In Vim’s predecessor, vi, switching modes was easy, with the ESC key located neatly by the Q on the keyboard of the ADM-3A terminal. On modern keyboards, though, it’s a pain …
A simple trick in vim to alleviate the pain of reaching for the ESC key is using alt + l.
However, this may or may not work depending on the install. I don’t remember what exactly this keybind is for but on some systems I’ve seen it insert a special character. I’ve found it typically works with vim-enhanced and neovim.
What a vile, lying, manipulative piece of shit 🖕