h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Entry: Finding Your Way Back To Civilisation - A36715223
Author: Malabarista - U1528154

The twin entry of "Exploring A Strange City" (A36680943)

I just kept thinking of so many things while writing that one that I had to do this, too, though I *should* have been working for Uni

It's rather long - and only one footnote! - but I'd like to add things if anyone has things to add. Especially about how all this would work in deserts/arctic conditions, I haven't a clue.

Hi, Mal,

I just glanced at your entry which looks interesting but something jumped out at me about this section:

Get Noticed - Build a fire!

Please state that a patch of ground must be cleared of all debris which might burn. An Australian wildlife park was hugely damage a few years ago by a tourist lighting a fire, and it is the cause of a good many serious fires the world over, on moors, in bush, forest etc.

If I get time I will drop by again, but with this entry.

Websailor

With regards to the fire thing - if you're lost somewhere where the soil's mainly peat, you need to raise the fire off the floor with some rocks or something. Otherwise you could be in trouble.

I did link to an entry that explains in detail how to build a fire. But I'll add another point, or a footnote.

Put in a fire safety bit. Also a few more general observations.

Thank you. Much appreciated.

Websailor

Watch where you're pointing that !

I figured I'd leave the general survival tips out of it - it's long enough as it is, and we have excellent entries on the subject. But if you can think of any more potentially fatal omissions...

Well, apart from me thoughtlessly bringing a to the proceedings, I think you have it covered

I will have a closer read tomorrow, when I have polished something of my own for .

Websailor

Thanks, much appreciated.

I'd hate anyone to get in trouble because of my bad fact-checking or anything.

I've had a quick read and it's made me think of how *do* people actually get lost?
It happens with almost monotonous regularity in this country and the first lateral thoughts on the matter that came to mind are: Tourists, hikers, school children on supposedly supervised excursions and locals/travellers who's cars stop moving(bogged, ran out of petrol, broke down).

By far the biggest cause of death...

Sorry I've just wandered off on a different tangent: Death by misadventure? Surely that's a legal term but what exactly is it, hmm?
One man's misadventure is another man's adventure that sadly led to his death...

Anyway, the biggest cause of death is dehydration caused by lack of water(obviously) and more often than not this is the scenario: Car breaks down, occupants either wander off or after a certain period of time they decide to head out in search of help, water etc. Inevitably they die not long after they make this decision.

This is a desert scenario of course and we have large swathes of that here and the number of times that the search parties find an abandoned vehicle and then within a days walking or so a body or two is as I've said an an outcome that happens far too often.

Standard advice is to stay with the vehicle it is your friend, it will be the first thing found(usually) by searchers.

The other side of the coin is getting lost in 'The Bush', the vast eucalyptus forests in State Forest and National Park areas.
This is where your day hiker or experienced hiker or school excursion comes to grief. I think you've covered some good advice areas already, follow a river being one and also the need to be observed from the air is vitally important, so I don't need to go into this with any detail.




"Someone, somewhere will have noticed that you are missing. People will be looking for you. In general, this means that you should stay put unless there is a pressing reason for you to move or you can tell that there are people nearby."

Good advice, perhaps you could expand it just a little bit by mentioning something about the vehicle scenario if you become lost in a desert.
Police in the remote outback here constantly press the need for you to inform them before setting out on a drive to some remote part of the country. Give them details concerning the vehicle, the expected time till arrival at journeys end, etc. Maybe that advice is better suited to an article about not getting lost in the first place

Well that's enough verbiage from me for the moment...

Good advice. In general, going away from a road once you've found one is a stupid thing to do

I'll add a bit tomorrow about not getting lost in the first place, and how to get lost properly with all the formalities observed

Added a bit about getting drinking water, and about staying by your car/on the road.

Also the disclaimer in the first section that "Of course you wouldn't be stupid enough to leave a marked trail unless you know exactly what you're doing..."

This had me from the moment I read the three paragraphs. Quite honestly one of the best entries I have read in a long while .

Thanks.

Will I lose a lot of credibility if I say that a lot of the tips are things I first heard about reading comic books?

Does it matter where the information comes from so long as it is accurate We pick up snippets of interest from all kinds of sources throughout our lives.

I started nit picking but got so interested I forgot for the rest of the article and now don't have the time

Anyway, two tiny points:

1st para 'fluke chance' - 'pure chance' might be better.

Preparation 2nd para - 'Though' - I think 'Of course' might be better.

I love the style, as it makes light of what could be a frightening, off putting subject, without diminishing the seriousness. However, I think there are some aspects of it that break the Edited Guide guidelines, but I will leave that to others to decide. I am afraid I find some of the guidelines suffocating.

It might benefit from some tightening up on the wording to make it a bit shorter and more concise. If you think it might help, let me know and I will give it some thought. Or perhaps someone else will do it better

Websailor

Websailor

Point 1 - I think "fluke" sounds more random here - a pure chance seems like you can calculate it if you know the right formula. But maybe that's just me.

Point 2 - It now starts with just "You can't very well..."


But I must admit to honest confusion over the way this might not conform to the Guidelines. I doubt it was the style or "trying too hard to be funny", since you said you *liked* the chatty style. Ok, it might be too long - I'll give you that - but I made a point of not repeating things except if it was very important, for emphasis. Might tighten it up a little, but I don't think that alone is enough to keep it out of the Guide.

In case I alarmed you with my reference to comics - that's just why these things were lurking in the back of my mind. I did my research and fact-checking, don't worry about that.

So please enlighten me - and does anyone else feel the same?

It was just a thought Malabarista, don't let it bother you. See what other people think. I think it is absolutely fine. It wasn't a criticism honestly. I am sure other people will have some useful comments to make at some stage. It is early days yet.



Websailor

I don't mind well-founded criticism

Two suggestions:

How about a bit on trying to walk in a straight line (a lot of people end up walking in circles apparently, something to do with having a stronger leg). Picking a point a little distance away as a marker is a good tip.

Following rivers downstream - can get very dangerous in a mountainous area, rivers having the tendency to take the shortest way down...

sprout

I already briefly mentioned both those - in the context of building a compass and not taking stupid risks (such as climbing down a waterfall) but I'll see if I can work it in more clearly.

And would this be easier to read with spaces between the list points? It would make it look longer, but could be easier on the eye...