I may have what might be stupid questions about evacuations, having never experienced one before (knock on keyboard).

Why do some overwing exits with (disposable) hatch-type doors sometimes have instructions instructing the passenger to place the hatch onto the seats? Surely it would be faster to simply toss it out the opening? And also prevent a possibly obstruction during the evacuation?

And besides the Hudson River crash, have life rafts ever actually been used as life rafts? Or is that just fanciful and wishful thinking that an aircraft will usually survive an emergency landing on water.