r/urbanexploration

This is what I do for the more random explorations I encounter and especially during day trips. I always have a dog leash, and dog stuff like treats and poop bags in my car.

I have 3 main ways of getting away without being harassed too much and they have gotten me out of a sticky spot more than once.

1: If it is a complete random find and I am dressed like I was coming from work or going to an appointment (which if during the week I probably am) I grab the leash before I go and explore. If I am approached or better yet see someone coming I start to call out like I am trying to coax a dog. My favorite line, if asked what I am doing there is, "oh I just saw a very skinny dog run along the road and it looked hurt so I am seeing if I can help it". I play the bleeding heart dog lover and give a generic description of a dog. I have even had a security officer help me look for said dog before.

2: If it is planned or just a spur of the moment explore and I have a larger area of ground to cover to get to someplace I have a sling bag with poop bags and treats along with a leash on me. I also have a picture of my dog or random dog at hand on my phone. If approached I call out by name to said dog and ask whoever if they have seen my dog. I say that I pulled over to let them pee and they got off the leash, or jumped out the window to chase down a critter.

3: This one is great if I am in an area that I am familiar with and I can drop names of local rescues. I tell whoever that someone called me to say they saw someone dump a dog near there and they couldn't catch it. (this is a real problem and I do volunteer with rescues and I foster).

If you have a simple story ready and can sell it about looking for a dog you will be amazed how often you find someone who at the worst will tell you, you have to leave wherever and that you can't keep poking around, or the best result is they tell you good luck and to be careful and then they leave.

I know I also have the benefit of being an average looking 40 something woman who drives a decent car so I don't look too sketchy most of the time. Now when I am going to go on a higher risk covert explore and I am fully geared up, well that is another story and I have a few more tricks up my sleeve.

Hey everyone, I'm planning a trip to Chișinău soon and wanted to ask if anyone has experience with abandoned places there.

1. Which abandoned places are worth seeing? Are there any particular abandoned buildings, factories, or facilities that are a must-see? I'm especially interested in old Soviet sites or abandoned industrial sites.

2. What should I be particularly careful about? What's the safety situation like (risk of collapse, dogs, security, etc.)? Are there any typical risks on site that might be underestimated?

3. What's the police like there? How strict are the police in Moldova about this sort of thing? Is exploring abandoned places generally tolerated, or can you quickly get into trouble?

Thanks in advance for all the tips :)

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