the "rules"

PSape · 13 May 2012, 12:40 pm

I'm finding the rigidity with which some people stick to the rules interesting. These are mine.

1) when it rains, no drains.
2) carry a back-up torch. carry a back-up for my back-up.
3) no painting or tagging in "nice" spots.

Now I want to pay particular attention to the last one. I am not a photographer. I admire other people's work, but i am a painter/drawer and when i go underground, i sometimes want to do this. Personally i will never mark over someone else's work, or on any interesting features (130yr old redbrick is awesome, plain ol' RCP is less so). I tend to think tagging is in excess (and usually poorly done) but i also look at it like this. Some people just want to say they were there. The catacombs in Paris are filled with "tags" some dating back to the mid to late 1800s. To find this is a remarkable piece of history, and yet to damn tagging outright is to deny this possibility to future explorers. Imagine if it turned out that cave paintings were just the scrawlings of some kids on what was effectively their bedroom wall, would they then mean any less to find them hundreds or thousands of years later?

Lastly i want to say this. Being respectful and logical and smart are good general ideas to keep in mind when exploring, but aren't most of us here because we are sick of the rules? I know i am, so developing a strict set of draining rules for everyone to follow seems counter-intuitive.

binjuice · 13 May 2012, 1:58 pm

We don't like rule's but we still have respect for history.

PSape · 13 May 2012, 3:38 pm

so do you respect the history of tags done by dsankt? siologen? bongarse? I see those dude's names in every system i go in and it thrills me to explore and write my name in those same places where they cut their teeth.

dougo · 13 May 2012, 5:26 pm

I think tagging is slightly different in drains - in most cases it's not so much about "getting up" as leaving a message saying "we were here and we went this far". It's kind of cool to be in a lonely drain and see a message and think, "s***, people were here 4 days a go".

Tagging in locations that are sensitive is generally considered a no-no.

We have a Code of Ethics - not because we wanted to but because we really had to.

Cheers,

Doug

PSape · 13 May 2012, 9:19 pm

oh i completely agree Doug, i'm not by any means saying "tag the s*** out of everything" and years back before i even got into art, i hated tagging, it was an "eyesore". all i am saying is that now i look at things a little differently, and half the fun in draining for me is reading the messages and tales the other explorers and CC members leave. This interview with Snaps resonated with me is all.....

http://www.broken-culture.co.uk/?p=306

Enigma · 15 May 2012, 12:11 pm

I like the drain art in Swoo, seeing the Purple paint and bright yellow highlights, done by Siologen and a few others was rather interesting, and the large round pipe that had the Drain Art in, was great. Sure beats looking at a concrete pipe anyday.

I don't like dumb-ass initial 'tags' that are illegible, they just look like scribbles and are a waste of time, and quite ugly. The Hill 60 bunkers are full of that crap, except for one or two nice pieces.

Young wankers who tag over proper art opieces, need to be caught in the act, and given a good floggin to teach them a lesson.

I agree about seeing the 'famous' guys names on walls, it is a privilege to walk the same places and explore the same places. Better late than never I say, even if it might be 15-20years later.

seeing Siologens piccies of the NSST was awesome, I always wondered what it looked like.

binjuice · 15 May 2012, 4:18 pm

ClanGirls

ever noticed the croc in there made up of little diffrent coulored stickers?

dangerdanger · 15 May 2012, 4:33 pm

Another "rule" that I'd suggest is to bring a bottle of water and some lollies or something for energy if heading underground for a few hours. Depending on where you go, it could be hours before you get out.

Bringing spare batteries for torches + cameras usually helps too.

I sometimes put a thin 10m rope in my bag as well, it has definitely come in handy for making small rope ladders to get to some hard to reach places.

PSape wrote:so do you respect the history of tags done by dsankt? siologen? bongarse? I see those dude's names in every system i go in and it thrills me to explore and write my name in those same places where they cut their teeth.

Tags in drains are fine, just don't do it on any obvious "features" that may ruin the experience for others. If you must put a tag down, find a sensible spot for it. There are quite a few drains in sydney that have been decorated and painted all pretty and s*** which in itself makes it more interested when we go back.. otherwise it'd just be a boring rcp to walk through lol. It is nice when you're crawling up some shitty old pipe for the first time and then I see a few tags of friends that have been there before, it lets me know that i'm going the right way

Tags on topsides are usually a big no-no, keep it underground and don't f*** with oldschool tags

dangerdanger · 15 May 2012, 4:40 pm

binjuice wrote:ClanGirls ever noticed the croc in there made up of little diffrent coulored stickers?

My memory is hazy, are you talking about the one made out of old ram just before the slide that leads to old swoo? That's done by one of the old school dudes. Diode.

Enigma · 15 May 2012, 4:45 pm

good point about taking water. I take energy bars, and also UHF radio, with a pre arranged channel, which can actually bounce a fair way down the drains, if you are seeing whats ahead, to tell any of your mates left behind. UHF is also good if you have a 'lookout' at abandoned sites while you're inside.

I also take Edilrid 'climbing tape' which is a flattened hollow tube of 'rope' designed and made for rock climbing, as even a 20metre length will spiral into a flat plate sized roll, which takes up bugger all room, and is inconspicous.

dangerdanger · 16 May 2012, 10:53 am

Ahh uhf radios are also a good idea. I usually take mine when I do big topside locations with the ear piece plugged in most of the time.

Oh and just another small thing that I forgot to add about tagging... don't f*** with the sandstone in drains! Find a bit of concrete to tag instead ;D

trezza · 17 May 2012, 10:29 pm

TONKA FTK... why do i see this guy's stuff everywhere i go?

blinkybill88 · 23 May 2012, 8:44 pm

might add an extra rule, it has been in the media, and an fellow urbex'er had lost his life with.

"Treat all WIRES Live" (that means hanging from ceiling or in a puddle, not subject to but including, trashed power boxes, snapped power lines, and areas copper cutters have been (noone knows why they left half of it still there*.))

* could mean any place visited.

Enigma · 24 May 2012, 7:02 am

Good point about live wires.

Echo · 27 Mar 2015, 11:29 pm

I love rules.

blakjak · 29 Mar 2015, 12:36 am

Echo wrote:f*** the rules!
#rebel

You're sure gonna get far....NOT!
As per our PM exchange, stop being a goose, you goose.

theedge · 29 Mar 2015, 9:15 pm

Echo wrote:f*** the rules!
#rebel

Hmm ... Rules keep us in check and also lets everyone know who to trust.

blakjak · 29 Mar 2015, 10:09 pm

Echo deleted his UEGA account earlier on today.

Unclehaggz · 29 Mar 2015, 10:11 pm

Echo wrote:f*** the rules!
#rebel

By your own admission you don't think 95% of the time, this is yet another prime example of that!!!

Shame he deleted it, he needs a reminder of his failings!

UH

Echo · 30 Mar 2015, 3:34 pm

blakjak wrote:Echo deleted his UEGA account earlier on today.

Untrue. I just went on vacation.

phytrix · 30 Mar 2015, 3:36 pm

theedge wrote:
Echo wrote:f*** the rules!
#rebel
Hmm ... Rules keep us in check and also lets everyone know who to trust.

Trust me. But never trust the other guy... >.>

blakjak · 30 Mar 2015, 11:40 pm

Echo wrote:
blakjak wrote:Echo deleted his UEGA account earlier on today.
Untrue. I just went on vacation.

So did your account lol. When I tried replying to your PM it said member does not exist.

Echo · 30 Mar 2015, 11:50 pm

blakjak wrote:
Echo wrote:
blakjak wrote:Echo deleted his UEGA account earlier on today.
Untrue. I just went on vacation.
So did your account lol. When I tried replying to your PM it said member does not exist.

Mmm by the way any way we can kinda straighten things out between us. Or maybe just leave it to time to heal.

blakjak · 31 Mar 2015, 4:37 pm

I have nothing against you personally, heck I haven't even met you. And I'm not the only person who you've pissed off.
Saying this like "fuk the rules" won't get you many friends in here.
So in effect it's not what I/we do, but what YOU do.