Are Exploring Time Windows Getting Narrower?

[SlimJim]

Is it just me or is the time frame in which to explore a fresh site...or in some cases even an old site getting narrower and narrower? I was about to explore a certain deep shelter complex that has become popular in the last few months with the community and now it's locked down! It takes me a while to rally people together for a bigger explore and to arrange a date that suits everyone, so this is very disappointing! Two local sites close to me that were open for years have been strewn in barbed wire and deliberately blocked with obstacles within in the last 4 months, the 747 has just started to be scrapped (although this is probably coincidence), Dover esp dunnels were shut within days of being open earlier this year...the list goes on. I've only been properly involved in Urbex as a hobby since about 2009, so is it a case of it's always been like this and access will come and go or is all the information being thrown around online right now causing all of this to surge? I have noticed an inordinate amount of facebook groups cropping up with some seriously careless talk going on.

 

[krela]

It's always been like that, sounds like you've just had an unlucky run.

 

[Mars Lander]

I think its just bad luck. Plus as you ssy some real careless talk on facebook of late , with some bells with multiple fake accounts deliberately naming locations does' t help either.

 

[cogito]

That's always been the case. Always will be.

Most of the time it's not even down to careless talk, just pure chance and coincidence.

Some of the most awe inspiring sites ever were only accessible for a matter of a day or two at a time, the only reason people knew when was because they were checking every day until one lucky thing changed the situation and made a place possible. Some of those places I've still never had a chance to go to, and to be honest I'm kinda glad some of them weren't just wide open to the masses.

If anything I'd say it seems to be happening less, people are just becoming quicker to point fingers and have a moan on social media so it's a bit more in your face.

 

[urban-dorset]

In Dorset, where I live, we barely get the chance to explore anything since as soon as it is empty it's either knocked down within a few days or weeks, or boarded up so securely there is no way in.

To be honest the social media urbex stuff really annoy me. There are a lot of morons (in my opinion of course) on such Facebook groups who seem to think exploring is some kind of sport, or family day out.

A short while ago a guy started a thread where he asked if people thought it was okay to take his 10-year old niece exploring with him, because she wanted to 'do urbex'. Well you can imagine the replies - some were more restrained than others. A guy also replied who said that he'd taken his 2-year old exploring with him and made a video of it (and he had). Said child had cut their foot whilst in there, but the guy didn't seem to think that was a problem. The video is on YouTube, I saw it. The child appeared to be just toddling around on their own, gong from room to room. Absolutely stupid.

Words failed me with regards to the guy who wanted to take his 10-year old niece exploring and as for the guy with the 2-year old. Well, I have no words. Actually I do.... moron! Now it takes a lot to make me angry but this did. Not just because it's totally irresponsible to take a child into places that are often dangerous, but because explores are not some kind of family outing. To be honest I think urbex is attracting a lot of people that we just don't want or need. In my opinion of course!

 

[cunningplan]

I was only talking about this the other day. With the new technology today, most building are well alarmed and secure in use, so when they are closed down for some reason, its easy for the owners to keep people out. Most of the old stuff is now been well reported on and now getting wrecked. There are still places out there but are harder to find.
As to taking children out xploring, I have taken my (At he time) 12 year old granddaughter with me. She likes taking photos and enjoyed it. I have to say, they were safe places as I would never have put her in any danger and will take her again if she wants to go.

 

[urban-dorset]

I was only talking about this the other day. With the new technology today, most building are well alarmed and secure in use, so when they are closed down for some reason, its easy for the owners to keep people out. Most of the old stuff is now been well reported on and now getting wrecked. There are still places out there but are harder to find.
As to taking children out xploring, I have taken my (At he time) 12 year old granddaughter with me. She likes taking photos and enjoyed it. I have to say, they were safe places as I would never have put her in any danger and will take her again if she wants to go.

I think 12 is a bit different from 10 and certainly from 2-years old! It also depends on where you go of course. The 2-year old in the video was wandering around in a very messy derelict school, with goodness knows what all over the floor (you could see stuff in the video) and so it's no wonder he/she cut their foot.

 

[UrbanX]

In the right bit of Cambridge we can now command over £10,000 per sq.m of saleable floor area. No wonder everything gets developed so quickly around here!

 

[sameth]

I feel like a lot of the big old asylums have been redeveloped or demolished now, and there's nothing left that's quite on their scale. Smaller sites feel like slim pickings by comparison. And of course, the smaller a site, the easier it is to secure.