Ask HN: What does your contingency plan look like if you are stranded?

1 pointsjwillmer7y ago2 comments

This week I was stranded with two small kids on a lake in the urgent need of calling a family member to pick us up, but I didn't had a working phone anymore. Since I don't remember any smartphone number I needed a device with internet to login to my Google account. I asked the first guy for his phone and internet access, but his data volume was throttled so Google run into a timeout. The second guy had decent mobile internet, but Google didn't recognise the device - who knew! - and asked for a second factor. Long story short: I couldn't access any of my data (quickly) and I was carrying two kids while hiking home.

I have two questions for you. First one is: Do you have still a way to access your data (contacts) quickly if you only have a mobile device from a stranger and would you mind telling me?

Second question: I had the idea of a GitHub hosted page that stores my emergency contacts encrypted. I have built up a prototype [1] but I am by now means a security expert and I am not sure if my encryption method is secure (enough) to host contacts online. Anyone mind giving me some feedback?

[1]: https://github.com/jwillmer/emergency-contacts

2 comments

icedchai7y ago

This is a problem that does not need a tech solution. Put a piece of paper in your wallet with a couple of family member's phone numbers on it.

cimmanom7y ago

I’ve memorized landline and cell numbers for two family members and one family friend. Phone numbers aren’t all that difficult to memorize, though some repetition helps. (This was easier to do naturally back in the landline days.)

Try printing out a list of your most frequent contacts and posting it on the fridge. When you call one of them from your home, dial the number into your phone instead of selecting them from contacts/recents/favorites.

Bonus: you can call them in situations where you get cell reception but no data, or where the only phone made available to you is a land line (pay phone, hospital, police station.)

I also recommend having your kids memorize the numbers for you and your spouse, their grandparents, and at least one trusted family friend - in case they ever get separated from the adults who are supposed to be responsible for them.

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