Know where all the exits are
Aug. 8th, 2010 09:05 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wolven7I now better understand my discomfort with cities I don't know, well, and it's an extension of the principle of knowing your exits.
Think about this: When you walk into a new building, the first thing you do is acquaint yourself with all the possible ways to exit that building, in the case of fire, earthquake, gunfight, serial axe murderer, or spy. You familarize yourself with the layout, the fixtures, the available tools, everything. If you do this well, and quickly, then you'll be capable of making a quick escape, in any emergency. You cannot do this, with a city.
When you move to a city, you should spend a great deal of time driving around with someone you know who lives there. Learn the neighbourhoods, the restaurants, the police coverage. Know which way to go, to get away, to get to a densely populated public area, to get to the cops, to get to your hidden weapons cache.
But when you're visiting, and you're by yourself, or with someone else who doesn't know the layout? You don't know the exits, because you can't see the whole room (neighbourhood). This irks the shit out of me, especially in places like DC, where I feel (irrationally, perhaps) that I should absolutely already know the entire city. So, yeah, I get twitchy.
It's like being in a restaurant, with my back to the door, and blinders on, and suspicious noises, everywhere. Only with cars.
Think about this: When you walk into a new building, the first thing you do is acquaint yourself with all the possible ways to exit that building, in the case of fire, earthquake, gunfight, serial axe murderer, or spy. You familarize yourself with the layout, the fixtures, the available tools, everything. If you do this well, and quickly, then you'll be capable of making a quick escape, in any emergency. You cannot do this, with a city.
When you move to a city, you should spend a great deal of time driving around with someone you know who lives there. Learn the neighbourhoods, the restaurants, the police coverage. Know which way to go, to get away, to get to a densely populated public area, to get to the cops, to get to your hidden weapons cache.
But when you're visiting, and you're by yourself, or with someone else who doesn't know the layout? You don't know the exits, because you can't see the whole room (neighbourhood). This irks the shit out of me, especially in places like DC, where I feel (irrationally, perhaps) that I should absolutely already know the entire city. So, yeah, I get twitchy.
It's like being in a restaurant, with my back to the door, and blinders on, and suspicious noises, everywhere. Only with cars.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 01:19 am (UTC)I speak in a faux British accent, act all aloof, and angrily smoke cigarettes while I dig out my own corner and pretend that I have what I need to know to Make An Escape, or Take Them All Out With Me.
It doesn't take long to feel familiar, if I fake it, and once I do that, the learning seems to come more easily.
But then again, I'm weird.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 09:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 04:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-10 09:18 pm (UTC)And yeah, that can work well, during the day, but I also like the night life. Though not, so much, to boogie.
no subject
Date: 2010-08-18 06:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-08-18 06:56 pm (UTC)