Scary places

[Vingamel]

Every time I drive through the inner city of Kansas City, I salivate at the possibilities. All those old houses, boarded up churches, vacant lots where buildings burned down--gosh, what could a chap find? The problem is a fear for my own safety. These neighborhoods are full of crime, and a nice suburban fellow like myself waving around an expensive metal detector (not to mention my nearby parked car) would pay for somebody's next drug fix.

Anybody here have any success in these kinds of neighborhoods, and what do you do to protect yourself or make bad-ums stay away?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Upgraded Night Vision Monocular Digital Infrared Monocular Telescope for 100% Darkness with 8X Zoom - Grab it through Amazon!

[jeff of pa]

You Beat Me to it Again "free"

 

[czman]

The world in just not right anymore...these people dont work, wont work and low life's and they have better cloths and cars than we do...Maybe after you kill one or two of them the rest will stay away...I wish you happy hunting but you cant in a place like that...Don

 

[jeff of pa]

I never had a problem with any of them I just Smile & say Hi 8)

 

[Vingamel]

I love optimism, even if it's unrealistic. ?I sometimes like to live in a fantasy world, but not when my own safety is in jeopardy. ?Knowing what a person is capable of doing when they need their next fix, well, treating them like a fellow human being is not going to provide them their fix, and I'm not prepared to float on a cloud of happy hopes. ?Something more realistic

Thanks.

 

[jeff of pa]

I can't be more Realistic, then to say what I do. NEVER been attacked or even Smart Mouthed by any of them.

 

[Vingamel]

Yeah, free2Dtect, I know what you mean. Like I said, I needed a bib as I was driving past some of these places, thoughts of what might be in every single yard. If I were single, not supporting a wife and kids, I wouldn't hesitate to knock on doors and make myself right at home. I'm very good with people of all types.

 

[cedarratt]

Where a suit bring a can of spray paint and act like you are a cop doing a search for evidence. Or just carry a shotgun with you slung over your shoulder and two of those ammo belts full of shells...

 

[cedarratt]

Opps I forgot to put the lol at the end...

 

[Vingamel]

Oh, I was already on eBay looking up shotguns. Har har.

 

[jeff of pa]

Yeah, free2Dtect, I know what you mean.? Like I said, I needed a bib as I was driving past some of these places, thoughts of what might be in every single yard.? If I were single, not supporting a wife and kids, I wouldn't hesitate to knock on doors and make myself right at home.? I'm very good with people of all types.

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? I never kNock at Doors. I like to respect their Privacy. Thats the ONLY place I'd worry about them. You never know who they may think is knocking....... I mainly run into those types at City Parks, & back dirt roads at their party spots

 

[Lowbatts]

I really can't imagine who you're talking about when you say things like "treat them like people" I've dug around thugs and crack houses and know that human nature is not something divine or even very inspiring at all. Had these little Romanian kids, they would not leave me alone and were constantly tearing at the dirt whenever I even looked like I thought a target was present. Finally yelled at them to get lost, they just started repreating this mantra in their heavily accented voices, "You gimme money, I go a home" Then their attractive all-too young mother came up to me and wanted to know what she could do to get me to give her the next gold ring, or watch or any bauble I found. I told here to go home and wait there. And no, I didn't know where she lived but she smiled and listend and took the kids away, screaming at them as though she was in competition with them for something, anything from me. Nope, I'd treat "them" like cattle. Especially if they're only apparent purposes are breeding and feeding.

Had to extricate my daughter from a group of kids who mugged her once at the beach, with their parents standing there in mock amusement. They didn't take it serioously until I seriously jawed one of their chilluns. Then it was me and them and I had the tools. I'm not a tough guy and have the scars to prove it but that parental thing is real in people who have values. Once you've been shot, stabbed, kicked and clubbed what else they gonna do? Eat ya? Oh well. I work some bad areas because I can walk in and demonstarte the right mindset and I have yet to see where "treat them like people" works any better than "respond in kind".

 

[jeff of pa]

I really can't imagine who you're talking about when you say things like "treat them like people"?? Had these little Romanian kids, they would not leave me alone and were constantly tearing at the dirt whenever I even looked like I thought a target was present.? Finally yelled at them to get lost, they just started repreating this mantra in their heavily accented voices, "You gimme money, I go a home". ............................................... >?

Had to extricate my daughter from a group of kids who mugged her once at the beach, with their parents standing there in mock amusement.? They didn't take it serioously until I seriously jawed one of their chilluns.? Then it was me and them and I had the tools.? I'm not a tough guy and have the scars to prove it but that parental thing is real in people who have values.? Once you've been shot, stabbed, kicked and clubbed what else they gonna do?? Eat ya?? Oh well.? I work some bad areas because I can walk in and demonstarte the right mindset and I have yet to see where "treat them like people" works any better than "respond in kind".

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?I'v had Kids of Well to Do Families Dive For The Dirt. KIDS, ARE KIDS. I just start Concentrating on making every target trash, untill they tire & leave? .......> on the rest of your statement here. ALL I CAN SAY is I'm Glad The "Thugs" & "Crackheads" you speak of, don't live around here. ........ I Still Stand by Statement, Even these types (AROUND HERE) are People & when you give them respect, they Respond in kind. The Only ones who have problems here are the ones who treat them like dirt or show fear. ........... Maby it's up-bringing in the different areas ? , But your last Paragraph, tells me why you have a right to feel different.? HH ; Jeff

 

[jimmyg8138]

Well, I've read most of these threads. Since this discussion started with boarded up houses in run-down neighborhoods of KC as possible sweet detecting spots, let me add my two-cents. Living in Brooklyn in a semi-bad area as only 1 of 2 white families on the block, with a smattering of almost every nationality in the world (well, let's say there's a mixture of South American, Hispanic, Black, Oriental, Indian). Anyway everyone owns their homes and that's a good thing as people do try to keep em up and are proud of them. But two blocks away, just last month there was a shooting, a 19-year-old Puerto Rican was gunned down in the street. Drug-related. I have on numerous occasions looked out my window and saw drug dealings being made. Call the police, that's a joke here. I have a lot of respect for them but they just don't respond to drug dealings. Anyway, back to the original subject. Would I detect at some of the stately homes that are abandoned? Not really. They are very inviting but the risk way outweighs the reward. Afraid you might say, I say cautious. You see living an urban life is a whole lot different than suburban or even small towns/cities. I grew up in a small, coal-mining town in SW Pa., left to join the Navy when I was 18 and upon my discharge 4 years later, couldn't find a job so I came to NYC....have worked every day since and now am retired 2 years. Would I change it if I could? Don't think so as my working life has afforded me the opportunity to meet many and go to places I've never dreamed possible. Well, my soapbox just busted so I'll say thanks for reading and sorry it's so long-winded. Regards to all, Jim

 

[Monty]

Having been in charge of a Code Enforcement program in a fairly large city I don't recall any of my inspectors having a hard time with anyone. Anytime an official looking person is in the area everyone goes inside 'cause they don't want a lot of attentiion drawn to them. Night time is a different story. All the baddies are out in force at night so beware. Most of the folks you encounter in the daytime are decent law abiding folks just trying to get along the best they can. Use your head. If you see a bunch of thugs smoking dope or just hanging out on the front porch of an apparent abandoned house, stay the hell away from it and them. Most folks who approach you are more than likely just curious like in any other neighborhood. Your biggest problem will probably be theft. Don't leave anything lying in the back of a pickup truck for instance and anything you want to keep, lock it up in the trunk of your car. If they want it bad enough they will get it but it will keep honest folks honest which is what you are most likely to encounter. JIM

 

[Vingamel]

Jimmileo, your advice is sound, and it's obvious that you first give the place a good look-see, before you even think of getting out of your vehicle. What worries me most is after I've decided the coast is clear, and I start focusing more on the ground. Yah, nobody scary was around when I got out of the vehicle, but who just peeked out a window and rounded up his buddies? What kind of people are about the round the corner?

So far, I think the best advice I've heard, for general situations, is to go with a couple other guys or more. If at least one person is keeping a watch-out for trouble, then the others can be more relaxed, have fun, and feel more secure that a gang of thugs aren't about to saunter in with ill intentions in mind.

 

[Monty]

Put yourself in the place of the locals. I don't know if the respondents here are white, black, brown or red and it don't really matter. Most of the "run down" neighborhoods are of some ethnic persuasion and say, you're a black family and one morning a carload of white dudes show up next door with strange looking machines, diggging holes and peeking around the corners......how would you react? Then look at it from the reverse angle, say you were a white family and a car load of "brothers" showed up next door, acting strangely at least to you, what would you think and what would your reaction be? Regardless, it's a good idea to knock on a few doors first and explain what you are up to and if anyone objects, go somewhere else. Although poor or needy or whatever, they are just people like you 99% of the time and will probably be interested in what you are doing. Just try not to make yourself too intrusive and display a positive friendly attitude. If you run into trouble or even expect trouble, don't hang around to find out. If in doubt, or you are too wary, just don't do it! JIM

 

[warsawdaddy]

Are you originally from KC? I'm almost 70 and was born and raised there in one of your 'topic' neighborhoods(9th/Prospect)It was a mixed area then even in the late 40's/50's.I can show you where houses used to stand and a lot of places where 'sandlot' ball games were.If you have at least one other hunting partner,I wouldn't worry too much,however,I would use a small amplified speaker in your shirt pocket instead of headphones so you can be aware of what's around you.Several of us 'oldies' with a touch of hearing loss use the speaker setup.You can actually hear some beeps you can't with 'phones'.Whole setup is about 15.00 at radio shack plus a 9v batt.Send me an e-mail if you want to discuss 'places' more--Ron

 

[Vingamel]

Ain't no joke. I leaped on that like a chicken on a june bug.

 

[Lowbatts]

I really took off with the reference to "them people" because I believe "them people" are any group or individuals who represent a threat real or perceived. ?Of course Jimmileo, I don't leave anything in the open but that certainly does not keep honest people honest. ?Honesty keeps honest people honest. ?Anyone who steals because it's easy pickens is not honest and you're not keeping them honest by making it harder than their own personal desire to take something of someboby else's. ?I live in fairly integrated neighborhood too. ?But that does not result in problems in the single family home areas. ?The subsudized housing, section 8 and such, is where all the tragedy takes place. ?People who are not responsible for their own well-being and have no respect for yuor efforts. ?You could give everyone there a metal detector and tell them there's a fortune in the open field nearby and you'd find the metal detectors in the pawn shop and newer beer bottle caps in the street and along the sidewalk out front of the place.