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UER Forum > Rookie Forum > Should I bring a weapon? (Viewed 21306 times)
ItsTheBoys 


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Should I bring a weapon?
< on 3/27/2019 8:30 PM >
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Hi everyone, I'm pretty new to urban exploration and so are my 3 other buddies I go with. The other day we were walking around and we were going to go into a place but there was a ton of stuff around like sleeping bags and other proof that someone lives there. We didn't go in because we didn't feel like getting attacked by some homeless guy that day. So my question is, would it be a good idea to bring some sort of weapon with us to keep us safe from possible attackers? But wouldn't that also make it harder to deal with police if we got caught considering we have a weapon?
Thank you!




Saintless 


Location: Edmonton
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looking to explore

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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 1 on 3/27/2019 9:03 PM >
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The bottom line is don't bring a weapon unless you are trained to use it properly, it will just as easily be used against you. Squatters and homeless people generally just need places to stay and are more concerned with the fact that you might be coming to kick them out or rat out their spot. Just give them distance and if you happen upon anyone be kind and back away. Worse comes to worse you might have to run but it honestly isn't worth it to bring a weapon to try and fight someone who is most likely just trying to protect their shelter.




Love, Saint.
Explorer Zero 


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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 2 on 3/27/2019 9:49 PM >
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yes, bring a flimsy aluminum tripod its the weapon of choice for elite urbexorz..

also try the search button http://www.uer.ca/..._search1.asp?fid=1




Explorer Zero 


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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 3 on 3/27/2019 9:50 PM >
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ooops, sorry moderators I posted in the rookie forum..




UrbanDK 


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Maybe she's born with it. Maybe it's methamphetamine.

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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 4 on 3/28/2019 12:55 PM >
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I've only ever brought a knife to a location once and I just so happened to get pulled over for speeding after I left. Luckily the officer never saw it, but long story short, yes, it complicates things with the police. There's really no need for weapons.




UrbanDK
Mr. Bitey 


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Meow Meow Fudder Mucker!

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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 5 on 3/28/2019 1:31 PM >
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I carry a knife everyday. However I consider it a tool, not a weapon. There would have to be some seriously rare alignment of stars and planets for me to use it as a weapon.

So - my weapon of choice? Tightly laced shoes, elbows, and assholes. aka beat feet.

I am not about to waste my time and risk any injury of any kind because some nutjob fucktard thinks I am invading his space. Elbows and assholes all the way back to my ride. I am a large, strong, NRA card carrying, veteran gun owner trained in hand-to-hand combat. I will eff you up hard. But I am too old for that petty BS. I will choose problem avoided over problem solved every time. Solutions can fail.

PS - If the location you are visiting requires a weapon, you are on the wrong effing side of town. It's not worth it. Problem NOT solved, problem avoided. My two cents.




Give abandonment a reason for its sacrificial reclamation to nature. Love it. Remember it. Take a picture. Share it. Leave the decay to nature.

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NotBatman 


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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 6 on 3/28/2019 1:32 PM >
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No.




I'm a "Leave only footprints, take only pornography" kind of guy, myself.
Cfourexplore 


Location: North Carolina
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Never a dull moment in Midworld.

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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 7 on 3/28/2019 4:23 PM >
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No...to many reasons not to. The best weapons (and quite legal) are your gut instincts, situational awareness, and the means to GTFO before it all goes to hell.
Guns? No...I have a CCW permit; which can easily be revoked if I were ever caught carrying while in the commission of *ahem* urban exploring; not to mention what would happen if I had to use it.
I do carry a pocketknife, but more as a tool than as anything else...I once knew a guy who was fond of saying, "Never pull a knife on someone unless you're sure you can digest it."
I'll carry pepper spray, but mainly for pissed off animal encounters; and I suppose my $13.00 aluminium tripod might make an effective bludgeon...til it bends, or it gets taken away, or until the other guy is reduced to tears of laughter at my foolish antics.
I've explored MANY locations since getting into this hobby (and have cancelled/bailed on a few when things looked too sketchy), and so far, I've never encountered anything that required more than leaving (and sometimes a bit of praying 😛).
Mr. Bitey puts in his "2 cents" but you can't put a price on that kind of wisdom; it's not cowardice, it's preservation, plain and simple.
I will add that I often carry snacks, a pack or two of cigs, and every so often a package of meat (for dogs) just in case I need a peace offering...
Every situation is different, but in short, weapons only add the potential for more problems and grievous consequences. No set of awesome pics is worth taking a life, losing yours, or losing your freedom; especially when moving on was the safest and most obvious option.
Good luck, happy and safe exploring!




"When you've truly done something right, people won't be sure you've done anything at all."
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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 8 on 3/28/2019 9:46 PM >
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No.




blackhawk 

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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 9 on 3/28/2019 10:27 PM >
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Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in.
existential_ranger 


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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 10 on 3/28/2019 10:43 PM >
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personally, I carry a knife everywhere not just in the limited urbex that I do. but personally, I think that carrying a specialized weapon (firearm, open carry rifle, napalm canister, etc) would just get in the way. also yes unless licensed the police would probably be pretty sus.




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Captain Chernobyl 


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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 11 on 3/29/2019 1:49 AM >
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I just find blunt objects in whatever area I'm exploring if I have reason to believe it's dangerous




Abby Normal 


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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 12 on 3/30/2019 5:26 AM >
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Disclaimer - I'm a single female that regularly explores solo in very remote areas, so yes, I regularly carry a firearm with me.

The risk that I see in carrying a weapon, is that it can lead to a false sense of security. I'm not talking about a sense of false bravado. No gunfight at OK Corral, but rather a momentary delay in making a safe decision.

How many stories do we hear that start with, "I know I should have....". Bad decisions are easy to make and a weapon can make them that much easier (and the outcome that much worse.)

I hate to sound Cliché but if you have to ask, the answer is probably NO.

Abby Normal




"Government is not a solution to our problem, government is the problem." Ronald Reagan
Apollo Mey 


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It's all about the context!

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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 13 on 4/22/2019 8:13 PM >
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I generally carry a pocket knife with me, but I would never pull it in a fight. I would rather run, and even if I somehow got cornered, I'd still use anything but. I don't feel comfortable carrying my long knifes with me, and I'd most likely get the blade turned on me and get myself hurt.

I'm not exactly "skilled" in fighting with knifes, so no. I feel like you'd be so much better off running or using hands.




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/-/ooligan 


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When in danger, when in doubt, RUN IN CIRCLES, SCREAM AND SHOUT!

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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 14 on 4/22/2019 10:15 PM >
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What sounds like to you is nothing more than a cool-place to explore with some buddies for thrill & recreation is someone else's home. Kinda doesn't matter whether they too are trespassing, whether they're a drunken bum or what -- you're thinking about intruding into their sanctuary, which bad-luck & bad decisions have forced them to live in.

That doesn't mean to drop your exploration plans, but to just please show some respect for squatters & let them maintain some sort of dignity. He/she/they are going to be more nervous than you -- are you a predator there to steal anything of semi-value they have & beat them-up, are you the owner of the property there to kick them out, are you another squatter who is willing & able to fight for possession of the property, or are you even just some big rat that they have to worry about biting while the squatter tries to sleep? All those concerns are much more realistic and have a long-term impact than your worry about chased out by some deranged homeless person.

If you decide the property really is something that you have to explore, definitely go with other people, maybe have a couple large Mag-Light type flashlights amongst you, stay together, and announce your presence & your purpose as you walk around, asking for anyone else inside to call-out. Ideally, have a couple sealed plastic water bottles that you could give to any squatters in-exchange for them tolerating your brief disturbance.


But yeah, always keep in-mind that the structure you want to sneak & peek inside could be occupied by some very bad person or persons who don't have a problem hurting or killing you if you disrupt their activity.


I was poking around once in an abandoned house at an old military base in California & had a near altercation with a dude. He wasn't a big guy, but I got a weird vibe because of some of the things I saw inside the place that I assumed were his. I pretended that I just thought he was homeless & that I'd go to a different house to explore & I got the phuck out, got out of view of the house, & ran. Called the police, they responded & caught the guy, and it turned out he was an armed fugitive from Washington or Oregon, wanted for homicide & had probably been living in that old house for several weeks.

/-/ooligan




There are no stupid questions, just stupid people.
Apollo Mey 


Location: Atlanta TX
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It's all about the context!

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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 15 on 4/22/2019 10:27 PM >
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Posted by /-/ooligan
What sounds like to you is nothing more than a cool-place to explore with some buddies for thrill & recreation is someone else's home. Kinda doesn't matter whether they too are trespassing, whether they're a drunken bum or what -- you're thinking about intruding into their sanctuary, which bad-luck & bad decisions have forced them to live in.

That doesn't mean to drop your exploration plans, but to just please show some respect for squatters & let them maintain some sort of dignity. He/she/they are going to be more nervous than you -- are you a predator there to steal anything of semi-value they have & beat them-up, are you the owner of the property there to kick them out, are you another squatter who is willing & able to fight for possession of the property, or are you even just some big rat that they have to worry about biting while the squatter tries to sleep? All those concerns are much more realistic and have a long-term impact than your worry about chased out by some deranged homeless person.

If you decide the property really is something that you have to explore, definitely go with other people, maybe have a couple large Mag-Light type flashlights amongst you, stay together, and announce your presence & your purpose as you walk around, asking for anyone else inside to call-out. Ideally, have a couple sealed plastic water bottles that you could give to any squatters in-exchange for them tolerating your brief disturbance.


But yeah, always keep in-mind that the structure you want to sneak & peek inside could be occupied by some very bad person or persons who don't have a problem hurting or killing you if you disrupt their activity.


I was poking around once in an abandoned house at an old military base in California & had a near altercation with a dude. He wasn't a big guy, but I got a weird vibe because of some of the things I saw inside the place that I assumed were his. I pretended that I just thought he was homeless & that I'd go to a different house to explore & I got the phuck out, got out of view of the house, & ran. Called the police, they responded & caught the guy, and it turned out he was an armed fugitive from Washington or Oregon, wanted for homicide & had probably been living in that old house for several weeks.

/-/ooligan

Good job, detective!




The closest I'll ever be to exploring a fantasy dungeon!
Bygone Era 


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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 16 on 5/3/2019 2:49 PM >
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Honestly I just bring a Foot and half long maglite and keep that just incase something were to happen. It’s pretty heavy and I’d say I would not like to be on the receiving end of it. Its not exclusively a weapon, so it doesn’t look suspicious or threatening if something were to happen. Personally that’s what I’d go with.




-Bygone Era
Apollo Mey 


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It's all about the context!

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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 17 on 5/3/2019 3:14 PM >
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Posted by Bygone Era
Honestly I just bring a Foot and half long maglite and keep that just incase something were to happen. It’s pretty heavy and I’d say I would not like to be on the receiving end of it. Its not exclusively a weapon, so it doesn’t look suspicious or threatening if something were to happen. Personally that’s what I’d go with.


Yeah, Maglite's seem to be a pretty good option. I remember and old friend had one he carried everywhere with him.




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blackhawk 

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UER newbie

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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 18 on 5/3/2019 3:48 PM >
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Posted by Bygone Era
Honestly I just bring a Foot and half long maglite and keep that just incase something were to happen. It’s pretty heavy and I’d say I would not like to be on the receiving end of it. Its not exclusively a weapon, so it doesn’t look suspicious or threatening if something were to happen. Personally that’s what I’d go with.


Walking stick ie pole weapon is much more effective.
I always carry one when hiking in the desert.

I've been exploring for over half a century and never needed a weapon once...
If it seems like a bad idea, it probably is.
Control the heat.





Just when I thought I was out... they pulled me back in.
Brind 


Location: Kitchener, ON
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Re: Should I bring a weapon?
< Reply # 19 on 5/3/2019 3:58 PM >
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I always carry a pocket knife, but not as a weapon. It's just handy to have.

However, I've found the best way to make friends when exploring is having a pack of cigarettes. Offering a smoke has gotten me tours by the residents of so many different locations.

These are just people trying to get by. Not something to be scared of.




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UER Forum > Rookie Forum > Should I bring a weapon? (Viewed 21306 times)
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