Resilience - Individual Skills

[Yokel]

From a young age, folk should be taught that weather is no obstacle to going outdoors and exploring. It's about the correct clothing for the environment.

They should also know what "self rescue" means.

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That picture reminds me of documentaries with Bootnecks doing Arctic survival training in Norway, and being taught how to recover themselves from a hole in the ice and dry themselves with dry snow. However, for the general British population staying away from frozen water would be a better lesson.

Sometimes just staying at home is the answer.

 

[Yokel]

Having said that - there is a light dusting of snow here today. I think that the main roads are clear but the country lanes are probably less passable. A Police Officer once told me that most of the problems are caused by people not taking the reduced grip of snow and ice into account, and not allowing extra time for braking.

Does winter safety depend on drivers understanding things like friction?

 

[solomon88]

From a young age, folk should be taught that weather is no obstacle to going outdoors and exploring. It's about the correct clothing for the environment.

They should also know what "self rescue" means.

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You didn't push her in.... did you?

 

[solomon88]

Having said that - there is a light dusting of snow here today. I think that the main roads are clear but the country lanes are probably less passable. A Police Officer once told me that most of the problems are caused by people not taking the reduced grip of snow and ice into account, and not allowing extra time for braking.

Does winter safety depend on drivers understanding things like friction?

I'm sure a lot of the 4x4 crowd think different rules apply.

 

[Fang_Farrier]

You didn't push her in.... did you

She requires no encouraging in such matters

 

[colinmc400]

This is related to Improving National Resilience.

In a crisis of any kind, people with various backgrounds have skills and abilities that are useful, but what skills could or should we expect of every single individual?



10. Improvisation

From using socks to keep hands warm to repairs with duck tape, being able to think about solving problems and using what is at hand, and responding to changing circumstances, are 'war winners'.

A few of my thoughts.

I would fancy all who served, in whatever coloured suit(well maybe not those in light blue), would have been subjected to a measure of resource and initiative training and as we all know, there's a good deal of improvising in that. "Here's an empty fag packet and two cable ties, build a space rocket and get your whole squad to Mars".

When i see some of the questions from our more youthful contributors, i fear the worst for them and if they cannot google the answer in 2 secs flat, they are doomed!

 

[solomon88]

....When i see some of the questions from our more youthful contributors, i fear the worst for them and if they cannot google the answer in 2 secs flat, they are doomed!

Even looking for information needs some old-fashioned skills. I remember being taught ABC and how to use a dictionary - I was still in short trousers. This led onto finding things in a library etc. I'm sure this all helps with on-line searching.

 

[Yokel]

Even looking for information needs some old-fashioned skills. I remember being taught ABC and how to use a dictionary - I was still in short trousers. This led onto finding things in a library etc. I'm sure this all helps with on-line searching.

They need initiative and the drive to do something - the most important resilience 'skills' of all. Remember all those people who posted on social media when KFC was unable to serve them due to a logistics failure? Perhaps they could have tried cooking something easy instead?

 

[Yokel]

Can people be taught situational awareness and attention to detail? For example I always notice things that are out of place, or missing, and in any building always try to know where the exits are, when the nearest source of fresh air is, and where to get water/first aid.

Likewise I notice the rucksack that has been left at the railway station, or the van driving past slowly and taking pictures. Or the water leaking from the ground.

 

[br9mp812]

I'm sure a lot of the 4x4 crowd think different rules apply.

last lot of snow i was stuck behind one doing 20 mph with 4 ways on, the road was fine at that time

 

[solomon88]

last lot of snow i was stuck behind one doing 20 mph with 4 ways on, the road was fine at that time

I've seen this in "fog". Slightest bit of mist, even a cow's breath is enough - every available light on to dazzle everybody and slow to a crawl.

 

[Yokel]

I've seen this in "fog". Slightest bit of mist, even a cow's breath is enough - every available light on to dazzle everybody and slow to a crawl.

Are people disadvantaged by not understanding what fog is, and that the more light means more dazzle as the suspended water droplets reflect light at random - Rayleigh Scattering?

When I first found myself driving in fog at night I tried to see if dipping my headlights would help. It did. Does nobody else think of trying things and seeing what work?

 

[RumRationReject]

Rayleigh Scattering?

I think that's when you hit a teenager on a bicycle?

 

[putteesinmyhands]

Are people disadvantaged by not understanding what fog is, and that the more light means more dazzle as the suspended water droplets reflect light at random - Rayleigh Scattering?

When I first found myself driving in fog at night I tried to see if dipping my headlights would help. It did. Does nobody else think of trying things and seeing what work?

You'll see even better if you turn all your lights off. You just have to hope that the driver of the artic on the other side of the road or catching up behind you hasn't got the same idea.

Foggy? Fog lights on so you can be seen and drive slow enough so your stopping distance is less than your visibility. You still have to hope that there aren't nutters on the road.

 

[Dicky Ticker]

Can people be taught situational awareness and attention to detail? For example I always notice things that are out of place, or missing, and in any building always try to know where the exits are, when the nearest source of fresh air is, and where to get water/first aid.

Likewise I notice the rucksack that has been left at the railway station, or the van driving past slowly and taking pictures. Or the water leaking from the ground.

Over the years I have come to the conclusion that people can't be "taught" much. Thay can be presented with a rule for a certain scenario which they can follow once enough practice has been applied, but traits like situational awareness must be almost insitinctive to be effective. If the natural inclination to be aware of your surroundings isn't there, then people end up following a mental checklist of things they need to de because that's what they were told to do.

 

[Yokel]

I was once told by a Copper that a lot of people can drive for a couple of miles without noticing the Police car with flashing blue lights behind them. He also said most weather related accidents are caused by people driving as normal despite the rain/snow/ice and not slowing down, allowing greater gaps, avoiding hard braking and so on.

These people walk amongst us.

 

[solomon88]

I was once told by a Copper that a lot of people can drive for a couple of miles without noticing the Police car with flashing blue lights behind them. He also said most weather related accidents are caused by people driving as normal despite the rain/snow/ice and not slowing down, allowing greater gaps, avoiding hard braking and so on.

These people walk amongst us.

40-odd years ago motorways only had basic warnings lights in the centre. I think it was four flashing amber and a square panel in the middle to display a speed restriction. Quite common after a massive pile-up in fog to have drivers on TV news saying "I didn't know it was foggy - the lights weren't flashing".

 

[Yokel]

40-odd years ago motorways only had basic warnings lights in the centre. I think it was four flashing amber and a square panel in the middle to display a speed restriction. Quite common after a massive pile-up in fog to have drivers on TV news saying "I didn't know it was foggy - the lights weren't flashing".

In fairness patches of fog can come and go, but surely they looked in front of them?

However, I tried to get my car taxed at a back street shop that does Post Office services. The guy behind the till could not see how to do, and assumed that it could not be done. Eventually he phoned his boss who explained.

The point is are people losing problem solving skills because so many things can be done by just pressing buttons.

 

[Yokel]

40-odd years ago motorways only had basic warnings lights in the centre. I think it was four flashing amber and a square panel in the middle to display a speed restriction. Quite common after a massive pile-up in fog to have drivers on TV news saying "I didn't know it was foggy - the lights weren't flashing".

I wonder if the likes of @Nimbus and @Ortholith shake their heads with despair when they hear of the brainlessness of some people. They get taught the basics of mechanics and electrical theory - but they still seem to not understand that a faster a vehicle goes, the more stopping it takes. They also seem to fail to understand overloading electrical sockets and cables.

Then they fail to be able to understand things like graphs and numbers, or that mixing chemicals without checking the label (eg bleach and washing up liquid - NO) is often a bad idea.

 

[solomon88]

I wonder if the likes of @Nimbus and @Ortholith shake their heads with despair when they hear of the brainlessness of some people. They get taught the basics of mechanics and electrical theory - but they still seem to not understand that a faster a vehicle goes, the more stopping it takes. They also seem to fail to understand overloading electrical sockets and cables.

Then they fail to be able to understand things like graphs and numbers, or that mixing chemicals without checking the label (eg bleach and washing up liquid - NO) is often a bad idea.

Too right. Mind you, politicians don't want people to understand graphs and statistics!

A lot of the "green" stuff seems to ignore basic physics and chemistry. Also an appalling lack of general knowledge. I'm pleased I went through school when it was largely untouched by any progressive nonsense.

I've come across random mixing of cleaning products, with liberation of Chlorine! Not a good idea.