How safe do you feel when detecting?

[BigWaveDave]

I find that unsavory characters avoid me....makes me wonder...

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Agony and Death on a Gold Rush Steamer: The Disastrous Sinking of the Side-Wheeler Yankee Blade - Grab it through Amazon!

[HenryWaltonJonesJr]

I find that unsavory characters avoid me....makes me wonder...

I think if you don't see any...you're the unsavory character! haha

 

[worldtalker]

I find that unsavory characters avoid me....makes me wonder...

Must be that tatty on your arm.

 

[flatbutton]

I don't always carry, but when I do, I carry a .45

 

[whammy]

Check out the news sometime and look at the stories how individuals that carry concealed have saved lives, including Police Officers. Having been a Public Safety Officer for 37 years, retired now, I will say that size does not matter when your on drugs. I have been through the magic mushroom, LSD, and whatever else era. We had a 16 year old male, 120 lbs soaking wet, 5 foot 6 inch tall pick up my Sgt. who was 6 feet 5 inches tall and a good 200 lbs and throw him out into a road where he broke his arm. Also had a similar individual who was high try to cut off his arms and legs with a hatchet, and it took 6 of us to hold him on the stretcher so the ambulance crew could strap him down. Be careful out there people and watch your surroundings and listen to that little voice inside you. You can second guess it after your safe in your vehicle, and yes, I do carry concealed on many occasions.

 

[RGINN]

I've got guns but I don't carry one on my person while detecting. If I bring one along, it's usually in the truck. Still, I believe it's better to have one and not need it than to need it and not have one. If you do carry and you're a responsible person, fine. Just remember, if you get into a confrontation or altercation there will be a gun involved, and it will be yours.

 

[G. I. Digger]

I do everything by the numbers. I carry a 9mm which is registered and I have a permit. This does not mean that I am looking for trouble or that I can terrorize and bully the public. My wife and I belong to a gun club and we fire action pistols. We follow all safety rules and know how to handle a weapon. We usually detect alone and if something, or someone, comes ripping out of the blue, well, we are prepared. Not necessarily to shoot them but we will not be afraid to protect ourselves. We are both prior military and weapons are not foreign to us.

 

[Loco-Digger]

I'm a small town boy, I live in a small town, and mainly go to small towns in North Central Ohio and have never felt threatened. I would love to detect older abandoned properties in both Cleveland and Detroit, but that's not the environment that I'd feel comfortable in unless with another buddy or 2, or 3, or 4...
Strength in numbers. The term we used in the Army was battle buddies. I have ventured into Elyria and Lorain in some seedier sides and haven't had problem.

 

[FreeBirdTim]

I guess it's all about how you deal with the world. I prefer to be a peaceful person who just wants to be left alone. I have no desire to be hostile towards society. I apologize if that clashes with the aggressive types here.

 

[bill from lachine]

FBT,

No need to apologize we all handle potential aggression in our own way....I trained in martial arts over the years and preferred to walk away rather than fight....to each his own.

Regards + HH

Bill

 

[lockster99]

Freebird, You can be the most gentle creature out there detecting and still run into bad people. Some of those will take advantage of that. You dont have to always shoot to kill. But it might give you the chance to get out of there and get home to your loved ones. Surely they would want you to come home alive.

Not trying to piss you off.....just trying to get you to look at it another way.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I guess it's all about how you deal with the world. I prefer to be a peaceful person who just wants to be left alone. I have no desire to be hostile towards society. I apologize if that clashes with the aggressive types here.

Exercising ones RIGHT to be able to defend their selves and their family does not make anyone aggressive. Using your analogy any one who trains in martial arts, wrestling, or boxing is an aggressive person....

We don't carry hoping we need it, we carry hoping we will never need it, but it gives us the option to defend our family and our lives if it is ever needed.

I prefer to be a peaceful person who just wants to be left alone.

Every single person robbed, assaulted, raped or murdered wanted to be peaceful and left alone..

 

[Boatlode]

I prefer to be a peaceful person who just wants to be left alone. I have no desire to be hostile towards society.

I too am a peaceful person who just wants to be left alone. But I have no desire to be a victim. That's why Mr. Glock goes with me everywhere I go.

 

[Randyg12]

Think you hit the nail on the head when you say "never get totally wrapped up in the detecting". One time at about 4:30am at Zuma beach I had forgotten my headlamp and was kneeling down trying to locate a target I had dropped out on the wet sand at low tide. I mean I was the only person out there. I was so caught up trying to find the target I didn't see or hear some guy walk up behind me. When he spoke to me I almost came out of my water shoes, I'm willing to bet you every hair on my body was standing tall. He scared the crap out of me. I stood up so fast I think I scared him too. I was a sitting duck. Taught me a very valuable lesson!

I feel generally safe wherever I'm at and whatever I'm doing, but that's not to say I don't have fear sometimes. Most of the places I detect in, the environment can be your biggest threat. There's mountain lions, bears, moose, lots of standing dead trees that could fall in a high wind, avalanche danger, rockslides, at times high fire danger, lightning strikes, and the remote possibility of just gettin lost in the woods. My best defense is to never get totally wrapped up in the detecting. I always pay attention to my surroundings. I use headphones, but I always keep one ear uncovered.

 

[NWMP]

A city that I often detect in has the highest murder rate per capita in Canada. It also has the highest urban Indian numbers from the province with the largest native population. There are real and historic reasons for the misery such as their socio economic status, which is generally linked directly to issues such as substance abuse and crime. I realize all of this. But twice last year within a month I was a little too close to a couple of individuals that were literally screaming (in broad day light) as they walked down inner city sidewalks, which was frightening. One individual was running down the road and challenging vehicles. I still check those rough areas now and then, but I am extra vigilant about my situational awareness (watching my back), and I often have one headphone cup pulled off. I tend to stay out of these rougher areas at the end of the month when people get money for booze and dope. I will NEVER check these areas out after dark. The local news makes it abundantly clear to me why I shouldn't.

 

[Silver Searcher]

Well the UK is supposed to be just as violent as the Us these days, but never heard of anyone being attacked whilst out detecting. I hunt in busy places and way out places, never felt threatened once....mind you my sling shot is in view at all times.

SS

 

[CA Gold Hunter]

I guess it's all about how you deal with the world. I prefer to be a peaceful person who just wants to be left alone. I have no desire to be hostile towards society. I apologize if that clashes with the aggressive types here.

There's nothing aggressive about a ccw. No one see's it and thats the point, so it's impossible for anyone to be offended by it... You only use it if your life is in danger, and I bet you would change your tune if you were about to be killed by someone and you couldn't do anything about it. It has nothing to do about being peaceful. Does wearing a seatbelt while driving make someone more hostile than someone that doesn't wear one? Cars are more dangerous than guns statistically btw.

 

[RustyGold]

I was detecting in the shallow water by the jetty and looked up to see two unsavory characters checking out my every move! I nodded and they didn't respond but just kept staring.
When I brought up a beer can I was relieved and they then disappeared!
It would be my luck if I pulled out a gun they'd just laugh and say that's not a gun! This is a gun! And pull out some huge cannon!

 

[pepperj]

There's nothing aggressive about a ccw. No one see's it and thats the point, so it's impossible for anyone to be offended by it... You only use it if your life is in danger, and I bet you would change your tune if you were about to be killed by someone and you couldn't do anything about it. It has nothing to do about being peaceful. Does wearing a seatbelt while driving make someone more hostile than someone that doesn't wear one? Cars are more dangerous than guns statistically btw.

True but the stats are going the other way it's just the matter of time.

[h=3]Motor vehicle traffic deaths[/h]

• Number of deaths: 33,804
• Deaths per 100,000 population: 10.7

[h=3]All firearm deaths[/h]

• Number of deaths: 33,636
• Deaths per 100,000 population: 10.6

 

[Johnny Hall]

i forgot about standing dead trees (widowmakers) and even i would carry on beach at night just because
more snakes around florida beaches at night than any other places, scruby dunes are the haven for rattlers around
here i have a tiny ruger .22 bearcat i load with snake shot and its perfect . my dad built houses back during 60's and i saw a whole dump truck (1 ton) loaded to rim with dead rattlers just south of jax beach about painters hill/marineland stretch of A1A and many many times while driving cab i see rattlers cross A1A at night/ please be careful you beach diggers , make thats all diggers /john