Detroit 'RUINS' Tourism - Issues with driving around with a Camera? (Holly: 2014, houses)

[drro]

I'm also planning a little ghetto tour through the rust belt cities like Detroit, Camden, Gary, Flint, Chicago so like this thread makes clear, it is good to realize that is not completely safe. Not that I'd expect to be safe in Detroit in the first place. I guess it would be best to just stay inside the car with the doors locked, the engine running and window opened and take pictures that way.

On the other hand, the danger makes a trip like that more exciting. Maybe the US should start offering organized tours in bullet proof buses for urban decay tourists through gang land? There is such a huge amount of urban decay in the rust belt, why not take advantage of that as a tourist destination?

[Tiger Beer]

Originally Posted by drro

I'm also planning a little ghetto tour through the rust belt cities like Detroit, Camden, Gary, Flint, Chicago so like this thread makes clear, it is good to realize that is not completely safe. Not that I'd expect to be safe in Detroit in the first place. I guess it would be best to just stay inside the car with the doors locked, the engine running and window opened and take pictures that way.

On the other hand, the danger makes a trip like that more exciting. Maybe the US should start offering organized tours in bullet proof buses for urban decay tourists through gang land? There is such a huge amount of urban decay in the rust belt, why not take advantage of that as a tourist destination?

haha...and employ a few locals to shoot some real bullets at the bullet proof buses

[MS313]

Originally Posted by drro

I'm also planning a little ghetto tour through the rust belt cities like Detroit, Camden, Gary, Flint, Chicago so like this thread makes clear, it is good to realize that is not completely safe. Not that I'd expect to be safe in Detroit in the first place. I guess it would be best to just stay inside the car with the doors locked, the engine running and window opened and take pictures that way.

On the other hand, the danger makes a trip like that more exciting. Maybe the US should start offering organized tours in bullet proof buses for urban decay tourists through gang land? There is such a huge amount of urban decay in the rust belt, why not take advantage of that as a tourist destination?

Nope, play at your own risk. Police have better things to do like protecting the people living there. Even people living in Detroit don't usually go to nearly completely empty bombed out neighborhoods.

[pokeable]

Originally Posted by drro

I'm also planning a little ghetto tour through the rust belt cities like Detroit, Camden, Gary, Flint, Chicago so like this thread makes clear, it is good to realize that is not completely safe. Not that I'd expect to be safe in Detroit in the first place. I guess it would be best to just stay inside the car with the doors locked, the engine running and window opened and take pictures that way.

On the other hand, the danger makes a trip like that more exciting. Maybe the US should start offering organized tours in bullet proof buses for urban decay tourists through gang land? There is such a huge amount of urban decay in the rust belt, why not take advantage of that as a tourist destination?

Maybe not intentional, but the schadenfreude is a little thick in this post.

While making for eerie/fascinating pictures, there are generations of people who made their livelihoods in those cities, and changes in the world economy ultimately forced it's closure, inflicting significant pain and disruption in those lives.

It would be like a busload of tourists taking pictures of the ruins of Rotterdam after being bombarded by the Allies in WW2.

[Bimmerfanboy]

I would be too scared to even drive in those areas but more power to you if you have the guts to go take pictures. Most of Detroit is like the wild west where you'll have to fend for yourself if trouble comes knocking at your door.

I must say, that with the fear there is some excitement. I'd be more willing if I were with somebody who knows the neighborhoods well.

[drro]

Originally Posted by pokeable

Maybe not intentional, but the schadenfreude is a little thick in this post.

While making for eerie/fascinating pictures, there are generations of people who made their livelihoods in those cities, and changes in the world economy ultimately forced it's closure, inflicting significant pain and disruption in those lives.

It would be like a busload of tourists taking pictures of the ruins of Rotterdam after being bombarded by the Allies in WW2.

Detroit and the other rust belt cities decayed because of your own wrongdoing: not responding to changes in the world economy, corruption, lack of social welfare for the people getting fired, lack of an overall vision, etc. Rotterdam got bombed to pieced by a foreign nation. I would never take pictures of Detroit's ruins if it had been bombed by Canada or Russia.

But you are right, there is a certain irony in all the decay, crime and poverty in large parts of the US when at the same time the US sees itself as 'exceptional', 'the land of opportunity', 'the richest country in the world', 'the best', etc which makes it even more appealing to me to take pictures of its decay.

[IheartWA]

I haven't seen Detroit since 1986 but if I were going on a "ruins tour" I'd be an SUV with dark-tinted windows, a pair of Glock 21s, about 500 rounds of ammo, and a trusted local who knows the escape routes if it gets too deep.

Let's roll!

[Retroit]

Originally Posted by IheartWA

I haven't seen Detroit since 1986 but if I were going on a "ruins tour" I'd be an SUV with dark-tinted windows, a pair of Glock 21s, about 500 rounds of ammo, and a trusted local who knows the escape routes if it gets too deep.

Let's roll!

Well, that's how our former mayors traveled, so...

[Moboy32]

Originally Posted by drro

Detroit and the other rust belt cities decayed because of your own wrongdoing: not responding to changes in the world economy, corruption, lack of social welfare for the people getting fired, lack of an overall vision, etc. Rotterdam got bombed to pieced by a foreign nation. I would never take pictures of Detroit's ruins if it had been bombed by Canada or Russia.

But you are right, there is a certain irony in all the decay, crime and poverty in large parts of the US when at the same time the US sees itself as 'exceptional', 'the land of opportunity', 'the richest country in the world', 'the best', etc which makes it even more appealing to me to take pictures of its decay.

So its "appealing" to you to see urban decay "because America sees itself as exceptional"? I think Britain, Sweden, and Canada feel they are exceptional, but you won't see Americans acting giddy over their failings: in fact, many Americans talk glowingly about these places. Just further proof of the ***** envy everyone has of the USA for some reason. I don't get it.

No wonder Americans are exceptional.

Netherlands might still look like that if it wasnt for the USA, seeing as they were powerless to defend themselves

[detwahDJ]

Originally Posted by drro

Detroit and the other rust belt cities decayed because of your own wrongdoing: not responding to changes in the world economy, corruption, lack of social welfare for the people getting fired, lack of an overall vision, etc. Rotterdam got bombed to pieced by a foreign nation. I would never take pictures of Detroit's ruins if it had been bombed by Canada or Russia.

But you are right, there is a certain irony in all the decay, crime and poverty in large parts of the US when at the same time the US sees itself as 'exceptional', 'the land of opportunity', 'the richest country in the world', 'the best', etc which makes it even more appealing to me to take pictures of its decay.

Ah, so your expensive little trip is all about rubbing Americans' faces in their problems and exposing the country's warts by focusing on the "rust belt cities" - which are not even the entirety of America? Is that it? Well, first of all, the bravado you quote is coming from a certain rightist jingoist segment of society, not Americans at large. Secondly, if that is your aim, focusing on a small manufacturing portion of the totality is deceitful and suggests an agenda.
So you are perhaps hoping to compare the US with the Netherlands or Europe in order to illustrate your "superiority" by showing poverty and blight in America's manufacturing "ghettoes" - which also happen to be in a process of readjustment as we speak? You hope that people will now see the US as something of a failure? Just asking.
If that is your aim, I think people will see through that - sorry to disappoint.
Please state the main purpose of your visit and what you hope to accomplish.