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 JfkAok
 |  | Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
< on 5/3/2011 7:07 PM >
|  | | | Hey everyone,
I'm writing a post-apocalyptic story and in this story there are people that essentially "urban explore" old abandoned homes in search for knowledge and objects of the world before it ended.
What I want, though I am not experienced at all to portray, is these explorers to be masters of their craft. Authentic. It's their job and have done it all their lives. They know the difference between a house/floor/stairway/room that will collapse on them and one that wont. They can look at a house and tell if it's safe or not before entering it. They know the health risks involved in their job although the name of the disease(s) have been forgotten.
So, with all that said, all I'm really asking from anyone that's interested is to give me the mental-tips you all have learned through your experiences. What makes you decide not to step in the kitchen, but instead step in the living room. What sounds trigger warnings? What are the "good signs" both interior or exterior speaking.What are your instinctive or experienced "Do's and Don'ts" for safety?
Any response, big or small, would be very very appreciated. If this is inappropriate for these forums then I apologize. I don't have many options for information like this.
[last edit 5/3/2011 7:14 PM by JfkAok - edited 1 times]
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fiftyone_eggs
  
Location: jerzey
Gender: Male
| |  | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 1 on 5/3/2011 7:14 PM >
| | | | I've learned this: Rotten roof = rotten floors. You can tell a lot about a place by checking out its roof.
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Lasso
  
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Gender: Male
| | | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 2 on 5/3/2011 7:23 PM >
| | | | That's interesting... I always thought that the urban explorer types would be the survivors in a post-apocalyptic world.
Everybody's different but for me it's all about experience. I got lost in some woods before and it took all night to get back to civilization... so now I know to keep a mental note on certain landmarks to help me get back.
I know if it's a metal catwalk and it's old and rusty, it's probably not going to hold a 230 lbs guy (also from experience). So I now either avoid that or bring ropes.
The big edge urban explorers would have is the "no fear" factor. We've already been in places that would scare most people away. If it takes jumping in a drain or running into the darkest corners of an abandoned insane asylum to avoid the zombie horde.... we'd be the first ones to do it.
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Price
Location: Houston,TX
Gender: Male
Urbex: Keeping record of things most people have forgotten.
| | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 3 on 5/3/2011 7:27 PM >
| | | | They know the difference between a house/floor/stairway/room that will collapse on them and one that wont.
Any holes present. unnatural buckle/wobble when walked upon
They can look at a house and tell if it's safe or not before entering it.
overall appearance( gut instinct), surrounding area (hobos,gangs inside), anything caved in.
They know the health risks involved in their job although the name of the disease(s) have been forgotten.
mask/gas masks/respirators for mold/particulates/poop/asbestos/insulation fibers
boots/special shoes,puncture resistant for mud/nails/glass/snakes/just overall safety
What makes you decide not to step in the kitchen, but instead step in the living room.
well since im a full member they gave me the free "O,Shit!" meter and i just aim that at places and if it doesnt yell "O,Shit" ill go in.
or if i forget to bring that i just do gut/environmental instincts.
What sounds trigger warnings?
alarms,sirens,people talking,anything that sounds like a demon about to come kill me,sexual noises,loud bangs/crashes.
What are the "good signs" both interior or exterior speaking.
i cant really answer that as its to different for each place. abandoned/vacant places are like books/people you cant really judge 100% by the cover.
What are your instinctive or learned "Do's and Don'ts" for safety?
Do's-
stay semi quiet
bring everything youll need even if you think you wont
know where buddies are
know the area
know your rights
know the history
Dont's-
dont feed the animals
dont scream when you hear a noise
dont fuck the police
dont think youre deadpool/some immortal
dont walk the dinosaur
AND OF COURSE
Take only pictures
Leave only footprints
“It still amazes me how many millions goes to discovering another star in the galaxies when, for all we know, we are still sitting on top of another undiscovered world beneath our feet.”
-Martin Dansky (1952) |
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Twisted Orchid
Gender: Female
My inner child is a mean little fuck
| | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 4 on 5/3/2011 7:36 PM >
| | | | Never assume the power is shut off and wires aren't live : )
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\/adder
 
Location: DunkarooLand
Gender: Male
I'm the worst of the best but I'm in this race.
| | | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 5 on 5/3/2011 9:02 PM >
| | | | Physically you're capable of a lot more than you give yourself credit for.
Security is an illusion, in fact, there's little to stop you from getting somewhere and an accomplished explorer can get almost anywhere ... it's getting there undetected or having an exit strategy after the swat team shows up.
We role the dice when it comes to that, sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn't.
"No risk, no reward, no fun."
"Go all the way or walk away"
escensi omnis... |
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Price
Location: Houston,TX
Gender: Male
Urbex: Keeping record of things most people have forgotten.
| | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 6 on 5/3/2011 9:03 PM >
| | | | Posted by TheVicariousVadder
Physically you're capable of a lot more than you give yourself credit for.
Security is an illusion, in fact, there's little to stop you from getting somewhere and an accomplished explorer can get almost anywhere ... it's getting there undetected or having an exit strategy after the swat team shows up.
We role the dice when it comes to that, sometimes it pays off, sometimes it doesn't.
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i was just talking about that SWAT team story that that Tennessee guy experienced ;p
“It still amazes me how many millions goes to discovering another star in the galaxies when, for all we know, we are still sitting on top of another undiscovered world beneath our feet.”
-Martin Dansky (1952) |
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\/adder
Location: DunkarooLand
Gender: Male
I'm the worst of the best but I'm in this race.
| | | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 7 on 5/3/2011 9:08 PM >
| | | | Posted by Price
i was just talking about that SWAT team story that that Tennessee guy experienced ;p
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I was thinking hop the fence and make a run for the ladder to the 800' smokestack at an active powerplant.
That exit strategy for that one involves a BASEchute and really fast ride.
"No risk, no reward, no fun."
"Go all the way or walk away"
escensi omnis... |
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SCARECR0W
Location: Dallas Metroplex
Gender: Male
SneakerPimp Extraordinaire
| | | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 8 on 5/3/2011 9:28 PM >
| | | |
- Always try to pre-visualize entry points and exit points. Have a backup exit point if at all possible.
- Try not to be seen entering and exiting. Well, try not to be seen period.
- Peek in and look up before you enter a room. I've often saved myself from nasties, by doing just this. Things like to live above doorways. Once you enter the room, that thing can then block your exit. Speaking of SWAT, this is akin to the stupid TV maneuver of quickly bobbing your head in and around a corner.
- Expanding on that a bit... don't get tunnel vision(unless you're in a tunnel). Meaning, don't get so focused on one thing(which is very easy to do) and miss something obvious that you're about to walk right into.
- Look for feces - this will often give you a good idea of what else lives there (whether it be human, coyote, bird of prey, etc...).
- Be conscious of your light sources and how they can be seen from a distance. Practice "cupping" light with your hands to shine light where you want it, but not anywhere else.
- Be conscious of smells. If you smell vile things, most likely it's a dead animal. It can also be a dead person, or zombies. You never know! Learn to recognize really foul(such as the aforementioned items) from just nasty smells(urine, vomit, chemicals etc..)
- Stay away from liquids. You don't know what they are and you mostly, don't want to know. Leave it be. Don't pick it up, don't jiggle it, and certainly don't smash it with a stick or anything stupid like that.
- Don't kick up dust. Try to walk as lightly as possible. Float like a butterfly.
That's a good starter anyways... If I think of more, I'll post em.
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ahhntzville
Location: Boston
| | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 9 on 5/3/2011 10:16 PM >
| | | | Have you read "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy? If not, I highly recommend it, not to rip it off obviously, but it sets forth a very dark, terrifying mood and premise that will probably be interesting for you to consider and compare your vision to. In it, the world has suffered an unspecified apocalyptic disaster that has killed off all vegetation and the vast majority of the population. The movie is OK (and features one of the abandoned PA turnpike tunnels), but I wouldn't recommend it until you've read the book. Short (200 pages), quick and easy to read, and I couldn't put it down once I was about 40 pages in. It also won a Pulitzer, for what that's worth.
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JfkAok
| | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 10 on 5/3/2011 10:29 PM >
| | | | Wow, thank you all for replying so soon and with such awesome inspiring stuff. You guys officially got me pumped for this silly side project that probably wont amount to jack diddly! I don't care. I'm pumped!
And artznville, I did read The Road and couldn't put it down either. To me, it boils down to Cormac McCarthy being a genius. He can and has written about anything he wants and it's always fantastic. He just so happened to feel like writing a story about the end days.
Anyway, you guys are awesome.
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Steed
  
Location: Edmonton/Seoul
Gender: Male
Your Friendly Neighbourhood Race Traitor
| | | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 11 on 5/3/2011 10:37 PM >
| | | | What's the scenario of the story? Are the characters the last people on earth, or do they have to avoid rival scavengers/authorities/etc? If it's the latter, that puts them in more of a UE situation, where they would have to be discreet about entering structures and covering their tracks.
If there is nobody else to worry about, they could obviously smash up whatever they want to gain entry, which most of us will not do in a non-life-and-death situation.
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barefootpoetry
Location: PA
Gender: Female
| | | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 12 on 5/4/2011 1:42 AM >
| | | | Posted by Steed
What's the scenario of the story? Are the characters the last people on earth, or do they have to avoid rival scavengers/authorities/etc? If it's the latter, that puts them in more of a UE situation, where they would have to be discreet about entering structures and covering their tracks.
If there is nobody else to worry about, they could obviously smash up whatever they want to gain entry, which most of us will not do in a non-life-and-death situation.
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Agreed, I think you've gotten some great answers already but I might be able to add to them if I know what angle we're going for here. Are the characters trying to be incognito or is it anything goes, as long as you don't die?
She who hesitates, sees bulldozers. |
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Captain_Slow
The infamous Buttram Manfist
Location: Dallas, Tx
Gender: Male
Obviously capable of mediocre things.
| | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 13 on 5/4/2011 3:25 AM >
| | | | What makes you decide not to step in the kitchen, but instead step in the living room.
- One is more interesting than another!
- Depends on the smell. 99.999999% of places I've been to stink to high hell, and sometimes the smell is just too much.
What sounds trigger warnings?
- Animals. I don't like dogs. Had a bad experience.
- Doors opening or closing.
- Shotgun cycling.
- Thunder. No abandonment is fun in rain, and if you hear thunder in a storm drain, you'd best find a rosary.
What are the "good signs" both interior or exterior speaking.
- Peeling paint is a good sign, it means that whoever owns it doesn't care too much about it and it's probably safe to head in and there's a good chance there's interesting shit inside.
HOWEVER
- Broken windows, kicked in doors and tons of graffiti are bad signs, it means whoever owns it REALLY doesn't care, and 99% of the time the vandals have made off with anything interesting and torn the place to shreds.
What are your instinctive or experienced "Do's and Don'ts" for safety?
- Bring a roll of duct tape and paper towls. Sounds stupid but a paper towel duct taped over a large, bleeding cut has saved my ass from a nasty infection several times.
- Never, EVER walk through large piles of trash or debris, THOROUGHLY prod it with your tripod or a stick and find the bottom. Skip one room and find another way around if it's trashed. Often, wind blows in through broken windows or open doors and blows trash around until it collects in the lowest point- often a hole in the floor that will entail a wicked fall into the crawlspace if you step on it. Also, you have no idea what's in that pile, and the last thing you want to do is step on a pile of needles, a heap of broken glass, or a raccoon.
- NEVER, EVER EVER EVER try the light switches or anything electrical. I think this is one of the most understated rules of UE. You have NO idea if the power is on or off, and if it is on, you have no idea what condition the wiring is in. There's a good chance that scrappers have gotten to some of the wiring, and if you flip that switch, you could set a wire to sparking and you'll never know until the whole place in on fire and you're trapped inside.
- Don't bring stupid people.
- Don't bring anyone who is a pussy. The last thing you need is someone freaking the fuck out and blowing your cover.
- BE QUIET, BE SNEAKY, even if you know for a fact the next closest person is 100 miles away.
- DON'T STEAL ANYTHING.
- DON'T TAG ANYTHING.
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insanebuslady
Location: ?
Gender: Male
"You talkin' to me?"
| |  | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 14 on 5/4/2011 8:16 PM >
| | | |
Lol
Posted by Captain_Slow
- Thunder. No abandonment is fun in rain
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Not true. If the roof is good and you don't have to travel via any tunnels a good storm can set a nice mood
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Steed
Location: Edmonton/Seoul
Gender: Male
Your Friendly Neighbourhood Race Traitor
| | | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 15 on 5/4/2011 11:14 PM >
| | | | Posted by insanebuslady
Lol
Not true. If the roof is good and you don't have to travel via any tunnels a good storm can set a nice mood
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Agreed, any large enough building can be respite from the rain.
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Captain_Slow
The infamous Buttram Manfist
Location: Dallas, Tx
Gender: Male
Obviously capable of mediocre things.
| | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 16 on 5/4/2011 11:18 PM >
| | | | Posted by insanebuslady
Not true. If the roof is good and you don't have to travel via any tunnels a good storm can set a nice mood
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It's not that, ever since I was a little girl I've had a massive, unfounded, retard and acute phobia of lightning... Dunno why.
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CaptainSqueaky
Location: Worcester County
Gender: Female
I'm not a psychopath, I'm a high functioning sociopath; do your research.
| | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 17 on 5/5/2011 3:45 AM >
| | | | If a floor feels squishy don't trod on it.
Don't get so distracted that your not watching where you're going especially in factories there can be some decent sized holes in factory floors.
Be weary of plywood on the floor it could be hiding a nasty hole, plywood isn't the strongest of woods.
If you find a dead animal dont touch it. Theres always the possibility that it died from rabies or another highly susceptible disease.
Speaking of rabies if you see a cute snugly raccoon that looks drunk dont go after it.
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Lomax
Location: Denver
Gender: Male
| | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 18 on 5/5/2011 2:27 PM >
| | | | I smell Doughnuts...
rollin on dubs of love |
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chicken007
Location: South Carolina
Gender: Male
| | Re: Writing a book: Have many general questions about the mind of an UE...
<Reply # 19 on 5/5/2011 5:23 PM >
| | | | -GLOVES i always bring gloves, they have saved my ass on several occasions from slipping from somewhere,cutting my hand or putting it in some downright nasty shit on accident.
-i always carry some type of oh shit rope gear just in case, usually it is 50 feet of rope and a rigger belt but it has helped me to get in and out of more than one jam so its just a little niche of mine
-i carry mace just in case(im probably paranoid) but if the need arises i like to have a legal and non lethal way to defend my self long enough for me to get the hell out of there.
-i like to bring at least one other person with me to have an extra set of eyes and so one of us can get help if we get messed up enough we can deal with it or get stuck
-horrid smells usually mean something dead,nasty,or not worth it
-large structures like open warehouses are usually just empty warehouses so stick to factory's or manufacturing when it comes to large industrial spaces
i would suggest reading ninjaliciousness book access all areas for some of the psychological/social engineering aspect of UE and depending where your at you should try and go with some one on a explore to experience it fist hand.
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