Hunting the edge of sidewalks

[Monty]

I have been doing some coin shooting in a couple of parks that are heavily hunted by other detectorists. I can tell from all the dimples or slight indentations form the replaced plugs. When I first got into metal detecting the first thing I noticed was that you can't hunt right up to the edge of a sidewalk because the rebars interfere with your signal. Afte getting a new 4.5" coil for one of my detectors (Bounty Hunter Land Ranger) I found that the rebars didn't interfere with this little coil to the point of getting all those false signals. Since then I have found what seems like a ton of clad right next to the sidewalks in these often hunted parks. Some of them I find a coin about every foot as I go along! Usually the coin isn't over 4" deep and easy to dig as the sidewalk edges seem to hold moisture well. You old timers probably already know this but I haven't seen it written up. A good tip for some of you fellow newbies out there. JIM
P.S. I have spent most of my first six months as a detectorist just coin shooting and learning how to be a detectorist. I now have a top of the line machine and feel about ready to move up to some more sophisticated metal detecting. Thanks to this forum and it's members I know how to get started. Thanks for all the good tips in the past and I am looking forward to all the invaluable information and knowledge to come.

 

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[rvbvetter]

Speaking of sidewalks. I often times like to hunt the grass strips, ( between sidewalk and street curb) in the older sections of town. Have done well at times. Also have noticed, that some of the older sidewalks don't have rebar. Which is good for me, beings i don't have a small coil at the moment. But in those strips i can see how a small coil could really shine. With or without rebar.
Some strips have a heavy concentration of trash that a small coil might peek between. Also they would probably pick up on the coins better ( old and new ) that i often times find on edge next to the sidewalk. HH

 

[onfire]

have been folowing the city breaking sidewalks for years and have never heard of rebar in a city walk ? the thickness is always 5 plus in. therefore no rebar is used.unless your city does it i d recheck all tose hits...

 

[nutso]

have been folowing the city breaking sidewalks for years and have never heard of rebar in a city walk ? the thickness is always 5 plus in. therefore no rebar is used.unless your city does it i d recheck all tose hits...

Up here in the north country a sidewalk without rebar or metal mesh would last two years. They all have them, even the old ones.

 

[Pooley]

I work in the concrete industry, almost but not all of the older sidewalks have wire mesh in them, not rebar, rebar is metal rods anywhere from 3/8" to 1" and they use that for slabs, of course most of your newer sidewalks have a polypropolene fiber for reinforcing. just my 2 cents.

 

[Monty]

I can assure you that if you walk down about any sidewalk in town with your detector on it will send a signal about every 18" or so. Nearly all the concrete work around here requires rebars. I have seen them cuting, bending and wiring it in place. Don't know about the old sidewalks but unless they cut them with a saw they come up in one piece and you can see wires sticking out so at least they have a lot of metal. JIM

 

[lonewolfe]

Good topic/advice Jim!

I'm a long time sidewalk hunter myself!

Have done really well at times using this method!

I've had days where I've found over 100 coins sidewalk hunting!

HH

Lonewolfe

 

[nutso]

There was just an article in our paper that stated: The grassy area between the sidewakl and the road is city property. I was not aware of that. The article was in reference to illegal signs such as "garage sale here". Since I have permision from the city to hunt, I guess I be doing some diggin. Digem up digem up Whoooowhoooo!

 

[dano91]

The area between the sidewalk and the street usually is city property, and it's called curbing when you hunt there.
I did come across the fact that some cities don't own that strip if they make the property owner responsible for sidewalk maintenance and repair.So you should check the cities website to make sure, otherwise you might be on private property.
Some people get mad when you are curbing in front of their house, but if it's city property then you can dig anyway.

 

[dfxdude]

Even though technically the city owns the grass strip between sidewalk and curb, most often in residential areas, the homeowner maintains this space, so I think it would be tacky so assume you can detect and dig at your whim. Playing the Devil's Advocate Role, if you owned the property and maintained the grass between the sidewalk and curb, would you have a problem if someone came along and dug holes in that space, regardless whether they filled the holes or not. I would love to detect those grass strips, but I would feel more comfortable having the homeowners permission even if the city technically owned it.

 

[dano91]

DFXdude you are right and I wouldn't want a pissed off homeowner coming after me either! But Rights are Rights and if it's downtown and they complain ...I'd have to say I know my Rights and aren't giving them up!

 

[nutso]

In the city I am talking about there are alot of parks which I also have permission to hunt. My plan is to now hunt the strips along the parks and outside of the graveyard in the strips. Also along the shoppimg areas where I know the town takes care of.

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

#@!#@^!!!! I hate false signals caused by other metals in the area I am searching. Slides, trailers, foundations, pipes, TV lines, and other hidden construction obstacles.

 

[Monty]

After retiring from the PD I worked as the Manager of of Code enforcement for a city of about half a million population. t was part of our job to be sure the subject area was kept cleaned up, mowed and free of trash and debris and no parking on that area was allowed either. From attending various national Code Enforcement seminars I found that the codes covering the area described were pretty much the same nation wide. Curiously enough the area was legally referred to as, "The Parking" although you couldn't park on it! That strip of land between the sidewalk and curb is not usually owned by the Citiy. It is actually owned by the property owner, but the city has trespass rights in the form of a utility easement, a street rights- of- way or both. If it were other than dexcribed that would be an excetion in my experience. Hope this helps. JIIM