Q&A for How to Be Stealthy

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  • Question
    What if I cannot afford night vision goggles?
    Community Answer
    Before you go anywhere, sit in a dark room or closet for 30 minutes. Your eyes will adjust to the darkness, making it easier to see.
  • Question
    How can I be stealthy when I have to run?
    Community Answer
    Try to stay blended in with your surroundings and make sure to step with the ball of your foot, not the heel.
  • Question
    What do I do if I see someone in front of me?
    Community Answer
    If you're outside in the dark, stay as low to the ground as possible and/or find coverage in foliage or alleyways. In the daytime, just act normal and if they see you walk towards them, pretend you're just walking past them, avoid eye contact and keep a neutral facial expression.
  • Question
    Can I move fast enough not to be seen if I am right in front of someone?
    Community Answer
    No, the way to get past someone close is to stay out of their sight and stay silent, moving slowly.
  • Question
    What if there is nowhere to hide?
    Keyestur
    Community Answer
    Blend in. If it's a public area, dress simply, and do what everyone else is doing. Anything elaborate will get you noticed (like all black clothing), and if you're trying to look at what someone is doing, don't make 7 trips to the water fountain. If it's a desolate location, again, blend in as much as you can. Wear clothing that camouflage you in your environment, and move to the sound of the wind, or other loud sounds (like cars and airplanes).
  • Question
    How can I avoid a drone with a camera on it?
    Community Answer
    Remember that most drone cameras don't have a 360° view, much like your eyes. Stay behind the drone as it moves. Most importantly, remember that it sees from above, so hide under or behind tall objects.
  • Question
    What if I can't draw a map?
    Community Answer
    The best thing to do is pay extreme attention to your surroundings and think everything through before taking action. Always expect the unexpected.
  • Question
    How do I get around a problem with creaky stairs?
    Community Answer
    Step along the bars, climb or just be quiet, careful and light-weight when moving.
  • Question
    How do I hide my shelter in the woods from a search party?
    Community Answer
    Make it blend in with the surroundings by using twigs and leaves or other natural elements.
  • Question
    What do you do it you throw an object to cause a diversion, but it hits the person?
    Community Answer
    The best thing to do is be still and close your eyes. If you hit the person, he or she probably will be expecting to see someone.
  • Question
    How do I move stealthily in my home when there are creaky floors?
    Community Answer
    Make sure to wear soft socks or go barefoot. Try to move as close to the edge of the floor as possible.
  • Question
    What if there's no way to get by the people that are in the area of your destination?
    Fall down house
    Community Answer
    Wait for them to move to another place. Another part of being stealthy is patience.
  • Question
    I can't test my creaky door, so what do I do now?
    Community Answer
    You open it as slow as possible also push slightly down on the handle. If you want to be as safe as possible just bring some oil with you.
  • Question
    Can I be stealthy if I'm a kid?
    Keeshboy01
    Community Answer
    It doesn't matter if you're a kid our not, this information can be used for people of all ages.
  • Question
    Sometimes when I walk, my feet make a "click" sound, what do I do?
    Community Answer
    Walk on your toes. Your heel might be where the "click" sound is coming from. Also, try to wear socks or soft-soled shoes.
  • Question
    What should I wear and how should I walk for sandy terrain?
    Community Answer
    Sand is great at absorbing noise. Avoid large piles of sand that could collapse and make noise that way. Go barefoot in order to minimize how deep your feet go in the sand. In extreme stealth scenarios, go prone along the sand. You may consider coating yourself in sand as well.
  • Question
    How do I practice without drawing attention to myself?
    Keyestur
    Community Answer
    Simple pranks and or tricks are easy to practice. The Penny Trick is probably the simplest way to learn stealth. Simply leave a penny near someone you see almost everyday (like someone you live or work with). Start by leaving the penny in obvious places, like on a chair or desk, somewhere you would expect to find a penny. Eventually, start leaving the penny in stranger places, like in a cup that person drinks from regularly, or in his or her favorite book. And after weeks of this, you can leave it in absurd places, like in that person's lunch or underneath a computer mouse. Simple, but devious, and absolutely hilarious.
  • Question
    If I wear glasses, will that affect my stealthiness?
    Community Answer
    They shouldn't, unless they're super conspicuous.
  • Question
    How do I sneak around someone with a light source if I am wearing glasses?
    Community Answer
    Take your glasses off! Even if you can't see all that well, you'll still be able to track their movements. Otherwise, just try to stay out of their line of sight/ray of light.
  • Question
    How do I deal with squeaky door hinges?
    Community Answer
    Carry a can of WD-40 with you. It works wonders on squeaky hinges.
  • Question
    Why do you have to avoid eye contact when you're sneaking?
    Community Answer
    You don't want to have to talk to anyone while sneaking, and eye contact will make people want to talk to you.
  • Question
    How do I open a creaky door without being seen or heard?
    Community Answer
    Grab the door handle and open it very quickly. This often works for creaky doors, but you'll have to try the specific door to find out if it works on that one.
  • Question
    How can I be sure that I am not seen in an open crowd?
    Community Answer
    Hide in plain sight. Use the terrain (the people) to your advantage -- dress to blend in and move casually.
  • Question
    What if you're spotted when hitting in a bush? What do you do then?
    Community Answer
    Run and hide as quickly as possible. A good way to avoid this would be to wear something over your face so the person can't recognise you or plan an escape route in advance.
  • Question
    How do I remain undetected by animals such as dogs who would raise an alarm?
    Community Answer
    Create a distraction. Throw a rock or a dog treat to divert the dog's attention.
  • Question
    What would I do if I was in a forest in fall, and there were dead leaves everywhere on the ground?
    Community Answer
    There is a certain kind of walk called the fox walk that you can find tutorials for on survivalist and hunting sites; it takes time to perfect, but it's worth it.
  • Question
    What if the person I'm spying on has been expecting me?
    Aaron Fretwell
    Community Answer
    Know your enemy. Try to anticipate things they would find suspicious and avoid them. Stay out of obvious hiding places and try to keep more distant than usual from them.
  • Question
    If I'm at a friend's house, how can I adjust my eyes if I can't access a closet?
    Emily505
    Community Answer
    Go to a bathroom and close the door. You can sit in there in the dark and allow your eyes to adjust.
  • Question
    Do I eat food before I do my mission so I wont make grumbling sounds from my stomach?
    Community Answer
    Yes, but not so much that you've got a full stomach, which will weigh you down. Try a light snack.
  • Question
    What should I do if someone doesn't buy my story?
    Community Answer
    Apologize and admit that you were just trying to be sneaky. Sometimes a genuine apology can get you out of a lot of trouble.
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