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35 Life-Saving Tips That Aren’t Hard To Remember But Might Come In Handy When You Least Expect It, As Told By Our Community
I saw another post asking if you had any not helpful survival tips, but I was wondering if our pandas had any HELPFUL advice.
My three best tips are if you facing the rising sun, that's east. If you turn right, that's south. If you turn left, that's north, and if you turn all the way around, that's west. My second tip is don't drink standing water, and my third tip is if you find a river, go downstream (there's likely a settlement there).
Bonus tip from a video game: If you see a plume of smoke, there's likely someone at the origin. Scroll down for all the useful tips!
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If you're ever alone and get something stuck in your throat 'til you can't breathe, throw yourself backward against a wall or any hard vertical surface. Do it 'til it dislodges the object. Thank goodness for the foot-thick concrete walls of that old creamery building, I'm still here.
If you live in a place that gets tornadoes, keep a loud whistle wherever you take shelter. If you get trapped under debris, a whistle is louder than yelling and doesn't take as much energy.
If you are buried under snow, rubble or debris, it's wise to pee yourself. The smell will make it easier for search dogs to find you faster.
If you encounter a wolf, NEVER, EVER run away, as it will think you are prey fleeing. And ALWAYS keep eye contact with the wolf (yet don’t stare) while raising your arms to make yourself look big and intimidating. Slowly back away. This trick works gradually, but if you want to scare them off quickly, bend down (WHILE KEEPING EYE CONTACT) and pick up a stick or rock to throw at the wolf. You can also, if you have a gun, shoot it in the air. DO NOT shoot it at the wolf, as if they survive the shot they will charge and try to kill you. If you are walking with a group, link together and be intimidating-also, if there are vulnerable or young people, form a circle and keep them in the middle. Wolves rarely attack people unless rabid, starving, (Really, really starving) hurt, or if you had gone too close to them or terrorized them in any way. Wolf attacks and encounters are very rare, as wolves are shy and actually harmless. They are a major keystone species and very essential to the environment, so they aren’t bad at all. Many people are misled, thinking “Oh Wolves are bad because they are bloodthirsty killers, they want to hurt us.” But no, they are actually not. If you are camping, a campfire will also deter them away.
If you're going through thick woods and you want to get out into a clearing, look at the treetops. You can notice clearings better than looking through the trees at eye level.
I've never heard this tip before. Getting lost in the woods has always been a fear of mine!
Always keep a jar of peanut butter in your vehicle. Lots of calories and it lasts along time without spoiling.
A small Swiss Army knife or Leatherman comes in handy for unexpected situations, especially if it comes with small pliers.
Know your exits. If you're at a concert or bar or theatre or anywhere like that take a second when you arrive to note the location of the exits. In a fire or other disaster most people will head for the door they came in. If there's going to be a crush, that's where it will be.
If there is smoke then, if possible, get low and stay down until you're out of the building. One or two breaths of smoke can incapacitate you. If you can't get low try and find something - a shirt, a scarf, anything, to tie over your mouth and nose. If you can wet it first so much the better.
And remember once out never ever re-enter a burning building. The odds are that you won't save anyone, you'll just add to the body count. I mean if your kids are in there you're probably going to ignore this and that's understandable, but just know you have very low odds of success without breathing apparatus.
The first of these is hugely important though, so I'm repeating it. Always always know your exits.
A car 'emergency kit' with basic tools, long-life foods, battery bank and charging cables, flashlight and an inflatable pillow... I have an ever-growing survival set of items I needed but did not have at one time.
In a tote bag or XXX large zip loc bag: a sweat shirt, a T shirt, leggings, flip flops. Also throw in large trash bags. If you get hot/cold/wet, these are great to change into. Extra room? Carry a blanket and small pillow. Never know when traffic stops that it could be a while. I like to think if you are prepared, you will never need these.
In a restaurant or a bar never leave your drink unattended. Spiking drinks is more common than people think.
Adding on to this...Never accept a drink from someone you don't know or one that you didn't directly watch being made.
If your hair ever starts to stand up when you are outside, run, and run like HECK! You might be struck by lightning.
Or, don't be the tallest thing around. Lay down in a dip, not beside a tree.
If you are going anywhere away from everyone who cares about you (whether on a hike or a date) let someone know where you are going, when you expect to be back and who to contact if you are not contactable after that time.
Always carry three items with you no matter what: A lighter, a foil emergency blanket, and a cheap rain poncho in a packet. These take up very little space even in pockets, provide fire, shelter, and in the case of the foil blanket, also a signal device.
If stranded in the desert, NEVER drink cactus water. It's too acidic to be useful and can cause vomiting, diarrhea, or even temporary paralysis. Not fun. Additionally, find a place in the shade during the day and travel at night.
If you're hiking in cold weather and start to sweat, stop and remove some layers until you feel cool again.
The wet clothes will sap you of your bodywarmth otherwise, in case you were wondering.
If someone pulls a gun on you DON'T allow them to take you to a different location. Run away.
Teach your children Your (real) Name, Phone number, home address, and a safe word that only you all know
If they get lost at a park/amusement park/mall etc... they will know your name not just call you mom or dad or grandma, granddad, aunt uncle, sister, brother...or by a nick name
Take a picture of your kid(s) once you get to your destination, this way, if they do become separated from you...you will have a current picture of them.
The safe word: if someone says Your Mom Dad etc, said for me to come get you...your kid should asks them for the safe word given, so they know to go with them...
One of the things I had kindergartners do, learn names and addresses and phone numbers. The hard thing was that some low income families the phone numbers would be disconnected in a month or two. Kind of scary when you want to help the kids be safe.
Stay away from glass office windows if you hear a ruckus going on outside. Bombers lure people to the windows by creating disturbances outside.
The emergency signal SOS in morse code is 3xshort 3xlong 3xshort. The alpine emergency signal is 1 short signal every 10 seconds for a minute, followed by a one-minute pause. (Confirmation answer is 3 short signals)
I always make sure my gas tank is more than half full (especially in the winter). Carry printed maps, peanut butter, a gallon of water, crackers, an extra coat, pillow, blanket, and a whole extra outfit including shoes. Also have jumper cables, tire plug kit, and some basic tools.
Cat litter. If you get stuck in the snow, spread the cat litter on the ice and try to get it under your tires. Bonus if it's the cheap heavy kind so you'll have the extra weight on your tires.
When you go hiking, wear proper equipment, preferably hiking/combat boots with long laces. If you tie the laces tightly around your foot the chances of you spraining your ankle lessens. The boot will support it.
I personally am quite accident prone. I always take a cloth with me in case i need to stop a wound from bleeding and keep skin in place. I've had to reattach the front half of my leg with Band-Aids before and trust me, the cloth works far better. Press the cloth over the wound and tie it with the shoelaces.
Not really survival but definitely helpful for just not getting hurt too badly.
In your car: have a permanent marker in the cup holder, glove box or between the front seat pocket. If anything happens, you see anything, need to remember something, write it on the glass window, rearview mirror, on your hand, anywhere. Pens & pencils are unreliable. Clean off marker later. (For a license plate #, address, car make, model & color.)
Put on the kettle for tea/coffee if you get lost. As soon as you realise yoh are lost, stop. Make a fire or at least sit down and eat/drink something. Do not leave untill you have a direction and plan. The fire and put on the kettle bit will help you to calm down, and give comfort. That was the first thing we learned on the survival course when I went to a school for forrestry workers in my youth. It was up in Swedish Lappland, and the survival bit was serious - if you get lost and start to walk in the wrong direction up there, you will most likely never be seen again.
If you find water, DON'T DRINK IT. Boil it first then use it for tea. Or you could also use one of those tablets that purify water. This kills all the bacteria in it so it's safe to drink.
If you live in an area with tornados, wear sturdy shoes in your safe place. If the worst happens, you will at least have good shoes on to clean up the aftermath.
Probably makes more sense to keep a pair of sturdy shoes in the safe place. If you have to get to the shelter fast you don't want to be wasting time grabbing shoes.
Do not consider yourself as a main character, where everything is gonna be ok. Always think twice.. Bad thins happens with you too.
If you're lost, in trouble, or being followed/harassed, it's far better to just pick a person and ask for help rather than relying on someone who offers. Most people are willing to help you if you ask with a specific request and someone volunteering might just be seeing a situation where they can take advantage of your vulnerability. The best person to ask is a woman with children with her followed by a man with children with him. People with children are more likely to be decent to set a good example for their kids in public and if they are a garbage human being will behave in front of their kids.
I don't trust this as I'm sure there are people who use children to create a false sense of security (just as many use children to pick pocket or as a distraction.) Instead, head into a shop/restaurant/gas station and calmly ask for help from the first employee you see. If you're in a car head to a police station or hospital.
If you are lost in the countryside, follow water. Almost all towns, villages, cities are built near water. Folllowing water will mean you dont go in circles, have a ready source of drinkable water and are more likely to find civilisation. Depending on what you are carrying you may also be able to catch fish as well.
Hiking: If unfamiliar, take a map or compass. If you have a dog with you, follow your dog. Their sense of direction is amazing. I should have paid attention to mine when I was lost. She headed in the right direction and me thinking it was wrong, told her to follow me; ended up walking in circles until I found my way out. Bring water and food that won't spoil.
Always have baking soda at hand near the stove to put out fires. Never put out a fire on the stove or oven with water, in case there's grease. Always keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen or know where the closest one is in the building.
If you need to catch a falling knife, always do so with your hands flat and clap them closed. (I did this once at work.)
Get a carbon monoxide detector.
Take a CPR class, especially if you have kids, and retake it every few years.
If you're hiking in the snow, doing some winter camping, or anything where you might be outside in the cold, don't drink alcohol. It's not making you warm, it's lowering your internal body temperature, putting you at greater risk of hypothermia.
If you are out in the cold without enough clothing, homeless, etc, buy a newspaper, crumple it up and put it under your clothes. The crumpled newspaper creates pockets of air that will help keep you warm.
Buy? Uh no dude. I can find that stuff lying around and that $1.50 can buy a hell of a lot of Ramen.
Attach Your name-phone number-emergency contact-address to your coat/kid's coat
Never assume something is safe to eat because a deer/various other prey mammal ate it,they process some things different from us.
Always have something with you made from rope. You can get cool key chains, belts, etc. that are made from strong rope. Tie a car shut, can't quite reach a hand, "lasso" a dropped object...so may sticky situations made better with rope.
1: If you're being chased by a bear, don't climb trees. They are very strong and can knock down smaller trees, and younger bears can climb. Instead, lay down. That should make them think you're dead, and they'll leave you alone. If they start licking your wounds, then that means they'll eat you, though.
2: If you're being chased by a black bear, fight back. It should scare them away. If you're being chased by a brown bear, try the tip above. If you're being chased by a polar bear, throw your clothes down. They have ADHD, and will be forced to sniff every single piece of clothing.
3: If you're walking through a forest or something like that, and everything goes quiet, instead of birds chirping, or other animals, get out of that spot. It means there's most likely a predator nearby.
Great tips over all but I'm pretty sure if you're being chased by a polar bear you're not going to slow down enough to shed layers. I think the adage to remember how to deal with bears is "If it's brown, lie down. If it's black, fight back. If it's white, say good night."
If you are in the trunk of a car, you can kick the headlight out (on most cars) and stick your foot out and wave it like crazy. People will notice it and call the police to help you.
Don't eat snow. It will kill you by giving you hypothermia.
If you MUST eat something and aren't sure if it will kill you, mash it up and spread some on you lips. DO NOT ACCIDENTALLY EAT ANY OF IT.
If after fifteen minutes there is no rash or itch, it has a higher chance of being safe. Unless the plant smells like almond. Then it will probably kill you. But, as a general rule of thumb, don't eat something if you aren't 100% sure it is edible.
Higher chance of being safe... This is the shortest version of this I have ever seen. You should start by rubbing it on your skin, don't start with the lips or mouth. Non sensitive skin to test for contact. You should wait at least an hour before "passing" the first contact test. Then you move on to doing the same with the inside of the mouth or lips. Then wait at least an hour. If it still passes you can swallow the smallest possible amount. Then wait for 4-8 hours before the next step. If you still feel fine and dandy, you can eat a small bite. And again wait 4-8 hours. If at this stage there is no nausia, vomiting or diarrea, at this point, it might be safe. As you can tell, it's a process that takes a lot of time, since you can't eat anything else during the testing. And then you can only be sure that it isn't directly poisonous, it might still be very bad for you in the long run.
You can't put out fire rolling on cement, gravel, or pavement. Look for grass, dirt, or water.
If a tornado looks like it’s not moving that means if coming towards you
Always carry a knife (I have a small switch blade) it’s been useful so many times I cannot even explain. Keep a small emergency first aid kit in the car. Never help strangers that are ASKING for help. Call someone or report it it authorities. Obviously there can be some special occasions but in general thieves, rapists, serial killers ect use the “can you help me” to lure you into an unsafe situation and prey upon you.
Put a list of phone numbers in your purse or wallet & also in your glove box in case you lose your phone. We don't remember phone numbers anymore. You may need to borrow a phone to call someone. Especially if you're alone
Never walk outside with loud music in your ears alone. I know it's nice to shut everything out, but you need to hear in case something happens. Even inside.
Keep a tarp and rope in your bag. These things are the most useful things ever.
Water, shelter, food, in that order. Always sleep off of the ground, especially in areas where it can get cold.
Keep a blanket, snacks, and a small first aid kit in your car in case you break down somewhere
Learn defensive driving. Save your life and others on black ice, in a riot or highway situation, and if being intimidated. Keeping cool and knowing how to use your vehicle to tap, evade, and even wreck well so you don't hurt yourself and can drive away alive.
My instinct is that the people who go on those kind of advanced driving courses probably end up way too confident in their own abilities and have more accidents than ordinary drivers. This study seems to back that up: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/assets/resources/research/reports/677/677-the-effectiveness-of-advanced-driver-training.pdf
A majority of dog treats are edible for short-term/survival.
I misread this as 'A majority of dogs are edible for short-term/survival.' Like certain dogs are not considered edible. Thing is, some sickos eat them and not even for survival.
if someones in your car telling you to drive, drive into a nearby pole or tree better to have a damaged car then let this person do what they want
Keep your seat belt on. Most likely the guy kidnapping you isn't going to be thinking safety first. Drive a fast as you can into a telephone pole. I hit a pole doing 50 mph while wearing a seat belt. I walked away but if I hadn't been wearing it I would've been a corpse.
If someone ever tries to kidnap/carjack you, throw your keys as far as you can and run. It gives you time to get away and thwarts their quick getaway.
Unless you’re just going to anger them, remember that human life is very cheap in many countries!
If you see a zip tie on your car that you didn't put there, don't get in, someone is watching you. Get help from the police or a friend if you're with one.
If you get in and there's money on the windshield, don't get out, someone is trying to steal your car. Just lock your doors and roll your windows up and call the police.
If you have a dog and you see a random zip tie on your fence, get help because that means someone marked it to remember to steal your dog later.
There are markings that thieves will use on houses to tell whether or not your house is good to rob. I'd suggest looking these up and remembering them, because if you see one on yours or someone else's house, you need to be able to understand it and possibly get help.
This sounds like so much urban legend crap. "Like don't flash your lights because gangs might shoot you." Not everything you read in your inbox is true.
This is more for vulnerable people walking at night; Always make sure you have a sturdy keychain you can grip into a fist while poking a house key through your index and middle fingers. This way if someone tries to mug you, or worse, you have something you can poke them with. Better than a punch and most will jet, or you'll injure the person and have time to call out for help.
It's not a survival tip, but it's so good Imma put it here; keep a nice long book in your car. You can read it when bored or use it as a weapon 🌚
I once brought the 700+ page copy of a Harry Potter book for a 45 minute car ride...my mom was not pleased.
Always keep a pair of clothing when going somewhere even if a 2-4hour road trip. Something can spill, clothes can be torn or some other reason.
Or there can be a freak storm in an area that never storms. * had to hike home in 2 feet of snow in CA, sky was clear just an hour earlier when we left home.*
You can eat dandelion leaves, although bitter, and the roots can be boiled into tea. I've done both, although neither hugely filling, they are plentiful where I live.
And remember - (as far as I know) dandelions are the ONLY safe plant, with white milky sap. Avoid it, if it's some other plant, with such sap.
The pretty white berries. Don't eat them they are called snow berries and cause organ failure
If somebody comes up to you saying, "Hey man, I ain't gonna rob you." They are probably going to rob you. (Mostly for bigger cities with lots of underground activity.)
If you are stranded out in the cold with other people and can't build a fire for whatever reason, huddle up together especially when you go to sleep so that you share body heat to help keep warm. (I know this can be pretty obvious to some but i thought since i didn't see it i would mention it, if it is mentioned before you see this one just know that there were only 78 answers to bored panda's question for me when i added this)
I mean, das kinda gay tho (I'm being sarcastic, it's probably a great survival tip)
The best survival tool is a large industrial-strength garbage bag—thé really thick contracter bags found in hardware stores. You can use it to catch rainwater for drinking, as a blanket or poncho, and tie the corners to trees using rope or vines/cordage to make a rough shelter.
Or if you're a certain recently notorious anti-Semite, wear it and call it fashion.
If you’re in public and someone tries to hurt/rob/kidnap you, yell “fire!” instead of “help!” to get the attention of passersby. That way people will know you’re for real and it’s urgent. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if someone is just joking around with friends or making a TikTok. “Fire!” gets attention.
Dont drink your own urine if you are stranded in a very hot environment. It's just as bad as drinking water from the ocean. Instead you should pour it on yourself to keep cool and possibly ward off animals.
If an alligator attacks you hold its mouth shut and get on its back.
Yeah, hold the mouth...try holding one of the strongest jaws in the world with your meagre armsies....
Don't just blindly follow sh1t from sites like this. Confirm all information before using any advice from internet strangers.
I'll give you point for this. It's wise not to follow all advise found on the internet and double check with legit resources (an easy rule of thumb are source sites that end with .edu or .gov instead of .com)
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If you are being followed and you live in a neighborhood, knock on the nearest strangers door and whoever is following you will likely run away. Then they also don't find out where you live.
Thanks, I'll make note of this!
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Don't just blindly follow sh1t from sites like this. Confirm all information before using any advice from internet strangers.
I'll give you point for this. It's wise not to follow all advise found on the internet and double check with legit resources (an easy rule of thumb are source sites that end with .edu or .gov instead of .com)
Load More Replies... If you are being followed and you live in a neighborhood, knock on the nearest strangers door and whoever is following you will likely run away. Then they also don't find out where you live.
Thanks, I'll make note of this!
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