URBEX LV : Death Trap - a photo on Flickriver

I've been around abandoned places and construction sites since childhood and currently am in my 5th decade on this Earth. Up to this point I've managed to avoid doing stupid things and putting myself in reckless situations. Up to this point…
You see that sharp edged metal and asbestos packed block on the floor? It weighs a metric shitton and was on that elevator platform up there. And I was under the load, operating the elevator motor manually. And we met. Hard.

I am exploring alone as I pretty much always do, and all my ways are blocked, but I want to explore some more - so badly. So I look at that small elevator to see if I can get an entrance to the floor above me via that shaft. So I inspect the platform carefully and multiple times from all available sides and I don't see anything immediately dangerous. The cables are tight and the platform is stable up there some 5 meters above me. I deemed the risk was acceptable to start lowering the platform manually.
So I got inside the caged shaft, released the small elevator brake and proceeded to turn its wheel manually, knowing that elevators just don't fall when brakes are released - they operate with worm gear that holds the load in tension - think the tuner knobs of a guitar.
So I turn the wheel manually and the small platform starts to remove itself from the ceiling void. Turn by turn the elevator descends whilst I am looking out for any loose junk that might fall on me, thinking to myself: "Nobody did put something stupid up there to fall on someone equally stupid below, right? Because that would constiture an attempted manslaughter which is a total no-no in Europe where you don't endanger someone over plain trespassing fact alone…" And as I am thinking this, something large, sharp and ugly starts to fall on top of me, literal sparks flying! I embrace for impact and ooh, boy.

I am smashed against the bricked side of the fenced shaft and am utterly surprised by the sheer energy of the impact, the weight of the object as I was expecting a wooden cabinet or something of that caliber, but was offered something way more nasty.
My breath was knocked out of me as the object impacted my body, changing its angle from our encounter and landing outside where pictured. I ran outside the shaft, stepped over the fallen junk to recover. I felt some immediate impact points and bruising right away, but nothing seemed to be broken or hurt badly. I felt some more minor pain when adrenaline started to leave my body, but still - no serious injuries, no sharp pain to report.
I inspect the spawned object on the floor: a ~50kg+ hunk of solid metal junk with wiring, bolts and sheets of asbestos inside of it. Was this an industrial resistor or something? Felt like concrete inside a metal box and it requires two strong hands to move it about... Was this a premeditated death trap or just a chain of unfortunate events with an Idiot involved? Well, it doesn't matter to me... anymore. What matters is that I managed to put myself in perfectly avoidable situation and there's a lesson in that.

Do something long enough and you start to loose the sense of danger and respect for all the risks these sites provide. Do something for long enough and you increase your chances of doing something utterly stupid for no good reason. So don't be me - don't go full retard over some pictures.
I was shamefully and incredibly lucky not only to leave the abandoned factory on my own and relatively intact, but wanting to continue exploration as no sharp pain was present or blood drawn - except the knicked thumb nail. I just wanted to continue so badly, and lowered the platform even more, but decided to stop being an utter idiot and call it a day. That's when I took the picture of the scene.

The Zone spawned a hefty square object with protruding bolts and sharp metal edges, and I managed to survive this encounter with just some bruising and torn winter clothes. Impressive.
And I'm just glad being able to write this the next day :)

______

Rollei Superpan 200 reversed to slide in PQ Universal, Ilford Reversal Processing
Antihalation layer removed to mimic the Kodak HIE look

Taken on: March 10, 2024

Tags:

Superpan 200

Ilford Reversal Processing

Urban Exploration

BW Reversal

Abandoned

Abandoned Factory

Agfa-Gevaert

Aviphot 200

BW Slides

Film Photography

Reversed In PQ Universal

Rollei Analog

Superpan 200 Reversed In PQ Universal

URBEX On Film

Заброшка

Пленка

廃墟

Antihalation Layer Removal

No Antihalation Layer « less

Sets appears in: • Explored • URBEX / RUREX

Groups appears in: • B&W • Abandoned more » • Urbex :: Urban Exploration • Archeologia Industriale • Rollei Film • Film Database • Urbex • I Shoot Aerial Film • B&W Film Slides / Reversal / Positives / Transparencies / Dias • Rollei Superpan 200 • Film Love <3 • in explore • URBEX Latvia • Black and White and Lost • ***Are You Experienced°°°Film Only*** • WONDERS OF PHOTOGRAPHY IN GENERAL.MARAVILLAS DE LA FOTOGRAFIA EN « less

Camera: Olympus OM-1n, f/5.6, 1 sec, 24mm, ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Olympus OM-1n
Lens:	Zuiko 24mm Auto-W 1:2.8
Aperture:	f/5.6
Exposure Time:	1
Focal Length:	24mm
ISO:	200
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Lightroom Classic 8.1 (Windows)
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