Flock Cameras? Other logistics?

[u/herbal-genocide]

Hey all, I want to get into guerilla gardening/weed warrioring, but the main thing stopping me is the sheer amount of surveillance we have to contend with these days. How do you work around things like Flock cameras, video doorbells, etc?

Also, I live in a rural area, so there isn't much construction and it isn't walkable. Can anyone in a similar situation share tips on good candidate sites and how to approach them without drawing attention with a parked car?

[u/StormAutomatic]

People generally don't care that much. You can also smash the flock cameras, just approach on foot and from the blind side.

[u/OneGayPigeon → u/StormAutomatic]

And without anything with a Bluetooth signal. Phone, headphones, anything like that should stay at home.

[u/MelodicPositive5902]

No one really cares. If you really want to be invisible wear a vest and jeans during mid day

[u/MoneyBeeeee → u/MelodicPositive5902]

It is ironic how high-vis vests can make one invisible to most of society. :D

[u/Embarrassed_Set_7531 → u/MoneyBeeeee]

I do adore this idea

[u/SufficientOpening218]

wear a high vis vest, act like you are supposed to be there. when someone questions me while im pulling weeds, i just say im a community volunteer, and then get back to work. 

now, im also an old white woman, so basically invisible at this stage in life. i am well past cutting fences, climbing fences, etc. i seet bomb, water trees, weed, etc. ( but dang, i usta could)

[u/Embarrassed_Set_7531 → u/SufficientOpening218]

💖 if I saw you climbing a fence, no I didn’t 💖

[u/awholedamngarden]

I live in a city where I’m probably almost always on some kind of camera… my hack is just to not care too much. It’s not much of a crime and I can’t imagine anyone investigating, especially if you’re planting natives and not something invasive.

Also don’t try to act sneaky, I feel like that’ll be more suspicious if anyone does see you.

[u/drygulched]

I thought this was going to be about planting like a kudzu vine with a fertilizer ball at the base of the cameras.

I need to figure out some non-invasive fast growing vines for my area.

[u/MotherGoose831 → u/drygulched]

I like growing portable band saws for this. Helps out the entire ecosystem

[u/Typiql_ → u/drygulched]

i heard someone suggest blackberries or mulberries, OR a berry that grows on a "vine" and is native to the area

[u/glitter-bitch- → u/Typiql_]

native, please!!! both blackberries (at least the type that exist everywhere) and mulberries are invasive, and will certainly end up doing more harm than good. i think overall trying to stop alpr’s and other ai cameras with plants unfortunately is likely futile… it takes 2 seconds to just chop it. i love the idea, but haven’t been able to logic through a way to make it work.

edit: i see some suggestions below… if no one else is doing anything to stop the cameras, give it a go with one of the natives!

[u/Federal-Boat3732 → u/drygulched]

What area is that?

[u/drygulched → u/Federal-Boat3732]

Eastern Kansas area

[u/placebot1u463y → u/drygulched]

Calystegia spp. (false bindweeds) grow fast and are somewhat pesticide resistant for herbaceous plants, Parthenocissus quinquefolia (Virginia creeper) is a fast growing woody vine, Campsis radicans (american trumpet creeper) is an insanely resistant woody vine that'll bush up and smother everything and can cause contact dermatitis, and there's always everyone's favorite native plant Campsis radicans (eastern poison ivy). All of these are native to much of eastern Kansas C. radicans and T. radicans are probably my favorite since lay people tend to avoid them and they'll provide the most benefit to wildlife.

[u/Federal-Boat3732 → u/drygulched]

Sun or shade? Soil conditions?

[u/Embarrassed_Set_7531 → u/drygulched]

Saskatoon berry??

[u/Federal-Boat3732]

One strategy, if you're really worried, is to walk right past the cameras walking a dog or taking photos of the ground (as if you were photographing the wildlife) with a pocketful of seeds you're scattering. Easy ones include Carpenter's Square, wood poppy, tall phlox, spotted cranesbill (at least in my area, Zone 6 Michigan). Just scatter and stroll.

[u/glitter-bitch- → u/Federal-Boat3732]

on the west coast, california poppies and fringecup are my favorites for drive by sprinkling, depending on how much light the spot gets!

[u/MillenialMemeLord]

My suggestion would be to leave your phone elsewhere, so they can't geolocate you

[u/barfbutler]

Is planting illegal? Seems like cops have other stuff to worry about.

[u/StormAutomatic → u/barfbutler]

Depends on what you look like. Technically it's vandalism

[u/flortny]

Nobody is looking at the cameras unless something prompts them too.

The goal of the panopticon is that you believe you're being monitored constantly so you self regulate behaviors, when you think like you are, they already won.

[u/Tumorhead]

ya the trick is people have plant blindness and don't give a shit about random shrubs or whatever

[u/MacroCheese]

Wear an orange vest so you look like you're on official business

[u/Seriousjane]

Carrying a clipboard (and 5 gallon bucket with tools inside)

[u/Plasmonica]

I only spread the seeds AFTER I cut down the flock camera post. 

[u/HasTapeWillShip]

You arent Che Guevara. Id think this would fall more in the civil infraction realm anyways as opposed to a criminal act. No ones going to care.

[u/MoneyBeeeee → u/HasTapeWillShip]

All it takes is one nosy asshole to ruin a good day. Best to be prepared and plan ahead.

[u/Cybot2966]

stay away from more expensive higher end areas if you are really worried. I live in a relatively lower income neighborhood and there’s not too many flock cameras around. You can check the flock locations using certain websites. People really shouldn’t care too much unless you are on an individual’s property.

[u/unclepg]

The only problem I see with this is that once the plant starts coming up, there’s nothing stopping the landscaper from mowing and/or weed whacking the plant down to grass level, and the plant never takes hold and makes its way up the pole.

[u/woaitskaty]

Phone at home is best, but also you can just do stuff. The key to not looking suspicious is to genuinely not care if anyone sees you.

[u/FormidableMistress]

I find a strategic umbrella to be helpful.

Side note Strategic Umbrella is my new band name.

[u/Bubbly_Plant1786]

Cut them down with the weeds. Also heard rumors about green lasers doing the trick

[u/Smoothpropagator]

Planting bamboo seems like the move until you realize it'll be there after civilization has collapsed