A little help please?

[Terry Soloman]

The "Task Force for Metal Detecting Rights," is meeting with the NYC Parks Commission this Monday, June 13th. If you have time over the weekend, please send a short email to the Commissioner in support of the hobby, and keeping all of our American public parks open to it!

email: adrian.benepe@parks.nyc.gov

Here is mine as an example - and THANK YOU!

Dear Commissioner Benepe,

I urge you to seriously consider the opinions and concerns of the Task Force for Metal Detecting Rights, during your upcoming meeting on Monday. Metal detectorists from all over the United States, are following this subject closely. I know that New York City wants to treat all of its citizens and visitors fairly. Metal detecting in New York City Parks is a wholesome, family-friendly experience that should be celebrated. This is a chance for the NYC Parks Department to get to know our hobby, and how we can better work together towards the future of our public parks.

Sincerely,

Terry Soloman - White Plains, New York

 

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[spartacus53]

Terry,

I guess you may have thought I was all talk and no action. I'm afraid not buddy. Here is my letter, sent this morning. Don't worry, my name was on the outgoing e-mail


Honorable Commissioner Benepe,

It is my understanding that you have a meeting with the organization Task Force for Metal Detecting Rights, this coming week to discuss the hobby of metal detecting in certain parks and the restrictions in some parks. I am confident this group will be able to address any concerns you have about this hobby as a whole. Unlike many other hobbies and other outdoor activities, metal detecting does not require any work to make lanes i.e. bicycle path's, ball courts, or any other structure that will require maintenance on the city's behalf.

I would also like to take a moment to explain one of the benefits attached to this hobby. I would say an overwhelming majority of participants in this hobby, will leave the ground in a better condition they when they arrived, by removing much of the trash already buried in these parks, by other users. In addition, it is another set of eyes on the parks, making sure that our precious commodity is not ruined by vandals.

Although I no longer reside in NYC, I have spent the majority of my life, well over 35 years in 3 boroughs. I still have many friends and family, some that are also looking to get into this hobby, and of these friends and family 90% are either ex servicemen, or Boy Scouts. So we fully understand the importance of having the right to enjoy our hobby, as others have the right to enjoy theirs.

Sincerely,

Whiting, NJ

 

[Terry Soloman]

Terry,

I guess you may have thought I was all talk and no action. I'm afraid not buddy. Here is my letter, sent this morning. Don't worry, my name was on the outgoing e-mail


Honorable Commissioner Benepe,

It is my understanding that you have a meeting with the organization Task Force for Metal Detecting Rights, this coming week to discuss the hobby of metal detecting in certain parks and the restrictions in some parks. I am confident this group will be able to address any concerns you have about this hobby as a whole. Unlike many other hobbies and other outdoor activities, metal detecting does not require any work to make lanes i.e. bicycle path's, ball courts, or any other structure that will require maintenance on the city's behalf.

I would also like to take a moment to explain one of the benefits attached to this hobby. I would say an overwhelming majority of participants in this hobby, will leave the ground in a better condition they when they arrived, by removing much of the trash already buried in these parks, by other users. In addition, it is another set of eyes on the parks, making sure that our precious commodity is not ruined by vandals.

Although I no longer reside in NYC, I have spent the majority of my life, well over 35 years in 3 boroughs. I still have many friends and family, some that are also looking to get into this hobby, and of these friends and family 90% are either ex servicemen, or Boy Scouts. So we fully understand the importance of having the right to enjoy our hobby, as others have the right to enjoy theirs.

Sincerely,

Whiting, NJ

Spart, Thank You - That's from my heart! Your letter is - PERFECT! I never doubted you, or your passion! Here's to you, and many more friendly, ahhh.. discussions!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I will also send one Terry......

 

[spartacus53]

Terry,

I felt that I was obligated and this was part of my job. If I advance any higher, this would be my career. And if this were my career, I'd have to throw myself in front of a train.

I look forward to an update and the outcome of the meeting. If this Task Force is not successful, my next e-mail will be a bit more cutting I would hate to have to take the time to straighten out this situation by going down there in person

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Mine was just sent with a pics of the kids detecting program, and some of us side by side with the police dept. recovering stolen jewelry from home invasions. Well, I'm not in that photo I guess.

Good work Terry

 

[spartacus53]

Woodland Detectors, ahh, working with the police, you see that is a concept that completely escaped me What we needed on the other thread were more good ideas as the one you presented.

My ideas aren't always for the faint of heart, nor do I pull any punches, but I do get attention

The best I can do now is keep the topic alive, even if they hate me

 

[Terry Soloman]

Mike, TH, and everyone - THANK YOU!

PS - TH, I love your paintings!!! The wolf is my favorite. Here is my wolf from a few years ago - Cheers!

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Nice picture Terry, I love the concept..........

 

[spartacus53]

Well, this is your chance to have a voice. So for Terry's effort, please write an e-mail to the commissioner today, or tomorrow and give him some food for thought.

 

[Smudge]

I sent an email too, but left my address off.

I figured if they saw it came from Florida, they wouldn't pay any attention. Hope it helps.

Folks, I have something I want to say here.

I hope everyone will please take a moment to read what I am about to say.

I don't like to soapbox, but we have a problem that is spreading. A real problem. And it is going to affect you personally. If not today, then soon.

We are losing our ability to metal detect parks and other public areas. Where I live in Orlando, right now you need permits to hunt certain parks, not others, and you have to guess which is which. You can be fined if you guess wrong, or else run off the park. In the neighboring county parks of Brevard, metal detecting is banned. Period.

Of course the reason is some detectorists leaving big holes in the ground. We all know that. We've heard it time and time again.

I know that some of you are feeling apathetic about the whole thing. I know the attitude: "hey, my area's ok, so I've got nothing to worry about right now."

The problem is, you do have something to worry about, and right now.

There is a steamroller going through communities large and small. A few complaints and parks departments are simply banning detecting in one park after another without taking into account the actions of responsible detectorists because we sit on our hands and say nothing, or at best we come on these forums and complain about losing our parks.

Too little, too late.

And it is happening in urban, suburban, and rural areas.

It is coming to your area. Make no mistake. It is going to happen.

Am I an alarmist? You bet. I see what's happening to my area and I don't want it to happen to yours.

I'm not a "joiner", but if we don't start banding together and support each other, even those on the other side of the country, we are going to lose some of our favorite hunting sites. If you can't attend a rally or go to parks meeting, is sending an email asking too much?

We have a voice, all of us. But its useless if we never use it when we need it most.

With so many people getting into this hobby without a grasp of any code of ethics, they may not understand the damage they are doing.

If you are one of the hole diggers, please, please, please, start filling your holes. You are killing this hobby for everyone, including yourself, Yes, you. You are hurting yourself. You don't have to get caught and cited for vandalism. They find the hole. They close the park to detecting. For everyone. Including you.

If they close a park or other public area in your area to metal detecting, how would you feel? What would you do about it? You need to think about that. Right now.

Forgive me if I sound pushy. All I feel is urgency about this.

And now, back to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

[spartacus53]

Well said Smudge

Take to heart what Smudge said, because, what happens in NY, starts the trend for the rest of the nation.

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Well said Smudge

Take to heart what Smudge said, because, what happens in NY, starts the trend for the rest of the nation.

And that's a fact. It's always been like that.

 

[gadigger81]

Terry, I just sent an e-mail also. Best of luck to you guys at the meeting! It's a great thing yall are doing!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I feel for you in NY, where there is apparently move under-foot to "make official" some new rule. I have no problem with trying to open closed areas, fight those things with solidarity, etc.... The only thing I would add to this thread, is that we all need to be cautious that the following impulse reaction doesn't occur, when people in other areas read a thread like this.

Take for example the following quote from Smudge:

" ...... you need permits to hunt certain parks, not others, and you have to guess which is which. You can be fined if you guess wrong, or else run off the park .... "

Some people would read that, and this whole "off limits in NY" and "coming to a town near you" warnings, and therefore run out and do the following: Walk in to city hall, wherever they live, and make sure to ask if they can detect in the parks in their own town. Afterall, they don't want to be "fined" as was suggested here, right? Afterall, "you can't be too safe", right?

But what happens next, is almost a self-fulfilling prophecy. Perhaps where they're at, there are no prohibitions. However, when a deskbound bureaucrat fields the question, gets mental images of geeks with shovels, so tells you "no". Mind you, they may never have noticed, and detecting has simply gone on in that city's parks, since the dawn of time. So you see, we can sometimes effectively "get rules written" to "address our pressing issue".

So all I would add to this thread is, that if someone reading this wonders if this all should cause them alarm in their own locale, is not to go down groveling for permission (as if md'ing were somehow inherently evil), but rather, if they wonder if there's any rules, to look it up themselves. City park's rules and city laws are usually written on the city's website. Do a keyword search under "metal detecting" or whatever. If it is silent on the issue, then so be it. Just use obvious discretion during retrieval, go at low traffic times, don't draw attention from kill-joys, etc...

 

[Smudge]

I feel for you in NY, where there is apparently move under-foot to "make official" some new rule. I have no problem with trying to open closed areas, fight those things with solidarity, etc.... The only thing I would add to this thread, is that we all need to be cautious that the following impulse reaction doesn't occur, when people in other areas read a thread like this.

Take for example the following quote from Smudge:

" ...... you need permits to hunt certain parks, not others, and you have to guess which is which. You can be fined if you guess wrong, or else run off the park .... "

Some people would read that, and this whole "off limits in NY" and "coming to a town near you" warnings, and therefore run out and do the following: Walk in to city hall, wherever they live, and make sure to ask if they can detect in the parks in their own town. Afterall, they don't want to be "fined" as was suggested here, right? Afterall, "you can't be too safe", right?

But what happens next, is almost a self-fulfilling prophecy. Perhaps where they're at, there are no prohibitions. However, when a deskbound bureaucrat fields the question, gets mental images of geeks with shovels, so tells you "no". Mind you, they may never have noticed, and detecting has simply gone on in that city's parks, since the dawn of time. So you see, we can sometimes effectively "get rules written" to "address our pressing issue".

So all I would add to this thread is, that if someone reading this wonders if this all should cause them alarm in their own locale, is not to go down groveling for permission (as if md'ing were somehow inherently evil), but rather, if they wonder if there's any rules, to look it up themselves. City park's rules and city laws are usually written on the city's website. Do a keyword search under "metal detecting" or whatever. If it is silent on the issue, then so be it. Just use obvious discretion during retrieval, go at low traffic times, don't draw attention from kill-joys, etc...

A fair thought. I do know of at least person though who didn't ask beforehand, had no idea a permit was needed, and actually got fined right there in the park.

It is definitely a double edged sword. Ask, and a desk hound might start getting officious. Don't ask, and you can be fined. If more of that happens, we may not have a choice.

 

[Terry Soloman]

Smudge - GADigger - Tom - - Everybody, WoW!

First of all Thank You for helping our hobby/sport/lifestyle/passion/passtime/profession. Smudge, your post - "I hope everyone will please take a moment to read what I am about to say." was so good I darn near cried! and Tom! You really brought up some valid points - People must be more responsible and SELF reliant. We need to use our heads, excerise a little common sense, and be sensitive to the fact that there will always be adverse reactions to a "treasure hunter" by a third of the general population. As a perfect example of what type of people metal detect - let's look at GADigger for a second. Here is a guy that has spent HOURS and HOURS, trying to track down a veteran in a photo, so that he can return that momento (found on his lawn after the huge tornado outbreak that roared across Alabama and into Georgia). This -IS- the metal detecting community, and I am proud to be associated with it, and all of you!

 

[spartacus53]

Tom_in_CA, the biggest thing you don't realize is that NYC changes the rules on a whim.. Not just for metal detecting either...

If you think I am blowing wind with, So goes NYC, so goes that nation, you best think again. Many bans start in NYC, once embedded it spreads to the other states like wild fire. Just look at smoking...
Go to City Hall They can't even keep up with the changes

Take a little peek at what may be coming to your area next. The post below is a new law that just went into affect. New laws are popping every day here... I dare you to keep up with them.. By the way, you may be able to hunt a park, but not within 50 of plants Duh, it's a park, not a concrete jungle


http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,406778.0.html

You won't see it ever happening around you, until it's too late, and already in place.

 

[Frankn]

Well I sent mine but I can't get the cut & paste to work here. Frank

I did add a picture to show how we save the past.

 

[gadigger81]

Terry, I was just curious how things went today?? Hope all went well!