As the proverb goes, caution is the parent of safety. The truth is that we never expect the worst to happen; hence we rarely prepare for what we would do if it did. For many, the only training they have ever done was fire and first aid training in school. In fact, according to research by the British Red Cross, only 5% of individuals have the knowledge and confidence necessary to give first aid in an emergency. Such a low percentage shows that the majority of the population is, in fact, unaware of how to respond to potentially detrimental situations. While health and fitness tips are important, tips that could save your life one day are, arguably, even more so.
Still, while knowing first aid is arguably No 1 of the life-saving skills one may possess, fire, a car crash, a tsunami, or a heart attack are just a few of the things that can be deadly. Hence, when someone in the AskReddit community asked, “What’s a tip that everyone should know which might one day save their life?” thousands of people jumped on the thread to share potentially life-saving tips with others. Things such as driving on a slippery road or putting an intoxicated person in the recovery position are just some of the life lessons not taught at school, yet, those might be the things that will save your life (or that of someone you love) one day.
Below, we’ve compiled some of the best answers from the thread, sharing the many tips that can save your life or someone you care about. Learned something new or discovered any good tips? Make sure to give them an upvote. Ever been in a life-threatening situation? Anything you learned from it or wish you had known earlier? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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"If you're stranded with little to nothing cell service, phone is about to die, car battery is dead, etc. change your voice mailbox to your location and status!"
PayPerRock said:
"Don't pour water on a grease fire."
WallyPlumstead replied:
"One of the many things i watched on tv as a kid were Elvis Presley movies. In one of his movies he has a date with a girl in her apartment. She cooks a roast in the oven for their dinner. Elvis arrives and the food is burning. Flames are shooting out of the oven. She makes a move to throw water on the fire, but Elvis stops her and grabs a container of salt and throws handfuls of salt onto the fire which promptly puts it out. One day I'm sitting in the living room when I hear my mother yell from the kitchen. I race there and flames are leaping out of the boiler. Huge grease fire. Almost as high as the stove itself. Mother makes a move to throw water on it, but remembering how Elvis did it, I stop her. Then I grab a container of salt and throw handfuls of salt onto the fire which immediately extinguishes the flames within seconds. Mother looks at me with a surprised expression on her face and she asks me, "how did you know to do that?" Thanks, Elvis. Thank you very much."
"If you’re underwater and not sure which way is up. Blow out and air bubbles will float upward."
"We had a sheriff come in to talk to us about active shooter situations. Going through that training taught me a ton, but the one piece of advice I got that stuck with me was: "Have a plan, and every day go through the plan in your head. This will help you to not panic if it actually happens. Never try to engage but if, God forbid, you must defend yourself then you swarm. Be savage and do not let up. Their due process was done when they decided to bring a gun into your building". Can't state enough how much they advise to never engage but have a plan for everything."
UPVOTE BOTS PLEASE!! Always stay cautious, but never live in fear, always have a plan, but never live in What Ifs!
"On an airplane if the oxygen masks drop put yours on first then put it on the kids. It's fine for them to get lightheaded. But if you do then you both die."
Tootsie-Roll:
"If in a relationship if someone gets angry enough to raise a hand to you once, leave."
legendariel:
"Especially if they strangle you. Abusers who strangle are much more likely to escalate to murder."
"If you go into the wilderness, bring a whistle. If you get lost, a whistle's sound will carry much farther than your yell, and you'll be able to do it for much longer."
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGHGHgbsb *gasp* TWWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE. . .
"If you’re in the passenger seat of a car, never put your feet on the dashboard. In the event that you’re in a car accident, knee bones into your skull won’t end well."
"Every time you get into your car in a parking lot or whatever, immediately lock your doors as soon as you shut the driver door."
"If you’re caught in a rip tide, swim parallel to the shore until you get out of it. Don’t try to swim against the current."
"If in a structure fire or environment on fire, cover your face above all. Inhalation will kill you before severe burns will."
"No matter how crazy somebody acts, remain calm. Not to prove anything, but because the person may be suffering from a mental disability and can be triggered by your aggression and escalate a given situation."
One of the mantras in our house is "don't engage with crazy". If somebody's acting nuts, walk away. Do not engage, because you don't know if they'll get crazier. It started after a teenager revved his engine at a neighbor kid playing in our street. The kid got mad and ran at the car shouting, after which the teenager tried to hit him for real. He missed; the boy was fine, but we all had a good life lesson that day. Don't engage with crazy.
"If you're stabbed or impaled and the offending object is still in your body, do not pull it out. Doing so can make you bleed out."
"Never leave your drinks unattended. Everyone will try to put something in there, even the bartenders."
"You can perform the Heimlich maneuver on yourself by making a fist and pushing upward quickly on the space between your rib cage and navel. You can lean on a piece of furniture and quickly thrust your abdomen against the edge. I've done it twice. Still alive."
Anyone know tips for bruising? I should save this for when I really need it, huh
"Wear light-colored clothing or reflective clothing at night if you are walking around. This helps people in cars see you and not run you over."
Upvote please! People these days don’t seem to know to wear white at night. Just the other night. Some guy crossing a dark road in the rain, wearing all black. Fool. I almost hit your @$$!
"If you ever get kidnapped and are in the kidnapper's vehicle, wait until you are around a lot of traffic and pull the steering wheel to make the car crash. People will immediately go to see if you are okay and call emergency vehicles. You’re going to be injured or killed whether you cause an accident or go to the second location anyways. Might as well pull attention to yourself."
if you're in the back, poke out the taillight and wave your arm through the hole. people will see and call 911.
"If you're ever sailing on a ship deemed unsinkable, pack extra lifeboats."
"If you ever feel intense pressure in your chest that radiates up into your jaw you are probably having a heart attack."
Vomiting and diarrhoea are another,also intense sweating. My ex had 2 heart attacks within 2 weeks
"If you’re in a crowd and there’s a possibility of a human crush, go with the waves of people instead of against it and, when possible, go back and diagonally to get out of it. If you’re rigid, you’ll get pushed over and trampled to death and you absolutely don’t want to get to the front."
"When the government is shutting down events that are outdoors due to bad weather or closed off certain areas because of danger or sends out an evacuation notice. Listen and don't do the opposite putting others in danger."
"Moss can grow on any side of a tree, not just north. Do not use this for navigational purposes if you become lost in the forest. A compass is a much more precise instrument of navigation, and should be your constant companion if you decide to go hiking/camping."
I remember thinking this as a kid and going outside and saying "ah ha...moss so that's north" and then immediately seeing moss on the other side of the tree. Lol
"If you are ever being attacked or kidnapped by someone with a nose ring, earring, or any sort of visible piercing, tear it out. It hurts. Especially the nose ring."
Also, if they’re wearing a necklace, it can serve as a garrote. Otherwise, bite and scratch at the eyes, nose, ears, and kick at the kneecaps, backs of the legs, and privates.
"Learn basic first aid. It could save you and or someone else and at least gives you the best chance till you get proper medical attention. I should say that first aid courses are usually easy to find and are worth your time no matter where or what you do."
When I had my daughter, the hospital had a 24 hour new parent channel that had infant CPR techniques. When she just started walking, she picked up a small rock and started choking on it and because I knew what to do, I was able to dislodge it. Another trick was if they stick something up their nose, (which they LOVE to do) close the other nostril with your finger and blow into their mouth. It shoots right out.
"If you get kidnapped/abducted, fake a seizure. Many kidnappers don't want to deal with a deathly ill victim and will most likely leave you. Not to mention it draws attention when done in a public place."
That's clever and I'd never have thought of it. Makes complete sense: if someone says they're going to stick you with a knife, they may poke you a bit if you argue or disobey. But if you simply flop to the ground and start flailing your arms and legs, sticking you with a knife isn't going to achieve anything other than drawing more attention to it. I'll remember this one.
"If you are watching over a drunk friend, make them put on a backpack stuffed with pillows/blankets before they lay down. That way they can’t roll over."
notreallysrs said:
"If u get bit by something with venom don't try to suck it out."
sojahi replied:
"The current advice is pressure immobilisation with wide elastic bandages if you have them, or strips of cloth/ pieces of clothing if you don't."
"If you are stuck in your car during a dire emergency, take the headrest off your seat, if applicable, and use it to smash the window."
A lot of people aren't strong enough to do that, and would probably be better off kinda laying on their back and trying to kick the window out by stomping on it with the heels of both feet. You can generate a lot more force with both legs than by awkwardly swinging a headrest with your arms (assuming you can even remove it). But yeah, just get an emergency car tool to play it safe.
"Never search for your keys. Always have them in your hand. Before you leave one destination to go to the car, before you leave your car to go into your house. Always have the key you need in your hand."
reddit used said:
"If you're ever kidnapped... and you or your family are not rich. Fight (and run) with all you have because you are not being kidnapped for ransom."
Spinolio replied:
"Any time your captors are going to move you to a second location, you are more or less already dead. Might as well roll the dice and put up the best fight you can manage."
in college, a policeman told a group of girls that if someone tries to force you into a car, go limp and drop to the ground. If the intent is to kill you, better to be found in, i.e. a parking lot than days, weeks, months or years later in another location.
TheLightningCount1 said:
"If you drop a loaded gun, do not try to catch it. Let it fall. Modern firearms do not just "go off" for like no reason. Trying to catch it makes it easier to accidentally pull the trigger. Before people go off about antique guns and blah blah yadda yadda. Unless you are at the range, your antique needs to be in its case or you are an irresponsible gun owner. Modern firearms do not just fire off like that."
liposwine replied:
"Also a knife. A dropped knife has no handle."
"Close your eyes when you hear an explosion. It might save your eyes from small shrapnel."
"If you feel really sick and have a sense of impending doom go to the doctor immediately."
"If a police officer tries to pull you over in a dark isolated area, don't stop until you reach a public place. People pretending to be police to rob or kidnap people is a real thing."
Slow down, put on your hazard lights so they know you’re cooperating. Call 911 and let them know what’s going on and that you’re looking for a populated area to pull over. The dispatcher can radio the PD to confirm a legit cop is behind you. Keep the dispatcher on the phone the whole time until the traffic stop is concluded.
"If something about a situation just feels "wrong" or "dangerous", trust your gut instinct. Your gut instinct is the result of millions of years of evolution, and its sole purpose is to keep you alive. It's better to embarrass yourself or insult someone else than to die."
My gut feeling never works at all, the opposite of whatever it tells me happens
"Prop someone on their side when they're drunk and passed out. If they're laying on their back and start vomiting they could asphyxiate themselves."
"When going to a rural or not-as-wealthy country, never drink raw water. Always drink water or drinks that are bottled or canned. This can’t really save your life, but it will protect you from diseases and stomach poisoning."
"If you’re ever in a potential life or death situation involving another person, don’t be afraid to fight dirty. It’s better to pop a testicle, damage a mammary gland, or gouge an eye than die. It sounds like common sense, but it’s forgotten a lot when confronted with such a unique situation."
"If you have an argument and or fight with someone, do not turn your back to them when you walk away. The back of your head is very vulnerable and walking away means they have a free shot. Also if you think a fight may occur and there is no way to escape, Put your back to a wall, and ensure you can see everything in front of you and nothing will be able to get behind you and surprise you. This is the worse-case scenario of course."
"If you have been on the fence for a while about being too cold to continue, in a backcountry situation, you are already too cold. Immediately make emergency efforts to get warm. Being hypothermic severely clouds your judgement."
"If you're lost in the woods, don't leave your location. People searching for you will start at your last known location/heading, and you'll just make their job harder by expanding the search area. If you must leave, follow the water. Early cities/towns were usually founded near a source of water, if you follow a stream you're more likely to run into civilization... usually downstream, but really depends on where you are."
This greatly depends on what sort of woods you are in, whether you have told people you are going into the woods, what the search and rescue situation is in that part of the world, etc. ....... One of the best things about being lost in the woods is you will often find branches and twigs. If you have decided the best course of action is walk, then use the twigs and branches to make arrows showing the way you are travelling. Every so often, hug a tree, at dog-nose height. This will make it so much easier for tracker dogs to find you.
"Don't mix household cleaners. Especially don't mix bleach with ammonia. That'll produce a toxic gas that can kill you."
"Hey mother in law, I found this new cleaning tip thats SUPER AWSOME! mix bleach with ammonia!"
"If you are being questioned by the police, and not arrested or detained, you are able to leave whenever you want. If you are "arrested" don't speak. Just don't speak and ask for a lawyer."
This need to be higher, this is one of the ones that a lot of people really might need.
"Do not down shift to slow down on icy roads."
Pretty certain downshifting (engine braking) is the most efficient way to slow down on ice roads... braking heavily using the brakes can cause you to skid and lose traction. High gear, low revs and engine braking - that's what I learnt to do...
"Never let anyone walk behind you, 7/10 attacks are from the rear."
"If there was an earthquake at the beach you're on and you see the water receding away, run to higher ground immediately because a tsunami is coming. If you're in a town near water and see the water in ditches or rivers flowing the wrong way, seek higher ground because a tsunami is coming."
The only thing I would dispute here is the earthquake bit. You don't need to have noticed an earthquake. If the water is abnormally receding, you should not assume you are safe because you haven't noticed anything else.
"When pumping fuel if there is a fire do not pull the nozzle out. Just stop the flow if possible and back away. And hit the fire suppression system."
Given the amount of people I've seen still smoking at petrol stations, this is good advice!
"Shortness of breath can indicate heart problems. My father told our family doctor about it and they sent him for tests. They found problems and did open heart surgery. It saved his life and I want more people to know about this seemingly unrelated symptom."
"If you need to break open a car window using a tool do not hit the middle, hit one of the corners. The middle of the window is reinforced to prevent it from being broken."
"Get a yearly physical. Hypertension and diabetes have little to no symptoms and are very deadly if left untreated."
Other option for hypertension is borrowing the home meter from someone who has one to keep track of their blood pressure. We've got one because bf is on meds for high blood pressure and high cholesterol
"Black bears will eat you if you play dead. Don't play dead. Fight back with whatever means you have."
"Run, even if they have a gun pointed at you. If they shoot you for running away they sure as hell were going to shoot you later - and probably worse stuff before that."
"If you have a skin mole that has blurry edges, isn't symmetrical, is a weird shade of red, weeps fluids or acts like an open wound that won't heal, you might have skin cancer. Go to a doctor immediately. Melanoma kills fast. If you have benign skin moles, keep an eye on them. Get an idea of how they should normally look so you'll notice if any begin to change as I mentioned above. Don't forget to put on sunscreen!"
I’m going to dispute the red part, VERY SPECIFICALLY, there is a type of skin thing called a cherry angioma that resembles a small, bright red mole and is completely benign in most if not all cases. It’s a cluster of blood vessels forming a mole like structure.
"As a life long Floridian, I see this all the time here, and else where in the news. In the event of a disaster, stay away from downed power lines!! Don’t walk along the street with them, don’t drive your car over them, don’t take selfies with them. They’re thunder noodles and have been known to kill."
And if you do find yourself in proximity to downed lines, don't lift your feet. Shuffle away.
"Have a glass breaker/seatbelt cutter in your car. A lot of knives come with both on them and can be as cheap as $15-$20. Better to have something you don't need than to need something you don't have."
"If something catches on fire on your toaster oven don’t open the door. Turn off the oven and let the fire burn itself out. Opening the door let’s oxygen into the oven which will feed the fire."
MarsNirgal said:
"Unless there is a danger in doing so, stay in your car if you're stranded in the desert/snow. If you're in the desert you may need to get under your car because of the heat, but don't get away from your car. Your car is easier to find than you. If you know where you are and know how to get safely to a safe place, do it, but don't go to search for help without aim. Don't walk on the roadside, you're gonna get hit."
Zuzublue replied:
"Stay in your car always - unless there’s a serious guardrail and you can get far away. Had a friend get both legs broken while waiting for help standing on the side of the road."
"Know how to swim. You don’t need to be Michael Phelps, but it’s great to be able to swim decently and tread water. Also, if you’re ever kidnapped try to leave personal items along the way, like drop a ring or earring in the car or something. It can be helpful to find you and is evidence in trial."
WreckedButWhole said:
"Do not jump in the water to save a drowning person unless absolutely necessary i.e. a child etc. Drowning people tend to clasp on their rescuers and drag them under with them. Find something to throw or some sort of lifeline."
sweadle replied:
"If a drowning person does grab on, they will essentially try to climb you like a ladder or push you under to get the leverage to get some air. It's instinctive at that point and impossible to override. If you're being pushed under, just swim down out of their grasp, come up little ways away, and try to reapproach."
if all else fails thick jeans or something water resistant can be tied, blown in to as much as you can and made into a floatie of sorts, pretty pathetic, but it can be enough
"If a nuclear bomb is dropped near you, seek shelter immediately. Close all windows and doors and turn off anything that circulates air, such as heating, AC, and fans. Take off your clothes, shower well, shampoo your hair, but do not use conditioner (which could trap contaminated particles in your hair). Stay inside for at least 24 hours, 72 if you can. Don’t go outside for any reason, not even to look for family. If you do this, nuclear attacks are surprisingly survivable. So many people think they don’t need to have an emergency plan because they think they’d automatically die in a nuclear attack... don’t be like those people!"
I wouldn’t want to survive a nuclear attack and face the trauma for the rest of my life so I’d rather be planless and die
"If a dog is going to attack you do not run. Make yourself look as big as you can and yell and snarl like a maniac, failing that kick that dog. You are smart, you have two arms two legs and a mouth. A dog only has a mouth. You can defend yourself. Believe in yourself."
Awww, no, my little babykins would never! I trust dogs so much I'd probably go "awww puppy" even while being eaten alive.
"If you have back pain, don’t assume it’s a muscle or a disc. Get it checked out ASAP. I had a boss who dealt with back pain for years and never sought treatment. When he finally saw a doctor for it, they discovered he had stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He was dead in less than 6 months."
"When you get stuck in quicksand lay down on your back. This helps you keep afloat."
"At a bank robbery. Do not unmask the robbers. They will probably shoot you."
"At all costs, don't let an attacker drag you into a vehicle. You never want to go to a second location."
This was higher up- if you’re being taken to another location, you’re as good as dead and should do anything and everything possible to fight back and get away.
"There was a post in 2 of a woman being harassed by a drunk guy and she just started barking at him."
And where's the life-saving tip here? Barking at attackers? How about raising a leg and peeing on them? Should be effective as long as they don't throw a stick.
Dammit_Alan said:
"The most important thing you can ever do in a potentially life-threatening situation is to breathe (when possible) and focus on doing things, calmly. 'You can always freak out later. Panic after you survive.'"
mxrmaidtits replied:
"My parents got into a car accident before I was born (a drunk driver hit their taxi). And luckily they were so drunk that they were incredibly calm about it, and were then told that’s what may have saved their lives."
"F.A.S.T. which is a way to identify if you or someone else is having a stroke. Facial drooping: a section of the face, usually only on one side, that is drooping and hard to move. This can be recognized by a crooked smile. Arm weakness: the inability to raise one's arm fully. Speech difficulties: an inability or difficulty to understand or produce speech. Time: if any of the symptoms above are showing, time is of the essence; call the emergency services or go to the hospital."
And DONT tell the person you think they are having a stroke - it'll worry them & elevate their heat rate further, which can make it worse!
"If you get caught in a forest fire, find an area of dried grass without many trees around. Burn the grass, somehow, and lay in the patch of burnt grass. It's your best chance at survival."
"If you get caught in a snow avalanche and you're buried and don't know which way is up (for digging), spit. Your spit will follow gravity and you can dig in the opposite direction to get to the surface and air and to be rescued."
"Wear the seat belt on the airplane across your pelvis not your abdomen. I worked with a trauma surgeon that took care of patients from the Avianca flight 52. This is his advice."
"If there is a problem with your boat, do not try to swim to shore, even if it looks close. You are safer on a half-sunken wreck than out there swimming."
Only if it's not big and not going down completely. A big ship going down fast will create a vacuum where the water rushes in to replace the air - and if it goes down quick it creates a funnel that sucks floating things down.
"Get a CO gas detector in your house. One near the furnace and one near your bedroom! Cannot smell or see CO leaks from regular household furnaces. They are pretty inexpensive too."
Unfortunately due to the nature of CO poisoning, a lot of people that get a detector, shut it down if it goes off because it’s annoying. Too many internet horror stories.
"Pain on your right side? Push down slightly on it and cough, if the pain intensifies it's most likely your appendix and you should get it checked out. My wife had two surgeries on it this year."
princessmouseskin said:
"Don't pick up items on Craigslist or Kijiji alone. You never know when the item you head out to pick is actually just a lure. Been in uncomfortable situations and have always made sure to never go alone anymore. My life isn't worth a boxed set of DVDs..."
commenter replied:
"If you don't have someone to bring, you can always meet at a public place like the library instead of going to their house."
"If you are being choked. Make a touchdown signal, raise your arms straight up, then twist around, using your arms to break the choke. If they are very strong use the prayer method. Put your hands together in front of your chest like you are praying. Shoot your arms between the choker's arms and then spin."
"Metal handcuffs in the bedroom can cause serious nerve damage, so don't use them. Any tingling sensation means that it needs to come off immediately and medical attention may be necessary. Buy good fabric handcuffs that can be tightened and loosened to your comfort level from an intimacy boutique and have a quick-release latch."
"If you smell or know there's a gas leak (LPG) in your house, do not turn off/on any switches (like exhaust fans, lights switches). Most switches give out a spark when turned on or off which would ignite the gas in the room and blow the place up (if enough gas is leaked). just open all the windows first!!"
"Actively practice defensive driving every time you drive right from the start. You could be driving on the block you always do and a kid runs out and boom, done."
My dad has always said, drive like everyone else is trying to kill you, because they can.
"If you're facing an emergency where you may be without running water for an indeterminate amount of time, don't fill your tub with water. Fill buckets, jugs, pitchers, pans, anything you can and place it in a high, dry place. If flooding or other issues affecting the sewer system occur, water in your bathtub & sinks could become unsanitary."
Once the system does go down, you can shut off the water line into your hot water heater and tap it to refill your buckets and such. Lots of guides on how to do this online. Added bonus, every neighbour that flees the area probably leaves you another tank of clean water.
"Driving through as little as a foot of moving water is dangerous. Many cars can float in as little as 1 foot of water or up to the center of your wheels. 2 is enough to move your car."
"Hold your longest key, on your key chain, extended pointing out between your forefinger and your middle finger, if walking alone at night, or when you feel your safety might be compromised. It can be used as a weapon to stab someone in the throat, if attacked... learned this from a self-defense class years ago."
As a woman I’ve done this most of life in parking lots at night. Great tip, but sad we live in a world where we have to teach our daughters to walk like Wolverine!
"If you feel generally weak but can't identify the cause get your hemoglobin levels checked and if they are low get your feces checked for blood traces. You may be internally bleeding because of some disease."
Or you could have low iron, or other things. Go to a doctor regardless.
"If you fall through the ice: relax and wait until you’re adjusted to the cold so you don’t go into shock. Kick your legs like you’re swimming until you’re horizontal before trying to scoot onto the edge, don’t try to pull yourself straight up. Once you work yourself onto the edge, don’t stand up, keep scooting on your belly until you find firmer ice, test it by smacking it with your elbow before you try standing."
"If you feel an earthquake start and the shaking doesn't piddle out after five or ten seconds, assume it will be big and take cover under something sturdy or run outside where there are no powerlines or bits of building above your head."
Zephrozen said:
"Put toilet paper in your cars."
Gpig16 replied:
"I once saw a man taking a roadside emergency dump while holding onto a tire to keep from falling back into the demon he was releasing. I immediately checked for toilet paper and it has not left my vehicle since!"
"Don’t fall into a grain silo."
This pairs really well with one of my grandpa's euphemisms for stupid people, lol "No grain in the silo" lol
"If you hydroplane do not make any sudden inputs just keep her straight and slowly lift off the throttle."
"If you are driving and hit black ice do not slam on your breaks. Take your foot off the gas and try to keep the wheel straight and get past the slick ice."
Practice skidding in icy weather in an empty car park. Take your older teenagers to practice skidding and regaining control in an empty car park late at night, and do it every winter. Car accidents are one of the leading causes of young adult deaths in most normal parts of the world, knowing how to react on ice, and what ice feels like, is a very important life skill in northern climates.
"Rivers always flow downhill. If you're lost it's easy to rationalize things that don't make sense. Follow the river downstream. There is more likely to be a town, or any sort of civilization, in a valley."
"You can potentially get through to 9/11 on a phone without coverage, or on one without a SIM card."
"I took a self-defense class, and if you are being attacked, there is a certain way to hit the attacker in the face. Use your entire hand positioned like taking an oath, fingers straight etc, you hit the attacker in the face repeatedly right in the middle of their face, kind of at an angle from below, like aim from the bottom of the nose. Keep hitting like this, it is painful and incredibly distracting for them. They won’t be able to get the upper hand."
or, if they are a male, KICK IN PRIVATE PART. I was in a taekwando dual (for fun) this morning and I got kicked there. I shrieked and fell to the floor.
"If you're ever lost in the desert without a vehicle, travel at night and rest during the day. This way you dehydrate less quickly, and you can use the stars to avoid walking in a circle."
"If someone grabs you by the throat from behind, don’t try to pull away. Lean backwards into the attacker instead to throw them off-balance, and jab them in the stomach/wherever you can with your elbow as you do it."
"If you are bench pressing, make sure you have a spotter, If it’s not an option and you just have to... for the love of Pete don’t put the collars on the bar!"
"Asthmatics - if you are having an acute attack, a diaphragm thrust (Heimlich) can help significantly. Forces out the stale air that your closed-off bronchioles won’t let pass, and you inhale all fresh air. Also coffee has a bronchodilator in it (Theophylline) which can help a non-acute attack."
"If anyone on the streets asks you what size shoe you are, never ever tell them. Just say "not your size" or "my size". It's enough to let them know that you know what's up without instigating it any more than you need to. If you tell them there's a 95% chance you're about to get jumped for them."
"If there is any intruder in your home, and you have a firearm you intend to use for self-defense, make a lot of noise with it. Very few run of the mill burglars are committed enough to die for a single flatscreen TV. If they don't leave, that probably means they're armed."
"Always save 20-40% of your salary in your savings, somewhere you can't touch it."
"You're more likely to be attacked in a transitional space. Going into and out of buildings, cars, and especially between the two. You let your guard down because you're thinking about what you're going to do when you get there, not what you're doing right now and not what's going on around you. Stay alert, stay safe."
"If you're going to poke someone in the eyes, don't just poke them, poke and slash their eye, it will cause much more pain for the attacker and perhaps even permanent damage."
"Signs of a rabid animal I feel are important & an obvious one. (Foaming at the mouth, intense aggression)."
Weakness, paralysis and seizures often happen before the intense aggression. Be aware when approaching a weak injured animal that has no visible injury.
"Tuck and roll/ragdoll when in a fall scenario, if possible. Relax and do not try to brace the fall with your arms and legs. That’s how broken bones happen. Not fun when your body’s essential infrastructure gets broken."
"If you aren't trained and equipped for an in-water rescue don't attempt an in-water rescue of someone who is drowning. Try to reach them with something like a long pole. This works best if the victim is close like in a pool. Lie down so the victim can't easily pull you in. Try to throw the victim something that floats. Life ring. Life jacket. Wetsuit. Pool toys. Those bad styrofoam ice chests people sometimes take to the beach. It's handy if whatever you throw has a rope attached so you can pull the person in but it's more important to get the person something floating to stop the drowning. Then you can solve the problem of getting a non-drowning (and hopefully not panicking) victim out of the water. Try to get to the victim in a small craft like a jetski or rowboat. This one is very situational and often not available but always should be on the list."
"Do not run from wolves, stand your ground, they won't risk injury to themselves if you're gonna put up a fight. Don't attack, they will defend themselves, but do not run."
"If you are put in the trunk of a car unwillingly find the corner of the felt pull it up til you can see the taillight. A solid kick should pop it out. Wave to alert traffic or try to memorize the area you are being taken."
"If you're not knocked out while being cuffed by zipties. Try to extend your wrist size to get them to think that's how tight your wrists are. Then intense your wrists and you should have some wiggle room to possibly get your wrists free from the ziptie."
Zip ties are locking one-way. A needle pushed in from the other side will release the lock. If getting zip-tied is a worry for you, always wear a cute pin on your jacket.
"Don’t eat anything heavy or made of dairy before doing anything amorous. Just don’t."
F's in the chat for this guy. It seems he tested this theory out...
"Red on yellow, kill a fellow. Red on black, venom lack. A few different King Snakes and Coral Snakes look very similar."
"If you find yourself being chased by a crocodile, which will rear up and run on two legs for short distances; run in a zig-zag pattern, taking sharp turns. The crocodile will hopefully lose balance on a turn, topple over, giving you the chance to get away."
Didn't the Mythbusters test this and it turns out the crocodile will just go straight?
"If you are being attacked in a parking lot break off a windshield wiper from any car near by. They can be used as a weapon if needed. Also, if an attacker grabs you from behind try and use your legs to push off from a car. The attacker will either be knocked off balance or injured by bumping into the car next to it."
"Urine can neutralize chlorine gas, so if you find yourself in Ypres 103 years ago, piss on your sock and put it over your mouth."
Cool! This seems very helpful, and I’ll probably show it to my friends.
Cool! This seems very helpful, and I’ll probably show it to my friends.
