Buzzfeed has a list of “common survival tips, that most people actually get wrong.” Here are a few highlights:
1. “You are usually better off staying with a broken-down vehicle, instead of trying to hike out in an unknown, potentially dangerous location.”
Also, “Stacking your tires and setting them on fire will generate a column of black smoke that is visible from very far away and will attract attention.”
2. “Don’t eat ANYTHING raw like Bear Grylls, you don’t want to be in a survival situation AND get sick or get a parasite.”
3. “Do not rub frostbitten skin to warm up, it can literally tear cells and tissues. You just need to slowly get warm, for mild frostbite, tuck your fingers or toes into somebody else’s armpits.”
4. “If you get stabbed, don’t pull the blade out as they do in the movies. Don’t touch ANYTHING, just call 911. As glib as this may sound, leaving the object in place lets it act like a cork.”
5. “Movies always show people wandering through a desert in the middle of the day. Don’t do that. Seek shelter, and let the highest temperatures pass.”
6. “Do not wait 24 to 48 hours to report someone missing, if you have a bad feeling about something. The first few hours and days are the most crucial.”
7. “Don’t drink pee. It’s mentioned in some military survival manuals, but it’ll accelerate the dehydration, not slow it. And it’s even less effective if your body is already dehydrated, stressed, and malnourished.”
Also: “Don’t pee on jellyfish stings. Rub vinegar or saltwater on the wound, and immerse the area in hot water for at least 20 minutes.”
8. For our friends in Florida: “Don’t run in a zigzag to avoid an alligator or crocodile. Just run in a straight line as fast as you can because they can only run in short bursts.”
9. “Do not use a hair curler to cauterize a bullet hole. It does not work, and just hurts like hell.” (Which is unfortunate for any situation when you’re shot while getting ready to go out.)
10. “You won’t be able to punch a shark in the nose. Good luck throwing an accurate punch underwater at something moving 25 miles per hour. You are way more likely to accidentally hand-feed a shark than land an action hero hit . . .
“Instead, maintain eye contact, and slowly back away without making erratic motions. If the shark is in attack mode, strike at the eyes or gills.”
(Buzzfeed.com has more of this wisdom for anyone who believes they’ve seen enough action movies and TikTok hacks to survive any kind of tough situation.)
