Prosecuted VS. Persecuted

Trespassers will be Prosecuted:
Yeah, okay.

My Bacon Counter works like this:
Cops: 1
Me: 19
Now, I’ve been to MANY more places than that, the thing is, only 19 had NO TRESPASSING signs that I carefully worked my way around. However, this hobby, for those who wanna check these places out, is not for the faint of heart.
Before you go,
-Know the area’s roads.
-Know if it’s illegal to go someplace.
-Know where to park so that you don’t look conspicuous. Like, don’t park right under a NO PARKING sign. Duh.
-Realize that some places are dangerous, and just because they’re abandoned doesn’t mean they’re all switched off. You can get electrocuted, asphyxicated, fall through floors, attacked by rabid animals, rabid bums and squatters. You can inhale dust that might eventually lead to mesiothelioma, asbestosis, and any variety of lung problems. Allergic reactions can be triggered, you can fall and break something, and get popped by the po’lice.

Then again, this is stuff that can happen to you no matter what you’re doing. Soccer carries more risks than this. So does walking down a street in Sunnyside Queens wearing a sandwich board sign that says “I hate gingers!” ala Bruce Willis in Die Hard: With a Vengeance.

So, really, use common sense. If you don’t plan ahead, you’ll get busted. If you think you’re invincible, you’ll get busted. If you’re careless, you’ll get hurt, or hurt someone else. The internet is a great way to find out info, also, Google Earth is a great tool for mapping a place out.

When exploring an unfamiliar area, ask yourself these questions as you’re proceeding:
Is the floor stable? Where does this path go? Do I see any fresh footprints? Is there any fresh graffiti? Do I smell anything hazardous? Do I feel light-headed? (Carbon monoxide poisoning… get out ASAP), Do I hear anything odd? Do I hear any vehicles approaching? What are my egress routes? Is there more than one way out of here? Is this place ‘really’ haunted? Do I smell smoke?

You need to acutely tune your senses so that the slightest smell, noise, or sensation is immediately picked up by your brain and you make snap decisions as to what is happening around you. Like Robert DeNiro in Heat when he’s standing watch while Val Kilmer cracks a safe. Some idiot cop in the surveillance trailer knocks his rifle against the side, making a noticeable BANG! DeNiro assessed the situation, saw the potential danger without seeing the LAPD surveillance team, and acted accordingly: bugged out of the there. They left the tools and split. No traces.
A good idea is to NOT carry stuff with you that would really piss the cops off if they happen to nab you and ask what you’re up to. Anything that comes in a spray can is baaaad. So are matches, a lighter, even if you DO smoke, it’s still not a good idea. Save the vices for when it’s appropriate. Because you never know, those smoke detectors could still work. And having the police and fire department show up is just like that, twice as worse. One cop busts you; you could talk your way out of handcuffs or a ticket as long as you’re kinda in the ballpark of the law. Two or more police, eh, try reasoning with them. Just remember: local police are called “Officer” and State police are called “Trooper”. They like that. Admit when you’re wrong, and if you say you’ll never come back, NEVER COME BACK. Police have excellent memories. There’s an officer in my hometown –a nice guy- who can remember every time he pulled-over my father and my uncles… twenty-five plus years ago; dates and offenses.

I can’t stress this enough because I keep hearing about people who get busted doing this:
PLAN AHEAD. Make a plan and stick to it like glue.
Do your homework. Research the place until you know as much about it as the people who used to work there.

Also, keep this in mind: sometimes you will walk on sacred ground. Respect those who were there before you… because sometimes they haven’t left yet.


-AK