 |
|
|
UER Store
|
|
sweet UER decals:
|
|
|
|
Activity
|
|
456 online
Server Time:
2024-04-18 08:33:08
|
|
|
 skootles
  
Location: Toronto, ON
Gender: Male
Is the poop deck really what I think it is?
 |  | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 20 on 10/5/2011 6:06 PM >
|  | | | Posted by FireEscapeDan
Be VERY wary of Fire escapes leading to the roof. I've climbed some at 13 levels up, and have had bolts loosen up. It is THE worst feeling ever.
|
Made me shudder just thinking about it.
|
|
MrSivalls
This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information.
I'll be a-surfin' in yer blood on Saturday night
| | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 21 on 10/7/2011 12:48 AM >
| | | | Posted by Fl1k3r
this is why i generally don't do outside scaling, combine that with a pretty solid fear of heights and that would keep me up some nights after
|
Just depends, solid steel is usually ok, but anything that is anchored into concrete, mortar, etc. is suspect.
Concrete structures and stairs can also collapse without warning.
Your security measures were inadequate.
How unfortunate for you. |
|
ThatTeenPhotog
Location: West of Cleveland, Ohio
Gender: Male
| | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 22 on 2/5/2012 5:59 AM >
| | | | So, beginner question, do you guys just find buildings (in use?) and try to go on the roof? Sounds fun to me. I remember my school having a ladder in some spot that I have access to on Friday afternoon, and a teacher that particularly enjoys me as a student/wouldn't mind....
I live in the 'burbs with a major lack of abandoned buildings. |
|
Steed
      
Location: Edmonton/Seoul
Gender: Male
Your Friendly Neighbourhood Race Traitor
| |  | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 23 on 2/5/2012 7:45 AM >
| | | | Posted by ThatTeenPhotog
So, beginner question, do you guys just find buildings (in use?) and try to go on the roof? Sounds fun to me. I remember my school having a ladder in some spot that I have access to on Friday afternoon, and a teacher that particularly enjoys me as a student/wouldn't mind....
|
If we said we didn't (which wouldn't be true) would that actually be a reason to stop you from trying?
|
|
ThatTeenPhotog
Location: West of Cleveland, Ohio
Gender: Male
| | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 24 on 2/5/2012 3:00 PM >
| | | | Posted by Steed
If we said we didn't (which wouldn't be true) would that actually be a reason to stop you from trying?
|
Nope, I just have to have the opportunity to try... I got on top of a pretty good church bell tower in cleveland heights, no pics of the interior of the tower, just some of the sights. Should I start a thread in my local area for something like that?
I live in the 'burbs with a major lack of abandoned buildings. |
|
Steed
Location: Edmonton/Seoul
Gender: Male
Your Friendly Neighbourhood Race Traitor
| | | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 25 on 2/5/2012 3:31 PM >
| | | | Posted by ThatTeenPhotog
Nope, I just have to have the opportunity to try... I got on top of a pretty good church bell tower in cleveland heights, no pics of the interior of the tower, just some of the sights. Should I start a thread in my local area for something like that?
|
I always enjoy rooftopping pictures. You could try posting them in your regional forum, UE Photo Critiques if you want more feedback, or UE Photography if you're feeling more brave.
|
|
shellyl
Location: Lenoir NC
Gender: Female
I have learned not sweat the petty things and not to pet the sweaty things.
| | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 26 on 2/5/2012 6:31 PM >
| | | | Take a walk around before you go and look up from different areas around the building. Take a look at what portions of the roof are visible. Most of the time you can't see a good portion of the roof from below even though you feel like you are on display when you are up there. Even with that being said most people are driving and walking and do not look up at the roofs much.
[last edit 2/5/2012 6:31 PM by shellyl - edited 1 times]
A mirage is not an optical illusion. It is a real phenomenon, and one can take photographs of it. The interpretation of the image, however, is up to the fantasy of the human mind.
|
|
Eschaton
Location: Western NC
Gender: Male
Entry: Eschaton (es-kuh-tawn) noun | end of time, climax of history | Etymology: Greek for 'last'
| | | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 27 on 2/8/2012 8:25 PM >
| | | | Posted by ThatTeenPhotog
So, beginner question, do you guys just find buildings (in use?) and try to go on the roof? Sounds fun to me. I remember my school having a ladder in some spot that I have access to on Friday afternoon, and a teacher that particularly enjoys me as a student/wouldn't mind....
|
I rooftopped just about every school in my city before I got serious in UE.
Ars Gratia Adventuris |
|
archie
Location: Canada
Gender: Male
| | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 28 on 2/26/2012 5:10 AM >
| | | | I love rooftops. Especially interesting ones with lots of nooks and crannies. I like to crouch gargoyle style on the roof corners and when people notice me, move slowly. 
Tips from my experiences (much of this may be common knowledge):
Rooftops with what I call "steppage" are easier. This means that each level is separated or offset (like big steps) and you only have to climb one story at at time. Good for two reasons-- only one story to fall down, and most of the time a wall-kick and grab at the edge will get you up the next level. I.e. you don't have to do a two-story vertical climb.
Try to avoid ceramic tiles. They creak and break and are not good to walk on. Don't damage the roofs please. As someone else mentioned, on angled rooftops there can be nice grippy climbable surfaces where two angled sections meet (forming a v). No matter how appealing it may look with its open windows, the steeple looking thing with the bell in it is likely to be securely fenced/wired/grated off to keep the pesky pigeons out. Keeps us out too 
Climb gas pipes with caution. They are meant to carry gas, not humans. That being said they often make access easy. Same thing applies to the big square ventilation ducting. It's hollow and loud and has thin walls. And nassty insulation, often.
Scout the entire perimeter of the building you intend to climb, first. There are often many oppourtunities. Be creative, look for features like corners, little lips, lights (though they won't hold a lot of weight always). Trees, growing close to the building, can be climbed and used as access. Especially overhanging ones. Never do a climb up that you wouldn't want to climb back down, though. I climbed a tree with a branch overhanging a rooftop once, expecting the roofaccess doors to let me into the building. Sadly, it was all locked up tight and I had to jump back onto the tree branch to climb down. It was unpleasant.
The gravel on the roof is loud and crunchy. (though it seems that roof-sounds are reflected upwards, and people outside on the ground level won't hear you as well as you might think) Don't walk on it, if possible. Walk on the concrete tiles that people have so nicely laid out.
In my area, many roof doors are unlocked from the outside, but locked from the inside. Don't assume if it's open from the one side it's open from the other.
Upper levels of some buildings contain mechanical rooms. Don't be discouraged if you finally get through teh door at the top of the staircase, and you're not on the roof yet. The mechanical rooms almost always mean easy roof access. Check all the corners for little hatchways, near the ventilation. Sometimes travelling -through- the vent rooms to the other side is required.
If there are other buildings higher up than your roof, be careful. Walk at a steady, unhurried pace near the walls. Act normal. Crouching or running will draw attention where you might otherwise go unnoticed. Do the Jedi mind trick, "I belong here. I am supposed to be here. I am doing my job." Even if someone sees you. Of course, this does not apply if someone sees you hanging from a ledge or doing otherwise crazy shit.
Look for promising looking buttons in the elevators. "PH" above the highest floor, for example. It may be locked out, but an elevator key or other trickery (mentioned in another tutorial around here) can help you here.
Sometimes one flight of stairs will only take you so far. There's often another stair, elsewhere on that floor, which continues up.
Don't be a doofus, use the convenient steel ladders people have put up for traversing the roofs. No sense risking your life where there's a ladder. Unless that's your thing...
That is all I can think of off the top of my head. Oi! one last thing. Teamwork can accomplish things not otherwise possible. Don't underestimate the usefulness of a boost or a leg up, and then having the guy who's up lean over and let you use his arm as a rope. It works.
|
|
Rhino604
Location: Montreal
Gender: Male
| | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 29 on 3/30/2012 5:33 PM >
| | | | As a retired tower crane mechanic, for the longest time I didn't care much to sneak onto rooftops since I've been on the top of a large portion of the new highrises in Vancouver and surrounding area; higher, in fact!
But now I've changed my mind and find excitement climbing buildings around town.
As an amateur 'rooftopper' I've only scaled 15-20 buildings in downtown Vancouver, most of them via fire escapes, scaffolding, or just easily climbed features of the building. As a guy who's been hobby rockclimbing for 20 years and building cranes for 6, I've got a pretty good feel for steel, i.e. whether the structure I'm climbing on will support or collapse under my weight and vibrations. So far all the rooftopping I've done have been at night, but I'd like to do some daytime missions via internal staircases and elevator cores.
One thing I've never done, though, is gone alone; that's asking for trouble!
Another thing I try to do when I can is leave my ID ELSEWHERE! The last thing I need is trouble with the law, lol!
There are several 3-4 storey buildings here in town that are being gentrified and thus, vacated and being restored. These are great opportunities to get (easier) access to the inside, and the roof of the building. Beware, though, since usually there are thermal or ultrasonic sensors in the stairwells of such buildings, which, if triggered will generally sound a loud alarm. (I don't think any of the alarms I've come across were linked to call the police or a response team of any sort, just used for a deterrent.)
|
|
Loki
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Gender: Male
| | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 30 on 3/30/2012 11:08 PM >
| | | | Posted by Rhino604
Another thing I try to do when I can is leave my ID ELSEWHERE! The last thing I need is trouble with the law, lol!
|
How would not having any ID improve your position with LE?
Wank | Wank | Wank | Wank | Wank | Wank |
|
Devinsky
Location: Riemst, Belgium
Gender: Male
| | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 31 on 3/31/2012 12:05 AM >
| | | | Before I got into Urbex, I did some parcour/free running. Since then I automatically go into search-mode for a way up whenever I see an interesting building (which is almost every building actually).
Buildings under two stories can generally be scaled by a drain pipe, an emergency ladder or something similar. But let's face it, just two stories is boring. Old building tend to have rough surfaces, so sometimes you can even climb them bare-handed. I don't recommend this method without safety measures and some experience in free climbing though...
Usually I go for the method archie described, climbing from one building to another. That way you don't fall five stories if you slip.
I don't have a lot of experience climbing isolated buildings over four stories high, but since drain pipes and ladders aren't know for being a safe way to climb I would try to enter the building itself by a window or something.
|
|
MrSivalls
This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information.
I'll be a-surfin' in yer blood on Saturday night
| | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 32 on 3/31/2012 12:31 AM >
| | | | Posted by Devinsky
Before I got into Urbex, I did some parcour/free running. Since then I automatically go into search-mode for a way up whenever I see an interesting building (which is almost every building actually).
Buildings under two stories can generally be scaled by a drain pipe, an emergency ladder or something similar. But let's face it, just two stories is boring. Old building tend to have rough surfaces, so sometimes you can even climb them bare-handed. I don't recommend this method without safety measures and some experience in free climbing though...
Usually I go for the method archie described, climbing from one building to another. That way you don't fall five stories if you slip.
I don't have a lot of experience climbing isolated buildings over four stories high, but since drain pipes and ladders aren't know for being a safe way to climb I would try to enter the building itself by a window or something.
|
Corroded anchors into brick and concrete may seem sound, but will give way with no warning. Then you need to worry about not only the fall, but the hundreds of pounds of metal that may land on you.
This is true inside building as well, anything anchored to concrete or brick is suspect. Concrete stairs have also been known to collapsed on the trained structural engineers examining them.
Appearances can be deceiving.
Your security measures were inadequate.
How unfortunate for you. |
|
NotBatman
Location: MSP
Gender: Male
Secret Cult Member
| | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 33 on 3/31/2012 1:26 AM >
| | | | Posted by MrSivalls
Corroded anchors into brick and concrete may seem sound, but will give way with no warning. Then you need to worry about not only the fall, but the hundreds of pounds of metal that may land on you.
This is true inside building as well, anything anchored to concrete or brick is suspect. Concrete stairs have also been known to collapsed on the trained structural engineers examining them.
Appearances can be deceiving.
|
Do you ever leave the house, or do you just sit at your keyboard telling everyone about how very dangerous the entire world is?
I mean, Jesus Christ, mom, relax...
I'm a "Leave only footprints, take only pornography" kind of guy, myself. |
|
MrSivalls
This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information.
I'll be a-surfin' in yer blood on Saturday night
| | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 34 on 3/31/2012 2:55 AM >
| | | | Posted by NotBatman
Do you ever leave the house, or do you just sit at your keyboard telling everyone about how very dangerous the entire world is?
I mean, Jesus Christ, mom, relax...
|
Ever have a rack of hundreds of pounds of steel come off a concrete wall from just a slight pull and miss you by inches? I have.
Ignorance is a self made condition.
Your security measures were inadequate.
How unfortunate for you. |
|
NotBatman
Location: MSP
Gender: Male
Secret Cult Member
| | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 35 on 3/31/2012 3:52 AM >
| | | | Posted by MrSivalls
Ignorance is a self made condition.
|
So is EPIC trolling.
(Herpes is a close third.)
I'm a "Leave only footprints, take only pornography" kind of guy, myself. |
|
Devinsky
Location: Riemst, Belgium
Gender: Male
| | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 36 on 3/31/2012 10:55 AM >
| | | | Posted by MrSivalls
Ever have a rack of hundreds of pounds of steel come off a concrete wall from just a slight pull and miss you by inches? I have.
Ignorance is a self made condition.
|
Well, I can't say I experienced this, but I have been very close to falling about twenty meters down several times. I realised that would have killed me, so I paid more attention where I was going the times after that.
To me, Urbex is about taking calculated risks. The problem is, that some people's definition of a "calculated risk" is someone else's "one-way ticket to the afterlife". The risks you can take differ for each person. It is not just defined by skill, but also by sheer luck and sometimes a lack of common sense.
|
|
Weirdlig
Gender: Female
| | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 37 on 3/31/2012 1:59 PM >
| | | | My only bad luck was on one of my two rooftopping trips.
I'd taken the fire escape in a busy area at a bad time of day [I'm guessing fire escapes aren't the best call]. On the way up a Pomeranian started shrieking at me, I was at first convinced it was a woman screaming.
I had a false sense of security on the way down...that same window then had a man and his wife staring out at me--and they began screaming until opening the window, at which point it devolved into incessant bitching. Entirely too much attention was called to me as I ping-ponged my way down the ladder system, but I was in my car before anything really became of it.
Still planning to keep these roof antics up, but what's the consensus on fire escapes? Bad call?
http://www.flickr....irdlingphotography |
|
MrSivalls
This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information.
I'll be a-surfin' in yer blood on Saturday night
| | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 38 on 3/31/2012 3:42 PM >
| | | | Posted by Devinsky
Well, I can't say I experienced this, but I have been very close to falling about twenty meters down several times. I realised that would have killed me, so I paid more attention where I was going the times after that.
To me, Urbex is about taking calculated risks. The problem is, that some people's definition of a "calculated risk" is someone else's "one-way ticket to the afterlife". The risks you can take differ for each person. It is not just defined by skill, but also by sheer luck and sometimes a lack of common sense.
|
You think it's calculated until you realize you just about fractured the hell out of your feet/legs trying to take a dump. That's what I was doing when that rack of 4-6 inch steel pipes came lose. Damn hard to get out of the way in that condition, but I did. lol. I was stupid to do that, and got lucky.
My point is many things that seem solid and sound are not. When it comes to structures understand how and why they fail.
I've free climbed for many years on trees and steel. I've balanced on picks and I-beams were a loss of balance would have been deadly, but never came close to falling that I can recall. Falling is not acceptable, and pushing the limits when free climbing will tagged and bag you sooner or later. Don't.
To me exploring means seeing places without being injured or destroying equipment, otherwise you failed to do it right. Not always possible, but that should be the goal.
Posted by Weirdling
My only bad luck was on one of my two rooftopping trips.
I'd taken the fire escape in a busy area at a bad time of day [I'm guessing fire escapes aren't the best call]. On the way up a Pomeranian started shrieking at me, I was at first convinced it was a woman screaming.
I had a false sense of security on the way down...that same window then had a man and his wife staring out at me--and they began screaming until opening the window, at which point it devolved into incessant bitching. Entirely too much attention was called to me as I ping-ponged my way down the ladder system, but I was in my car before anything really became of it.
Still planning to keep these roof antics up, but what's the consensus on fire escapes? Bad call?
|
I think you cured me of any urge to use fire escapes.
Getting silhouetted when on roofs and other high places is something to consider. Makes you real easy to spot, avoid doing it whenever possible.
[last edit 3/31/2012 3:51 PM by MrSivalls - edited 1 times]
Your security measures were inadequate.
How unfortunate for you. |
|
Devinsky
Location: Riemst, Belgium
Gender: Male
| | Re: Rooftopping tips and advice.
<Reply # 39 on 3/31/2012 11:25 PM >
| | | | Posted by MrSivalls
To me exploring means seeing places without being injured or destroying equipment, otherwise you failed to do it right. Not always possible, but that should be the goal.
|
Of course, that's one of the basics: keep the place clean and whole. But if a getting a little bruised means I can access some place I normally could not, I wouldn't hesitate a second.
It's funny though, you sound exactly as one of my friends, so I understand what you are getting at. No place in the world is worth dying for. But I think that you are the only person who can accurately guess whether or not you can do something. Being careful is very important, but don't let it spoil your fun either 
|
|
|
|
All content and images copyright © 2002-2024 UER.CA and respective creators. Graphical Design by Crossfire.
To contact webmaster, or click to email with problems or other questions about this site:
UER CONTACT
View Terms of Service |
View Privacy Policy |
Server colocation provided by Beanfield
This page was generated for you in 158 milliseconds. Since June 23, 2002, a total of 738389246 pages have been generated.
|
|
