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So there's a house nearby that I've visited a few times now. As I understand it, a typical meth lab is going to be guarded and have a smell among other things. However upon a visit today there was a rooster crowing and this house is in a place where there should be no roosters. Does anyone here think it could be a sort of "alarm" or am I paranoid? Also I'd like to hear any tips on places that should be avoided, give you bad vibes, or make you turn around soon after arriving. Another house had been abandoned nearly 10 years ago and was "too clean" for my comfort. Thank you for your time!
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The only places I've ever encountered chickens there were people.
Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in. |
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I encountered chickens at an abandonment in Toronto, to this day, I have no idea why they were there. But they were pissed. I've heard that some re-purposed abandonments as grow-ups don't accumulate snow on the roof due to the excess heat emitting from the building. So I guess that's a good visible cue?
Here's a lockpick. It might be handy if you, the master of unlocking, take it with you. |
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According to LEOs I know, "meth labs" have changed or gone away due to the plentiful supply coming from Mexico, garage cooks and labs in the backs of vans are just not cost effective any more when you can buy 30 gallon drums of the stuff dry it and cut it up cheaper.
This is another boogie man urbexors want to worry about, yeah theres still some around but if theyre so common to be an exploring hazard why don't we see anyone posting pics of them?
Ive personally only seen one place I suspected of being a cooking operation and it was no longer active or smelling.
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Posted by 2Xplorations According to LEOs I know, "meth labs" have changed or gone away due to the plentiful supply coming from Mexico, garage cooks and labs in the backs of vans are just not cost effective any more when you can buy 30 gallon drums of the stuff dry it and cut it up cheaper.
This is another boogie man urbexors want to worry about, yeah theres still some around but if theyre so common to be an exploring hazard why don't we see anyone posting pics of them?
Ive personally only seen one place I suspected of being a cooking operation and it was no longer active or smelling.
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An active lab stateside will most likely look active as a business. Not to say you can't run into small mobile labs. The precursor chemicals are highly restricted stateside... so any large lab needs a lot of resources to operate. However... Anywhere there is anhydrous ammonia is a potential meth operation. It's commonly used legally as a fertilizer now on some farms because of the Oklahoma bombing. Rule #1 People are trouble.
Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in. |
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When all else fails - go with your gut. If something feels wrong, it probably is. The first thing I do when I get into a space is stand completely still and listen - animals typically make different noise patterns than people and, as said before, people = trouble. I’ve also run into a few places that were rigged so that opening a door would make a ton of noise or there’s been glass somewhere that didn’t make sense - again, to make noise. If someone goes through that much trouble to keep a place “secure” then I hit the road!
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When I ran into this issue [not particularly a clan lab but somewhere where I wasn't sure if people I didn't necessarily want to tango with, may have inhabited] I tried to just check in on it multiple days for a couple of weeks, at different times of day. Of course this was when I was younger and had all the time in the world, but if its a lab with no functioning garage, they have to park somewhere, and the goods don't get made in 30 mins - they need to stay a while to get done what they have to get done. Also, it may be of merit to inspect the door and locks. If theres no point of entry thats easily accessible, like a non rusted/welded door or something, its likely nobodies using it. I'd assume the operators of such a place wouldn't want to spend half an hour tinkering outside to get in and shutting it up behind them, to do it again later, and risk getting surveilled. This was all just old teenager logic so some or all of it may very well be wrong. Like others said it really is a matter of your gut - if you feel very strongly about something, it's better to leave somewhere unexplored and alive.
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It sounds like you might be a little on the paranoid side, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. Especially when you're first starting out. Better to err on the side of caution than to find yourself in a bad situation with no way out. Each experience will guide you more and more as time goes on and before you know it, you'll be able to accurately assess these kinds of situations on your own (almost but not always) every time. As far as meth labs, I've been doing this for a few years now and have been to hundreds, maybe even thousands, of various abandoned locations, both rural and urban. I have never come across an active meth (or any other drug) lab. This leads me to believe they are: 1. relatively rare, or 2. extremely difficult to find and identify - even for people like us, or 3. that whatever their facade, appearance, or "vibe," they look active enough that people like us would assume those locations were still active and keep driving.
I wandered till the stars went dim. |
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Paranoid? Probably. But no where near as paranoid as those who are running a meth lab. Guaranteed they will see you long before you see them, and they'll stop you before you enter. With that in mind, I revert you to Dee Ashley's comment in that an active lab is likely pretty rare. If it is in a location that was accessible by you, then it was in a location that wasn't covert enough, therefore not likely at all. I would be willing to bet any explorer that has found what they thought was a lab, was more likely a spot to "shake and bake". As in a location that an end user of meth can whip up a low grade product for immediate use without the need for fancy lab equipment. A full on lab for sales will have definite signs of activity. They won't be cooking in the dark and doubtful they will be completely silent. Also, a meth lab STINKS. Very strong chemical smells that become overwhelming the closer you get. This is the reason meth is actually more common in rural areas - a tucked away house on a large property or the middle or nowhere allows the stank to be diluted by the open air. Meth labs in the city don't last very long. The stink alone will rat them out. That said - I have educated guesses, but by no means am expert in damn near anything. If you are concerned about a location, scout it often and watch it, both day and night. If there was anything remotely sketchy about it, you can make a decision to enter or avoid on your own and on the spot. Stay safe.
[last edit 4/16/2019 6:34 PM by Mr. Bitey - edited 1 times]
Give abandonment a reason for its sacrificial reclamation to nature. Love it. Remember it. Take a picture. Share it. Leave the decay to nature. Lifetime member of The Anti-MyInstaTubeTweetFace consortium. |
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Posted by Boffo I encountered chickens at an abandonment in Toronto, to this day, I have no idea why they were there. But they were pissed. I've heard that some re-purposed abandonments as grow-ups don't accumulate snow on the roof due to the excess heat emitting from the building. So I guess that's a good visible cue?
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There are feral chickens. That surprises me. Apparently they can fend off predators well enough to thrive. Which explains their attitude. When chickens attack... TFF https://en.m.wikip...wiki/Feral_chicken
Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in. |
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Also fun to note, that link is filled with your mom and dick jokes fresh and ready for pluckin'.
Give abandonment a reason for its sacrificial reclamation to nature. Love it. Remember it. Take a picture. Share it. Leave the decay to nature. Lifetime member of The Anti-MyInstaTubeTweetFace consortium. |
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Stay away from large laundromats as these all have labs in the basement.
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Posted by NeuroticMatt Stay away from large laundromats as these all have labs in the basement.
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Can confirm, neighbor runs meth lab in our apartment building laundry room. The red phosphorus really gets the grass stains out of my jeans.
[last edit 4/17/2019 6:10 PM by Aran - edited 1 times]
"Sorry, I didn't know I'm not supposed to be here," he said, knowing full well he wasn't supposed to be there. |
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Posted by NeuroticMatt Stay away from large laundromats as these all have labs in the basement.
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This commercial laundry in Albuquerque, NM was found to have an extensive operation in a hidden basement. No charges were filed, as those responsible either turned up dead, missing, or just plain unknown to authorities.....
[last edit 4/17/2019 6:27 PM by Mr. Bitey - edited 1 times]
Give abandonment a reason for its sacrificial reclamation to nature. Love it. Remember it. Take a picture. Share it. Leave the decay to nature. Lifetime member of The Anti-MyInstaTubeTweetFace consortium. |
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Posted by Mr. Bitey No charges were filed, as those responsible either turned up dead, missing, or just plain unknown to authorities.....
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Perhaps they were eaten by feral chickens. ...no?
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We have them in the hills.
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Im pretty sure that I mistook a chop shop down in Texarkana somewhere for a abandonment. I found out quick and didn't even go into the place.
The closest I'll ever be to exploring a fantasy dungeon! |
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Posted by Apollo Mey Im pretty sure that I mistook a chop shop down in Texarkana somewhere for a abandonment. I found out quick and didn't even go into the place.
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Chop shops are all over Texas. I used to investigate them with the NICB and DPS. They are everywhere and can hide in plain sight because they just look like a half assed body shop. I have actually explored a couple of "abandoned" chop shops and found a couple dozen active ones, one like they just pulled up stakes and left parts and tools sitting unused for years. Another full of classic and antique cars. Some of these run concurrent with meth operations at least they used to.
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Posted by Apollo Mey Im pretty sure that I mistook a chop shop down in Texarkana somewhere for a abandonment. I found out quick and didn't even go into the place.
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lol, I think I've been there. EDIT: I've run across a handful of possible chop shops and the like, which leads me to believe this is a much more likely scenario than the meth labs.
[last edit 4/23/2019 4:37 AM by Dee Ashley - edited 1 times]
I wandered till the stars went dim. |
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Posted by Dee Ashley
lol, I think I've been there. EDIT: I've run across a handful of possible chop shops and the like, which leads me to believe this is a much more likely scenario than the meth labs.
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About 60% sure I found one a few years back in a shed. It was a Mitsubishi Eclipse with about half the paint buffed off and all identifying marks removed. It looks like it was abandoned after somebody tore out the front bumper (and a chunk of the engine) and spiked the user manual through the windshield, probably in frustration after wrecking the engine.
[last edit 4/23/2019 11:22 PM by Aran - edited 2 times]
"Sorry, I didn't know I'm not supposed to be here," he said, knowing full well he wasn't supposed to be there. |