Some explorers, even some self-proclaimed "expert" explorers believe that if you can see them, they can see you. Sometimes it's true, but it's often not.

Don't assume they can see you because you can see them. I can see him, but I'm invisible to him.
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But more importantly, don't assume that those you can not see can not see you. Anyone outside can easily see me in this example.
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The theory of hiding in plain sight comes to mind here. If you don't look like a punk or a tagger, often people will simply not notice you. Or if they do they might assume you belong there. I realize that's different than people not seeing you but in effect it is the same.

True enough Ive used this to my advantage on a number of live locations.

As far as visibility goes I have learned your background is important and don't "skyline" yourself. Downtown Dallas high rise buildings have lots of prying eyes and looky Lous.

I used this too, avoid use of flashlights near windows and be aware of backlit areas.

I agree with this during times of limited visibility, but I still try to act normal since I expect someone is always watching.

The theory, such as it is, is subjective as you outlined in your 2 photos.

I always go with the adage of: People in the dark can see people in the light, but not vice-versa. It has come in handy numerous times during exploring and such.

I used to go on "stealth jogs" around my neighborhood at night. Practice slipping behind trees to hide from cars and such.

Until I started driving those same roads and realized that you don't even need to slip behind trees to hide from blaring lights. Just as darkness can be your friend, flaring light can be too. When driving, unless there are street lamps lighting the sides, your headlights actually put you at a disadvantage for seeing what is on the peripherals. As your eye constricts to adjust to the headlights you also lose the vision for the dark.

The same can be said for someone shining a flashlight in an abandonment. Simply standing outside the beam in a dim area makes you invisible if the other person is using a bright light. Whereas if they just turned it off and let their eyes adjust they could see you.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...


...I found myself moving (on foot) down a roadway out in the country. It was the middle of summer, on a clear night. My objective was some 1.8km distant and I had parked this far away to hide my vehicle from being discovered on/near the property.

I had dressed in dark clothing with a hoodie, and the roadway was lined on either side, for the most part, with trees. I found myself utilizing the shadowy cover of this vegetation whenever a set of headlights was coming in either direction; I often had to stay crouched with my face down and hood up for what must have been 20 minutes at a time.

During the stretches of road that had no trees, I had to simply lay prone in the (thankfully dry) gutter on the side of the road that was at about a foot and a half lower elevation than the road itself.

It took me some 2 and a half hours to travel 1.8km on foot, because it was imperative that I was neither seen nor heard by literally anybody. There had to have been some 55 vehicles that I dodged.

Whether anyone saw me and decided "hey a deranged nutjob playing hide and seek with the cars" and kept going, or whether they truly failed to spot me I can't be certain. In any event, nobody stopped or slowed down to challenge my presence, and the trek back to my vehicle was completely uneventful in that I literally only had to deal with about 6 sets of headlights.


I had a few "close calls" in that I let my mind wander and I turned around to check for any vehicles coming up behind me and I saw I had about 50 feet of distance and just basically dove for the shadows/treeline.


Quite a rush.

Posted by 2Xplorations The theory of hiding in plain sight comes to mind here. If you don't look like a punk or a tagger, often people will simply not notice you. Or if they do they might assume you belong there. I realize that's different than people not seeing you but in effect it is the same. True enough Ive used this to my advantage on a number of live locations. As far as visibility goes I have learned your background is important and don't "skyline" yourself. Downtown Dallas high rise buildings have lots of prying eyes and looky Lous. I used this too, avoid use of flashlights near windows and be aware of backlit areas.

Agreed on that. There were a few rare occasions where I walked into a dilapidated building in broad daylight with a few people noticing me go in. While that's definitely not good to be seen, I was wearing pretty professional clothes with the camera being pretty visibly on me. So I assume people realized I was photographing the area and paid no more attention. But as I said, that won't always be the case.

Posted by AdventureDan I used to go on "stealth jogs" around my neighborhood at night. Practice slipping behind trees to hide from cars and such. Until I started driving those same roads and realized that you don't even need to slip behind trees to hide from blaring lights. Just as darkness can be your friend, flaring light can be too. When driving, unless there are street lamps lighting the sides, your headlights actually put you at a disadvantage for seeing what is on the peripherals. As your eye constricts to adjust to the headlights you also lose the vision for the dark. The same can be said for someone shining a flashlight in an abandonment. Simply standing outside the beam in a dim area makes you invisible if the other person is using a bright light. Whereas if they just turned it off and let their eyes adjust they could see you.

I learned the lesson about headlights working to my advantage in Tennessee. I was halfway over a fence of an old brewery when a cop drove by somewhere in Nashville. I just froze in place with half of me hanging off of the fence watching him drive slowly by. I was absolutely certain he had seen me, but he did not. Subjectively, I felt completely exposed right then.

My invisibility was a surprise and a relief but also an interesting lesson regarding blind spots in the dark!

Posted by Dee Ashley I learned the lesson about headlights working to my advantage in Tennessee. I was halfway over a fence of an old brewery when a cop drove by somewhere in Nashville. I just froze in place with half of me hanging off of the fence watching him drive slowly by. I was absolutely certain he had seen me, but he did not. Subjectively, I felt completely exposed right then. My invisibility was a surprise and a relief but also an interesting lesson regarding blind spots in the dark!

Nashville PD has some characters in it. lots of shady stuff happening there. I've had the police follow me for miles and then circle blocks while I walk somewhere. then they ask me what I was doing when I get back to my car.

Posted by Dee Ashley I learned the lesson about headlights working to my advantage in Tennessee. I was halfway over a fence of an old brewery when a cop drove by somewhere in Nashville. I just froze in place with half of me hanging off of the fence watching him drive slowly by. I was absolutely certain he had seen me, but he did not. Subjectively, I felt completely exposed right then. My invisibility was a surprise and a relief but also an interesting lesson regarding blind spots in the dark!

I had the exact same experience in Janesville, WI a year or two back. I was halfway over a fence next to a quiet intersection when a cop pulled up about twenty feet away. I was straddling the fence in broad daylight and this cop is waiting at the red light, and I knew the jig was up. Absolutely no way to pretend I wasn't hopping that fence or hide from him.

And lo and behold, he never even looked at me. He just stared straight ahead at the intersection until the light turned green, and drove off. All he had to do was turn his head 15 degrees to the right and I'd be in cuffs, and yet he didn't even know I was there.

The exploring gods had to have been with me that day.

Posted by Aran I had the exact same experience in Janesville, WI a year or two back. I was halfway over a fence next to a quiet intersection when a cop pulled up about twenty feet away. I was straddling the fence in broad daylight and this cop is waiting at the red light, and I knew the jig was up. Absolutely no way to pretend I wasn't hopping that fence or hide from him. And lo and behold, he never even looked at me. He just stared straight ahead at the intersection until the light turned green, and drove off. All he had to do was turn his head 15 degrees to the right and I'd be in cuffs, and yet he didn't even know I was there. The exploring gods had to have been with me that day.

Broad daylight - that’s even worse lol. The only time I was actually seen halfway over a fence was during my first UER meetup. There were four of us (we decided to actually go explore something after we socialized a bit), and I hopped over first, only to get yelled at by the conductor of a passing train right as I was mid-straddle.

Posted by Dee Ashley Broad daylight - that’s even worse lol. The only time I was actually seen halfway over a fence was during my first UER meetup. There were four of us (we decided to actually go explore something after we socialized a bit), and I hopped over first, only to get yelled at by the conductor of a passing train right as I was mid-straddle.

Well at least he didn't stop the train right then and there and chase you away.

I did a test for this one night while it was down pouring. We were watching horror movies and I wanted to test out if the classic scene where the killer is standing in the rain in the yard during a thunder and lightning storm could actually be seen by anyone looking at them from the inside.

My Girlfriend at the time, who is now my wife, her brothers and sisters were all coming back from a store, when it started down pouring. So I ran ahead and stood right in the middle of her parents yard out in the open, they all ran right past me ( I was about 10 feet away) I then stood still knowing they were going to notice I wasn't in the house and look out to see if I was on the way back

Several people opened the door, looked right at me and didn't even see me. It was rather disturbing how true it is that you cannot actually see someone in a rainstorm while looking right at them.

Afterwards I went in and told them.

I have consulted Mster Po on this

He told me: Grasshopper, in your mind, believe that you are invisible, study the darkness and embrace it. Once you have achieved true invisibility only then can you go back into the light.

I primarily travel via bicycle. whether it be 1 block or 80+ miles. I've realized over the years that bikes are pretty "tactical". easier to stash. easier to zoom from here to there. easier to act "normal" on. and WAY easer to zoom across unbeaten paths and rough terrain. granted that might just be my bias talking. I've never really cared to get my license. I find the idea of driving a large box around and paying insurance, gas and ongoing maintenance costs rather unappealing. will be getting a license soon just so I can slap a predator 212cc engine on one of my bicycles lmaoo. I've adapted quite well to using my bike in urban exploration scenarios over the years.