Newbie Question - On subject approaches

[Jingles]

I'm a newbie here - this is not intended as an 'how to access a particular site?'. I am just looking for advice.

When you visit any site, what is the form re leaving your vehicle near an intended visit.

Does one normally walk in form some distance, to avoid alerting others to you presence, or does one leave the car near an entrance ready for convenient departure (as risk of having registration taken).

 

[krela]

Use your common sense. It's that simple.

 

[SlimJim]

Common sense + if it can happen, it will happen. That's my advice

All depends on the site. I've parked my car miles out from sites in the name of stealth/not getting it nicked, I've been pinched by secca because of my car and I've had my reg taken by the Police on at least one occasion There's no specific rule, it depends on the individual urbexer and the specific place. I wouldn't want to give you bad advice and get you in trouble or mugged

Also always consider having someone else with you. Don't take unnecessary risks. Stay safe

 

[ReverendJT]

I tend to be quite conservative personally as I drive a company car and I wouldn't want my weekend adventures to jeopardise my employment however there have been occasions where I have driven into sites (read my RAE Bedford report if you want a car based chuckle). Parking up away from the site and walking has its own inherent risks however, a group of guys with photography gear walking towards an abandoned site isn't exactly subtle and my draw attention from the authorities. As long as you are sensible and treat each visit on a case by case basis you won't got far wrong though.

 

[HughieD]

Yup - discretion is the better part of valour, deffo.

 

[Brewtal]

Walk there, drive home. If you get caught (which could happen) at least you can walk away at first then drive home with out problems, in theory.

 

[tazong]

I think the advice of taking each site as a seperate risk and evaluating the risk for each site is a great bit of advice.
Nine times out of ten i normally do a small reccy of the place- no cameras at all just have a walk past and a nose - taking in to account of how risky it is , are the houses near by - is it a safe or unstable building - is the a likley hood of squatters or worse being inside - is the security there and do i want the car close by if i need to get away quick.
I think if you take all these things in to account and evaluate for each explore.I have only been doing this a short time but i made a set of rules for myself before i started and always stick to them.
Never force entry
never damage anything
never take anything
never take life threatening risks
If your unsure about something its normally not a good idea to do it.
Most importantly - stay safe

 

[Derelictheart]

I bought a Mitsubishi Barbarian and it helps quite a bit I think. Lot of stuff round here is in farmville and it doesn't stick out as much on country lanes, looks like a farmy type vehicle of a security vehicle!

 

[Dirus_Strictus]

Based on an actual incident during my working days. Always leave details of where you are going with a trusted third party; then if things do go bad and you do not turn up at the pub in the evening, a search can be made. - Whilst doing asbestos surveys in a very large unused/empty buildings complex, a member of the party said he was going to do another building and wandered off; come five o'clock his car was not parked with the others (he had driven around the complex to the other building) and everybody assumed he had gone home. In fact he had opened a landing door, and in the poor light fallen down a collapsed flight of stairs - suffering a shattered pelvis and broken thigh. He was only found next morning by a third party key holder, who did not recognise the strange car parked by the doorway and decided to have a nosey! He was very lucky to be found when he was, the blood loss from his broken pelvis was such that survival for another twelve hours was problematical to say the least.

Slightly different in these days of the mobile - but poor reception and an inability to operate same, due to broken limbs etc, does mean that telling somebody your intentions is the best likelihood of rescue.

 

[UrbanX]

It's different for every site. Occasionally getting out of a car parked on the driveway looks better than four people just walking up the drive and trying the door.

As already said, just use common sense on a site by site basis.

 

[Cuban B.]

Don't park at the front door.

 

[Bones out]

I don't walk. In fact when we do europe I get miffed if there is not an european car wash team set up in the garage at the explore. Must all be over here I guess.