It's really hard for me personally to say what keeps me from a place, since I think it depends on the place itself. But here are a few things that make me either stay away or reconsider going in:

-Any cars that look new or not abandoned. I often find abandoned cars on lots, but when it's not super clear if the house is occupied or not it's a stretch. There's a house I want to check out but it's on a hill and looking up I see a car, but it never moves and I'm more than certain its abandoned but it keeps me from being fully into going. I usually check it out in the end, but it definitely makes me hesitate.

-Any kind of police or guards nearby, but I always still try to find a way in even if I'm super nervous

-Poisonous insects/snakes. I'm not arachnophobic in the slightest and I love snakes, but I've come across black widows, brown recluses, brown widows, etc; and I'm nervous about walking into a room or any place that might be crawling with them. Happened once with an old house, black widows every where. I try to look in before going into a room blindly and also look out for snakes. But that's more of a hesitation than a for sure keeping me from going in.

-Someone who might live there, homeless or not. If I walk into a place and I think someone is camping out there, I turn around unless I know for sure the person is friendly and doesn't mind. I've befriended many homeless people in abandonments, but if no one is there I don't want to piss anyone off. I found an abandoned house once and I walked in to find it completely fixed up homeless style and no one was there and I turned around.

-Signs that warn of chemicals or land mines. Depending on the severity of the chemicals or what I'm dealing with, I'll either look into it or completely avoid it.

-Dogs. Not signs, but evidence of dogs. I don't fuck with animals, I'm a dog owner myself but you never know when an animal is trained to turn against you.

Being in Texas a no trespassing sign will always make me evaluate the situation for a few days. Since by law they can shoot you as long as they have that sign up in a clear area. If a location has many of them posted I'm sure whoever posted them knows this as well. If its just one then you could have always missed it. So far that's been the only thing to make me hesitate.

Posted by Hopeless Being in Texas a no trespassing sign will always make me evaluate the situation for a few days. Since by law they can shoot you as long as they have that sign up in a clear area. If a location has many of them posted I'm sure whoever posted them knows this as well. If its just one then you could have always missed it. So far that's been the only thing to make me hesitate.

They aren't required to have the signs up, FYI. Castle Doctrine is so wide open that if you're on someone else's property for any impermissible purpose then there is nothing stopping the owner of the property from using fire arms against the person on the property.

But that's referring to occupied places. If someone lives near something abandoned that I want to see I'll bank on charisma and asking.

Source
http://www.texasla...m/castle-doctrine/

quote
With regard to using force or deadly force to defend your “castle,” the Texas Penal Code specifically uses the word “habitation,” not the words “building” or “property.” Texas has a very limited definition of what qualifies as a person’s habitation. The “Castle Doctrine” does not cover your entire piece of property.

Posted by Hopeless Source http://www.texasla...m/castle-doctrine/ quote With regard to using force or deadly force to defend your “castle,” the Texas Penal Code specifically uses the word “habitation,” not the words “building” or “property.” Texas has a very limited definition of what qualifies as a person’s habitation. The “Castle Doctrine” does not cover your entire piece of property.

"Habitation" is incredibly ambiguous, and is entirely malleable to a person's interpretation. Because the original design of the law was for protection of land with livestock on it. So, you're call for interpretation.

That being said, signs are still unnecessary.

This past Sunday, I took an out-of-town explorer friend to see a Seattle location that is visited very frequently, by taggers and explorers alike. When we arrived at our destination, we noticed a man in the property's large concrete lot. Judging by his clothing and gear, he appeared to be homeless, and had what I can only describe as a makeshift shield strapped to his left arm (I think it was made out of some sort of rectangular red metal sign). When we first arrived, he appeared to be patrolling the lot, and didn't see us right away. We sat down at a picnic table in an adjacent public area and watched to see what was going on.

When the man noticed us, he walked over to some debris in the middle of the lot and hid behind it, occasionally peeking around the edge to look at us. I waved at him but he did not wave back. My friend and I talked for a bit, but decided that we didn't want to try negotiating with the man. Although we didn't see any weapons in the area of his free hand, the presence of the homemade shield made us a bit uneasy. We decided it would be best to leave for the time being.

Before leaving, I decided to show my buddy the POE I have used to visit the place, in case he wanted to try some other time before leaving town. We walked close to the property's fence to get a better view, which clearly agitated its guardian. He emerged from behind his hiding spot, and approached the same length of fence that we were standing near. When we turned and walked along the fence, he paralleled our movements on the inside of the perimeter. Clearly he didn't want us coming in. We finally took the hint and departed, a little dismayed by our luck.

I wanted to take a photo of the man's shield, but I decided a long time ago that it doesn't feel right to take pictures of people who are forced to live on the streets. Most likely, the guy squats at the location, and figured we were taggers who had come there to fuck his place up. As someone who also cares about the location, I can understand that protective urge.

So yeah, a patrolling squatter carrying a shield definitely has the ability to keep me away from a place!

Posted by siper Poison oak. FUCK. THAT. SHIT. I was once wading through waist-high brush searching for an overgrown military bunker. I managed to come across a beehive, got stung 5 times, and also got the worst poison oak of my life. I later found the bunker using an alternate route.

Haha that was me about two weeks ago minus the beehive and I was probably looking for the same bunker... fuck that place!

I would have to agree though, Poison Oak! I always wear pants and a long sleeve and I bring Technu in my car because Northern California is saturated with Oak.

The only other thing that really throws me off is other people being at a spot, regardless of if they are harmless, or minding there own business I can't truly immerse myself and enjoy an exploration unless I know I have the place to myself. It can be equally discouraging when you realize your in a place that a squatter lives as well... Just always a bit on edge.

I saw an interesting looking quarry place and was about to enter it when I saw a sign that said POLICE GUN RANGE.

I did an abrupt about face lol.

A lot of things 'turns me off',almost 100% of previously mentioned.
Last time when i didn't explore a location was because the building itself was half sunken in water. It was abandoned school somewhere in countryside. It was possible to see that entire rooftop is leaky, everything inside was covered with moss. Also there here large cracks on walls.

I also hate to explore in places where are construction/demolition works. Because when i get inside the bunker or building i have that stupid vision that a large bulldozer is about to roll straight towards building and bury me under large pile of concrete.

Something that is only accessible on a busy road - no matter how much a certain one of my mates says 'it'll be OK' you never know just who is walking past and likely to call the police if they see someone up to no good. If that is the case I much prefer to go back at something like 5-6am and get in when there is almost nobody around.

Also, this.

Electric fences tend to put a damper on things for me...

Posted by Benched_it Electric fences tend to put a damper on things for me... https://farm8.stat...3_33b77fa934_c.jpg

Well lets be honest, place has active electric fences you prob shouldnt be there, and if you do get in, most likey getting shot XD

dogs. dogs keep me away

Normally I would say signs like this, buttttttt I still ended up exploring and camping that night at the location.


Warning by Anomalicious, on Flickr

Posted by IndoAnomaly Normally I would say signs like this, buttttttt I still ended up exploring and camping that night at the location. https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5468/17617157988_71a0dc43ae_c.jpg Warning by Anomalicious, on Flickr

"Tres passing" sounds like a French saying. And I love the "DO NOT MESS WITH THIS LOCK". Very official sounding and scary. Don't mess with that lock.

This made me hesitate briefly but I decided that it most likely meant nothing at the time.

I've honestly never found bees/wasps to be a problem, I ignore them they ignore me.

And I'd love to do an interview with the Seattle Guardian, I'd love to get to know his past and why he valiantly defends his post.

Posted by catdog23 I've honestly never found bees/wasps to be a problem, I ignore them they ignore me.

We walked into one of the buildings on an old air base a few years ago, nearly pitch black inside but there was a faint sound of humming or buzzing audible upstairs somewhere. Wandering around the not very interesting building we went upstairs and turned a corner in one of the hallways to be confronted by a very large wasps nest hanging where the top of one of the windows had been broken out - needless to say we got out of that building sharpish!

I could've got in here easily but was worried because of a stupid ADT business card that had recently been taped to the front door. I still kick myself in the ass for chickenshitting this one...


...because it's too late, now.