Unwritten rules of survival

a reply to: worldstarcountry

I wear headphones when I go out in public. I just don't bother with plugging them into my phone.

It keeps unwelcome conversations to a minimum while keeping my head on a swivel.

Other than that, spot on. Our local critters are more a danger to our pets, though we do see the occasional bear rummaging through the neighbors uncovered trashcan.

a reply to: solve

Poop knives!

I suppose I will have to make these ahead of time. Unless it's really cold out when I am attacked.

I can store them in the freezer for when they are needed. Hopefully no one mistakes them for beef jerky or chocolate dairy treats.

a reply to: seagull

I totally agree, when in country, that's wisdom.
I made sure to make plenty of noise when I was traipsing through the Wausaukee woods back in the day.
Plenty of black bear to be found by lol.
But my context was strictly in the urban sense.
Specifically, the sketchier parts of Chicago.
If you go looking for trouble, you'll find it soon enough.
It would seem common sense, but not every tourist is common. Or sensible.

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

Jesus, what hellhole do you live in?
That sounds like an awful lot of work to be safe.
If everything has to be expendable, and you constantly live in fear, you'll never enjoy anything.
Not assuming you do but that's the message I received. Lots of fear and doubt.
Hopefully I'm wrong.

Don't urinate on a hornets nest. Trust me they wont like it...

a reply to: Gravelbone

I grew up in Detroit. Enough said.

1. When you get into your vehicle, assume you will be walking home.
-have a roadside repair kit in the vehicle (jumper cables, antifreeze, oil, tire iron, etc)
-have summer/winter clothing in the vehicle, for walking home
-have food that can stand temperature variations in the vehicle (jerky, plastic water bottle, etc)
-have a tool in the vehicle that could become suitable for self defense. A friend used to carry a brass pipe he had turned into a flute. He could play Mozart on it, and once had to, to prove to PoPo that it wasn't a weapon.

2. When you enter a building that could be attractive to a shooter, scope out the exits and infrastructure (bathrooms, concessions, etc). Be prepared to leave by a different exit than you entered the building.

3. Normcore is the survival aesthetic, rather than military camouflage

4. In an emergency, in all areas of training, you will revert to your lowest level of mastery.
-In other words, when you get punched in the face, it doesn't matter how many MMA classes you took--you will revert to the last one you truly mastered. Even if you are an 11th level half-elven engineer at your day job, you revert to a 2nd level street-fighter when someone waves a knife in your face.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

I remember going to Florida as a kid with my mom to visit the Keys, during one of the long stretches we stopped so I could pee on side of road.

I stepped off the road of course into the bushes a few feet, only to notice a gator not too much further in. To say the least, I peed faster than I ever have and practically leaped into the car.

No one told me there may be gators, and after that no one had to. From that day forth I held it until a bathroom was available. LoL so yes this is some decent advise if known in advance.

Best advise I have is be aware of your surroundings, not just in a situational awareness sort of way, but further as in situational understanding. Don't just know, understand.

Safety and avoidance really go hand in hand.
When in doubt, re-route.

Apart from the usual like being aware of your surroundings and always stay vigilant. One rule for as a Brit is to always make sure you have tea bags and milk because when the poop hits the fan there's nothing like a good brew to forget about it all

On a more serious note, I try to do hiking in Scotland as much as possible. When me and my friend go we plan our route, we tell people back home our route and when we think we should be finished by. If they haven't heard from us say 12 hours after we were meant to finish then put the call in to mountain rescue. Another thing we go by especially when hiking and going up on peaks, if the weather is looking crap there's no point in attempting it's. With trekking the scenery and peaks are going to be there another day there's however if you risk it you may not see that other day. So I guess another rule is never be afraid to disappoint yourself and focus on coming back to achieve your goals

originally posted by: seagull
a reply to: Gravelbone

Dont attract attention if you dont want any.

Actually, you want to be careful about that rule...you don't want to surprise 'em, either. A surprised mama can wreak your whole day.

I know a gentleman who surprised a moose...he spent the day perched high up in a tree.

When I backpacked back in the day before my knees gave out, I attached little bells to my equipment, just to let critters know I was around.

Agree with this! Attaching the bells to your hiking boots insures they always ring as well!

originally posted by: ThePeaceMaker
Apart from the usual like being aware of your surroundings and always stay vigilant. One rule for as a Brit is to always make sure you have tea bags and milk because when the poop hits the fan there's nothing like a good brew to forget about it all

On a more serious note, I try to do hiking in Scotland as much as possible. When me and my friend go we plan our route, we tell people back home our route and when we think we should be finished by. If they haven't heard from us say 12 hours after we were meant to finish then put the call in to mountain rescue. Another thing we go by especially when hiking and going up on peaks, if the weather is looking crap there's no point in attempting it's. With trekking the scenery and peaks are going to be there another day there's however if you risk it you may not see that other day. So I guess another rule is never be afraid to disappoint yourself and focus on coming back to achieve your goals

Might look into getting a personal locator beacon as well. They are fairly cheap and can cut the amount of time you are lost or sitting hurt exponentially.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

No doubt your good selves, a young generation, have already figured the worth of knowing , perhaps just in case, well how about this - it is youtube - and is fantastic, . Two younge males pretend they require the skills of survival. They clearly show everything, even How to Make Candy from the Sap of a Tree.

www.youtube.com...

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Most of these are written but also often forgotten:
- Watch where you step
- Listen to the environment around you
- Be ready to respond
- Think about those following or below you (before you kick that rock or let go of that branch)
- It is better to turn back than to be lost
- Relax, panic and adrenaline is usually not a strength.
- Never give up
- About to give up? One foot in front of the other / zone out / disconnect
- know your limits, push them but don't break them
- If you feel it is out of your comfort zone/ability, swallow your pride before you swallow your fear.
- Know when to listen to others
- Trust your instinct
- Shortcuts can be costly
- Don't be a hero
- You can't beat the power of nature, respect that and you may be granted a pass.
- rest, conserve, think before you use your energy.
- stay clean and dry
- Nobody is invincible
- prioritize


Some are contradictory of course

If you are a young man who had never been in a fight, go out and get into one with someone obviously tougher than you. You will learn a lot from it. Don't pick the fight just go to a place where they like to fight and when that asshole looking for a fight bumps his way through, instead of stepping to the side and letting him pass, don't. Hold your ground, like it's the freaking Alamo.

I say this because someday you may have to do that when it counts, like when you have a girlfriend, wife, kids you need to protect. You gotta know how it feels to hold your ground and fight like hell even if you are going to lose.

a reply to: scraedtosleep

Good advice!!

Irregardless, whether in the wilderness of Downtown, or the wilds of the Colorado Rockies, use your brains, and listen to your instincts.

a reply to: Darkblade71

It's difficult and tiring when you get that death feeling but you can't leave. Getting stalked can last all night. You have to stay alert. Caffeine tablets or similar may save your life in that situation.

a reply to: Kester

Speaking from experience, if you become too reliant on them, they lose effectiveness and/or wear off, at precisely the wrong time.

As an occasional pick me up, they work OK'ish, but imho (and that's all it is...) not worth the potential drawbacks.

I reading alot about watching your surroundings, but not enough about how to do so. I mentioned one important factor as a part of that being behavioral observations. Nobody has mentioned identifying and observing your 3 - 9 o'clock positionz. As an example , when I'm in a public restroom, I always focus on the urinal pipe to see what is going on behind me since I cannot exactly turn around in that compromised position. It's not HD, but you can tell if someone's behind you up to no good.

The reflective glass of buildings outside when your walking, see what's happening across from you by looking opposite into the windows.

I think there is a trade called counter surviellance. I just call instinct and vigilance. Anybody who has been in the armed services and seen combat learned how to listen to the birds, especially when they are quiet. Same for hunters. Trust the birds.

When I enter a restroom in a public place I always push the door all the way to the wall so I know there is no one waiting there.
A family friend's dad was nearly beat to death in a public restroom for no apparent reason other than possibly robbery. Happened at a public park, he was old late 70's..