Short answer: follow the directions on the card.

We had a few emergency exit evacs during my tenure. The doors that get thrown out often damage the wing surface. I’d say at least a third of the evacs we had weren’t really necessary and in some cases did more damage than help (people occasionally get injured during evacs because they don’t follow instructions).

Probably the most famous one was where passengers revolted and convinced/demanded a DL F/A to start an evac during a hot start. At least one pax was injured in the unnecessary evac. I think that was back during the L1011 days, but I heard once they still use that example in training classes. I think Eastern Airlines once had a similar ill-advised pax initiated evac on an L1011 too.

We once had an A320 engine catch fire as they started the takeoff roll. Crew did an excellent evac. Only injury was the Captain who for some reason decided to shimmy down the emergency rope from the cockpit instead of just using the exit door right behind the cockpit that every one else went out of. He got a rope burn on his hand. He got a good ribbing from his colleagues. 😂