How would you have responded to this?

[Corben]

You should have dumped your pouch right in front of him and said, "Well here's your trash then." and left.
I on the other hand would of said something like "Yes sir! Right away sir"

 

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[Seamuss]

I had one person act like that one time. I put my stuff away and while I was I asked him his name and how long he has been working there. I find that people on that big of a power trip are all to eager to let YOU know who they are and that their IN CHARGE. I left the area and laid low for about an hour. I was in contact by phone with the main office that is really in charge of that park. Showed up to the office with a poliroid picture of the guy doing thesame thing to another person. This guy was transfered somewhere else within two working days. The office has policies about how to ask people to stop and leave the area. He did not use proper protocol.

 

[thrillathahunt]

I had one person act like that one time. I put my stuff away and while I was I asked him his name and how long he has been working there. I find that people on that big of a power trip are all to eager to let YOU know who they are and that their IN CHARGE. I left the area and laid low for about an hour. I was in contact by phone with the main office that is really in charge of that park. Showed up to the office with a poliroid picture of the guy doing thesame thing to another person. This guy was transfered somewhere else within two working days. The office has policies about how to ask people to stop and leave the area. He did not use proper protocol.

Another good point Seamuss. He didn't have to be a complete jerk about it. I mean he came on so strong that any kind of civil conversation at that point would have been nearly impossible.

 

[allen]

the parks in my area are off limits,
so i wouldve just left without a word...

 

[RonPaul2012]

I would of told him to shove his attitude up his ***. If he came out respectfully and talked to you like a decent human being, then I would of talked to him as such. Since he started the conversation like a prick, I would return the favor. Besides, if you aren't doing anything illegal, he can go direct his attitude to the nearest brick wall, since his opinion is irrellevant.

 

[Ltr113]

On one hand.....We're all ambassadors for our beloved sport.
On the other, ask the musclehead to see the deed to "his field".

 

[nova]

Only problem I see is his use of "My Field"

Was it "His" Field that He allows to Be used ?

If not Go over his head.
if it's a School Field School Taxes Pay for it.

You Did the Right thing Under the Circumstances.

Yep! You did do the right thing. As far as going back do your research on the site. You just picked a bad day to hunt there.

 

[Kilika]

I would go online to research the current rules. Also, I would probably go back on his days off.

One thing I would not do is think of him as a "Joke" because "a groundskeeper at a park is lower than a school custodian". Maybe he takes a lot of pride in his work. ? Would YOU like to be out there in the pouring rain and the burning heat trying to keep the field looking good when those da** kids just run all over and tear it up and then you have to repaint over all the graffiti and empty the garbage and pick up the dog poop and scrub the toilets for $12 bucks an hour

I might've tried to talk to him about his fear that I would ruin all his hard work, but it sounds like he was already pretty hot and it can be difficult to keep your head when someone is being confrontational. So maybe I would give him some time to cool off, and then try talking to him again, without my detector in hand. IF it was that important to me. Luckily, I live in an area with lots of parks, so I also have the choice of just moving on to the next one.

While I'm still in rant mode, let me just say that I've known some excellent custodians and groundskeepers, and have even learned a few things from some of them. While I'll agree that when someone starts talking to me about "their" field, when it obviously isn't, that's usually a sign of a small mind or a big ego (or both!), I just can't get my mind around this idea that because someone is "just" a groundskeeper that somehow makes them "lower" than me.

OK, I'm done ranting. (Can you tell I work in "Public Service"? he he he)

Back to the original question... I would've left when asked to leave... but then... I'm a big chicken!!
Plus, I'd also be figuring out my next move.

HH - KIlika

 

[ivan salis]

leave for the moment * -- he was clearly wigged out --and not ready for civil talking --you do not need for things to get out of hand -- because if the po po is called by the grounds keeper --most likely their going to side with him.

remember if you "rock" the boat (go to city hall moaning) - the "boat owners" (city rule makers) will often kick a hole in the bottom to keep you from using it again (pass no detecting in any city park rulles)-- then they can go --- ah case closed now we never have to bother with that "issue" again --NO's are easy

 

[thrillathahunt]

Guys,

I appreciate all of your comments. I will go back there sometime, but probably on a holiday, early in the morning.

Thanks,
Rick

 

[Dirty WhiteBoy]

If you were in a public park and there are no rules against it in your city, I would tell him to go straight to hell, ( and I would offer to dig the hole for him )! Tell him to go ahead and call the police, I would continue to operate in the meantime. If you let just anyone run you away from a place, you are going to be doing more hunting for a place to hunt than you will be hunting! I have no fear when someone says they are going to call the cops, I offer to do it for them! I am one that is not easily intimidated by anyone as long as I know I have a legal right to be there! Some people just can't handle seeing someone doing something a little different than what they do so they have to stick their over-sized ass into someone elses business! It is not all that uncommon to have idiots approach you when you are doing this hobby! Fear them not.....stand your ground...you are not raping society by metal detecting!

 

[ivan salis]

well if you push , he'll push back count on it ( since he seems the "pushy" type from what you say )-- if you "push" the issue then he'll go to the local "pencil pushing " rule makers and whine that you destroying "his" grass and that its costing money to repair it --then the next time you go there will be signs that say "no metal detecting " there as well as all the other "public" parks the local pencil pushers have control over to "solve" the problem --mr jerk brought to "their" attention .---- careful on this one .

learn your jerks work hours and work around him -- win by not fighting --- ever try punching "smoke"? -- you can not hit it -- by not being there at the same time -- not seen is not there --call me " Mr Invisible "--- like a master martial artist -- standing there deflecting feeble attempts to strike him .

 

[sniffer]

it's always easier to leave and come back another day.
remember, if you put up a stink, and tell him "this is public property" I guarantee, he's going to take it to his boss and fabricate some wild story about you destroying the park. the boss will take the word of his employee, his eyes and ears at the park, and institute some kind of rule against MDing in HIS park, at which time you lose and so does everybody else
you better off leaving and coming back when the jerk is kicking the kids out of the sandbox

 

[mlhudson]

or you could wait till he gets layed off, from his field remember " karma" is always around the corner, who know's , he might lose a ring one day and looks for you to find it for, and of
couse you would say " i dont find rings just old money - ha ha" KARMA

MLHUDSON

 

[Tom_in_CA]

metal-head, as much as I'm a rabble-rouser, and will not hesitate to respond to someone who is beyond their rights (making up non-existant rules, etc...), I will have to side with Ivan & Sniffer on this: Sometimes it's better to give lip-service. Sure, I wouldn't tuck my tail and act like I truly believed I'd just been "in the wrong". I certainly would explain that "I was doing no harm, but that .... on the other hand .... I don't want to ruffle his feathers". But you do have to be careful with the telling a city worker where to stick it, even if he IS in the wrong. I mean, .... c'mon bro., sometimes in this life we do have to give lip-service, even if we're "in the right".

Here's a thought for you guys: Some cities even post their park's rotating work schedules for their parks. That is, most typical city parks don't have full-time personell (unless their mammoth sized, or have rec. centers or something there). Intead, they get serviced perhaps 1x or 2x per week, to empty the cans, clean the restrooms, mow the lawns, etc.... On the other days of the week, a personell may only show up at the end of the day only to lock the restroom. I know of one city where we like to hunt the parks, where this schedule is on the park's dept. website section of the city website. We simply look up on there, and avoid any park who's turn it is to be on the maintenance schedule of that day Not necessarily because we think we are doing anything wrong, mind you, but only because we don't "want to hear otherwise".

 

[steve from ohio]

Whatever you do, do not hit him in over the head with your shovel or metal detector.

That tends to draw attention.

That being said, I tend to make conversation with the person and apologize for intruding explaining that I did not know who to contact and that I though it was a public place. I also like to show them the trash I had picked up and that tends to make them at ease. I do try to find out who to ask first but there are times that I cannot find the right person to ask.

Quite often the person who comes up to me while hunting is the one that has the say so if I can hunt there or not and I try to make a friend instead of an enemy. Often I get them to agree to let me hunt as long as I can prove to them I am no threat to their grass or their domain. You have to be sort of a salesman when talking to people and I always try to ask before I hunt. A great big smile and an apology is in order. That usually works along with a "Do you know where I could hunt?" Seems people like to help people and asking them for their help can make them an asset as a friend.

Public school grounds are fair game and no permission is needed but I still ask the janitor if I can hunt. They appreciate that at least I asked and they know I will leave their school yard better than before I came.

The city public park system usually requires a permit to hunt. They just want you to be aware of their rules. Sometimes the city parks are some of the best places to hunt although they probably have been hit hard.

Get good at covering your tracks (holes) so that no one would know where you dug and get good at talking to people and you will not have any problems finding places to hunt.

 

[texan connection]

Hey Rick just had the same thing happen here in France, try talking to a French park Maintenance man with very little french vocabulay, I dident understand a word of his, but got the idea, I told him "I called city hall" (dont ask me to spell it in french I can barley say it), and they said "sauva" (OK) then he spoke more jiberash, and I looked around for a hole (it was hard to find one) and showed him, and agien said "Sauva?" I think he said somthing about De LA mari (city hall) but thats all I got and he walked away.

Dident really know what to do and after another hole was afraid he said something about juandemari (police) so I just packed up my bike and left.
Got a Better spot tomorow on privat land.

We had called city hall and got a "I dont know of any laws agienst it" so I usally take that as green light with a possible confrontation, In Bryan the cops usally just drive by but the maintenance guys are the ones to start something.

 

[thrillathahunt]

Jeez bud, I am glad you didn't get arrested! Maybe you'd better not detect the parks there.