Oops I violated a metal detecting code. I couldnt help it !! Im sorry !!

[andrew9091]

I was out sat morning...I live in a neighborhood about 70 years old...there is an island on one of the streets...I decided to hunt it...now keep in mind, I pay dues etc and live in this neighborhood....A lady just walked up to me without even saying anything to me and called the police right infront of me.....I was pretty upset. The lady was mentally unstable...I could tell, I just looked at her and said..."whatever it is in your life that is making you angry and bitter...LET IT GO." I then preceeded to tell her that I was filling in my holes etc.....She continued to call the police......I then told her to go home and talk to her dog and to get a hobby. NOW, I realize that my conduct wasnt the best here.....I have a real problem through with people throwing their victim cards out...ESPECIALLY unstable mentally disturbed women. The last thing I wanted also was for a police officer to show up and have this woman whack out......she could have told the police anything and believe me, they always listen to these lunitics so I just walked home.
I dont know....I feel there is a fine line here where people need to mind their own business. If I ever see this woman again I plan on aplogizing for what I said. I just have issues with these kinds of women who call the police and TRUST ME, they expect the police to coddle them......

 

[John(Tx)]

is just a busy body that doesn't want anyone doing something she can't do......Check with city hall and see what the rules are on metal detecting city property, that is what I did and was told, "no problem" just dont make a mess and fill in your holes....HH

 

[andrew9091]

Yeah John I see your point and that is good to know.....
What would you have done in this situation ? Would you have kept hunting ? Or would you have stopped, checked with city hall, then gone back ?
I knew that if I stayed this woman and all her whacko friends would have come out of the woodwork and the police would have came...I just didnt want any of that.
Im just never gonna hunt there again.....I just wish I could cuz its a good spot. : )

 

[Leslie(nova scotia)]

n/t

 

[wraym93841]

Was detecting in a city park when approached by a city street sweeper driver who said he had called the police and that I better leave. I responded that I would wait for them to get a definitive answer on detecting this park. Public works employees and police had observed me detecting here in the past. I waited thirty minutes and the police never showed so I called the police department and public works and was told to make sure any holes were neatly filled in....green side up!

 

[Lightstryder]

Am I wrong? It sounds like you live in a private community with a homeowners association. If that's the case you should get permission from them, because otherwise in the eyes of the ones in charge it may be a violation of the rules and she may have been right. Executed poorly on her part yes, but right none the less. If you are feeling any kind of guilt or sadness over what you said, because you think you harmed her in ANY way with your words, then by all means apologize, it's good for the soul. Who knows that apology might be what saves the next guy, because you helped change her view of the world, with kindness in the face of adversity. Just my two bits. HH.

 

[flash5153]

Was she like the cat woman on the Simpsons??? Don't feel bad about anything you said. I have had something similar happen and wasn't near as nice as you. But ,,like you,,it just not worth the hassle.

 

[Dan-Pa.]

A good rule of thumb when hunting tree lines and such is if you have a bad encounter just move onto the next one...These areas belong to the city, borough etc. and is a good idea to get permission first...I do the hobby for fun and try to stay away from problems lest they ruin my day.Whoops get a name from the municipality that gives you permission and jot it down and keep such numbers but by all means avoid encounters as its counter productive and guess we all have been in this situation or will be if we continue the hobby...I might add its much easier to get permission from a maintenance man than a Mayor-council or school principal so keep that in mind when the next Expleted nut comes your way...

 

[cwilk]

I've run into way more than my fair share of "unhappy" people. Police too. A few that come to mind. While hunting a park, some young children arrived and took interest. Their grandparents, from Norway or Sweden, called the cops on me. Cops arrived. I knew one of the officers. I went back to detecting. The grandmother followed me around berating me from time to time. A grown man should have better things to do. I told her that I didn't know what kind of behavior was acceptable in her country, but that in my country grown men were free to do whatever they pleased. She was upsetting her grandkids and her husband with her unstable behavior. I'd call her a nut. FWIW, I was there first. One of my favs was I was in a park, all alone, early one morning. This woman with two kids around 5 or 6 drives up. The kids shuck off all their clothes and start to play. I moved far away from them after the little boy made a bowel movement which he buried in some sand. We eventually had an encounter. Mother said she was offended by my behavior. That I was digging holes for her children to trip in. I told her that I wasn't digging holes and that if she wanted a demonstartion of offensive behavior that she need look no further that her son relieving himself in an area where children play. Well she went crazy. Told me how how dare I compare a natural act to my own bad behavior. I told her that if her kids were going to do that in public she should carry plastic bags around to clean up after them. Maybe keep them on a leash. Another nut. No cops this time. I did tell the park superintendant who related to me some even better stories about entire families of naked folks gathering in that particular park. I've been been back several times and everyone has managed to stay fully clothed. I could go on and on. Don't be too upset with yourself.

Chris

 

[Muddyshoes]

I've had that happen now and then. I usually just wait patiently for the cop to arrive. I act professional, polite and non-threatening, i.e. my digging tool is hidden away in a pocket or a sheath and I try to cover it, rather than wield it like a pirate with a sword waiting for his ship to be boarded. The cop will listen to the complainant, then give me the lookover, up and down to evaluate my threat level, then determine if my being there is against any rules or if it will just end up causing him more complaints later. I speak directly, offering a yes sir, or yes officer, or if I know his rank, yes sergeant, as that may convey more respect.

If the officer is ultimately cool with your being there, remember his name. In the event you are stopped in the future by a different officer, dropping the name of the previous officer you spoke with may help.

In the event you unknowingly are in some place where being there is illegal, just fleeing when someone calls the police may make you a suspect. Remaining present until the officer (or park official) arrives and discussing things calmly may help establish that it was just a misunderstanding. In the mid 1970s when I was in my teens, some folks took it upon themselves to actually bring front loaders or professional digging machines to national battlefields and destroyed a good amount of land hunting for relics. That's when they really cracked down on 'treasure hunters.' Not knowing this, I thought one of the national parks would be a good place to hunt. (I was a stupid teen.. I should have asked first.) Park rangers drove by as I was putting my detector together and they stopped to set down the law. They said that they could have had me arrested and confiscated my equipment, but because I was polite, they instructed me to take apart my detector, put it in the trunk and they let me go with a warning.

I'll stand my ground when it comes to crazy people, unless I feel physically threatened, and if cops are called, I'll wait and talk to them. That helps reinforce the idea that we metal detecting folks are responsible, polite hobbyists and that goes a long way when those cops encounter other metal detecting people.

Just a thought.

- Ron

 

[andrew9091]

wow...what is wrong with people....seriously......its metal detecting for crying out loud !!!! Now, Im not sexist but all of these horror stories involve an unbalanced woman. I love women..they are gods greatest creation...my wife is an angel......but the there are too many whacked ones out there.