Got harrassed today!!

[lafatlife]

Was on the outskirts of the baseball field at our high school and 2 of the junior high kids came running across the field yelling to get off the field and that it was their field. They were throwing coins (good for us) and yelling. One of them said "I'm gonna call the cops" I told them to go ahead and while they were at it, they could call the head of parks and rec whom I have permission from. They were still mouthing off until I informed them that I worked at the school. (They know who I am) and they walked away.

Well about 20 minutes later the cops come up. It just so happens it was one of the guys I went to school with. I asked him if the kids called and he said no that someone driving by called someone on the finance board who called the police.

I told him I had permission to work the fields in town and he said that's fine as long as I fill my holes. I told him to look around and see if he sees any holes. Of course he didn't and we talked for a bit. He told me that this finance board person is a PITA so he had to stop by. We laughed about it and left a few minutes later because the black flies were drawing blood!!

Needless to say my friend and I found a total of $1.29 and a silver mickey mouse ring. I don't have pictures because I just got home but thought I would share my experience with you all.

Thanks for reading!

 

[MD Dog]

A boot in the ass would do the parents and teachers even more good as well as teaching the kids a lesson.

 

[Ray S ECenFL]

Kids, can't hit em or eat em.

Rut Roe..........





I do not mind the kids actions half as much as I mind the drive by busy body. Some folks need to get a life.

Ray S

 

[jb7487]

it's the someone driving by called someone on the finance committee who then called the cops.

That's what bothers me too. Are these people misinterpreting what we are doing? Or do they just see metal detecting as criminal in some way? I just don't get it...

 

[Mental Granny]

And the person who drove by if ya asked them "What is it about detecting that bothers you so much?" They would probably start stammering and going its its why its just .... oh how dare you just go away or...or I'll call the Police Cheif I (or my husband) has coffee at the donut shop with him every Saturday morning!

 

[lafatlife]

Well the way I look at it is this....the boys told their parents who of course saw us when they picked the kids up and reported to their "friend" who just happened to be on the board of finance and that person was told that someone was digging up the ball field. The BOYS ball field at that. If it were just the girls field they wouldn't have had a problem. And remember the game where you tell someone something and you are supposed to repeat it to the next person? It was probably distorted by the time the cops got the info.

The cop was talking to me and then he says..."hey you know where a good place would be? At the field after the carnival". He then had to leave because he had actual police work to do with a car accident.

This is a very small town and everyone has to be in everyone's business or spread rumors. It just bugged me because we were not doing anything wrong and filling our holes. You couldn't even tell we were there.

Ok, on the better news. I found a first at the house!! My first Indian Head penny and it's dated 1900!. It was only about an inch in the ground near a big tree. I also found what I think is a pendulum for a clock the the big round piece is probably lead because it is really heavy. The neatest piece for me anyway is the decorative portion of an old lightning rod. It is star shaped but one of the prongs is missing. I also found some modern clad. I will post pics tomorrow.

Thanks for reading everyone!!

 

[allen]

just remember kids are adults after they get 18 !!!
then, kick their a$$e$ big time !!

 

[Thigh66]

Those kids were seriously flucking w/ you... Somehow (as much as I hate to think) if you were a 6'2" 240 guy,,, they would just keep on going.

In any event - I am happy that it all worked out for you.

 

[MD Dog]

I was a cop for along time and I can tell you there was no one from the Finance board driving by. The Kids called the police and the police used a technique called deflection of blame it is just a knee jerk reaction that is habitual with most cops if you guess who called them and reported you. They were trying to protect the kids from repercussions should you have known them. It is easier to put the blame on an imaginary bad person rather than let the blame for their actions fall on themselves or the actual reporter. For instance I'm walking through a park and someone comes over complaining about a large groups partying and music is too loud. I go over and tell this group that I happen to really appreciate their loud music so I can enjoy it as I walk my beat, but some old lady has complained and I have to do my job and ask them to turn it down. There was no old lady but it deflects the blame from me or the real reporter.

 

[crazyjarhead]

Kids are kids but adults should get a life and mind their own business.

Julien

 

[relichunters]

Amazing how stupid some people are. (the kids). I've detected at a dozen different schools with not a single problem. The only one that anything happened was a school next to a protected battlefield, the grass cutting crew guy just wanted to warn me if being on protected battlefield land (I was on the school property) that someone might have a problem with it, he said my choice he doesn't give a flip if I detect or not, just didn't want to see me yelled at.

 

[Mental Granny]

Well that was ok just to warn ya to stay on the school and not get on the battlefield, that just helped you.

 

[lafatlife]

Ok, it gets better and better now. It was a person driving by that is on the finance committee who complained. I told the Athletic Director about it this morning and he said he knew about it already. (word travels fast in a small town) Anyway, he sent an email to the complainer stating who I was and that I work here and that I had permission. This person said that they didn't know me and that they spoke with the park and rec guy and that he said he didn't give anyone permission to metal detect. I doubt he spoke with Marty or else Marty forgot he gave me permission. Then the complainer proceeded to say that it was not the parks and rec dept that can give permission but the board of education. Last I looked we elected the board and our taxes pay for the land that the schools are on, and the parks and rec department maintain them.

Anyway, the assistant coach complained about 2 detectorists being there awhile ago and left a big hole. I told the AD that it was not me and he said..."oh I know, it was 2 guys". Then he says, "do me a favor, just don't detect here for a while so that we can see who it is"

Small town politics are ridiculous!

 

[tapoutking]

Good God. Talk about petty bs.

 

[Ray S ECenFL]

Do you need permission from the Board of Education to take you son to the field to play catch or Fly an RC plane? If your reply is no, then why would you have to ask permission to metal detect? Unless there is a county ordance against it, you are not doing anything wrong and should not have to ask permission to enjoy your hobby on public property.

Ray S

 

[michigan michael]

Happens to all of us at one point. Mine came from 5 teens yelling ohhh find any gold treasure yet? ha ha and constant harassment from that point on. They threw coins and called out names and I took it for a while until I stood up and set em straight. They still continued to disrespect me a little until I pulled a ring out of the ground and then what I was doing was pretty cool and I was an alright guy.

 

[Company F]

People need to mind their own business and leave us MDers alone. Why weren't those little b*stards home playing video games like normal kids.

 

[scrubber]

To me, it's fairly obvious why why most complaints happen when we're seen MDing on school playgrounds. It's the idea that the area should be reserved for kids' activities and that we adults shouldn't in any way interfere with that, which many see us as doing. I can't totally fault them for that mindset unless the facility is not currently being occupied by kids' activity. I do not feel we have a blanket equal right to be there just because it's "public" property.

In a park tot-lot the other day, a woman said, "I'm sorry if my son's getting in your way." I said, "No, your son has right-of-way here. It's my responsibility to stay out of his way." It's inappropriate for two adults to start throwing a frisbee in a tot-lot, just as it would be on a baseball or soccer field while kids are using it. All three of those areas are their space first, not ours. No, MDing is not as invasive as frisbee-throwing, but whether we're "getting in the way" is definitely a judgement call.

It's not surprising that a lot of kids get upset when we're encroaching on "their turf". After all, they're constantly being reprimanded for getting in adults' way. They should have areas they can consider theirs, and I try to respect that.

scrubber

 

[olepossum]

found a old ring with heart design and a place for a setting the stone was gone it was a preciuos stone it had a hole from top to bottom of the setting no gold just guilded was gonna go back but i dont have any whites cover ups for my dfx 300 so i am at the library with my kids school is out oh boy

 

[lafatlife]

Scrubber, I would never detect a field with kids on it. In fact, I hate going places where there are a lot of people around. I won't detect the tot lots unless there are no kids there.

The ball players I mentioned had just come back from an away game. Ironically there was a father and son playing catch on the girls field and another father and son doing something else towards the boys field.

I was so far out in the boys left field that it was almost at the base of the hill. They should not have come running out like that and threatening me. For crying out loud, I work at the school!

The boys are more important in this town. Everything revolves around the boys sports. (Sorry fellas) If anything can affect the boys the town gets riled up. If it is the girls teams, there is very little upheaval over anything. It is sad really because the girls teams overall are better than the boys.

 

[lafatlife]

Re: Got harrassed today!! And my finds at the old house

Ok, here are my finds! My first indian head penny! It is dated 1900. That star looking thing I was told was the decorative house end of a lightning rod. The other thing with the bar in the middle my guess is that it was a weight or pedulum for a clock. It is really heavy so I am also guessing that the round part is made of lead.

There is $1.09 in clad as well as 3 wheaties. 1 Chewed up clad penny, a toy car and what looks like a dog figure for cutting dough.

Enjoy!!