random tip

[cos]

When giving someone a ride, it is a good idea, after dropping them off at the house they're going to, to wait and watch until the go inside, before driving off - as long as it's possible to do without obstructing traffic. I think I first heard this as a safety tip (when dropping off a woman alone at night), but I think it's much more likely to be useful for more mundane reasons like they forgot their key, or they expected someone to be home who isn't there, or it's the wrong house, or oops their cell phone is still in your car, etc. Anyway, it's a really simple thing that makes a lot of sense and yet I didn't think of it until I heard someone suggest it (many years ago), so perhaps I have readers who haven't thought of it yet either and could benefit from seeing it suggested.

Any other random useful tips you'd like to pass along?

Comments

[fantasmagoria.livejournal.com]

An alternate to keeping photocopies of important things, espcially credit cards since they can be used with just the number, is to write the information in an email and save it as a draft within your email sever, or as a document on privately hosted web space if you have it. Saving the information as a draft instead of sending it to yourself is more secure, and it's likely that if you're in a place that allows you phone access or fax access in an emergency, you will also have internet access. This isn't a tip for all the time, but it's good when travelling.

[cos]

I keep my numbers (in cryptic form, with enigmatic labels) in private files on my unix servers. But I also have some photocopies of my green card in my backpack.