@sid
@LonePaladin
My parents aren't too hot on tech know how and my in-laws are even worse. They just "turned on the email so we can send them letters to their new address instead of to the house." Very basic computer instruction is met with glazed over eyes and answers of "I'll have the nieces do it when they come by."
I'm glad I gave up IT work back in the 90's!!! It's Unfortunate that I still have to deal with tech support and by the time I've convinced them that I know what I'm talking about they can't help me any more and it's time to do it all over again with the next tier (there should be code words to bypass the bottom of the totem pole techs)...
Other skills I don't think should be able to default: (I understand that a zero is "The general baseline of knowledge shared by society. This is not incompetence; it is the standard level of untrained knowledge held by any Joe Average." I think there's a larger divide on unrated skills that require training than what's represented)
Diving - I've seen first-hand whats happens to someone without training attempt SCUBA and have to be pulled out, it's counter intuitive - high elevation diving kills the untrained period (anything over 3 meters can cause hearing loss and it just gets worse the higher you go).
Navigation - I've got a bit of experience with maps and someone who doesn't have training will get lost unless they're sporting GPS with a programmable map.
Survival - Boy scout? survival enthusiast?
Tracking - Nature enthusiast?
Armorer - All other repair skills aren't defaultable...
Demolitions - Um really? I guess if they had a 2070 version of The Anarchist Handbook, that really worked, and wanted to face their mortality.
Locksmith - If defaulting involves using big tools sure, but aren't you suppose to get through it without destroying it? I don't think that involves locksmithing anymore.
Parachuting - Maybe if their AR had a program that showed where and when to pull what under normal conditions (recreational jump) - anyone could do a static line jump, but landing...
First Aid - If it's more than band-aids and ointment I think you're just doing more harm.
I guess you could attempt any skill, but plan on a FUBAR situation.
Have you never seen a movie? Just because you can USE explosives doesn't mean you know how to make them or where to put them to get the most effect. If you have a pack full of c4 with radio devices and instructions on how to use them all you need to do is take the little silver thing attached to the wire and shove it into the plastic explosives and stick it or set it where you want it and then push the red button on the transmitter and BOOM. Now you wouldn't be able to take down a sky scraper with 4 well placed explosive devices without very specific instructions and some target specific training from your local explosives expert.
Diving, well thats pretty simple. Jump in the water using your body to direct yourself headlong into the water. Yeah you won't do high dives and scuba would be difficult without some training, but I'm pretty sure anyone here could breathe off a regulator in a non-emergency situation.
Navigation, are you telling me you can't read a road map? How about using landmarks to keep heading in the right direction?
Survival, seek water and food. You might get unlucky and find dirty water and poisonous food but at least you found it!
Tracking... you ever seen foot prints in snow? Thats basic tracking. Just from the distance between prints you can determine if they are tall or short, and how deep they are you can tell if they are laden or traveling light. If they are far apart AND heavy they are probably running.
Armorer, now thats something I don't see how the average person would know unless most people in SR universe are familiar with firearms.
Locksmithing, never tried unlocking a door with a paper clip and a hair pin? How about a coat hanger to unlock your car door? Ever replaced a door lock? Those are all locksmithing.
Parachuting, jump out, pull before you hit the ground, and probably sprain your ankle or hurt yourself in some other way when you land.
First aid, if its bleeding add pressure. First aid isn't combat medicine. First aid is the stuff you learn in health class. Splints, immobilize, bandage, get their ass to the hospital. If they are in bad condition that will require more training, things like pneumothorax or arterial bleeding you are going to be in trouble without training.