Mind if I vent!

[Keith Lenahan]

Hey everyone just needed to vent a little. Have any of you ever ran across something similar? Anyway here it is. I got off work this morning and wanted to hunt a little to clear my head then come home and go to bed. Well I stopped at the park a block from my house and started swinging. I popped out a quarter, two pull tabs and some can slaw. Put the trash in my bag then got a nice quarter tone and cut my plug. I flipped it up and heard a voice. I pulled of my ear phones and heard "excuse me, excuse me, what do you think your doing?" Well, "I said I'm metal detecting." This woman got a real snooty attitude with me and said "you can't do that here." Well I replied, "Maam this is a public park and there are no laws against it." She was persistent and kept saying, "you can't do that here." I was about to give her a peace of my mind and I thought no not right now, let it go, so I did. Packed up and left.

Well went home and called the parks department and they said, "have fun, just clean up after yourself.

I do have to say I did wait for her to walk her dog past my house, hoping he would pee on my mailbox or poo in my yard. But he had manners!

I pay taxes, do the right thing and petty little people try to take any enjoyment they can from others. It gets my goat.

Thanks for listening, Keith

 

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[Keith Lenahan]

Sorry mods meant to post in General Discussion section.

 

[JanThorCro]

May we all demonstrate your "On the Spot" maturity.

 

[XLTer]

Excellent responce at the time Keith . I Try to carry a copy of my local ordinance on Metal Detecting for just such cases . I actually was almost that lady a couple of weeks ago LOL . I noticed MDers in a park I KNEW years ago was OFF LIMITS to MDers . I approched the the MDer and asked if it was NOW permisable . I'm sure he noticed the smile on my face when I got his answer of ( you can with a FREE permit from the park office ) . LOL

 

[Terry Soloman]

 

[Jason in Enid]

I understand your need to vent about busy-bodies like that. I also commend you for staying level-headed and mature about it. Next time, I would just explain to her you have permission and simply ignore her future protests.

 

[Rick_72]

I've read a lot folks posting about remaining level headed about these things and I think it's commendable. I suppose I just don't like people like this lady who think that someone that is astute enough to listen to the beeps, blips, and zips of a metal detector and hone in on buried treasure/coins, wouldn't be smart enough to check local regulations before carefully digging in a public park. I get that resistence to people like this who are incorrect may draw unwarranted attention to the hobby....some loud mouth screaming about it at the city council meeting enough to get it banned....but I think my answer to her would have been, "feel free to call the local sherrif's department so they can come over here and educated you on the city regulations for this activity, and please don't forget to clean up after you dog here I don't want to step in it's poo."

 

[Keith Lenahan]

Thanks for hearing my vent and the replies. I've learned how to remain calm over the years working in a mental hospital. It's been good training. There is always someone who will complain or cry about what their neighbor is doing. So after thinking about it, the next time it happens, I'll smile and say have a good day. Once people know they can't get under your skin they look for someone else that will give them attention. Happy Hunting everyone and good luck. Keith

 

[Lady Pirate]

I would have told her to call the parks department and see for herself. If they were closed, I would have told her to then call the police dept. . Then after the police left, I just might have shot her a bird if she needed an attitude adjustment. I am just so tired of these people whom don't have a metal detector mouthing off at us who go detecting. That would have cleared my mind...LOL Sorry if I sound a little angry, I am just going through a lot and when I am out detecting, I am there trying to get a clear mind right now and get away from my heavy mind and heart for a while. I am in no mood for nosy mouthy people who deem it necessary to interfere in what I am doing.

 

[bigscoop]

"Hu, then you'd better tell the park manager because I hunt with him nearly every Saturday morning."

 

[seekandfind]

People are afraid of what they dont understand(that weird guy/girl diggin in park) but their dogs can shite all over, the old its ok for me to do what I want but dont you do it. Just put them on ignore and keep on havin fun(diggin). HH

 

[Gold Maven]

show her the trash you dug, tell her you are just cleaning up the park.

If she doesn't like that, ask her how much trash she picked up today.

I always go out of my way to pick up any trash I see, I have a big trash pouch, its great for PR, it's not that tough, and it feels good.

 

[uglymailman]

Keith, ya get an atta boy for the way you handled it. Food for thought the next time it happens. I was on survey crew and a kid about 10 came up and asked what we were doin. I told him we were surveying to extend the runway for the airport (about 5 miles away). About 30 mins later Mom came out & wanted to know what the h... was goin on.

 

[pat-tekker-cat]

I do have to say I did wait for her to walk her dog past my house, hoping he would pee on my mailbox or poo in my yard. But he had manners!
It gets my goat.

See, the dog had decorum, too bad he couldn't have trained her!
Never give up the goat, that easy! LOL!

Thanks for hearing my vent and the replies. I've learned how to remain calm over the years working in a mental hospital. It's been good training.

NOW THAT, just cracked me the hell up! LOL! LMBO! And I am still laughing! Thanks man, I needed that! LOL!

Thanks for being a postive influence and a credit to md'ers!

 

[Keppy]

It's not good but you find a lot of people like that......

 

[Jeremy S]

With my large Garrett headphones, I just act like I can't hear them and keep detecting, while slowing moving away from them. Never really had anyone really give me trouble yet, just a few gawkers and mouth-breathers who like to stop and stare.

There are some people out there who seem to get their jollies by telling others that they are not allowed to do something. Most of the time these people are just ignorant goons. I never argue with these people, because you will never win an argument with a person like this. Best to just act like you can't hear them and move away. If they persist or try to make physical contact with you to assert their "make-believe authority", a visit from the local police will get rid of them (only if they start touching or getting physical with you, in a bad way that is).

 

[lookindown]

I would not have stopped detecting after she told me that, not even if I was ready to stop. I would have told her she wasnt allowed to have a dog in the park and started detecting again.

 

[austin]

All wonderful answers with a lot of great advice. I suspect I would have told her I was diggin a grave and ask her how tall she was.

 

[diggummup]

"Take a hike lady", would have been my response. I hate busybodies.

 

[MrSchulz]

I ignore. My headphones tune everything out. If they come up and tap me on the shoulder ill hold a convo, don't leave me alone, the police get called. Never had it happened hopefully I don't have to either.