Mistakes That Could Get Your Killed?

Many survivalists overestimate their abilities because they've never been in a survival situation. This lack of experience could prove to be costly because at times it takes only one mistake . . .

Never overestimate your abilities in any situation. We can't predict what can happen next in the real world and wherever it is you are you have to always expect the worst. In the woods you can be attacked by animal at any time. In the city some psycho may be lurking somewhere waiting for you . . .

Underestimate the danger that might be around the corner and you could be dead the next minute.

What are some other mistakes that could cost you your life in a survival situation?

 

There's this true story someone told me. A lady was lost in some suburb and she sees this guy who's walking around with a bible. Thinking that religious people are kind and trustworthy, she asks him for directions.

The man all helpful, tells her that since it's late he could offer her a place to sleep. So to his home they go. And later that night, the man attempts to rape her. Good thing is she had some pepper spray. She blinded the man and made her escape.

And still some people might think there are some strangers who can be trusted. If people you know can betray you, won't strangers be worse?

 

Hello darkness my old friend... new food for my paranoia this is. There's a chance this guy was carrying a bible exactly to bait people into traps. Maybe he picked up homeless people and orphans that way. Gross...

Anyway, it's best to have a plan and a trustworthy group of people, who won't tally on what you do or don't have. Also don't rely on cars for the entirety of your plan, you might want to learn how to ride a bicycle before disaster strikes, as it'll come handy in case your other ride options are incapacitated (you can also produce small amounts of electiricity with a bicycle).
If your plan is to pick up the truck with a huge bulk of supplies and make a run for it for an out-of-town shelter/house, there's a chance the vehicle will be incapacitated and the bulk of supplies will be too much to carry with a bicycle.
So all in all having a plan C (or downsized plan) is good to have in mind.

 

I think one of the main problems that can strike a prepper is the revealing yourself. One of the main things you'd want to do is keep your ground while being sneaky about it. Silence and anonymity are a great leverage one can use in such events where there are a lot of bad strangers out there to get you. Another one is learning to prepare yourself for any disaster rather than focusing on one specific disaster. In many cases, it's important to understand all the different possible scenarios that can take place and to understand how each one can be dealt with accordingly.

 

Making poor decisions when it comes to collecting food, poisonous berries and plants could kill you. Also using the example of the guy Chris McCandless who the movie 'Into the Wild' was based on, he used up more energy trying to hunt food than he was taking in from eating what he caught and effectively sped up his own starvation. Not knowing basic biology and what your own body needs to survive will kill you.

 

Mistaking a certain plant for another. It's very easy to get poisoned if you don't know exactly what to look for.

Another thing that could get anyone killed is a poor water management. If you are going through an open area, with no trees, and the sun is burning, you could dehydrate really fast and even die in a matter of hours. Of course, this is an extreme scenario, but it could still happen.

 

My only experience when it comes to survival is traveling my train. Hopping freight trains is one of the most exciting, but all around dangerous things you can do. One of the biggest mistakes that could get you killed is putting your hands outside of the train or attempting to stand up when you are trailing through harsh conditions. Another huge mistake that people often make is trying to hop onto a train while it's moving too quickly.

 

Probably underestimating human curiosity and stupidity. Though these aren't mutually exclusive, I feel like a curious person could invite more danger than necessary. A stupid person that doesn't actually know what they're getting themselves into out of blind inexperience will end up hurting themselves before learning a valuable lesson. Unfortunately, in a disaster circumstance, instead of the world slapping you on the hand, you might get stabbed in the gut...

Another mistake I could see happening is being overzealous. You might have too much confidence in your own abilities, and while you might be thinking correctly in terms of how dangerous something is, you might not be strong enough to deal with it.
If you think you can climb a rope, you might want to test it out before you have to climb one to save your life, yeah? Don't be like Russel from Up.

 

You have to definitely be smart and careful not to trust everyone you meet no matter how kind they may appear. Always watch your back, do not show you need help, pretend you know where you are and know where you are going, show confidence and try to avoid walking past dark corners or walking through places that have no trees.

 

Stupidity! yours or someone else's will get you killed.
If it is your stupidity, remember stupids only cure is death!
If it is someone else's stupid! Steer clear but observe carefully

Hitting a brick wall with your head once is either a test or accident!
Hitting it again is "STUPID" proven.

 

If there is water out over the road, due to heavy rain either locally or somewhere upstream, don't ever cross with your vehicle. It's very dangerous, I have known people who were tested within an inch of their lives by doing that. That water can sweep your car away, carrying it down into the river. If you are lucky, you might climb out your window and make it to a treetop. Very, very dangerous! If you find high water on the road, turn around and find and alternate route.

 

Common Sence people!
With flooded roads there are a few questions to be asked first!
What is the capability of your vehicle?
Is the flood water still or nearly so or rushing madly!

If the water is rushing madly, forget it if it is more than a few inches deep as things under may have been washed away!
Know your vehicles limitations!

My old type 2 VW could handle up to 18inches of still water!
My old ford falcon could handle about 12 inches
My current Toyota can handle up to 4ft easy of still water!

Was trapped once and had to drive a long low wooden bridge with three corners in it, the bridge was under by about 12 inches of fast water!
wife and child in vehicle and fast running out of land took the chance and drove the 80m of bridge! Loaded several barrels of water inboard for ballast
Scarey, used the upstream side gutter about 6in high to track the front wheel, high range first gear 1500rpm and off we went
Wifey was freaking out, kiddy silent and serous looking, a little slippery here and there but no worries. No rescue needed
we all had discarded our seatbelts just in case!
Later learnt that where we were before crossing the bridge went over 9ft deep! with another vehicle getting stuck just minutes after we crossed!
and needing emergency rescue!

 

One of the worst mistakes one can make is to talk too much. Many have sold their heads through the mouthgate. The best thing to do is to talk less and listen more. Thats what sleuths are trained to do. Keeping a high profile will always attract enemies. If you are quite and keep a low profile, enemies will not identify you as a worthy target. Another mistake is to use the same route at the same time of the day. This is alright but in dangerous areas, unpredictability pays.

 

You have to be careful who you keep around you in dangerous situations. It's best to adapt to different circumstances because things could change at any time. If these ideas work for you stick with them. The reality of it is experience is always the best teacher even in dangerous situations. And don't be selfish help people when you can because you never know when you will need help.

 

There are many mistakes that could get you killed. The two most basic I can think of is not being prepared and trusting someone you shouldn't. Not being prepared for disaster makes it a lot harder to recover. If you have food stocked up, you won't have to scramble to get food. Having a gun can save your life in many situations. But if you are not prepared and don't have one, it could affect your chances of survival. Falsely trusting someone could put you in to the hands of a dangerous predator. You never know.

 

That's so scary!! I would literally never ever trust a stranger enough to go there house. I've never watched the Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie, but I'm pretty sure it happened something like that. That would literally be traumatizing. That goes to show you can't trust strangers.

 

Remember that water and electricity don't mix. It's an easy thing to forget when we use our blowdryers and other electric appliances near the bathroom or kitchen sink. We use electricity so freely that it seems like it should be safe and handling it safely is not usually the first thing on our minds. So just move that up higher in your memory and always take electricy seriously.

 

Overestimating your resources when you clearly need to save up, is a pretty good way to be in a tight situation. Overeating your food because you were sure you would be rescued by the time the food is consumed, or drinking your water without thinking of when the next time you will have access to a clean stream or river. Also, mistaking the severity of your condition, such as an infected leg or a concussion from hitting your head, would definitely make your trek back to civilization a pain, and you would most certainly find your way on a quick path six feet under.

 

I know for me not being really aware and on guard. Sometimes I have the tendency to be focused on my money, looking in my purse, or talking on the phone and I am not paying attention. So in that case, I need to be more aware of my surroundings.

 

One mistake that can easily get you killed is leaving your home not fully prepared. If you don't already have all of your essentials in your BoB (food, water, fire, shelter) then you may want to consider doing so right away.

 

Allowing yourself to get comfortable. Even in your own home. It doesn't matter how prepared you are or how much you know, if you aren't ready to use the tools or knowledge the moment something happens. And you never know when that'll be.