Knowing what to do in a survival situation seems like a really silly hobby… well, that is until you are stuck in the middle of a situation where you really wish you knew more about survival skills.
Of course, reality TV and internet forums have lots of advice on how to survive under harsh conditions. The problem is that many of them are wrong.
Today, we are going to tackle 18 survival myths that you may have thought were the right thing to do, but might actually be the exact opposite! Let’s get started.
1. Don’t: Drink cactus water
If you are in the middle of the desert and need water, the cactus may seem like a good place to get water. It isn’t.
This myth likely came from the fact that some cacti, like the prickly pear, have edible fruit. Most cactus, however, will just harm you and further cause damage to your body if you drink its liquid.
2. Don’t: Drink your pee
Yes, we’ve all seen a particular survival expert drink his own urine on television before. Just because HE did it doesn’t mean you should.
Drinking your urine when you are already dehydrated can lead to further dehydration and potentially damage your organs.
What you CAN do is pee on clothing that is in contact with the sun in order to help cool you off. It’s smelly, but it works.
3. Don’t: Punch a shark in the nose
While this may seem like a good idea (especially because it’s a good deterrent for a human), there are just better options.
If you miss your punch, for example, you are likely just going to be sticking your hand into a shark’s mouth which is the thing we want to avoid in the first place. Instead, attack their gills and eyes – preferably with something you can hold rather than your own hand.
4. Don’t: Zigzag while running from an alligator
Math has something to say about this! One expert said:
“The shortest distance between two points is a straight line, and that’s the fastest… Run away in a straight line. Everything you hear about running in a zigzag line is untrue.”
Generally, as long as you aren’t intentionally provoking an alligator, you should be ok. A better option is to just run away as fast as possible.
5. Don’t: Suck snake venom out of a bite
If a snake bites you or someone with you, the best bet is to immediately take that individual to the hospital. Outside of that, many common remedies simply don’t work as advertised.
Snake venom, once injected, travels incredibly quickly into the bloodstream, and placing your mouth on an open wound to suck out “poison” just doesn’t work the way you think it does.
6. Don’t: Wait to report a missing person
Many movies and television shows have a scene where a panicked mother or loved one walks into the police station looking to find a missing person. The station’s response is always the same: “Sorry, we have to wait 24-48 hours before filing…” blah, blah, blah.
This isn’t actually the case, and in a situation where someone is truly missing, waiting that long before seeking help is incredibly ill-advised.
7. Don’t: Wait to hear a tornado before hiding
There is a folk myth that you have as long to hide from a tornado as it takes you to hear it.
Generally, that isn’t the case. If you can hear a tornado, it’s likely seconds away from hitting.
8. Don’t: Hide under an overpass when a tornado comes
This sort of scene has been witnessed in movies and television, but like the others, it just doesn’t happen that way in real life.
If you are caught near an impending tornado while driving, your best bet is to stay in your car or lie facedown in a ditch. Overpasses can actually accelerate winds and attract more flying debris.
9. Don’t: Try to jump in an elevator before it hits the ground to save yourself
It makes sense in our heads, but physics just doesn’t work that way. If an elevator is falling, jumping at the last second would only reduce the fall speed by about 3 mph. When you are falling at terminal velocity, something around 120 mph, hitting the ground at 117 mph won’t make too much of a difference.
Then again, there aren’t any other options.
10. Don’t: Assume bears can’t run down hills
There is some folklore that bears aren’t able to run downhill because their front legs are shorter than their hind legs.
While their front legs are shorter than their hind legs, that doesn’t mean they can’t run down a hill. In fact, bears are probably better at it than humans are and can easily reach 30 mph.
Your best bet is to drop an object that would potentially distract them.
11. Don’t: Pull an object out if you’ve been impaled
It may seem like common sense to remove any foreign body that is protruding from us. But sometimes, pulling out a knife is actually the worst thing you can do.
Often, whatever instrument is protruding from your body is actually plugging the wound. Pulling it out could result in further damage plus a massive loss of blood with an inability to stop it.
12. Don’t: Fight back during a robbery
When fight or flight kicks in, some people will inevitably choose to fight. While that may seem heroic, it often isn’t the best idea, especially if there isn’t an immediate threat to life. Instead, law enforcement recommends total cooperation. As Officer Johnathan Frisk said:
“It doesn’t matter how much money or any type of product, nothing is worth your life.”
13. Don’t: Use liquor to warm up
An adult drink on a cold day may seem nice, but in a survival situation, it could be deadly.
Liquor creates a warming sensation across the body and reduces feeling, but doesn’t actually produce heat. As a result, you just don’t feel the cold anymore. This numbness can actually lead to further damage if you’re emboldened to remain in the cold.
14. Don’t: Assume moss always grows on the north side of trees
There have been countless examples in shows and movies that explain that moss only grows on the north side of trees. This is flatly not true and shouldn’t be used to navigate your way out of a forest.
Moss grows where conditions are ideal, primarily depending on the climate and location.
15. Don’t: Eat snow as an easy substitute for water
This one is tricky because it CAN be true. If you are working hard and moving, a little snow can help keep you hydrated.
Otherwise, snow can reduce body temperature due to the amount it takes to be helpful from a hydration standpoint. Generally, snow has a 9-1 air to water ratio, meaning you need to eat 9 cups of snow for 1 cup of water.
The best option is to melt it beforehand by either putting it in a bottle near your body or using fire.
Although this list isn’t totally expansive, remembering a few of these tips can be more than just helpful, they can be lifesaving!
Oh, one more we forgot to include that you should already know: Don’t eat the yellow snow!
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