---Urban Exploration---Recently I posted a topic talking about me and my friends visiting an abandoned cement factory. I personally have a love for exploring abandoned structures. I think theres just something extremely cool about them. So I decided to make a megathread detailing everything any of you would need to go out and explore any places near your own homes.
What is Urban Exploration?
Urban Exploration is a hobby shared by many people around the world. It consists of gaining access to places not seen or traveled by everyday people. The common places urban explorers go to is abandoned buildings, utility or maintenance tunnels, and drains/sewers. People become urban explorers for a variety of reasons. Curiosity, fascinations with the unknown, or the drive to get that perfect picture. No matter what your reason though, Urban Exploration or UE can be a fun and exciting thing to do with your friends.
Abandonments:
The most common place for an urban explorer to visit, and my personal favorite, is an abandoned building. Buildings can be abandoned for a variety of reasons. Whether its low funds, fires, or floods, These buildings are often great to explore and some can be extremely easy to gain access too. Sometimes you will find these abandoned structures still have everything inside from their previous owner. Discoveries like this can make for an exciting explore and really tells a story on what happened to the previous owners.Whether its a house, hospital, school, power plant, or even an amusement park; these structures can provide countless hours of discovery.
Sewers and Storm Drains:
Another popular spot to do some UE is the tunnels that lead to every area in the city. Explorers will make their way down manholes or into unblocked drains to wander around the vast network of tunnels under the city. While it doesn't sound as entertaining as an abandoned structure, exploring these underground tunnels can be cool in its own way. Its amazing just how far you can go and the feeling that you are seeing an area most people will never see can't be beat.
Maintenance tunnels/Utility tunnels:
While visited by some explorers, these tunnels are less popular due the to higher risk of getting caught which comes with them. This type of exploration involves gaining access to the maintenance areas of still active buildings. While it has a high possibility of getting caught, exploring these places can give an explorer a "backstage" view of what makes a building run.
Other areas:UE can be seeing anything not seen by the average person. It can be standing on the rooftop of a 30 story building or walking through an abandoned subway tunnel.
Warnings:Urban exploration, while a nice hobby, presents a variety of dangers to the explorer. This is not to be taken lightly, if you are not careful you could end up seriously injured or worse. Each area will present its own unique risk.
Police: 
No matter what are you choose to explore, one risk will be universal, the police presence. A majority if not all areas may be on private property. Gaining access to unseen areas may be cool, but it can land you a tresspassing charge if you are caught. Most areas will simply put up a "No Tresspassing" sign, others will have security present to guard the area. Some areas such as drains may have no signs at all,
but it may still be illegal, it all depends on your local laws. Its up to you whether or not you want to take the risk of being caught to explore.
Abandoned buildings:Keep in mind most places you go were abandoned for a reason, their could be hidden dangers in the ruins. The buildings also have not been maintained for years. Some dangers you can face in abandoned structures are as followed:
-Collapse- Since abandoned buildings are no longer maintained, necessary structural repairs go unnoticed. Whether is from some type of disaster or just from age, a primary danger of abandoned buildings is the ceiling, roof, or floor collapsing. Always watch your step and be aware of your surroundings.
-Asbestos- Many old structures contain asbestos. This fibrous material is well known for causing cancer and can be very harmful if you breathe it in for prolonged amounts of time. Its also very difficult to spot and because most buildings are labeled as "No Tresspassing", signs are rarely put up indicating asbestos. If going into any areas that you even think may contain asbestos, bring a respirator.
-Broken glass- Most abandoned buildings have windows which are broken out. Either naturally or by vandals. Either way large amounts of broken glass laying around is never safe. Make sure to wear appropriate footwear.
-Homeless- Abandoments often give homeless people shelter from the outside weather. These people can sometimes act very hostile towards anyone coming into their shelter. If you go into any abandonment and find evidence of people living there, leave.
-Animals- Abandonments can also give shelter to stray animals. While this may not seem as dangerous as people, the threats of rabies can still exist.
Sewers/Storm Drains-While these concrete tunnels most likely wont end up collapsing on your head, they present their own unique dangers. The two primary dangers you can face are sudden flooding and toxic gasses.
-Toxic Gasses- Sewers and storm drains were not designed to have people walking around in them. Some areas may have a lack of air flow and contain poison gasses which could be harmful to anyone who enters.
-Flooding- Storm drains do exactly what their name says they do, they channel water in the event of a storm. This means at any time a wall of water can fill up the drain. With explorers sudden flooding is a very real and often lethal danger.
NEVER EXPLORE DRAINS IF ITS RAINING, HAS RAINED RECENTLY, OR IS PLANNING ON RAININGMaintenance/Utility Tunnels-Since these tunnels are still in use, the danger of collapse or poison gasses does not apply here. While the physical danger of being hurt is greatly decreased, the likelyhood of being caught increases dramatically. Since utility tunnels serve as the guts of any building in operation, it is more likely the these tunnels will be patrolled by security or have cameras positioned. It may also be more difficult to gain access to these areas without attracting the attention of patrols. If you do choose to take this risk though, be aware of any obvious dangers. Many of these tunnels contain steam pipes. Avoid any leaking substances as they could be hazardous.
Experience Pays Off-Before going off on an UE trip, make sure you have some background on the place you are going as well as knowledge on what dangers to look for. I could type for hours on different scenarios but its inevitably up to you to decide whats safe and what isn't.
I have Firefighter training which helps me alot when going into areas like this. I know exactly what dangers to look for and what are spots to avoid. I always make sure I do complete sweeps of the rooms for dangers and test the floors before letting my friends follow me in. Do not participate in UE if you don't feel like you know what safety aspects to look at.
Equipment:No matter where you go to explore, you are going to need equipment to take with you. Some of the things I list may seem unnecessary, but its just to give you an idea of the vast array of things you can take. You never know what you may need in the bowels of a pitch black building. (I will list all the equipment me and my friends use in the post below)
-Transportation- No matter what, you are going to need something to get you to your destination. Unless it is within walking distance, a bike or car are ideal. (Note: If you choose to take a bike or car,
Make sure to conceal it well. If you have a car park farther away from your destination and walk. If you have a bike, try to hide it well.
NEVER park right out front of your destination, this will look very suspicious and alert any authorities to your presence.)
-Flashlights- 
This one is essential. A majority of UE locations will have no power and put you in the dark. Make sure each person in your group has at least one flashlight, and be sure they have good batteries.
-Cell Phone- 
Mostly everyone has a cell phone, bring it. You never know what may go wrong and you need something to call for help.
-Radios- 
A radio system is extremely useful if your group is planning on splitting up to cover more ground. Radios allow you to communicate with everyone without draining your phone.
-Respirator- 
As talked about earlier, respirators will allow you to breathe freely without worrying about what you are breathing in.
-Gloves- 
A durable pair of gloves will allow you to protect your hands and avoid touching any potential substance you otherwise wouldn't want to touch.
-Pocket Knife- 
Pocket knives can come in handy in many situations. I always carry one with me when I go exploring. They also provide a feeling of protection.
-Flares/Lightsticks- 
While not always necessary, I always pack 2-3 flares with me on every trip. Quality flares or glowsticks are capable of lighting up areas and markings important locations. You can usually get flares at your local auto store for pretty cheap.
-Rope- 
You never know when you will need a strong rope to get places. I always take a good amount of rope just in case.
-First aid kit- 
Its always nice to have a small first aid kit along just in case something goes unexpectedly.
-Camera- 
I always love taking pictures of the areas I explore, its like a souvenir. I always suggest taking a camera.
-Backpack- 
With all this equipment, you will need something to carry it all. A backpack is extremely useful for keeping your hands free.
What to Wear:Remember, you are going into areas which haven't been maintained for quite some time. This being said, don't wear anything you would mind getting ruined. Some areas you go may be very dusty and dirty. While I always end up wearing shorts and a T-shirt, I will make a better suggestion for you guys.
I recommend wearing long durable pants. These will protect you legs if you end up having to crawl through bushes, windows, ex. You should wear boots but good sneakers work well too. Something you wouldn't mind walking in for awhile that can protect your feet. Like I said, a t-shirt works fine but if you are concerned about arm protection just wear a long sleeve shirt.
Getting Started:Get a Team: Go to some of your friends and find out if they would be interested in joining you. You would be surprised how many people find this sort of thing fascinating and it can be very easy to find a bunch of willing friends.
Find a Place:Everyone has to start somewhere. I recommend looking for an area easy to get into and far away from any main roads where you could be spotted. Choose an area not to difficult to navigate and not to dangerous.
Do some research:Once you find your area, find out as much information as you can on it. For example, if you go into an abandoned building, then find out later it was used as a chemical plant, you might find yourself making a visit to a hospital for not doing your homework. Pass by the area multiple times and try to find a quick area in. Its better to know your way in then have you whole group standing suspiciously by a restricted area for 15 minutes. Also, make sure you keep an eye out for any patrol routes or security cameras.
Brief your Friends: Make sure the people coming with you know exactly what they are getting themselves into. If the area is no tresspassing, tell them. If its dangerous, tell them. You don't want to leave all this out and wait until you are already at the area. This can ruin the exploration or even the friendship.
Print out Maps: Finally, get on Google Earth or Google Maps and look up an overhead view of the area. This is especially helpful if you are exploring vast areas with multiple buildings. You may not be able to get exact maps, but these overhead views will help you keep your bearings.
Daytime vs. Nighttime Exploring:Exploring in the daytime is highly recommended. Not only will you get to see more. But you can see where you are going and its generally easier to navigate. Though if you are afraid of being caught or want to add more of a creepiness factor to your exploration, night is the way to go. Just be careful and have eachothers backs.
Nighttime warnings:When I say exploring areas at night is creepy, I mean it. An area we went to explore was pitch black and extremely hard to navigate. Exploring at night has a higher risk of finding people who can do harm to you, so extra protection is advised. If you go into a building, watch your lights around windows. A passing police car may become suspicious if an abandoned building is glowing like a lighthouse.
Things to say to Police:So you are having fun exploring your area when the thing you were dreading happens, a police car pulls up to you and stops. Alot will depend on what happens next, and most factors will depend on what area you are in, your attitude, and the attitude of the cop. Contrary to popular belief, most police won't give you much trouble for simply exploring. If you are stealing or breaking stuff you will probably be arrested but police understand some people are curious. In the end whether you end up with just being told to leave, a citation, or taking a ride in the police car is up to the officer. But here are a few tips for getting yourself out of trouble:
-Remain calm- Freaking out helps nobody, and it will make it seem like your are doing worse things then just exploring if you panic.
-Treat the officer with respect- Its now up to him what happens to you. So giving the cop attitude will most likely end up in your getting arrested. If you treat the police with respect, they will be more willing to work with you.
-Notice your surroundings- This is the most important one. You may be able to get your way out of trouble by claiming ignorance. If you are standing outside of a restricted area, outside the No Trespassing signs trying to find a way in, and the police roll up and ask you what you're doing, simply say you're out for a walk and just looking around. As long as you haven't yet passed the signs you aren't trespassing. If you get caught already past the signs, take notice to what the signs look like and how many of them their are. If their are very few signs or the signs are covered by vegetation, you may be able to get out of trouble by saying you didn't see the signs. If you are caught in an area thats blatantly no trespassing, start kissing ass. Try to explain you weren't out to steal or break anything and you just wanted to explore. No guarantee this will work, but its something.
-If he officer asks you to leave, do it- The cop just cut you a huge break by simply kicking you out. If he asks you to leave, do it immediately. Don't start arguing why you think he is wrong.
Other Successes:Basically, we were in a building when a car pulled up the front. I was with two other friends and it was late night so we we freaked out at first but then we decide to approach the officer slowly. He basically said that this the area was a dangerous site and that it had been blocked off for a reason. Since I had my camera and tripod and all my lighting stuff with me, I said I was an art student out to take some arty pictures, and that I brought some friends to help me out. Hardly warning- just talked to the policeman and he was like "Yeah, okay, just pack up and move on."
Seriously, talking to the officer helps you out so much. Every time I say I'm an art student looking for some interesting photos- which is true. If you take a fancy camera and a tripod with you, as far as the officer is concerned all you really are is just some guy looking for snaps.
Worked both times.
If you can't run away or hide, hand yourself over. It's so much less suspicious if you do that, and it makes the officer's job easier... Just be sure it's actually a police officer and not some scary bikie gang.
In the end, keeping these in mind may help your case greatly. Although their will always be some cops you just can't win over. Dealing with police while UE is always risky, but remembering these things just may set you free.
Final Tips:-Make sure the area is abandoned
-NEVER park directly in front of your area: Don't leave any signs that you have entered for the public or authorities to find.
-Never explore alone
-If an area doesn't feel right, don't go in. Better safe then in a hospital.
-Don't be stupid: Don't go into an area to vandalize and break stuff. That isn't what Urban Exploration is about. Idiots like you give urban explorers a bad name.
Disclaimer: I do not endorse tresspassing on private property. Most Urban Exploration areas are owned by someone and it is best to get permission before going in. If you choose to tresspass, do so at your own risk of prosecution or injury.
