The First-Timer's Urban Survival Guide: How to Be Prepared in the City

The Boy Scouts can teach you how to survive if you're lost in the woods. But these days, it sometimes feels more likely that you'll get lost in a big city, which can feel just as intimidating. Here's how to get by when you need to hail a cab instead of start a fire.

Big cities face a lot of unique survival challenges. Sure, you're not going to have to defend your jugular from bear attacks, or navigate by moss. But you can just as easily get lost downtown as you can in the woods. Whether you're moving to a big city or just visiting, there are a few skills everyone should know going in.

Learn How to Get From One Place to Another

Most of the US gets around by driving from one place to another, because there aren't many other options. This changes once you reach a city. Public transit, taxis, biking, or walking all become viable options for everyday travel, but they come with their own challenges. Here's how to navigate each.

How to Read Public Transit Maps

Every city has a different approach to public transit. Many major cities have some combination of subways and buses. Reading the maps and schedules for public transit can be confusing and overwhelming, though. But, if you know where you are and where you're trying to get to, you should be able to decipher them.

New York City blog NYC by Natives has a brief guide on the NYC subway, but the basic rules can be extrapolated to most cities. There are a few key pieces of info you need to determine which train to get on:

• Train Line: Subway systems are a network of individual train lines that run between set stops. The lines run in both directions simultaneously and include connections to intersecting lines. Your first step is to figure out which line or lines you need to get on to reach your destination.
• Local vs. Express: A common problem newcomers have with train lines is mixing up local and express. Local trains stop at every stop on a line, while express trains will only stop at major stations, to save regular commuters some time. Be sure you check the legend on your map to confirm which one you're going to get on. Also check any signs on your station platform, as sometimes lines can change based on the time of day.
• Train Direction: Most signs on subway platforms have names of major stations or landmarks to let you know which direction they're headed. It's easy to get tripped up because you found the platform for the C train, but ended up going away from your destination, not towards it. When you're trying to find the platform you need to be at, look for names of landmarks or areas like "Times Square" or "Brooklyn Bridge" to confirm you're going the right direction. Some signs may include specific street names, or even directions like "Uptown" or "Downtown" to indicate when they're traveling towards or away from the city center.

Google Maps is super helpful here. If you have access to it, it should be able to tell you which route to take, after which it's a matter of following the signs and knowing the basic schedules and jargon. Buses require a similar approach. If you're using an app like Google Maps to find your route, you just need to make sure you're at the correct bus station at the right time.

The key difference between buses and subway trains is that buses are victim to rush hour just like any other vehicle. For that reason, their schedules can be slightly more important to follow. Miss your bus and you'll be waiting for a while. Every city is different, but MetroTransit (the public transportation service for Minneapolis) offers a basic guide to reading bus schedules here. Be sure to check your local city's bus schedules for variations, though.

How to Hail a Cab

When you need to hitch a ride on an irregular route (or just don't have time to spare), a cab is a great way to do it. Finding a cab, on the other hand, can be harder. It's not always as easy as waving a hand into traffic (as I've seen Lifehacker editor Whitson confirm). If you're in a city that has Lyft or Uber, that can be easier, but hailing a cab is often faster if you know how to do it.

The Chicago Tribune has some tips on how to get the attention of a driver successfully. The properly executed hail comes down to two points:

• Be clear: Hailing a cab is no time for subtlety. Slightly raising your hand isn't going to cut it. Put your hand in the air and reach out in the direction of the traffic. The better the driver can see you, the more likely they are to pull over.
• Be in position: If you want a cab to pick you up, give them a space. Don't try to flag down a cab over other cars, in the middle of an intersection, or from anywhere but the curb.
• Watch for active cabs: As TaxiWiz explains, empty cabs will have the lights on top of their cars illuminated. Once they pick up a fare, the lights go out. Focus on getting the attention of an empty cab to improve your chances of success.
• When at a popular spot, get in line: Many large train stations, airports, hotels or other places that a person is likely to need a cab will have a queue waiting. For example, if you're leaving just about anywhere on the Las Vegas strip and need a cab, don't bother heading to the street. Go to the front door and look for the cab queue. Hop in line and the next available cab will be happy to pick you up.
  
• Stick to licensed cabs: Travel blog Go See Write recommends avoiding unlicensed taxi operators. You can usually tell either by markings on the license plate or the car panels. While this doesn't guarantee nothing will go wrong, you can at least have some assurance that there's an agency holding this particular cab accountable.

Of course, this is 2015. Waving your arms isn't the only way to get a cab. You can also use a good old fashioned phone call. A quick Google search for "cab company" and your city will find a few traditional companies complete with phone numbers you can call. Just give them an address and wait for them to show up.

How to Rent a Bike

Some cities also offer bike rentals as a quick way to get around. Bike sharing systems like New York's Citi Bike or Boston's Hubway typically operate on a pass system. You purchase a pass that you can use to borrow a bike from stations scattered around the city. You can ride the bike around for a while and then return to the closest bike rental station. The passes only grant you access to the stations themselves, but each ride still has a time limit (so you don't take a bike and keep it out for days at a time when you're not using it). You can re-rent a bike as many times as you want, but if you keep it out longer than the rental period, you'll start incurring overages.

For example, Citi Bike allows visitors to buy 24 hour and 72 hour passes. This doesn't mean you can grab a bike and keep it for three days, though. When you rent a pike, you swipe your pass at the kiosk and get access to a bike for 30 minutes. If you keep the bike longer than that, you have to start paying overages. You can return the bike to a kiosk and rent it again immediately, but the system is designed to discourage riders from keeping bikes out of use for long periods of time.

If you opt for a bike sharing system, don't forget to download any accompanying apps, where available. Citi Bike's app, for example, can tell you which stations nearby have bikes free, can give you bike-specific directions, and manage your account.

Stay Informed About Your Surroundings With Technology

When mankind traversed the wilds of primitive Earth, we fashioned tools to fend off predators and find food. Today, life isn't much different, except that your smartphone gets slightly better battery life than a rock tied to a stick. Here's how to solve the biggest tech-related survival challenges you'll face in the city.

How to Find Free Wi-Fi

Just because you're in the city doesn't guarantee you'll have signal. Not all cell frequencies are good at penetrating buildings (or reaching underground in places like subways), and you have a lot more people using a given network. At some point, you're going to lose signal on your smartphone. Or you'll need to download something that's too big for a mobile connection. In that situation, you'll have to forage for Wi-Fi. There are a few ways you can do this that are more effective than others.

• Check with your internet provider: Many home internet providers will let you access their network of Wi-Fi hotspots using your credentials. So, if you have Time Warner at home, for example, you can access their network of Wi-Fi hotspots for free wherever you go. Some even have apps that can find a spot near you.
• Track down a business with known Wi-Fi: The handy thing about big cities is that you're never far from a Starbucks or a McDonald's. Coffee houses, book stores, hotels, and fast food places often have free Wi-Fi for the wandering traveler. While some may make you buy something, many will offer it for free—especially the big chains.
• Tether your phone: If you have internet on your phone, but need to share it with a laptop (or a friend), you can always try tethering. Some carriers will charge extra for this service, and it can rack up data real quick if you have a cap, but it's nice to have the option. Be careful, though: tethering will drain your battery very quickly.
• Use hotspot tracker apps: If your internet provider doesn't include a network of hotspots (or if they suck), you can use apps like WeFi to find nearby hotspots. Not only can it point you in the right direction, but it can manage your connections to bypass the annoying access filters.
  
• Use social sites like Foursquare to get passwords: Even if a network is available for public use, you might need a password to access it. Often, helpful users of sites like Foursquare will share passwords to help give you access.

When you're in the city, you're rarely far from a Wi-Fi network. This can save you a ton of hassle. Most of the time, you'll be able to find free access. While some places still charge for an internet connection (particularly at places like airports), if you're in a densely populated area and a particular hotspot is charging for access, you can usually walk a few hundred feet in any given direction and find one that doesn

How to Survive Without Internet

Despite your best efforts, you may still find yourself without service. That doesn't mean you have to be completely stranded, though. Some data you can download offline ahead of time, or you can circumvent the need for the internet entirely.

Google Maps allows you to download sections of its map data for offline use. Whether you're a visitor or a resident, it's a good idea to at least download the section of the city where you live and any surrounding areas you'll frequent. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Open Google Maps on your phone.
2. Search for the area that you want to download.
3. Tap the card at the bottom with the name of the area.
4. Tap the menu button in the top-right corner. Select Save Offline Map.
5. Drag and resize the map to encompass the entire section of the map you want to save.
6. Tap Save.

If you lose internet entirely, apps like SMSmart can simulate certain apps using SMS. With it, you can use text messages to search Wikipedia, find restaurants, and search the web. SMSmart is actually just window dressing for existing SMS services that have been around for a while, but it's a much nicer way to use them.

How to Keep Your Gadgets Charged

If you're out for most of the day—especially if you're using maps and GPS a lot—your phone is probably going to die. When you have a car, you can charge your gadgets as you drive, which is usually the much-needed boost you need to make it from morning to night. Because big cities are walking and transit-friendly, though, you may not have that option. To keep your battery life up, you might have to get creative.

The easiest option is to get an external battery pack. With one of these in your pocket (or backpack), you can top off your phone whenever you need it. The major downside with a battery pack is that it's an extra thing you need to charge at night if you want to use it consistently.

Alternatively, you can use something that generates its own power. If you carry around a backpack or purse, this guide can show you how to attach solar panels to charge your devices via USB directly from the sun. Or, if you're have your own bicycle for getting around, this generator can charge your gadgets with power generated from your movement.

Stay Safe With a Little Street Savvy

If 80s movies taught us anything, it's that a guy in a leather jacket and a switchblade knife is right around the corner, waiting to take your cash. While this may be an overly goofy caricature, crime and scams do happen in cities. Here are some tips on how to walk the streets without making yourself a target.

How to Avoid Getting Mugged

Muggings may be a Hollywood trope, but they do happen. If you want to reduce the likelihood you'll be targeted, make like The Rock and walk tall. Research into what muggers look for in a victim repeatedly points to a person's gait as being a key trait. If someone walks with confidence, like they're comfortable in their surroundings, they're less likely to be targeted. As International Science Times explains:

Nonetheless, here's how the least vulnerable people walk, according to Johnston: They take long strides relative to their height, turn their pelvis with each step, move their whole body, swing not lift their feet, show a range of arm movement, have high energy and low constraint. Oh, and walk fast. Doesn't hurt to weigh a little more, either. Got it?

Of course, other factors enter into it, as well. Muggers tended to targeted older women and men more often than younger people (because they're presumably easier targets), for example. While you can't walk confident enough to suddenly become a young man, it can help to travel in groups. Also, as safety blog Circle 911 suggests, try to avoid wearing too much flashy stuff. The more you look like you have money, the more likely you are to become a target.

How to Avoid Pickpockets

Pickpockets are a much more subtle threat to your personal belongings. The best pickpockets will be in and out before you notice. And in crowded places like subways, it can be hard to tell when someone bumped into you on purpose, or if it was just an accident. Social norms keep us from yelling accusations at anyone who brushes against us, so you have to find other ways to protect yourself.

Here are a few tips for avoiding pickpockets:

• Carry as few valuables as possible: The less you have on you, the less you can lose if you do get marked. If you're traveling abroad, don't keep your passport in your pocket. Leave it in in the hotel room. Don't carry around excessive amounts of cash, either.
• Use bags that seal and are strapped to you: If you have to carry a bag or a purse, make sure it zips up. Wear your purse strap across your body, not just on one side, and keep your bag in front of you. If you have a wallet, keep it in your front pocket.
• Keep hands on your valuables in crowded areas: When you're pushing through a crowd of people, that bodily contact is the perfect opportunity to swipe something from your coat. Whenever possible, keep an eye (or hand) on those valuables until you get somewhere less crowded.

In the event that you do get targeted, alert the police immediately. The longer you wait, the less likely you'll have a shot at getting anything back. When a pickpocket robs you, you might not know it for a while, but the sooner you deal with it, the better.

How to Handle Panhandlers

Strictly speaking, begging for spare change isn't a crime (usually), but big cities are often full of panhandlers. Just dealing with the volume of the people asking for change can be intimidating, not to mention the internal moral quarrel we all face the first time we meet someone who needs some money.

As Time Magazine explains—in a piece that goes into much more detail than we could on the subject—sometimes offering money to panhandlers isn't the best solution, even if the person you're speaking to is being honest. And in some cases, they may not be. Scammers often present elaborate stories hoping to get sympathy and, eventually, money.

There's no one correct solution, and ultimately, you have to decide what you want to do on your own. Even if you do meet someone who's trying to scam you, there's no way you can ever know. And some rightly believe that it's worthwhile to give directly to someone who needs it, while others prefer to give to charitable organizations to help in a more structured way. However, James Winans, the head of development at New York's Bowery Mission, has some advice:

He says he would never try dissuade anyone from giving money directly to someone on the street. "We all have to do what we think is right," Winans says. "But what I do say to people is, first, there's only so much we can do for someone as an individual; and second, there's only so much we can know about another person's situation." For those worried about their money being misused, the Bowery Mission offers business card-sized printouts on its website listing the organization's location and range of services. The cards can be given instead of cash, or with money wrapped inside. Says Winsan: "It's great to connect that person with a community that can help them."

If you're not comfortable giving money to a panhandler, consider finding a nearby convenience store and offering to buy food or water directly. If you don't want to give, just politely say "No," or continue walking. In most cases, even aggressive panhandlers will move on to the next person if you ignore them long enough. In the event that it starts to turn into harassment, head to the nearest well-lit, public place.

Photos by Ben Garney, Mike Mozart, and Gary McCabe.