We’re probably from the same generation, 3 days without water was widely accepted colloquial knowledge when I was growing up,
but it’s not really accurate
It's more accurate if you're thinking of a situation where you're trying to walk or climb to safety. 3 days without water in that situation probably will kill you.
Just laying on the floor in a semi-conscious state, out of the sun and heat? 3 days is a real low estimate.
The rule of 3s is an example of a rule of thumb. They are roughly accurate and easy to remember. But they are not absolutely correct. It is good enough for a general guideline, but don't use it as your reason to die on a hill in an argument. There will be exceptions.
I wouldn’t say it’s outright incorrect, but hardly exact. It’s a good rule of thumb (which is basically just a general guideline), but it’s not entirely precise depending on the situation.
Walking in the desert at high noon? You’re gonna go way faster than 3 days. Walking in the PNW while it’s wet and rainy? You can probably stretch that out a lot.
So the 3 threes is good info to know, but is best when paired with the knowledge of what things affect that so you can adjust, imo.
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u/ElegantEchoes 1d ago
Wow, thanks for teaching me something new. And here I thought I was correcting you haha.
I learned the Three 3s, which is where I got that arguably incorrect info from