Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Turns Out Wearing a Hi-Vis Vest Gets You into Everything for Free

vice.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

81–90 of 209 posts

Re: Turns Out Wearing a Hi-Vis Vest Gets You into Everything for Free

#81

Post by jonah »

notatoad wrote: post #63
jonah wrote: post #34

These posts always remind me of Todd Lappin's Telstar Logistics[1] in which he makes his personal vehicle look "official" and gets away with lots adventures with it. [1] https://telstarlogistics.typepad.com/telstarlogistics/2006/0... [2] https://www.flickr.com/people/telstar/

as much as i love the Telstar Logistics truck, I've found an unmarked white truck with an orange beacon light on top to be even more useful. When i used to work for city parks i rotated between a white rental truck with no stickers, and a truck that was clearly labeled with the city's logo. The unmarked truck would get you onto any jobsite, any company's yard, or through any traffic jam. The labeled truck, people kne…

(Typically the flashing lights allowed on non-emergency vehicles are called Amber.)

The vaguer the better, I'd say. Amber light, an antenna, black numbers on the tailgate, some reflective tape on the bumper, orange cones in the bed, a clipboard on the seat, and a hi-vis vest hanging in the back window should do the trick.

Re: Turns Out Wearing a Hi-Vis Vest Gets You into Everything for Free

#82

Post by Redoubts »

api wrote: post #52
commandlinefan wrote: post #17

There was a gag in Machete where Danny Trejo could sneak in anywhere just by being Mexican and carrying a weed-eater. It seemed plausible.

It would definitely work in Southern California.

Wanda Sykes definitely made this an extended bit

Re: Turns Out Wearing a Hi-Vis Vest Gets You into Everything for Free

#83

Post by dba7dba »

In my friend of friend's neighborhood, thieves used hardhat/hi-vis vest to commit thefts.

Basically, a man with a hard hat, hi-vis vest, and a clipboard knocked on the door of a house. He claimed he needed to check some gas line in the back yard. While the resident was in back yard distracted by him, another person snuck in and stole jewelry. They hit few houses but were eventually caught by local police.

Re: Turns Out Wearing a Hi-Vis Vest Gets You into Everything for Free

#84

Post by dba7dba »

andyidsinga wrote: post #70
notatoad wrote: post #62

way to ruin it, guys. a high-vis vest only gets you access to anything because not everybody knows that trick, if Vice starts publishing articles about it it's not going to work for much longer.

wait six months... it will work again . ugh

Not even that. How many non techies know about Vice or HN?

Re: Turns Out Wearing a Hi-Vis Vest Gets You into Everything for Free

#86

Post by batbomb »

Before I was 21 I would just give my actual, underage ID to get into bars a few times. The door person would look a bit confused sometimes, but would wave you on through.

For big concerts, you could (probably still can) buy previous backstage passes on eBay and reuse them on following shows, since they didn't always issue new badges for every show.

The other thing that usually works is just carrying something heavy.

Re: Turns Out Wearing a Hi-Vis Vest Gets You into Everything for Free

#88

Post by peterburkimsher »

ethbro wrote: post #46
sitzkrieg wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

or a clipboard in the navy, or .. if you look like you're preoccupied with finding someone that usually works too

I've found the preemptive question a powerful tool as well. If anyone seems to be on the verge of questioning you, walk up to them, look them straight in the eye, and impatiently ask them a question. (E.g. for directions) Seems to short circuit the brain. PS: I'm pretty sure it's also worked on would-be muggers a couple times too, spinning around and asking the person following you for a block if they have the time.

In the same way, hold a door open for someone. They will thank you, walk through, and promptly forget that they don't know who you are or what you're doing there.

Re: Turns Out Wearing a Hi-Vis Vest Gets You into Everything for Free

#89

Post by InclinedPlane »

Somewhere around 80-90% of the time simply being dressed "normally" and walking with purpose will get you into "secured" areas quite easily. For most of the remainder a service uniform (or a hi-vis) and some other prop like a radio or a clipboard will do the trick.
Post reply on HN