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The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbook

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Chapter One

GREAT ESCAPES AND ENTRANCES

HOW TO ESCAPE FROM QUICKSAND

[1] When walking in quicksand country, carrya stout pole?it will help you get out shouldyou need to.

[2] As soon as you start to sink, lay the pole on thesurface of the quicksand.

[3] Flop onto your back on top of the pole.After a minute or two, equilibrium in the quicksandwill be achieved, and you will no longer sink.

[4] Work the pole to a new position: under your hipsand at right angles to your spine.The pole will keep your hips from sinking, as you(slowly) pull out first one leg and then the other.

[5] Take the shortest route to firmer ground,moving slowly.

How to Avoid Sinking

Quicksand is just ordinary sand mixed with upwellingwater, which makes it behave like a liquid. However,quicksand?unlike water?does not easily let go. Ifyou try to pull a limb out of quicksand, you haveto work against the vacuum left behind. Here are afew tips:

· The viscosity of quicksand increases with shearing?move slowly so the viscosity is as low as possible.

· Floating on quicksand is relatively easy and is the best way to avoid its clutches. You are more buoyant in quicksand than you are in water. Humans are less dense than freshwater, and saltwater is slightly more dense. Floating is easier in saltwater than freshwater and much easier in quicksand. Spread your arms and legs far apart and try to float on your back.

HOW TO BREAKDOWN A DOOR

Interior Doors

[1] Give the door a well-placed kick or two to the lockarea to break it down.

Running at the door and slamming against it withyour shoulder or body is not usually as effective askicking with your foot. Your foot exerts more forcethan your shoulder, and you will be able to direct thisforce toward the area of the locking mechanism moresuccinctly with your foot.

Alternate Method(if you have a screwdriver)

* Look on the front of the doorknob for a smallhole or keyhole.

Most interior doors have what are called privacy sets.These locks are usually installed on bedrooms andbathrooms and can be locked from the inside whenthe door is shut, but have an emergency access hole inthe center of the door handle which allows entry tothe locking mechanism inside. Insert the screwdriveror probe into the handle and push the locking mechanism,or turn the mechanism to open the lock.

Exterior Doors

If you are trying to break down an exterior door, youwill need more force. Exterior doors are of sturdierconstruction and are designed with security in mind,for obvious reasons. In general, you can expect to seetwo kinds of latches on outside doors: a passage- orentry-lock set for latching and a dead-bolt lock forsecurity. The passage set is used for keeping the doorfrom swinging open and does not lock. The entry-lockset utilizes a dead latch and can be locked beforeclosing the door.

[1] Give the door several well-placed kicks at the pointwhere the lock is mounted.

An exterior door usually takes several tries to breakdown this way, so keep at it.

Alternate Method(if you have a sturdy piece of steel)

* Wrench or pry the lock off the door by insertingthe tool between the lock and the door and pryingback and forth.

Alternate Method(if you have a screwdriver, hammer, and awl)

* Remove the pins from the hinges (if the door openstoward you) and then force the door open from thehinge side.

Get a screwdriver or an awl and a hammer. Place theawl or screwdriver underneath the hinge, with thepointy end touching the end of the bolt or screw.Using the hammer, strike the other end of the awl orscrewdriver until the hinge comes out.

Assessing Amount of Force Required

Interior doors in general are of a lighter constructionthan exterior doors and usually are thinner?1 3/8"thick to 1 5/8" thick?than exterior doors, which generallyare 1 ¾" thick. In general, older homes will bemore likely to have solid wood doors, while newerones will have the cheaper, hollow core models.Knowing what type of door you are dealing with willhelp you determine how to break it down. You canusually determine the construction and solidity of adoor by tapping on it.

Hollow core. This type is generally used forinterior doors, since it provides no insulation orsecurity, and requires minimal force. These doorscan often be opened with a screwdriver.

Solid wood. These are usually oak or some otherhardwood, and require an average amount of forceand a crowbar or other similar tool.

Solid core. These have a softwood inner framewith a laminate on each side and a chipped orshaved wood core, and require an average amountof force and a screwdriver.

Metal clad. These are usually softwood witha thin metal covering, and require average or aboveaverage force and a crowbar.

Hollow metal. These doors are of a heaviergauge metal that usually has a reinforcing channelaround the edges and the lock mounting area,and are sometimes filled with some type ofinsulating material. These require maximum forceand a crowbar.

HOW TO BREAKINTO A CAR

Most cars that are more than ten years old have vertical,push-button locks. These are locks that comestraight out of the top of the car door and have rodsthat are set vertically inside the door. These locks canbe easily opened with a wire hanger or a SlimJim, orpicked, as described below. Newer cars have horizontallocks, which emerge from the side of the car doorand are attached to horizontal lock rods. These aremore difficult to manipulate without a special tool butcan also be picked.

How to Break into a Carwith a Hanger

[1] Take a wire hanger and bend it into a long J.

[2] Square off the bottom of the J so the square is1 ½ to 2 inches wide (see illustration).

[3] Slide the hanger into the door, between thewindow and the weather stripping.

Open the door by feel and by trial and error. Feel forthe end of the button rod and, when you have it, pullit up to open the lock.

How to Break into a Carwith a SlimJim

[1] A SlimJim is a thin piece of spring steel with a notch inone side, which makes it easy to pull the lock rod up.They can be purchased at most automotive supply stores.

Slide the tool gently between the window and theweather stripping.

Some cars will give you only a quarter of an inch ofaccess to the lock linkage, so go slowly and be patient.

[2] Do not jerk the tool trying to find the lock rod.

This can break the lock linkage, and on auto-locks itcan easily rip the wires in the door.

[3] Move the tool back and forth until it grabs the lockrod and then gently move it until the lock flips over.

How to Pick a Car Lock

[1] You will need two tools?one to manipulate thepins or wafers inside the lock core and one to turnthe cylinder.

You can use a small Allen wrench to turn the lock anda long bobby pin to move the pins and wafers. Keepin mind that many car locks are harder to pick thandoor locks. They often have a small shutter that coversand protects the lock, and this can make theprocess more difficult.

[2] While the bobby pin is in the lock, exert constantand light turning pressure with the wrench.

This is the only way to discern if the pins or wafers?whichline up with the notches and grooves in akey?are lined up correctly. Most locks have five pins.

[3] Move the bobby pin to manipulate the pins orwafers until you feel the lock turn smoothly.

Alternate Method

* Use a key from a different car from the samemanufacturer.

There are surprisingly few lock variations, and thealien key may just work.

Be Aware

We of course assume you are seeking to enter yourown car.

HOW TOHOT-WIRE A CAR

Hot-wiring a car without the owner's permission isillegal, except in repossessions. Hot-wiring can bedangerous; there is a risk of electrical shock. Hot-wiringwill not work on all cars, particularly carswith security devices. Some "kill switches" can preventhot-wiring.

[1] Open the hood.

[2] Locate the coil wire (it is red).

To find it, follow the plug wires, which lead to the coilwire. The plug and coil wires are located at the rear ofthe engine on most V-8s. On six-cylinder engines, thewires are on the left side near the center of the engine,and on four-cylinder engines, they are located on theright side near the center of the engine.

[3] Run a wire from the positive (+) side of the batteryto the positive side of the coil, or the red wire thatgoes to the coil.

This step gives power to the dash, and the car will notrun unless it is performed first.

[4] Locate the starter solenoid.

On most GM cars, it is on the starter. On Fords, it islocated on the left-side (passenger-side) fender well.An easy way to find it is to follow the positive batterycable. You will see a small wire and the positive batterycable. Cross the two with a screwdriver or pliers.This cranks the engine.

[5] If the car has a standard transmission, make sureit is in neutral and the parking brake is on.

If it has an automatic transmission, make sure it isin park.

[6] Unlock the steering wheel using a flat bladescrewdriver.

Take the screwdriver and place it at the top center ofthe steering column. Push the screwdriver betweenthe steering wheel and the column. Push the lockingpin away from the wheel. Be very firm when pushingthe pin; it will not break.

Continues...

Excerpted from The Worst Case Scenario Survival Handbookby Joshua Piven Copyright © 2002 by Joshua Piven. Excerpted by permission.
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