NONET For Urban Explorers - An Intro
Posted: Mon Jan 09, 2012 1:52 am
So, you're an Urban Explorer - and you've stumbled across our site. Allow me to run through some questions you're probably asking..
"What is this place? Full of wannabe ninjas, people who write about 'operations' - what are they? Surgeons?!"
In stark contrast to most urban exploration forums - we are actually rather welcoming! Welcoming to anybody, in fact, who requires the use of stealth and the cover of darkness. That includes us, the urban explorers, amongst many others who use this site. The thing that gives us our community spirit however, is our common requirement to be able to use the cover of darkness to get around and complete our objectives; be they photography or otherwise.
"So what can I get here that I can't get anywhere else?"
A friendly forum for a start - a lot of urban exploration ones are very group orientated and quite hostile at times; and I say that as someone who's been a member of various ones since 2005, and helped run one before - so it's not an insult!
Furthermore, this forum has dedicated sections for Gear, Techniques, Resources (ebooks + guides), Mind and Body (think fitness) as well as an area to post up any explorations you make.
"Whats with the overly paranoid sense of security though?"
This isn't a bad state of mind to be in to begin with - having known people who have been tracked down due to photographs they've taken in places; and this has been in the UK where the trespass laws are civil; not criminal! Also, most Urban Exploration forums have private sections for such discussions - we believe in just letting it all out for all of our members to see; naturally this means making a few security precautions.
However, you must also remember that people on here come and post for a variety of purposes. For that reason, we like to respect eachothers privacy and anonymity - but despite the looks; most of us speak outside of the forums via Skype, MSN or the Chat Rooms; just like any other forum!
This can also become advantageous in other ways though, by not posting specific site names you can post things like access details safe in the knowledge it's private. This may not seem like a huge deal; but by knowing the access details to one specific x (x can be an asylum, a water tower, an old military installation.. anything!) you can often apply it to another x.
"I don't see any photos!
This is probably where things change from an Urban Exploration forum the most - not every thread is just another page full of pictures. The experiences posted actually contain.. well... experiences; techniques and so on.
There's nothing to stop you personally posting your pictures though!
"Lockpicking? Knives? I don't have anything to do with these?!"
Some of the material, guides and discussions may be a bit extreme for certain situations - but just because it's discussed, doesn't mean you have to join in with every topic.
Personally, I enjoy lockpicking as a recreation, I'm a great big child when it comes to penknives and knives, I enjoy keeping fit and freerunning - and enjoy the quest for seeing just how quiet and stealthy I can be; it sure as hell can come in handy. Yet despite this I freelance for respectable clients, I study a scientific discipline, I enjoy reading and.. I'm normal, presumably just like you.
"What is this place? Full of wannabe ninjas, people who write about 'operations' - what are they? Surgeons?!"
In stark contrast to most urban exploration forums - we are actually rather welcoming! Welcoming to anybody, in fact, who requires the use of stealth and the cover of darkness. That includes us, the urban explorers, amongst many others who use this site. The thing that gives us our community spirit however, is our common requirement to be able to use the cover of darkness to get around and complete our objectives; be they photography or otherwise.
"So what can I get here that I can't get anywhere else?"
A friendly forum for a start - a lot of urban exploration ones are very group orientated and quite hostile at times; and I say that as someone who's been a member of various ones since 2005, and helped run one before - so it's not an insult!
Furthermore, this forum has dedicated sections for Gear, Techniques, Resources (ebooks + guides), Mind and Body (think fitness) as well as an area to post up any explorations you make.
"Whats with the overly paranoid sense of security though?"
This isn't a bad state of mind to be in to begin with - having known people who have been tracked down due to photographs they've taken in places; and this has been in the UK where the trespass laws are civil; not criminal! Also, most Urban Exploration forums have private sections for such discussions - we believe in just letting it all out for all of our members to see; naturally this means making a few security precautions.
However, you must also remember that people on here come and post for a variety of purposes. For that reason, we like to respect eachothers privacy and anonymity - but despite the looks; most of us speak outside of the forums via Skype, MSN or the Chat Rooms; just like any other forum!
This can also become advantageous in other ways though, by not posting specific site names you can post things like access details safe in the knowledge it's private. This may not seem like a huge deal; but by knowing the access details to one specific x (x can be an asylum, a water tower, an old military installation.. anything!) you can often apply it to another x.
"I don't see any photos!
This is probably where things change from an Urban Exploration forum the most - not every thread is just another page full of pictures. The experiences posted actually contain.. well... experiences; techniques and so on.
There's nothing to stop you personally posting your pictures though!
"Lockpicking? Knives? I don't have anything to do with these?!"
Some of the material, guides and discussions may be a bit extreme for certain situations - but just because it's discussed, doesn't mean you have to join in with every topic.
Personally, I enjoy lockpicking as a recreation, I'm a great big child when it comes to penknives and knives, I enjoy keeping fit and freerunning - and enjoy the quest for seeing just how quiet and stealthy I can be; it sure as hell can come in handy. Yet despite this I freelance for respectable clients, I study a scientific discipline, I enjoy reading and.. I'm normal, presumably just like you.