To think a trip to lawless America is a bit daft?

[StopFancyingPeople]

There is a place in Western USA called Slab City. DH wants to visit when we do our road trip later in the year. It’s known as the last lawless state of America. Basically people just turn up there and live in trailers etc ... off the grid ... the police don’t go there ... anything goes kind of place. DH put a documentary on about it last night and it looks dodgy as fuck. People on the run from the law, drug addicts, escaped convicts, people who don’t want to play by the rules ... they all reside here. Personally I think it sounds fucking dangerous. Imagine us, two British tourists turning up in our hire car Jeep ... we’ll stand out like a sore thumb and my guess is these people don’t want to be seen as a tourist attraction!!

DH says IABU as last time I drove us all to Watts/Compton in LA but that was different as I was actually wanted to see an art gallery there, I didn’t go to gawp at the “gangstas”.

I’m not a fan of LA and think it’s dangerous enough (still have flashbacks to Venice Beach at night) without going to somewhere literally known as a criminal hideout.

It doesn't look particularly dangerous but I'm not sure what you'd actually do there.

I'd be much more worried about driving through Compton.

If he's ok without running water, sanitation, electricity etc then fine. It's more suited to people with RVs and trailers etc as they can camp out there.

It is lawless - you may stick out and people may take advantage. I can't really say otherwise.

What exactly does he think he will see there? A bunch of makeshift homes and people going about whatever it is - growing veg and hanging out, I imagine. I don't think its dangerous but I don't think you'll be welcome. Bet a few people are now going out there to look at them like a living exhibit since the show.

If your wanted and police know your there, they will go pick you up.
The reason it does it have it's own municipal police is because no-one pays tax. Itsa disused army facility.

Only 150 live there permanently. They are not a tourist attraction and even driving through Compton, en route to a gallery, you were in far more danger

Utterly awful to turn these peoples' existence into a sideshow. They're human beings, not exotic creatures on exhibition.

This is as bad as the couple who had their wedding in the DRC thinking it makes them look edgy

www.google.com/amp/s/www.buzzfeednews.com/amphtml/rosebuchanan/instagram-wedding-congo-photos

I went to Slab City a couple of years back, we just drove around and actually didn't see a soul the whole time except at Salvation Mountain which is a big religious art thing. We got out of the car to look at a couple of other 'art' installations. It didn't feel in any way dangerous or threatening.

Go if you're passing that way (we were driving from Salton Sea to El Centro so it was on the way) but probably don't go out of your way, it wasn't actually that interesting.

Is he a slum/poverty/ghetto tourist then? Why does he want to go there? Gawping at the poor people. I'd find this most unlikeable in a partner tbh.

Never heard of Slab City but just watched a video about it. The question is why does your husband want to visit it? Apologies in advance if anyone gets offended but it looks like a total dump to me. What is he going to do there and why is whatever he's seen/read/heard about it feels insufficient for him? Does he want to experience what it's like to be in a dump first hand? If so, why? To appreciate what he has or to feel excitement? Or to have things to talk about? To feel good about himself? What is his motivation?

According to Wiki it’s mainly snowbirds, so retirees chasing the sun in their RVs. That and artists. I think is alternative rather than dangerous.

When we stopped off at a tourist info place at the Salton Sea, they said we should visit Slab City as it was a cool place..I think they are used to tourists. We didn't go though - visited Salvation Mountain but that was enough.