I have in irrational fear of cans. What's your dreaded contingency?

[pfrsantos]

Many years ago I worked for the UK emergency services (as an emergency call handler) and that has left me with an irrational fear of having a house fire/burning to death. As a result I always ensure all electrical items (the cause of many UK fires) are off before I go to sleep at night.  I always have a powerful torch by the bed to aid escape.

If you're so affraid of fire, why not trade that torch for a flashlight?...

 

[MichaelGT83]

Many years ago I worked for the UK emergency services (as an emergency call handler) and that has left me with an irrational fear of having a house fire/burning to death. As a result I always ensure all electrical items (the cause of many UK fires) are off before I go to sleep at night.  I always have a powerful torch by the bed to aid escape.

I once got sent on a Risk Assessment course that incorporated an entire afternoon of Fire Risk Assessment. I couldn't sleep properly for about a fortnight afterwards... Now, if I'm somewhere and a fire alarm starts, I'm usually the first one towards the exit.

[pfrsantos]

I once got sent on a Risk Assessment course that incorporated an entire afternoon of Fire Risk Assessment. I couldn't sleep properly for about a fortnight afterwards... Now, if I'm somewhere and a fire alarm starts, I'm usually the first one towards the exit.

Yeah...



 

[MichaelGT83]

Yeah...



 

 

[ReamerPunch]

Phillips 2
Looking for a portable option led me to multi-tools, and looking for multi-tool reviews led me here. A SAK can opener does the trick nicely most of the time, but I wanted something that could take bits. I was thinking of getting that screwpop keychain tool, but I lucked out and found a Yamaha drum key which I modified into a keychain bit driver, and now I carry that along with bits and a bit extender in my wallet. And a mini ratchet in my Maxpedition, with even more bits.

Scissors
I'd be carrying a folder regularly, but given the look I got from a lady busting out a 91mm SAK blade outdoors a while back, scissors are the go-to cutting implement. And SAK scissors are truly a feat of engineering. How can 58mm scissors cut so well? It is phenomenal. And I love the monster scissors we've been seeing lately on MTs.

Tweezers
I need these almost every day for the odd job. SAK tweezers are good for reassembling multi-tools, but they are not strong enough for some tasks, so I carry good tweezers in my wallet.

Pens
I once had to take a note, and despite carrying three pens, none worked and I had to ask for one. So now I carry five on me (gonna have to upgrade to plus scales on my Deluxe Tinker at some point). It amazes me that people do not carry pens, especially in post offices, banks etc, where the likelihood of needing one is higher than other places. I get asked if I have a pen mostly by women, and it makes me wonder why they do not carry at least one pen in their handbags.

[smiller43147]

I would have to say that it's a toss up between scissors and a flashlight.  Of course, those scissors are usually part of a 91 or 93 SAK, which means I also have the can and bottle openers, screwdrivers and knife (at a minimum). 
So really, all the above.

[nate j]

Pens
I once had to take a note, and despite carrying three pens, none worked and I had to ask for one. So now I carry five on me (gonna have to upgrade to plus scales on my Deluxe Tinker at some point). It amazes me that people do not carry pens, especially in post offices, banks etc, where the likelihood of needing one is higher than other places. I get asked if I have a pen mostly by women, and it makes me wonder why they do not carry at least one pen in their handbags.

YMMV, but I find that I just don't use pens very often anymore, as more and more things go electronic.  And when I do need one, it's usually to sign the receipt at a restaurant or check out counter, and they generally hand you a pen with the receipt without bothering to ask if you need one.

[theonew]

Flashlight for me too. I can't stand using my cellphone as a flashlight, just too awkward to hold. While I don't have any data to support this, I bet a lot of dropped phones and cracked screens happen when using them as flashlights.

[ElevenBlade]

On SAK, besides the usual openers and blades, I think scissors and metal file/saw are my 'must haves'.

Scissors because there are times I need to cut something inside a moving vehicle, and I always fear the vehicle would stop abruptly and scissors is much safer to use in that regard.  Metal file/saw because it has once saved a long haul trip by cutting open a luggage lock, and another fear of mine is to be trapped inside a building/high rise on fire, while the exit is locked up with a pad lock/chain.  I don't know the metal file is good enough to cut everything, but at least there's a possibility they would work.

Saving a trip by cutting a luggage lock seems like it could very well lead to a "dreaded contingency" that you'd want to plan for long into the future.  I can imagine how that would change your ideas of what's worth being prepared for.   

[ElevenBlade]

Phillips 2
Looking for a portable option led me to multi-tools, and looking for multi-tool reviews led me here. A SAK can opener does the trick nicely most of the time, but I wanted something that could take bits. I was thinking of getting that screwpop keychain tool, but I lucked out and found a Yamaha drum key which I modified into a keychain bit driver, and now I carry that along with bits and a bit extender in my wallet. And a mini ratchet in my Maxpedition, with even more bits.

Scissors
I'd be carrying a folder regularly, but given the look I got from a lady busting out a 91mm SAK blade outdoors a while back, scissors are the go-to cutting implement. And SAK scissors are truly a feat of engineering. How can 58mm scissors cut so well? It is phenomenal. And I love the monster scissors we've been seeing lately on MTs.

Tweezers
I need these almost every day for the odd job. SAK tweezers are good for reassembling multi-tools, but they are not strong enough for some tasks, so I carry good tweezers in my wallet.

Pens
I once had to take a note, and despite carrying three pens, none worked and I had to ask for one. So now I carry five on me (gonna have to upgrade to plus scales on my Deluxe Tinker at some point). It amazes me that people do not carry pens, especially in post offices, banks etc, where the likelihood of needing one is higher than other places. I get asked if I have a pen mostly by women, and it makes me wonder why they do not carry at least one pen in their handbags.

I used to carry a pen all the time, I've simply fallen out of the habit in the last year... Though to compensate, I put a pen in my EDC/work (same thing these days since I only go to work when I'm not howe) bag, and it does come in handy.  I notice it more since it's in my bag and not my pocket. 

[GearedForwards]

This for me is a torch and being generally 'tool-less.' I usually carry multiple dedicated torches (in addition to the back up of the phone light) because they're so useful, be it at night, under a desk or getting a better look at something upclose. Otherwise I just hate the feeling of not having some kind of tool on me to at least try and tackle a task, for years I carried a Swisscard in my wallet and always have multiple tools in my bags etc. but being in the UK there are times you just don't want to risk it.

This led to a profound appreciation for my keychain bottle opener (Brew-pry), which I've pressed into service more as a package opener, scraper and screw driver than I've actually used it as a bottle opener (helps I rarely ever drink).

Of course now I have a fear of padlocks (thanks Comis) so time to make sure I was have a way of defeating them 

[ElevenBlade]

This for me is a torch and being generally 'tool-less.' I usually carry multiple dedicated torches (in addition to the back up of the phone light) because they're so useful, be it at night, under a desk or getting a better look at something upclose. Otherwise I just hate the feeling of not having some kind of tool on me to at least try and tackle a task, for years I carried a Swisscard in my wallet and always have multiple tools in my bags etc. but being in the UK there are times you just don't want to risk it.

This led to a profound appreciation for my keychain bottle opener (Brew-pry), which I've pressed into service more as a package opener, scraper and screw driver than I've actually used it as a bottle opener (helps I rarely ever drink).

Of course now I have a fear of padlocks (thanks Comis) so time to make sure I was have a way of defeating them

 

I had a keychain flashlight that had a bottle opener on it.  I really liked that one... but when it crumped, that was the end of it... battery replacement didn't fix the issue.  Oh well.  That was when I was testing out the Classic on the keyring, with this flashlight/bottle opener... in my pre MTo days.

[greenbear]

If you're so affraid of fire, why not trade that torch for a flashlight?...

 

      

[nate j]

...another fear of mine is to be trapped inside a building/high rise on fire, while the exit is locked up with a pad lock/chain.  I don't know the metal file is good enough to cut everything, but at least there's a possibility they would work.

I don't recall where you live, but here in the US locking the door of an occupied building (especially a commercial building like that) in such a way that it could not be readily opened from the inside would be a serious fire code violation.

[Sos24]

I once got sent on a Risk Assessment course that incorporated an entire afternoon of Fire Risk Assessment. I couldn't sleep properly for about a fortnight afterwards... Now, if I'm somewhere and a fire alarm starts, I'm usually the first one towards the exit.

 As I kid I saw part of the movie The Towering Inferno.  I couldn’t sleep for the longest time.  I went around for a few weeks always looking for anything that could be considered a fire hazard and trying to correct it.  I got over the fear, but still think that os the scariest movie I’ve ever seen.

[ToolJoe]

I always have an SAK and flashlight on me. Also always a pen as I write down phone orders as a store manager all day long.