abandoned buildings are dangerous places.
there's the hazards posed by lead paint, toxic mold, rogue bacteria, and
asbestos. there's the possibility of falling through a floor or causing a building
to collapse on you. you could get arrested, or murdered by a derelict.
the primary reason most people don't go in these places is, they can be very
deadly. so my first word of advice is, don't go in. i will not give you information
on where my sites are, nor do i encourage you in any way to emulate the
things i do. if you do feel compelled, despite the warnings, i take no
responsibility for your health or welfare in any way.
that being said, for those who will ignore the above paragraph, i do have a few
'tips' if you will.
first of all, get permission if you can. the urban exploration community tends
to revel in sneaking into places, and i would be a liar if i said i haven't done this
a few times myself. however, for the most part the concerns that property
owners and county officials have are valid. they don't want their sites
vandalized, and i'm sure they don't want to remove your corpse from their
property. they don't want you and your friends treating their site as though it is
a party pad.
you'd be surprised how many people who control these sites understand the
history behind them, however. some of them may even wish that respectable
people would document their site's history before they are paved over. if you
call county offices it is quite possible that you may get in touch with someone
who will allow you on the premises. this may open up previously locked doors
for you, and certainly presents an advantage in that you won't have to worry
about being arrested.
then again, they may say no, or you may decide to go without asking. either
way, permission or no, my next piece of advice is to be respectful. don't litter
on or vandalize the sites. these areas are not playgrounds, and it never fails to
sadden me how destructive people are in old buildings. whether you are in
legally or not, your behavior will help shape how explorers on the property in
the future will be treated. furthermore, if you are caught by security and are
angry and disrespectful, you will have a lot less luck getting away with it than
you will if you are polite and friendly. please don't ruin the site, or exploration in
general, for other people by being ignorant.
next item: respirators are your friend. i'm constantly stunned how cavalier
people are about the air quality in these sites, but often there are all sorts of
extremely harmful chemicals floating around the air, and just because you can't
see them doesn't mean they won't have a profound effect on your health. while
i'd recommend getting something more professional (and expensive) if you're
going to make a habit out of exploring these sites, you can still get a half-way
decent respirator for around $20 at your local hardware store. an interesting
side note is that these sites - particularly hospitals and industrial sites - are
biological playgrounds. there may be all sorts of interesting bacteria that have
had very unique conditions and plenty of time to mutate. if i were a scientist i'd
collect slides of the mold and sludge i find, and who knows - i might even
discover something never found before. for all one knows, the next bubonic
plague could be hanging out in the next room.
next: never trust wooden floors. you can't tell if they're safe and you can
get hurt very, very badly falling through one. if you can't tell if one is good, you
should assume that it isn't. i've taken some very foolish risks for my pictures,
but i try to ALWAYS be conscious of where i'm walking. because that moment
you're not looking where you're going... that could be the moment that
paralyzes you for the rest of your life. even steel isn't always as stable as you
might think. i've stepped on seemingly solid pieces of metal only to have them
disintegrate as though i were stepping on a dried leaf. along these lines, also
be aware of seasonal/weather concerns. wood is much less stable when
soaked with rain. the roof is much more likely to fall on you if there's an extra
two hundred pounds of snow on top of it.
another tip: if you can't SEE in a place, you shouldn't BE in it. flashlights
are very important in darker areas. do not go in any place you can't see clearly
in. ever. for any reason. carry extra batteries. the last thing in the world you
want is to have to navigate a lethal obstacle course in the dark.
be careful with your smoking. if you're going to smoke, don't do it around
things like dried wood or paper. always make sure your cigarette is completely
out; if you start a fire and burn a building by accident, it'll be a terrible thing to
go through, and if you do it on purpose... i hope you get caught.
another word to the wise: tell someone where you're going. your parents,
friends, or significant other may not approve of what you do, but i can
guarantee if you if you DO fall through a floor, you'll be happy knowing that
when you don't show up for dinner, someone will know why, and where to look
for you.
oh yeah, be careful of snakes, spiders, and other wildlife that might be
poisonous. you're in their home.
if there's a wire in a puddle, think twice about stepping in it. you never know.
finally, consider why you are doing what you're doing. if you just want a
place to go break windows and throw beer cans or spray graffiti, don't pick old
buildings. these places have a lot of incredible history to them (which is why
i've dedicated my time to this site and my photography) - even if you can't
appreciate that, someone else does. leave these sites to those who actually
care about them.
there's the hazards posed by lead paint, toxic mold, rogue bacteria, and
asbestos. there's the possibility of falling through a floor or causing a building
to collapse on you. you could get arrested, or murdered by a derelict.
the primary reason most people don't go in these places is, they can be very
deadly. so my first word of advice is, don't go in. i will not give you information
on where my sites are, nor do i encourage you in any way to emulate the
things i do. if you do feel compelled, despite the warnings, i take no
responsibility for your health or welfare in any way.
that being said, for those who will ignore the above paragraph, i do have a few
'tips' if you will.
first of all, get permission if you can. the urban exploration community tends
to revel in sneaking into places, and i would be a liar if i said i haven't done this
a few times myself. however, for the most part the concerns that property
owners and county officials have are valid. they don't want their sites
vandalized, and i'm sure they don't want to remove your corpse from their
property. they don't want you and your friends treating their site as though it is
a party pad.
you'd be surprised how many people who control these sites understand the
history behind them, however. some of them may even wish that respectable
people would document their site's history before they are paved over. if you
call county offices it is quite possible that you may get in touch with someone
who will allow you on the premises. this may open up previously locked doors
for you, and certainly presents an advantage in that you won't have to worry
about being arrested.
then again, they may say no, or you may decide to go without asking. either
way, permission or no, my next piece of advice is to be respectful. don't litter
on or vandalize the sites. these areas are not playgrounds, and it never fails to
sadden me how destructive people are in old buildings. whether you are in
legally or not, your behavior will help shape how explorers on the property in
the future will be treated. furthermore, if you are caught by security and are
angry and disrespectful, you will have a lot less luck getting away with it than
you will if you are polite and friendly. please don't ruin the site, or exploration in
general, for other people by being ignorant.
next item: respirators are your friend. i'm constantly stunned how cavalier
people are about the air quality in these sites, but often there are all sorts of
extremely harmful chemicals floating around the air, and just because you can't
see them doesn't mean they won't have a profound effect on your health. while
i'd recommend getting something more professional (and expensive) if you're
going to make a habit out of exploring these sites, you can still get a half-way
decent respirator for around $20 at your local hardware store. an interesting
side note is that these sites - particularly hospitals and industrial sites - are
biological playgrounds. there may be all sorts of interesting bacteria that have
had very unique conditions and plenty of time to mutate. if i were a scientist i'd
collect slides of the mold and sludge i find, and who knows - i might even
discover something never found before. for all one knows, the next bubonic
plague could be hanging out in the next room.
next: never trust wooden floors. you can't tell if they're safe and you can
get hurt very, very badly falling through one. if you can't tell if one is good, you
should assume that it isn't. i've taken some very foolish risks for my pictures,
but i try to ALWAYS be conscious of where i'm walking. because that moment
you're not looking where you're going... that could be the moment that
paralyzes you for the rest of your life. even steel isn't always as stable as you
might think. i've stepped on seemingly solid pieces of metal only to have them
disintegrate as though i were stepping on a dried leaf. along these lines, also
be aware of seasonal/weather concerns. wood is much less stable when
soaked with rain. the roof is much more likely to fall on you if there's an extra
two hundred pounds of snow on top of it.
another tip: if you can't SEE in a place, you shouldn't BE in it. flashlights
are very important in darker areas. do not go in any place you can't see clearly
in. ever. for any reason. carry extra batteries. the last thing in the world you
want is to have to navigate a lethal obstacle course in the dark.
be careful with your smoking. if you're going to smoke, don't do it around
things like dried wood or paper. always make sure your cigarette is completely
out; if you start a fire and burn a building by accident, it'll be a terrible thing to
go through, and if you do it on purpose... i hope you get caught.
another word to the wise: tell someone where you're going. your parents,
friends, or significant other may not approve of what you do, but i can
guarantee if you if you DO fall through a floor, you'll be happy knowing that
when you don't show up for dinner, someone will know why, and where to look
for you.
oh yeah, be careful of snakes, spiders, and other wildlife that might be
poisonous. you're in their home.
if there's a wire in a puddle, think twice about stepping in it. you never know.
finally, consider why you are doing what you're doing. if you just want a
place to go break windows and throw beer cans or spray graffiti, don't pick old
buildings. these places have a lot of incredible history to them (which is why
i've dedicated my time to this site and my photography) - even if you can't
appreciate that, someone else does. leave these sites to those who actually
care about them.
| "There have been joys too great to be described in words, and there have been griefs upon which I have not dared to dwell; and with these in mind I say: Climb if you will, but remember that courage and strength are nought without prudence, and that a momentary negligence may destroy the happiness of a lifetime. Do nothing in haste; look well to each step; and from the beginning think what may be the end." Edward Whymper Scrambles Amongst the Alps |
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