like very much. Give the snake room to escape, do not try to catch it if you got bitten, try to take a photo of it instead. It depends very much on the snake, some are shy and avoid people, some can get agressive, not all are the same
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Jennik 1 month ago
Avoid hollow logs and burrows - or at least void poking sticks in them to see what comes out - as snakes like to hide in them. Looking at you, super-fast and super-venomous Brown Snake!
Huddo's sister 1 month ago
There is a red bellied black snake that lives in the hollow of a tree on my mum's property. I managed to notice it before getting closer thankfully!
Load More Replies... Russell Bowman 1 month ago
And remember NEVER step over things like a fallen tree ... but, step up on look over where you will be stepping ... avoids surprises waiting on the other side
Huddo's sister 1 month ago
I was out at a pioneer homestead once looking around and only had sandals on, which was fine until I lost my parents and thought maybe they walked down the path to a nearby sculpture park (I misread the sign, it was 1000M, not 100M). There was high brush on both sides of the path and I was worried about snakes, so I spent the whole walk stomping my feet to warn them off. Turned out my parents hadn't gone that way, but on my way back I saw them walking down the path towards me, and they said they had seen a brown snake along the way. I stomped/ran the rest of the way back!
Brian Hawley 1 month ago
Same for most species of bears. Make plenty of noise so they know where you are. If they come upon your unexpectedly, andget frightened the likely to attack. Most bears would much rather avoid you.
Scott Rackley 1 month ago
It is worth noting that this is horrible advice in the Smokies. The Smokies are covered in copperheads. They're already hard to see, but if you make noise, they freeze, making it even harder to see them. Vast majority of copperhead bites are from stepping on them, so don't go stomping around in the leaf litter. Also eastern diamondbacks will let you know exactly where they are, so this doesn't help either. Don't go stomping around rattlesnakes.
Joanne Mendonza-Earle 1 month ago
We just got back from NC and one of the places we visited had 'watch out for snakes' signs all over the place!! Thank goodness it's Dec and was very cold.
Blackmoon The Dragon 1 month ago
They're just trying to live their life, we're the intruders in their territory after all!
#24
Most cars will not stop bullets unless you are behind the engine block or maybe a tire and even that is hit or miss.
No Name No Pack Drill 1 month ago
Part of my training working for a police force. Doors don't stop bullets
Russell Bowman 1 month ago
Don't know what department you worked for ... but we had ballistic panels in the front doors of our Crown Vics ... and what they could not stop they slowed down enough to be less lethal
Load More Replies... Gracie Mae 1 month ago
The difference between cover & concealment: The engine might be cover, but the car itself is only concealment
Jeff Hunt 1 month ago
I don’t know how many episodes of The A-Team I watched showing corrugated metal turning bullets.
Sue User 1 month ago
Men running out of a helicopter after it crashed and was burning beat the magic bullets.
Load More Replies... Beak Hookage 1 month ago
I once met an archery guy who was into bow hunting and he bragged that he could put an arrow clean through a car door.
Chich the witch 1 month ago
Add overturned tables to that list. Might stop some small caliber pistol but we used to punch holes through metal plates with 7.62 at 200m on the range.
Rachel Reynolds 1 month ago
Cars, couches, tables, bars, basically everything they take cover behind in action movies.
#25
Suck Venom from Snakebites: Venom enters the bloodstream too fast, and sucking it introduces bacteria, worsening the wound.
Eat Snow for Hydration: Eating snow lowers core body temperature, risking hypothermia; melt it first.
Rub Frostbite: Rubbing causes ice crystals to break tissues, leading to more damage.
Follow Moss for Direction: Moss grows where it's damp, not just north, leading you astray.
Narrow River Crossings: Narrower spots often have faster, deeper water; wider, shallower areas are safer.
Drowning Victims Flail & Yell: Real drowning victims often go silent as their bodies prioritize breathing over speech.
Warm Animal Carcass: In a blizzard, a carcass quickly gets wet and cold, and cleaning it is difficult and time-consuming. .
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 month ago
So it was a LIE that Luke stayed alive on Hoth because he jammed himself into a tauntaun carcass?! D:
Lotekguy 1 month ago
Tauntauns secrete enzymes that interact favorably with human tissue to provide antibiotics and insulation, even long after they've been cut open. They teach that in the Jedi zoology courses.
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Stardust she/her 1 month ago
Ah yes, the equation of continuity which basically says that water will flow faster through a narrow opening and slower through a larger one
Sally Moen 1 month ago
I read a book about people in a snowstorm that placed plastic sealed bags of snow inside of their coats so they would later have fresh drinking water.
JB 1 month ago
Not sure about the drowning victims one. I suspect plenty of them start off yelling and flailing until they run low on strength.
Bob Brooce 1 month ago
Maybe a very, very small portion, but if they yell or flail nearby people will likely notice them. Most drowning victims drown in a manner that would let them drown with 10 people 10 feet away, and sometimes while somebody is watching them. Ask Google about [ "Drowning Doesn't Look Like Drowning" vittone].
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#26
"There's water stored in cacti".
Well, kinda but in all but maybe 2 or 3 species it's toxic.
joann fielding 1 month ago
And they make lousy toilet paper when you're done, too, Rachel. Lol
Load More Replies... #27
Former SAR guy here. If you're lost stay put. We always said "hug a tree". It's much easier to locate a stationary target. Carry a charge pack for your phone. People always wait until the last minute to call for help then when it gets dark they use their phone flashlight and use up their battery. We need your phone to be working so we can get feedback on the search or coach you to get your gps coordinates.
Verena 1 month ago
... and answer the call, even if you don't recognize the number. This is not a scammer, this is the rescue team teying to contact you.
BeesEelsAndPups 1 month ago
When I went hiking by myself I would take an orange smoke flare.
Load More Replies... Bob Brooce 1 month ago
Can you tell us why What3words isn't a solution in search of a problem? If you have the ability to determine your location and then get the 3 words from the app you already have the ability to send precise latitude and longitude very easily. I don't know about other mapping apps but Google will report your position to 6 decimal places, which is at least 10 to 15 times better than the accuracy of any GPS you're going to have unless you're surveyor that managed to get lost.
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#28
Drinking your own urine will not help you. In fact, it will make you more dehydrated as urine contains salts and minerals your body purges.
Bob Brooce 1 month ago
Good rule of thumb: At best Bear Grylls is entertainment of Kardashian caliber.
Load More Replies... Riley Quinn 1 month ago
Now hold on a minute! Y'all saying that Mike led Saul Goodman astray telling him to drink his own urine when they hiked through the desert?
#29
Trying to defend yourself against an armed assailant.
Running away is your best option by far.
Forrest Hobbs 1 month ago
JB: I totally agree. First time I got attacked in the street, running like h3ll worked brilliantly. Second time? The idiot’s mates grabbed him. So it goes...
Load More Replies... Tabitha 1 month ago
Keeping your doors and windows, and any other potential entry, securely closed and locked—-deadbolted—-and calling the police is your best option at home. Getting to a lighted and crowded public place when on foot, or driving right to a police station if in your car are also.
anne young 1 month ago
In residence. And not going to go to a police station. And I don't drive.
Load More Replies... Hellen 1 month ago
I'm a big fan of sports equipment and large rocks, placed every few feet inside of my home....so that no matter where you are in your home, you have an item that you can bludgeon a bad guy with and defend your home& kids. I don't even leave home without some form of deadly form of self defense. People don't realize how many items serve as self defense but aren't weapons; baseball bats, huge granite stones, hockey sticks, fire extinguishers, kitchen knives tucked onto the shelf in your bedroom closet, hammers, any bathroom item that sprays with an aerosol will work in place of pepper spray, etc get creative. (Yes I've had a reason to consider how to defend myself in my home or at any time out in public --that threat has passed, thank God)
Auntriarch 1 month ago
If you are in UK, try to have things in every room that you can use, but that belongs in that room and is not solely a weapon. So knives in the kitchen yes, knives in the bedroom no, but a four battery maglite is nice and heavy plus you can flash it in someone's eyes, and you have a good reason for it being by your bed in case of power cuts. No baseball bat if you don't play baseball. No pepper spray, but hairspray in your handbag.
Load More Replies... Riley Quinn 1 month ago
My motto "Run away, run away" was part of my survival skills long before The Holy Grail.
Beak Hookage 1 month ago
Depends on why they're attacking you, I'd say. If they're trying to steal from you and you're in the way, they'll likely be glad you ran off so they can take the goodies without a fight. If they actually want to do you in, running for the nearest crowd means you can get help and/or ensure there are too many witnesses.
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#30
That you can put a tourniquet on a bad wound and then carry on almost normal.
In reality the pain will be excruciating and you are pretty likely to pass out or be incapacitated for a bit. If the wound wasn’t that bad, you wouldn’t need a tourniquet.
It’s supposed to hurt, that’s a good sign you did it correctly. But it ain’t gonna be a “oh! Ow, okay I’m good” kinda pain.
If it was like your leg or thigh, you ain’t walking outta the jungle chief. If it was your arm, you ain’t using that arm no more till you get proper medical attention.
If it was an area you can’t put a tourniquet on, you’re probably gonna die unless you know what to do and have supplies to do it and a hospital in a reasonable distance. If you CAN apply a tourniquet and don’t get help within 2 hours you’re seriously risking permanent nerve damage as well as upping your chances of death. You’re *suppose* to get medical attention within 2 hours. Longer than that you’re playing it risky. Longer than 6 hours and whatever limb has the tourniquet is likely getting amputated.
BeesEelsAndPups 1 month ago
The point of the tourniquet is to stop blood flowing to that area so you don't bleed out. You are sacrificing the limb to save the body. If you can get to medical attention soon, the limb might be saved, but if not it will die but you will not.
Big Chungus 1 month ago
Yes, this. Basically, assume you will most likely lose the limb, but hopefully save your life
Load More Replies... Riley Quinn 1 month ago
I can barely walk with a pebble in my shoe, so I know I'm not walking with a tourniquet around my leg.
Tyranamar Seuss 1 month ago
After it cuts off circulation the nerves start to die. They go numb. Like when you sit on your leg.
S Bow 1 month ago
That's one reason you should loosen it briefly every 15 minutes.
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#31
If you get hit on the head and knocked unconscious, you don’t just wake up a couple of minutes later and everything’s fine.
Marnie 1 month ago
If you're out as long as a couple of minutes, you have a bad concussion, if not worse. WAY too many shows have a character bonk someone over the head as poor-man's anesthetic. The person is out for 10s of minutes, if not hours, then come to without any seeming physical issues. Nope, if they're out for hours, they should have immediate medical attention and may have brain damage, brain bleed, brain swelling.
Bob Brooce 1 month ago
Fainting can be brief, but if somebody loses consciousness from head trauma they need to be medically cleared. If they lose consciousness briefly, come to, and lose consciousness again it's a serious medical emergency until medical personnel say otherwise.
Bookworm 1 month ago
Even if it's fainting you should still get checked out.
Load More Replies... Lotekguy 1 month ago
Treating it lightly comes from movies and TV detective shows. Guys like Rockford and Mannix would get knocked out in the majority of episodes, with no lasting effect. Take those things more seriously, people.
Nikki Sevven 1 month ago
Even if you're not knocked unconscious, a blow to the head can result in a dangerous concussion or worse.
Riley Quinn 1 month ago
Nope. You may wake in a couple of minutes, but you'll most likely have a concussion and, depending on the severity level, you'll probably end up with a TBI. I know this from experience.
Chich the witch 1 month ago
I like listening to old radio plays from the 40s and 50s. Amazing any of those detectives could speak and drool all over after the number of times they got knocked out
Deborah B 1 month ago
I think the myth may come from minor concussion injuries - you can get a knock on the head that doesn't make you lose conciousness, but does stop you from forming new memories for anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, making you feel like you were not concious during that period.
Geoffrey Scott 1 month ago
In fact (see #27 above) it will scramble you for life. I've had 2 substantial concussions.
#32
If you're cold do not take your clothes off and huddle together "for warmth". Huddle together sure, but taking your clothes releases your body heat.
Don Adams 1 month ago
Also carry a wool blanket. Even wet it will help keep you warm. An old Army issue is ideal.
Load More Replies... Tyranamar Seuss 1 month ago
No, your body heat can't get to each other if you've insulated the other person from it by wearing clothing. Huddle together naked and you can wrap the clothes around you for insulation. And hopefully you have sleeping bags or blankets to get into.
StrangeOne 1 month ago
Do not over dress for cold weather. It's better to be a bit chilly but dry than warm and then sweaty. That sweat makes your clothing moist and then it will be useless at keeping you warm. If you feel your exposed skin starting to sting, that is not frostbite. Yet. When you should worry is when you've lost feeling where it was once hurting. Pay attention to windchill temperatures. -30C air temperature is more tolerable than -18C air temp with windchills at -30C. If you're in temperatures with a much lower windchill, get out of the wind.
Bob Brooce 1 month ago
You're wearing the wrong clothing. You don't want to be wet, but if it's cold and you're going out into the woods you should be wearing stuff that still works if it gets wet. When I used to go hiking or backpacking in the winter all of my insulating layers, including briefs, were wool or a synthetic like polypro. Shells were usually a nylon blend with Gore-tex.
Load More Replies... #33
Not a pure survival myth but something like it, but stepping on mines and not lifting your foot most of the time they will instantly detonate or will have a slight delay before exploding .
Spidercat 1 month ago
Not the bouncers. Bouncers wait till you step off and then the charge is propelled upwards before detonation at around chest height...nasty little things.
Brian Droste 1 month ago
Or hear clicking noise as you step on a mine. I read here before, no you do not hear a clicking noise as you step on a mine. Can anyone confirm or deny this?
Forrest Hobbs 1 month ago
Brian Droste: explosive mines just blow up the instant they're triggered. You have no warning and no chance - beyond the fact that many anti-personnel mines often just cause terrible injuries rather than certain death, assuming you get effective first aid quickly. Hollywood depictions are pure fiction for dramatic effect.
Load More Replies... #34
That you can just go out to the middle of nowhere in the middle of the woods and actually survive more than a few days without Getting dehydrated, starving, freezing, getting eaten, etc and ETC by yourself. You gotta plan, pack and actually KNOW how to survive out there if you’re gonna be alone or even with someone. Being that deep in the woods by yourself, is not like camping.. I mean yes you can get a tent and all that, but again you still gotta know what to do if you don’t have any of that stuff on you or you didn’t even bring anything or if anything gets wet or something.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 month ago
I live in Southern California and people die of exposure ALL THE TIME while hiking around here. Usually they're not more than 30-60 minutes away from a legit, full-on town, too. But they don't prepare themselves, don't bring more than a bottle of water, don't tell anyone where they're going, etc., and even in one of the mildest climates, you CAN die of exposure. TELL someone when you're going hiking/exploring/wandering.
The Big Bad 1 month ago
Learned this the hard way. Got super lucky that somebody found us just in time. If you're from the city it's so easy to underestimate nature.
Riley Quinn 1 month ago
Too frequently we read about hikers who've gotten lost and died, and inevitably they were hiking alone. Make sure people know the trail you're on, the expected return time, and make sure your phone is fully charged. And bring water and extra clothing in case you're stuck overnight.
#35
This is the truth. If you have to forage for food, avoid mushrooms entirely. Odds are so slim you will find an edible kind that you're much better off looking for things like nuts, seeds, and berries.
Chrystina Sumpter 1 month ago
Other way around; every poisonous plant has a nontoxic lookalike. It’s a defense mechanism to look like a poisonous plant that animals avoid consuming.
Load More Replies... Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het 1 month ago
And you do not want to be hallucinating on a magic mushroom when there are bears about. Or maybe you do?
Riley Quinn 1 month ago
Let's face it, if you can't distinguish between toxic berries/seeds and the edible ones, you're equally screwed.
Beak Hookage 1 month ago
My dad decided to eat some random "mushrooms" he found in the garden. Surprise surprise, he got sick.
anne young 1 month ago
Technically all plants are edible. But some unfortunately are only edible once.
Spidercat 1 month ago
Pandas, if necessary...if you need to forage and aren't sure what's what. Cut the fruit and rub a little on your arm then wait 24hrs to see if it reacts. Then nibble a small bit and wait another 24hrs for any reaction. Yeah it means not eating for a while but I probably just saved your life.
#36
Climbing trees to get away from bears. Bears absolutely can and will climb trees.
Beak Hookage 1 month ago
Algy saw the bear. The bear saw Algy. The bear had a bulge. The bulge was Algy.
Philly Bob 1 month ago
If it's black, fight back, if it's brown, lie down, if it's white, say goodnight. But if it's gummy... get in my tummy!!
Riley Quinn 1 month ago
Color coding comes into play here (excluding mothers with cubs): Black bears can usually be frightened off if you make yourself large and noisy. Brown bears will attack, so curl up on the ground and protect your neck. White bears will eat you, and that's a definite.
Rick Murray 1 month ago
Not only that, but bears are bloody fast in all three dimensions. You ever seen bear claws? You better believe it can go up a tree about as fast as it runs on land.
Devin Schmitt 1 month ago
Bears will climb trees to get food. If you climb the tree, you might be the food.
Babs Ishkabibble 1 month ago
How do you tell the difference between a Kodiak and a grizzly? Answer: The grizzly will follow you up the tree and the Kodiak just shakes the tree until you fall out!
#37
Burning wounds to seal them.
Now, you have a burn AND a wound to care for, and will be lucky af if you don't get several infections. If you've lost a part, chances are you'll pass out from shock, and then have that to deal with as well. Pressure and bandages first.
Geoffrey Scott 1 month ago
Larry The Cable Guy: "I Had a horse with a bad leg, they told me to shoot it. Now he has a bad leg and a gunshot wound".
Rick Murray 1 month ago
What, you mean you can't just crack open bullets and pour gunpowder into a wound and then ignite it to stop the bleeding? [sigh]
#38
Making someone vomit if they swallowed poison.
If it's caustic, it will just burn their esophagus a second time on the way out. They should be given something to neutralize the toxin first, such as dilution with oral fluids and depending on the swallowed toxin sometimes activated charcoal to soak up the poison so it can be excreted safely.
Jaya 1 month ago (edited)
Just immediately call 911 and ask them what to do. That is always the safest option, they know exactly what is likely to be the best option, you don't.
Geoffrey Scott 1 month ago
Some labels say induce vomiting, some say do NOT.
Load More Replies... Geobugi🇰🇷🇰🇭 1 month ago
That depends very much on the poison. Everything is poison to a certain degree and in many cases trying to get it out is sensible. If your 3 year old ate some mushrooms they found in the garden, get it out of you can. Still go to the hospital of course but in this case i would highly recommend not to wait 3 hours in some emergency room until somebody finds the time for you. It could be to late. This advice is not generally true, call an ambulance and use your brain
#39
Going as deep as you can into a dark, never before discovered cave and crawl as far through every tight crevice you can to get away and hide. Caves are safe, nothing will collapse on you nor will you get potentially stuck forever. You will find a perfect roomy hiding spot.
Daisydaisy 1 month ago
What terrifying and adventurous lives some people lead! There has never been a single moment in my life when I have had to crawl into the furthest reaches of a dark cave to get away from danger, and I sincerely hope there never will be!
Geoffrey Scott 1 month ago
Allegedly, you can go from Mammoth cave in Kentucky, to Chattanooga Tn underground. This is not on my bucket list.
Load More Replies... StrangeOne 1 month ago
I'm having difficulty understanding if this whole post is the myth or trying to convey what they think is truth. Just Google Nutty Putty cave deaths and there's your warning.
Bob Brooce 1 month ago
The Nutty Putty incident is one of the last outlying data points on the wrong end of the bell curve. I don't know if inexperience was part of the problem, but the cave was so popular that the soft limestone had been smoothed by visitors, making it slippery. Of the fairly small number of real problems people have in caves, getting stuck is very uncommon. Getting lost, often due to poor choice of light sources, is probably the most common, and usually it's inexperienced people who thought that learning how to cave is a DIY thing.
Load More Replies... Tyranamar Seuss 1 month ago
W*F else is living in the dark cave? You think they're all just abandoned?
Charles Kormos 1 month ago
Better yet if you are a cave diver with less than 1/3 of your air left!
Bob Brooce 1 month ago
Rule of sixths if you're a sump diver in the northeastern US.
Load More Replies... Joanne Mendonza-Earle 1 month ago
Like that poor guy that got stuck, and died, upside down cause they couldn't pull him out.
#40
A lot of movies get this wrong: wolves are massive. They are not dog sized. They can fit your whole head in their mouth. You are not winning a 1v1 with a lion sized hangry dog, much less versus a pack of them.
Debbie 1 month ago
They do, but rarely. In 2025, wolf incidents in the Netherlands included a significant rise in livestock attacks (over 741 by November), primarily in Gelderland, alongside rare but serious human encounters, such as a jogger bitten in Hoge Veluwe in April and a possible boy attack in Utrecht in July, highlighting ongoing challenges with wolf management despite updated plans like the " Wolvenplan 2025". Key Incidents & Statistics (2025) Livestock Attacks: Reached 741 confirmed attacks by early November, nearly matching all of 2024, with Gelderland being the most affected province. Human Encounters: April 14, 2025: A woman was bitten twice by a wolf while jogging in Hoge Veluwe National Park. July 30, 2025: A six-year-old boy possibly attacked by a wolf near Austerlitz, Utrecht. General Sightings: Increased sightings and DNA evidence confirmed more wolves in the Netherlands, with 41 new individuals identified in early 2025.
Load More Replies... Russell Bowman 1 month ago
"In Europe and North America we only found evidence for 12 attacks (with 14 victims) of which two (both in North America) were fatal, across a period of 18 years." Rabies played a significant role in most of the attacks. International wolf center report
Riley Quinn 1 month ago
Sure, wolves are massive, but there have only been a few cases of wolves attacking humans. Wolves are intelligent animals and stay away from humans.
️Rando Panda 1 month ago
Wolves, snakes, bears, alligators, and all of the other critters mentioned in this article is why I don't go out in the wilderness. I prefer to experience nature with David Attenborough narrating.
Laura Gillette 1 month ago (edited)
Having read several classic children's stories to my toddler, he has developed a fear of wolves. I can't seem to convince him this is not going to be a problem in his life. We live on the east coast of the US. There are no wolves here. And if we went out west, we'd be lucky to even SEE one. And it would run away from US. Were wolves a bigger problem in the olden days in Europe or something? I guess they probably k****d livestock. But did they k**l more people than they do today?
What do you think ?
Cadastros de Helen Vanessa 1 month ago
Afinal, o lobo mau vai me comer ou não? Esse post tá confuso!
Starbug 1 month ago
Não, porque os lobos não são maus! Se forem provocados, podem te machucar fatalmente, mas provavelmente não comeriam
Load More Replies... Rachel Reynolds 1 month ago
I commented on a lot of these. My source is that my dad was a SERE instructor in the 60's/70's, I was raised by back to land hippies, and I am trained volunteer SER.
Tyranamar Seuss 1 month ago
So who decides these survival tactics are good or not? Some of these just don't make sense. Like most Bored Panda "fact" articles, this one is full of a bunch of c**p.
Cadastros de Helen Vanessa 1 month ago
Afinal, o lobo mau vai me comer ou não? Esse post tá confuso!
Starbug 1 month ago
Não, porque os lobos não são maus! Se forem provocados, podem te machucar fatalmente, mas provavelmente não comeriam
Load More Replies... Rachel Reynolds 1 month ago
I commented on a lot of these. My source is that my dad was a SERE instructor in the 60's/70's, I was raised by back to land hippies, and I am trained volunteer SER.
Tyranamar Seuss 1 month ago
So who decides these survival tactics are good or not? Some of these just don't make sense. Like most Bored Panda "fact" articles, this one is full of a bunch of c**p.
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