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UER Forum > Archived Rookie Forum > Drain Locks And You (Viewed 612 times)
Wormgear 


Location: Scarborough - Toronto, Ontario
Gender: Male


Insane In The Drain

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Drain Locks And You
< on 1/23/2010 3:21 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Good morning UE! I'm about to go scope out a few new drains this weekend, this time following leads from Google Maps. I've come to realize it really comes in handy for finding new locations, if you know what to look for... things like rivers that mysteriously start in the middle of random industrial parkland, especially if they look fairly wide on Satellite view but the park they're sprouting from doesn't have any pedestrian access paths.

But anyway, just curious how my fellow sewer spelunkers like to deal with locked drain access grates. Let's face it... it's a rare and wonderful thing when you can just stroll on in by squeezing through a few bars, but most of the time you have (at a minimum) a rusty padlock to contend with. Do you...

A.) never try to get into drains unless there are either no locks, no bars at all, or bars that can be squeezed through...

B.) cut or break the lock, then pitch it...

C.) cut or break the lock, then put it back in a way that it looks like it was never broken in the first place...

D.) cut or break the lock, and replace it with one of your own when you leave...

OR

E.) pick the original lock, and put it back when you leave (and you are a far more skilled and patient individual than I)


Personally I tend to go for option D. As a rule, I don't like the idea of breaking or defacing -anything- on an UE mish, but I make an exception for drain locks. I like the replace with your own approach for two reasons... one, it keeps children out of the drains. I'll defend our right to go nosing about in the city's infrastructure, but we all more or less know what we're doing, and are at a responsible enough age to take care of our own safety. But an eight or nine year old child is not, and if they get it in their head to go looking for ninja turtles (I know I tried this once or twice as a kid) they can really get themselves hurt or killed. Those things are locked for a reason, and we should all keep that in mind. And two... if I put a good combo lock in place, it'll keep kids from wandering in, and you can always share the combination with people who you can trust to bring a flashlight and not to go screwing around in a pipe during a rain storm. You know, like Us. =)


(edited for spelling and crap like that)
[last edit 1/23/2010 3:23 PM by Wormgear - edited 2 times]

wormgear -noun, verb (slang)
1. Boots, coveralls, and other frequently muddy gear worn by drainers ("Take off your filthy worm gear!")
2. The act of getting unstuck in a corrugated metal pipe, in which case the only escape is having your buddies spin you around like a corkscrew
metawaffle 

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Re: Drain Locks And You
<Reply # 1 on 1/23/2010 3:24 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I look for another entrance - haven't failed to find an alternative yet!

edit: but then again, there aren't too many drain locks around here...
[last edit 1/23/2010 3:24 PM by metawaffle - edited 1 times]

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mello 


Location: Port Colborne
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Re: Drain Locks And You
<Reply # 2 on 1/23/2010 3:30 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I agree with metawaffle. When you're dealing with storm drains, most often there will be an infall and an outfall. Try both! Then again, some outfall into deeper bodies of water etc. so in that case, try to get an idea of the route that the drain is taking and then pop manholes along that route.

Good luck

when you are here, you wish you were there. but once you're there, it soon becomes a here, and you again wish to be there instead of here...

we will never be completely satisfied.
Wormgear 


Location: Scarborough - Toronto, Ontario
Gender: Male


Insane In The Drain

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Re: Drain Locks And You
<Reply # 3 on 1/23/2010 3:31 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by metawaffle
edit: but then again, there aren't too many drain locks around here...


That must be glorious. Where I live, most of our drain accesses are done up like bunkers unless they're really far out of the way.

I try to go for alt access wherever I can, but in suburbia that usually means dead in the middle of a residential street. I usually go for outflow grates in secluded parks and ravines.
[last edit 1/23/2010 3:34 PM by Wormgear - edited 1 times]

wormgear -noun, verb (slang)
1. Boots, coveralls, and other frequently muddy gear worn by drainers ("Take off your filthy worm gear!")
2. The act of getting unstuck in a corrugated metal pipe, in which case the only escape is having your buddies spin you around like a corkscrew
\/adder 


Location: DunkarooLand
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Re: Drain Locks And You
<Reply # 4 on 1/23/2010 4:13 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I do believe Predator's Approach [unofficial guide to draining] covered that.

http://www.urbex.o...oach/approach.html

Locked grills: Why the Clan... er, neutralise locks.We know why locks are there... to cover the legal clauses in the public liability insurance that the large public works authorities use to prevent themselves from having their balls sued off in the event that some risk-terrified wimp's relative gets killed in a drain, bridge (etc) and sues them for negligence. We also know that locks are there (ostensibly) to prevent kids from getting into bridges and drains (etc) and exposing themselves to danger.

Historically, works authorities were asked for keys but refused to reply to, or even acknowledge, requests for keys. So it used to be that locks would be picked or smashed and replaced (with our own) on more worth-it explored structures. It was pretty obvious from the graffiti around the lock where to write if you wanted a key. (Strange, no-one ever wrote for a key.) Eventually though we found it was just cheaper and easier to take the locks off and not replace them, 'cos all we got were items of legal-threat fascist hate-mail and our locks cut off. Methinks when people are old enough to smash locks, people are old enough to take responsibility for the subsequent damage that may occur to them as a result of being in the once-locked area.
I don't suppose the Water Boards realise that locking a grill is a very good way to trap people in a drain?
I think a policy of maximum access is better, since this enables people to have a look (at their own risk), doesn't involve smashing locks and also enables people to get out in a hurry if needs be. There will always be drain explorers, bolt cutters and jimmy bars.


Edited to emphasize an important point.
[last edit 1/23/2010 4:16 PM by \/adder - edited 1 times]

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escensi omnis...
Wormgear 


Location: Scarborough - Toronto, Ontario
Gender: Male


Insane In The Drain

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Re: Drain Locks And You
<Reply # 5 on 1/23/2010 4:54 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
In reply to Vadder, although Predator's guide is excellent, I respectfully disagree on the one point. I would never leave a drain unlocked when I'm done if I'm the one who removed the lock. Kids can still wander into unlocked drains, and if you leave it open when you're exploring there's a chance a parks and rec worker will slap on a padlock and trap you in there, or worse still, trap some other poor bugger who's there days later and never thought to bring bolt cutters on his little adventure.

I'd rather spend the four or five bucks for a decent combo lock if I can't get down there via manhole. At least then I know nobody's going to get in there unless they're determined.

Also to clarify, in case I missed the point, I -never- lock up an unlocked drain unless -I- was the one who removed the original lock. I will, however, take a broken padlock and slip it through the latch while I'm in there. Then it can be removed quickly but will pass a casual inspection from a few feet away.

wormgear -noun, verb (slang)
1. Boots, coveralls, and other frequently muddy gear worn by drainers ("Take off your filthy worm gear!")
2. The act of getting unstuck in a corrugated metal pipe, in which case the only escape is having your buddies spin you around like a corkscrew
terapr0 


Location: Sauga City
Gender: Male


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Re: Drain Locks And You
<Reply # 6 on 1/23/2010 11:38 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I've almost never had problems from inaccessible grates around here, and have never had to cut a lock.
Most of the infalls / outfalls are built up like bunkers too, but a couple large storms tend to smash the fuck out of everything. If the grates arent smashed completely open or bent enough to squeeze through, as others have said, try and find a manhole.
Cutting off a city lock and replacing it with your own is kind of a dick thing to do IMO...if you really need to get in you can pry the bars open just enough to squeeze in, or find another entrance

www.tohellandback.net
logtec 


Location: Logtec is the UER representative for Scarborough, Ontario.
Gender: Male


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Re: Drain Locks And You
<Reply # 7 on 1/24/2010 4:32 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
i over heard some rats or sewer guys saying that they use a car jack to spread/bend the bars enough to squeeze through... but this would be wrong and not recommended.
i don't do the sewer thing, but being a plumber for the city i got to see enough of them.
as a kid we had a hide-out in a storm drain, where we looked at porn, drank beer and smoked stolen cigarettes. we just lifted off the man hole cover which was in a field to get in and out

They say "you can't judge a book by its cover!" I say "YES you can, if the cover has a girl on it with a cock in her mouth, its PORN!" if she's 18 and the cock is black, its GREAT porn!
zaxpay 


Location: Minneapolis
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Re: Drain Locks And You
<Reply # 8 on 1/24/2010 6:11 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I'm just curious what you think will happen when the city realizes people are going around cutting locks off their stuff and replacing them with their own. I'm sure nothing good will come of it.

MindHacker 


Location: Suburbs of DC
Gender: Male


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Re: Drain Locks And You
<Reply # 9 on 1/24/2010 6:59 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
E / alternatives. I've always been able to find a manhole to pop if needed.

I did drill a lock once, but the lock was rusted past usability and I wanted the practice drilling locks.

If you search the quote on my profile about explosive breaching, there's a whole thread on this, probably on the drainers board.

"That's just my opinion. I would, however, advocate for explosive breaching, since speed and looking cool are both concerns in my job."-Wilkinshire
unlisted 


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Re: Drain Locks And You
<Reply # 10 on 1/24/2010 7:02 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by zaxpay
I'm just curious what you think will happen when the city realizes people are going around cutting locks off their stuff and replacing them with their own. I'm sure nothing good will come of it.


What can they really do, unless they dedicate a whole team to actively patrolling all drain locations?

Worst that will happen- welded and/or bolted shut outfalls/infalls/manhole access covers, (which has happened around my area) and an "increased police presence" - which basically means don't pop manhole covers. or do things in sight of public. Worst security measure implemented- a fully enclosed 2 inch thick steel cage (think jail cell bars but thicker) cemented (full cap) in place (and I am sure bolted as well) AND, (I guess for overkill good measure) a rather large cement block sitting in front of the gate, like the ones you see used for transport trucks load balance.Or one of those "kill your car" crash barriers seen in parking lots. (see photo below) This was implemented at my old highschool, as there is a infall close to it, and its a 8 foot RCP that runs for about two miles. (and has large internal chambers, and would have couches until the next big rainfall-until this cap was put in place) The outfall was in a ravine, and not overly monitored, or secured.



What normally happens- the lock mounting plate MAY be beefed up, and a new lock added. Or, a higher security lock, or, two locking points, or, two locking points and a reinforcing bar.

As someone else suggested, storms work rather well at making a secure access point, insecure. Also because of this, the city workers need a quick and easy way to clear blockages out of the system, hence the welding normally being a "last ditch" effort.



Loki 


Location: Melbourne, Australia
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Re: Drain Locks And You
<Reply # 11 on 1/25/2010 12:47 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
When in doubt, Thermite.

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Wormgear 


Location: Scarborough - Toronto, Ontario
Gender: Male


Insane In The Drain

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Re: Drain Locks And You
<Reply # 12 on 1/25/2010 2:52 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
You guys all make some really good points... I think I'm going to strive to be a little less destructive in my draining. I was exaggerating a bit, there really aren't that many drains that can only be entered by busting a lock. One in particular has been irking me lately down in the Scarborough bluffs, but after not being able to find a single alt entrance I think I'm going to just leave it be. there are plenty of others on my list that don't require removing locks.

All three of the new drains I checked out this weekend were unsecured, and I'm in a much more optimistic frame of mind =P

wormgear -noun, verb (slang)
1. Boots, coveralls, and other frequently muddy gear worn by drainers ("Take off your filthy worm gear!")
2. The act of getting unstuck in a corrugated metal pipe, in which case the only escape is having your buddies spin you around like a corkscrew
FerretMouse 


Location: Clarksburg, West Virginia
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Me! Haha.

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Re: Drain Locks And You
<Reply # 13 on 1/25/2010 9:28 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
There are some interesting tips and Ideas here. Not that I'd ever get to use them. We don't have any big drain openings or anything like that around here. Although I've always wanted to do it..haha.

Big Dave ^.^
tegal 


Location: Tamworth Australia


Sleep Is For The Weak

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Re: Drain Locks And You
<Reply # 14 on 1/29/2010 11:23 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Posted by ExplorerLoki
When in doubt, Thermite.


I like your Style

UER Forum > Archived Rookie Forum > Drain Locks And You (Viewed 612 times)



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