I contribute pictures of explorations once in a while but I lurk most of the time and I do it in the north east section. In my two years of lurking here I have noticed a kind of holier than now attitude from a lot of members here. They seem to be quick to confrontation usually about semantics and have a pretentious way of enforcing there method of exploring. I am obviously not referring to everyone but it seems to be enough that the general attitude is as said. I am curious if any one agrees with me?

If so is this synonymous with explorers in general? Maybe it attracts a certain personality type (Asperger comes to mind)?
Is it just the north east section?

You are correct.

From what I've seen the NE section is definitely more rough than other sections.

Sometimes I feel like it's a group mentality, but other times it's really odd… Someone can do/say something and gets praise, while another person does something very similar and gets crushed and ridiculed.

I guess it's worse for the newer people coming on board though.

Too many people with too many differing views crammed into this section of America. A lot of elitist tight-asses with no sense of humor or compassion for anyone with differing styles or views on their rigid stance on just about every aspect of the hobby. It ranges from personal conduct, mode of dress, types and costs of "equipment", technical prowess, processing values... you name it. No tolerance for any differing views and open mockery of those who don't mimic their precise methods.

UER is a community and a rather close one for people that do illegal activities and have the majority of their interaction through the internet. Each community attracts and fosters an atmosphere and this is the result of that. There is a correlation to the fact that people who take pleasure in seeing derelict places through actively breaking the law are usually people that have strong personalities.

The same is true for the nature of the people and how they choose to interact. You want to give others a hard time because when it comes down to it you want to know that person well enough to run from the police or pull you out of a collapsed floor. Giving them a hard time online is one way of doing that. Furthermore, besides the advancement to full member most people here want to be sure the right people will be attracted and stay here while the people that dont fit are shown the door. All those things mixed together are -in my opinion- why things are the way they are.

However, I can tell you one thing... Once you are accepted by the community the people become your best friends. A lot of the crap we give each other is because we know the other person so well that it is like joking with your own brother. I am better friends with some UE people than I am with the people I went to college with, in some cases even high school.

The atmosphere here may be harsh, but it serves a function and that is why UER is the single biggest, largest, and most successful urban exploration site in the world.

Posted by Send4Help You want to give others a hard time because when it comes down to it you want to know that person well enough to run from the police or pull you out of a collapsed floor. Giving them a hard time online is one way of doing that. Furthermore, besides the advancement to full member most people here want to be sure the right people will be attracted and stay here while the people that dont fit are shown the door. All those things mixed together are -in my opinion- why things are the way they are. However, I can tell you one thing... Once you are accepted by the community the people become your best friends. A lot of the crap we give each other is because we know the other person so well that it is like joking with your own brother. I am better friends with some UE people than I am with the people I went to college with, in some cases even high school.

I can understand the Camaraderie part especially due to the personality type exploring attracts (usually down to earth people in my experience). The part where you lose me is being a dick or giving others “a hard time” as a test of loyalty or trustworthiness. I fail to see how someone taking another's shitty attitude is a way of validating there worthiness to explore with. This is why I have been open but hesitant to explore with anyone from this site. I can understand maybe applying that method to someone you just met and might explore with, but assuming you don't explore with everyone on UER why have that attitude on the forums?

The people that “don't fit” and are shown the proverbial door seems to be hinting toward a cult like ambiance. Can you clarify who the ones that don't fit might be?

Posted by Fundamentals

Again, everything I am saying is only my opinion...

Maybe I should rephrase what I was saying. Giving people a hard time functions not only to vet someone in regards to the character, as in being able to take a verbal punch (which happens a lot on here) but it also helps to understand how they react in the real world to pressure and interaction (for example: pressure from a cop to give up your friends hiding inside a building after you are caught or the ability to be in a car for a 10 hour trip and not be annoyed to crap).

Moreover, this is a niche community that uses this approach to foster the environment within the site. If everyone was welcoming and accepting of everyone that walks through the door we would end up with people putting out their collection baskets for 'free' locations, we would compromise security (LEOs), and we would end up with a large population of Lord Ricks and Bill Finans.

But, as I mentioned before take all the bickering you see with a grain of salt. A lot of it (even if it doesnt look that way) is just friends poking at friends.

The community isnt for everyone and really that is completely fine. It is what it is and it is successful at it. Plus, when you meet 90% of us in the real world, we are just like every one else and pretty awesome people to be around overall.

Posted by Fundamentals I can understand maybe applying that method to someone you just met and might explore with, but assuming you don't explore with everyone on UER why have that attitude on the forums?

The thing about forums is, we are disembodied text on a screen. You don't see the person behind the screen, you don't hear the inflections of their voice you see only the text and perhaps a little avatar.

We had a large scale user meet last year in my area and I finally got to put the faces, voices and personalities to the usernames. There is always going to be some surprise (the person is NEVER who you picture them as, either physically or personality wise).

Give it 15-20 minutes and the confinement of a car as you drive to a destination and slowly the layers of who you are, are peeled away like an onion. I've met about 40 people in this hobby, and there have never been any bad road trips or bad explorations. Sometimes there are personality clashes but not often and I've never thrown anyone from the moving car (yet).

Perhaps you're over thinking it, just get out and meet people. If you hit it off, explore again. If you don't, find someone else or do it solo.

The forums are not for everybody. Some have closed their accounts, some lurk and never post, others just disappear forever.

Posted by Send4Help Again, everything I am saying is only my opinion... Maybe I should rephrase what I was saying. Giving people a hard time functions not only to vet someone in regards to the character, as in being able to take a verbal punch (which happens a lot on here) but it also helps to understand how they react in the real world to pressure and interaction (for example: pressure from a cop to give up your friends hiding inside a building after you are caught or the ability to be in a car for a 10 hour trip and not be annoyed to crap). Moreover, this is a niche community that uses this approach to foster the environment within the site. If everyone was welcoming and accepting of everyone that walks through the door we would end up with people putting out their collection baskets for 'free' locations, we would compromise security (LEOs), and we would end up with a large population of Lord Ricks and Bill Finans. But, as I mentioned before take all the bickering you see with a grain of salt. A lot of it (even if it doesnt look that way) is just friends poking at friends. The community isnt for everyone and really that is completely fine. It is what it is and it is successful at it. Plus, when you meet 90% of us in the real world, we are just like every one else and pretty awesome people to be around overall.

I see thank you for clarifying.

And thanks for all that posted some interesting stuff.

Cause were god damn Yankees that's why.

I think it's the just the way most people are up in the northeast. I'm just talking about online. There's something about people here where they/we have a "ME" attitude and feel superior to others or want to keep things to ourselves. I've gone gone down south and everything feels different, just the way people drive in say South Carolina is completely different from Connecticut. People are more laid back and open to others as opposed to up here where we're shut in and hardheaded. Complete strangers down there are friendly and want to talk as opposed to here where most won't make eye contact or say anything unless it's needed. So when it comes to the internet things might seem harsh to people from other regions but normal to someone around here.

I think it's more of a cultural thing that transfers onto the way people act on the internet. We don't necessarily mean to offend you but if things are done in a way we don't like/are used to we feel the need to call people out on it. When it comes to exploring people don't like to give much information on locations because that's how it was for them and it's sort of a "It was difficult for me to find out about a spot and it should be for you too." The northeast can be elitist when it comes to exploring and trust has to be earned.

With that said there are a lot of nice and friendly people here but as usual the negative comments are what everybody focuses on.

People on here do act like dicks. But. There are some cool ones. And I've met some damn cool people here.

Posted by Fundamentals If so is this synonymous with explorers in general? Maybe it attracts a certain personality type (Asperger comes to mind)? Is it just the north east section?

I think you just said explores in the NE are likely to have Aspergers...Thats amazing. I think thats the my favorite thing I've ever heard anyone say about NE ever.

annnnnd the thread deteriorates...