Busybody: " Youre diggin up the park!"

Dirty WhiteBoy

Hero Member
Apr 21, 2009
590
5
Seminole, Florida
Detector(s) used
Whites DFX fine jewelery extraction device
Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

Here is my busybody story.... I'm at the park doin my thing when an old --deleted-- :tard: decides to come up yelling "You're diggin up the park!" :nono: I said excuse me? ??? He said "You're diggin up the park!" >:( I said, so what are you going to do about it? :dontknow: He said I am going to call the police! >:( I said CALL THEM! ;D Then I said would you like me to call them for you? :icon_scratch: I told him I don't know where you are from but I have lived here for 25 years and have been doing this for years.....Go ahead and call the cops because what I am doing is not illegal --deleted--! :tard: So he gets on his phone and calls the cops. :binkybaby: I am not in the least bit worried about it and continued to dig. :P Well, In the meantime he is circling me as he is talking on the phone..I continue to dig. I asked him "Did you call them yet?" Where are they? I'm waiting! Then I asked him when did he purchase the park from the city? ??? Well the popo never showed up. :tongue3: In my city, metal detecting is totally legal in the city parks. :thumbsup: The cops never came and the old --deleted-- vanished! ;D Some people just can't stand to see someone doing something a little different than them and they have to stick their oversized ass into your business! :tard: The moral of the story is....Stand your balanced ground! Do not be at all intimidated by idiots that think they know everything! :tard: :icon_study: If you let people intimidate you away, you will be searching more for areas to hunt than you will be hunting areas! :-\ Had he approached me in a more decent manner and tone of voice I would have been much more courteous to him! ;D I believe in being nice to someone as long as they are nice to me! :-* But, if you approach me like that I will give your --deleted-- back to you 10 fold! >:( >:( >:( I hope you have enjoyed reading about my busybody and I would love to hear your experiences! :cussing: Please tell me about your nightmare busybodies that you have encountered in this hobby! ;D The floor is yours! :icon_jokercolor: I would also like to add that I ALWAYS COVER MY HOLES AND REMOVE MY TRASH!
 

deepskyal

Bronze Member
Aug 17, 2007
1,926
61
Natrona Heights, Pa.
Detector(s) used
White's Coinmaster 6000 Di Series 3, Minelab Eq 600
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

I'm not a normal park guy but have hit a few recently getting used to a new detector.

Yesterday morning, after the rain stopped, there was a whole parade of park workers streaming by and not one batted an eye...

I've only had one sorta bad encounter...a maintainance worker at a small ball park flipped out on me, come charging over waving his hand yelling whoa, whoa, whoa....

He was only worried about me digging into the underground sprinkler system that had been punctured by others before me. They're plastic and you don't know they are there til it's too late.

I saw his point and he told me there were no lines running around the baseball diamond and even told me some guy lost his wedding band there.

Ya just gotta be patient with some people. I know there are "those kind" out there that won't hear of it...guess I'm lucky in my 20+ years I've never met one.

Al
 

Tom_in_CA

Gold Member
Mar 23, 2007
13,837
10,360
Salinas, CA
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Explorer II, Compass 77b, Tesoro shadow X2
Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

If you so much as use a screwdriver to even probe for shallow clad, there's always the chance at getting a "busy-body" to nag. Heck, you can just simply drive down the street, and risk someone flipping you off because they feel you're "going too slow", or "cut them off", or whatever. Will that stop you from driving? Sometimes you gotta just go at more discreet times, to avoid busy-bodies. Ie.: low traffic times, after 5pm when park workers cut out for the day, etc... Not that you're guilty of anything, necessarily, but .......... just like nose-picking: everyone does it, but .... you still be discreet about it, and no one cares.
 

jb7487

Sr. Member
Apr 16, 2009
354
19
Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

I would pull out and show him the letter that I carry around with me from the Parks and Rec Department stating that metal detecting in the park is just fine. Then I would tell him that if he has any problems with my proceeding that he is free to call the police. Finally, if he continued to give me more trouble I'd tell him that I was going to call the cops myself and report him for menacing and that he would be spending the night in jail.

Sometimes people just don't realize how much trouble they can get into by confronting someone and harrasing them. If you remind them that they approached you and are harrassing you and can be arrested for it should you choose to call the cops and press charges they will quickly realize how silly it is for them to be making such a major fuss. The same thing is true of people working for the city. They can come out and bust your chops but when they realize that being nasty to you can result in them losing their job they will usually back off. I haven't had this happen with metal detecting but I have had an overzealous janitor read me the riot act for being in a building that I had every right to be in. Once I implied that I was going to report him for harrassing me he quickly apologized and was on his way.
 

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Dirty WhiteBoy

Dirty WhiteBoy

Hero Member
Apr 21, 2009
590
5
Seminole, Florida
Detector(s) used
Whites DFX fine jewelery extraction device
Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

Good point jb...Well taken! That is the best route to go...that is the legal route and there really is no other way to handle it! :-\
 

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Dirty WhiteBoy

Dirty WhiteBoy

Hero Member
Apr 21, 2009
590
5
Seminole, Florida
Detector(s) used
Whites DFX fine jewelery extraction device
Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

You are right SWR...You cannot detect in a "County" park in Pinellas. ::)
 

B

BIG61AL

Guest
Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

Some people think that the world revolves around them and they own the whole world. Best best is threaten to call the police on them.

two scenarios......police receive a call about some guy with a metal detector digging up the park

...........................Police receive a call from a citizen metal detecting at a park that they were minding their own business when some crazy person is yelling and threaten them....

Who do you think is going to a police responce everytime????
 

Seamuss

Bronze Member
Jan 27, 2009
1,160
10
Found under a rock, in Washington State.
Detector(s) used
Garrett Scorpion, Garrett pro pointer
Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

I tell them to go ahead and call,They don't have enough time for peons like me.

I also make it a point to stair at them till their so uncomfortable that they leave the area.
 

UTcoinshootR

Sr. Member
Mar 5, 2008
274
1
UT!
Detector(s) used
Ace 250, DFX300
Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

Good times. It always makes me laugh when people get so worked up like that. I hope you laughed at him too. I'm glad you gave it right back. People like that are so often the way they are because nobody had the nerve to put them in their place. Maybe next time he will think before he decides to put his nose in someones business.
 

sniffer

Gold Member
Dec 31, 2006
5,906
58
Kansas
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XP DEUS
Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

some people don't have enough to do in their own world, that they feel they should intrude on yours
maybe he married a total control freak, and he was trying to prove he really was a man
 

BuckleBoy

Gold Member
Jun 12, 2006
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Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

Well, if you used the same type of tone in person that you did in the post it won't be long before the squeaky wheels get the grease and we'll all be banned. Happened here to the parks in my city--all 68 of them!! And it was because of ONE incident, and ONE squeaky wheel. Keep in mind, my friend, that you represent all of us out there. Keep your cool. Consider leaving when someone becomes irritated with you--be it a passer-by, a maintenance person, or groundskeeper--and ALWAYS make sure you are in step with the laws and regulations.


Regards,



Buckles
 

scrubber

Full Member
Apr 1, 2009
203
0
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All Treasure Hunting
Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

You have a good point there Buckles about not losing your cool. Whatever we're using to retrieve coins, be it a screwdriver, trowel, penknife or whatever, it could be considered a weapon. If the idiot harassing you accuses you of threatening him, you could be in trouble -- especially if he has a witness and you don't. It's best to stay calm and nonthreatening. Just like in sports, it's not always the guy that started trouble that ends up getting penalized.

scrubber
 

BuckleBoy

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Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

scrubber said:
You have a good point there Buckles about not losing your cool. Whatever we're using to retrieve coins, be it a screwdriver, trowel, penknife or whatever, it could be considered a weapon. If the idiot harassing you accuses you of threatening him, you could be in trouble -- especially if he has a witness and you don't. It's best to stay calm and nonthreatening. Just like in sports, it's not always the guy that started trouble that ends up getting penalized.

scrubber


Well said. 8)
 

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Dirty WhiteBoy

Dirty WhiteBoy

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Apr 21, 2009
590
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Seminole, Florida
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Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

I appreciate the comments buckles... ;D When I'm out there...I represent myself mainly, and also other detectorists as well. :) I would never just consider leaving just because a (passer by) as you said wants me to. :icon_scratch: Never! :nono: Not in a thousand years. :nono: :nono: I have every right to be doing what I am doing, and I also have the right to not be harrassed by some --deleted-- that should be doing nothing more than minding his own business, worrying about himself, and not harrassing other citizens! :thumbsup: As far as the tone of voice I used in the post....In reality it was much louder! :director: :cussing: I handle myself as I see fit. I am not a juvenile. :'( You could say I have definately been around the block in life and I consider myself to be a very "streetwise" person. 8) I know when to say when without somebody else telling me! :icon_study: You're comments are appreciated and I believe your intentions are good. :wink: I thank you in kind for the response because I am interested to know how people handle these situations! ??? As far as I'm concerned, that is the old bow down, let somebody else tell me what to do all the time attitude.... :'( Some people in life are followers and some are leaders...Which do you want to be? :icon_scratch: :stop:
 

ianSF

Full Member
Apr 6, 2006
113
18
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Minelab Excal 1000
Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

I was unknowingly watched by one of the gardeners at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park for 10-15 minutes. He then came up and thanked me for cutting nice clean plugs, getting all the dirt back in the hole and picking up my trash.

After we chatted about detecting for a few minutes, he asked if I happened to come across any brass sprinkler heads in my digging, to please leave them uncovered and mark them with a stick! They have lost track of where they all are!

Just before leaving he told me about a buddy of his, another park employee who was clearing an area with a Bobcat and he noticed a shiny silver coin on the ground he just scraped. He dug around and found the remains of a small glass jar with a couple bucks in silver that someone had buried. The latest date was 1905, so they figure it was buried by one of the many people living in the park after the 1906 earthquake.

No one has ever given me trouble about digging, though one scruffy dude walked over to me from GG Park's Hippy Hill and asked about the detector. He had a proposition for me. He buried a quarter pound of pot a few weeks before and couldn't remember exactly where. It wasn't his and he was in trouble. He said he'd give me an ounce if I could find it for him. I had to explain to the sorry pothead that unless the pot was metal, it wouldn't show up on the detector. Should have drawn himself a "treasure" map! ;D
 

BuckleBoy

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Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

MetalheadFlorida said:
I appreciate the comments buckles... ;D When I'm out there...I represent myself mainly, and also other detectorists as well. :) I would never just consider leaving just because a (passer by) as you said wants me to. :icon_scratch: Never! :nono: Not in a thousand years. :nono: :nono: I have every right to be doing what I am doing, and I also have the right to not be harrassed by some --deleted-- that should be doing nothing more than minding his own business, worrying about himself, and not harrassing other citizens! :thumbsup: As far as the tone of voice I used in the post....In reality it was much louder! :director: :cussing: I handle myself as I see fit. I am not a juvenile. :'( You could say I have definately been around the block in life and I consider myself to be a very "streetwise" person. 8) I know when to say when without somebody else telling me! :icon_study: You're comments are appreciated and I believe your intentions are good. :wink: I thank you in kind for the response because I am interested to know how people handle these situations! ??? As far as I'm concerned, that is the old bow down, let somebody else tell me what to do all the time attitude.... :'( Some people in life are followers and some are leaders...Which do you want to be? :icon_scratch: :stop:

Well I can tell you this--you can bet your Bottom Dollar that my intentions are good! My reply was not about you, or your maturity, or anything about you, except for how your actions represent all of us. I've always tried to think in terms of being the least of an agitator that I can be with our PR. The ability for everyone to enjoy and use our parks is much more important than a few grubby pennies in my pouch one day out of the whole MDing season.

I also try to pick my battles.


So I wasn't coming onto your thread to down you in any way--just to ask you to always consider the bigger picture. Like I said, Over 60 parks are closed to detectorists in Louisville KY due to One incident of One person having a hot temper and being stubborn. If you don't believe me, you can find it in the posts here on the forum. In a time like that, we'd all still be able to metal detect the parks here if someone had decided to "be a follower." And it doesn't take much street sense to figure that one out.



Best Wishes,



Buckles
 

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Dirty WhiteBoy

Dirty WhiteBoy

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Apr 21, 2009
590
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Seminole, Florida
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Whites DFX fine jewelery extraction device
Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

Ankh said:
A used syringe (with the point snapped off) in your trash pouch is a good argument breaker.Whup it out and say"your grandchild could have gotten stuck by this nasty needle,i did you a favor".

Very creative Ankh! Very creative! :icon_pirat: I like it! :thumbsup: I will remember that one! ;D The old medical waste trick...That would be enough to make even me go away! ;D ;D ;D Call Hazmat now! :help: :sign13:
 

BuckleBoy

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Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

Ankh said:
A used syringe (with the point snapped off) in your trash pouch is a good argument breaker.Whup it out and say"your grandchild could have gotten stuck by this nasty needle,i did you a favor".

This is a GREAT idea! :thumbsup:
 

Rd2nowr

Jr. Member
Jan 2, 2008
65
1
Alabama
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Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

I've had this happen once. I pulled my Badge and ID ( I'm a reserve deputy) and asked what THEIR problem was? Never so much as another word! Sometimes it pays to get some LE training under your belt. Tim
 

ianSF

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Apr 6, 2006
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Re: Busybody: " You're diggin up the park!"

<b>I live in a rural area,so needles in the city park a rare. </b>

Wish I could say the same. I see at least 4-5 every time I go park hunting in San Francisco. That's why I always wear boots, knee pads and scrape the ground with the shovel first before digging. Damn junkies.
 

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