Reply #47: yes! ALWAYS know your exits! [View All]

[NorthernSpy]

You've brought up a good point, MrSandman. Making a practice of noting the locations of exits is very good habit to get into.

People have a strong tendency to leave a building through the same door that they entered it -- a fact that can work against you in two ways:

1. If you're being stalked, keeping to a consistent route makes you predictable and easier for your pursuer to locate;

2. In the case of fire or other emergency, you and others may wind up trapped if everyone tries to rush through the main exit, rather than each person leaving via the exit that is closest to him. This is what happened in the horrific fire that killed a hundred people at a Rhode Island nightclub last year. :cry:

Whenever I've stayed at a hotel, I've always walked through it first and familiarized myself with the floorplan -- noting especially the fire extinguishers and sprinklers and in what direction and how many doors down from my room the fire exits are. This may sound kind of hyper-vigilant, but a person who keeps calm and has a plan can survive -- and even help the other people there, so that everyone comes out of it okay (and you CANNOT EVER rely on anyone else to think about safety, unfortunately).


Mary