Posted by Mike Dijital ... I think about how much more of those fantastic places I could have seen if I wasnt so busy policing the places I had already been

I really like this quote. Well said, Mike.

Posted by Avatar-X It's important to remember that, since this is an Urban Exploration forum, connecting with other explorers and sharing photos and experiences are the entire reason for this site to exist. Asking people to take down their posts in a passive-aggressive way is counterproductive to the mission of this site. Your "At Best" example doesn't take into account all the positives that can happen from a photoset being posted on UER -- namely, that more people are able to enjoy the beauty of the location without having to travel there and fellate the locals in the hopes of gaining access. I've seen amazing places all over the world on UER, Infiltration, and other sites, places like Gunkanjima in Japan or Saddam's palaces in Iraq or even cool places all over the US, that I'd probably never be able to see otherwise. I don't have the time or the money to travel the world, so I am supremely happy that other people in those faraway places are kind enough to share their explorations with me.

No question, I do see a value in UER. I have met a ton of others all over this country from UER. Its served as a great resource for me. It's also true I would never have seen some of the stuff i've seen posted. I can't deny that.

I never did understand though why Saddam's palaces in iraq never got completely runover by explorers and vandals after being posted on uer

Posted by relux I never did understand though why Saddam's palaces in iraq never got completely runover by explorers and vandals after being posted on uer

Posted by Talisman Makes sense to me! Don't understand why anyone would feel the need to harass another member because they gave away the location of a shit-hole abandonment covered in graf. Chances are that it won't be around for the long term anyway, unless it has some historical importance, in which case, the offender should get a severe tongue lashing!

Not all of them are shitholes.

I blame the haarp machine.

In my limited experience, this forum has been a good community. I've seen great photography, and read good adventures and funny stories. I've found thoughtful, practical advice. I've gotten encouraging replies to my posts, and even a bad idea I floated was corrected with wonderful humor.

So, it doesn't seem to me that the new rule needs to be explicit. But it shows an intent to maintain a civil society, and I appreciate that.

Posted by Mike Dijital AV is clearly trying to promote new blood to keep the torch going so this forum doesnt turn into a ghost town

If it turns into a ghost town, can we at least explore it then?

Yes, just don't tell anyone how to login.

Posted by Skye_Ann there's a few members who name pretty much pristine locations, give full names/addresses and post info publically (not FM, but wide open to anyone who looks). And this has (we assume, can't prove it) led to some really nice places being trashed, sealed and/or demolished after sitting perfectly fine for YEARS.

That's just it: we can't prove that posting info hurts locations, and we can't prove that it doesn't. We're all arguing from faith. I find it awfully hard to believe that posting anything to UER has any effect on a location (maybe +2 respectful visitors over the next month); many others consider it an indisputable fact that posting a location to the database leads to its demise.

I'm new, but I've read a lot of posts here, and I don't think I've come across one proven instance of a posting leading to trashing or sealing.

I'm amazed that anyone expects any location to be the same that it was last time they visited. I don't think I've ever found the same door unlocked twice.

Enjoy what you find -- and, I'd say, share it with others -- while you can.

Actually, yes it does.

Ask anyone about Government Spiders and how it blew up on UER over the past year. Now we have very regular security patrols, some times escalating into county sheriff coming out and seizing any photography equipment until your court case ends. You should also consider that there is a very real and serious correlation between a location getting exposure on UER (and moreso any other public space e.g. lamebook, reddit, etc.) and something happening to that location within days/weeks. Stating that this doesn't happen is like saying global warming is a hoax. Being new does not exclude you from this effect, in fact since you stated you're new — you should listen instead.

Also consider how a very large portion of veteran explorers unanimously agree with this fact across the country(ies).

Been gone for a while and came back to this rule.

I like it. I like the simplicity of 'Don't want it ruined? Set it to private.'

While I feel that this is a pretty good rule, UER vandalism does happen. One of the organizers of OPEX '77, GeoViolator, aka Geo, once recounted a time when he either heard or saw, it's been several years so I can't remember which, that someone had tagged "GeoViolator was here" in one of his favorite locations. He was legitimately upset about it both because someone put graffiti in said location and because he was unfairly named as the perpetrator, which, in his opinion, exposed him too much and made it more likely that he was going to be busted for his UE activities.

Posted by Yield Been gone for a while and came back to this rule. I like it. I like the simplicity of 'Don't want it ruined? Set it to private.'

This!

That's just it: we can't prove that posting info hurts locations,

thats ridiculous of course it does

Posted by Maglyte That's just it: we can't prove that posting info hurts locations, thats ridiculous of course it does

Oh ok.

Posted by Yield Been gone for a while and came back to this rule. I like it. I like the simplicity of 'Don't want it ruined? Set it to private.'

Issue with that though is say for example, I post a pristine location and set it on private. Then some full member comes along, sees the post, goes and explores that same place then comes back and makes it public... Then it still gets ruined despite my efforts to keep it private.

Some people would rather whore out locations for "street credit" than be respectful of them for the community.

Posted by Crypton Also consider how a very large portion of veteran explorers unanimously agree with this fact across the country(ies).

A much larger portion of veteran explorers disagree with this and don't find it interesting to argue with idiots.

and OMG Reddit, nuff said

Posted by Crypton Stating that this doesn't happen is like saying global warming is a hoax.

So your saying global warming isn't a hoax?!? Damn, if I stick around MSP for a few billion more years we could be the next San Diego!!

Thank you for all of your input, it has been noted. This thread is now closed.