"10 Survival Myths That Could Get You Killed Instead Of Saving Your Life" UPDATED

Gee. I believed seven of those myths; the other three I didn't know about. But #9 is the one that really got to me. It's a good thing I never got caught in a riptide because it turns out the standard instruction for surviving one is not quite accurate -- at least the way it's generally explained.  So, thanks Boredom Therapy! 

Update: Or rather thanks Business Insider!. It seems BT copied the Business Insider article, written by Kevin Loria and Dragan Radovanovic, without accreditation -- although they do credit BI for the illustrations.    

9. Swimming parallel to shore in a riptide

This is a confusing myth, because it is not entirely wrong. The thing about most riptides and undertows is that they come into shore at an angle. So, in many cases, swimming parallel to shore would actually be swimming against the current. The best way to think about it is to swim perpendicular to the current, which will help you conserve the most energy. If you can’t swim out of the riptide, don’t tire yourself out; just tread water until you can swim easily again.

   
Dragan Radovanovic/Busness Insider

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