how a mid 1600's dig got slaughtered----all it takes is ONE or more IDIOTS______

[port ewen ace]

spent Fri., Sat., Sun., & Mon. from 4 to 7 PM with FMERG at a colonial parking lot rip out. we got there Tues., dug for about 30 min. when a snoop capital B yells out--do you have permission etc.---- cop shows up in a few and says "get written permission from the city", contractor says ---no problem, you are neat, so have at it. Frank talks to the new mayor---he goes on about liability ( we ALWAYS WAIVE it), need a hard hat, vest and on and on and on--his fool city engineer says no way no how. these 3 LOSERS have no idea what they have doomed to eternal oblivion. we will notify the archie and city historian about some of the finds so they can rain holy H^ll down on these "officials". our only hope is to get access to the dirt being dumped at the contractor site, other than that---IT'S ALL GONE FOREVER. every worker at the site was amazed as they approached me to see my finds today--- too bad a bunch of rats were running around with their ties and clipboards overseeing the project. as a note: we never entered the site until work ended for the day. Colonial American Horror Story

 

[david680]

Yep. Give a man a official title and most of them turn into....I'll just drop it there.

 

[against the wind]

That sucjs!

 

[ScubaDetector]

Sorry that happened. I called a place today and got the same reply. Liability issues. Back in the 30's and before there were plenty of swim rafts in deeper water and places to jump off. All gone. liability. Sue happy Americans and lawyers.

Do you know why they bury lawyers 12' down instead of the customary 6 when they die?



Cause deep down they are really good people.

I do have a question. Is it fenced off at night? If not and you had permission from the contractors, maybe go back and if an officer comes explain your permission. Not all officers would care.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Sorry to hear of your negative experience.

 

[Diggin Dude]

City officials, freaking disgusting. Why is there such prejudice with what we do?

Keep the faith

 

[villagenut]

I have had similar bad experiences, so I feel your pain. In reality, most archaeologists will probably agree with the buzzkillers and tell you No you cant dig there...but at the same time, they will not dig either. For them to do so they would have to get a grant from the university or whoever they are affiliated with and they would have to know something special is there to dig up or go after. Most will not just dig random colonial sites but if there were old Indian graves on the site, then the whole project would shut down for them to investigate. It is a shame that sites like yours gets covered and NOBODY but us cares or takes it as personal.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

Oh man that stinks! The contractor sounds like a nice guy though. Perhaps he would be open to letting you "work" for him as a volunteer intern! His men are allowed to work there, so if he "hires" you can "work" there all you want. I live in an area where Colonial sites and Civil War sites are routinely paved over and built on. It kills me to think of what gets entombed under those buildings, concrete and pavement.

 

[Gridwalker306]

Sorry to hear this, it made me sick to read your post. I work construction and some sites are just absolutely ridiculous, especially when it's a city or government project. I've been on sites where it takes more time filling out paperwork than actually working. Hazard assessment, safety protocol, orientation, daily work plan, tool checks, it never ends. Gloves, glasses, hard hats, vest, steel toes, earplugs, tying off. Having a person with a clipboard at the bottom of a staircase watching to ensure workers use the stairs "properly". I've seen guys written up because there was a balled up piece of tape on the floor, or for not walking around and checking every connection etc on their saw before EVERY CUT. I have walked off these sites and quit more than once. I prefer to work residential jobs in my comfortable shoes, shorts and shirt with no sleeves.

Sorry for my rant, but I can see how these a$$clowns would shut down your dig without even trying to hear your case.

Can you go back on the weekend or evening?

 

[A2coins]

To many people are so shallow and simple Sorry to hear that!!!!!!!!!!

 

[port ewen ace]

OA, I like your "intern" idea, a vest & hardhat are the easy part. always wear steel toe, had an electrician drop a manhole cover on my foot at a prison I worked at a few years back---cut the leather, toes were fine. hope the contractor allows us to search the dirt being hauled off site. no snooping be@tches or "engineers", limp jointed hacks to worry about "safety". 2 years back at a CLOSED DOWN school I sprained an ankle and tore a rotator and bicep tendon during a fall in a rut hidden by uncut grass----did I sue the school district---NO!! it ain't over 'til this non- fat guy sings>>>>and I suck at singing. at least I got my 1st 1600's WILLIAM III coin to soothe the rage I'ze be feelin'______________and that, fellow diggers, is my 2 Cents worth :--)

Oh man that stinks! The contractor sounds like a nice guy though. Perhaps he would be open to letting you "work" for him as a volunteer intern! His men are allowed to work there, so if he "hires" you can "work" there all you want. I live in an area where Colonial sites and Civil War sites are routinely paved over and built on. It kills me to think of what gets entombed under those buildings, concrete and pavement.

 

[CRUSADER]

spent Fri., Sat., Sun., & Mon. from 4 to 7 PM with FMERG at a colonial parking lot rip out. we got there Tues., dug for about 30 min. when a snoop capital B yells out--do you have permission etc.---- cop shows up in a few and says "get written permission from the city", contractor says ---no problem, you are neat, so have at it. Frank talks to the new mayor---he goes on about liability ( we ALWAYS WAIVE it), need a hard hat, vest and on and on and on--his fool city engineer says no way no how. these 3 LOSERS have no idea what they have doomed to eternal oblivion. we will notify the archie and city historian about some of the finds so they can rain holy H^ll down on these "officials". our only hope is to get access to the dirt being dumped at the contractor site, other than that---IT'S ALL GONE FOREVER. every worker at the site was amazed as they approached me to see my finds today--- too bad a bunch of rats were running around with their ties and clipboards overseeing the project. as a note: we never entered the site until work ended for the day. Colonial American Horror Story

Instead of getting mad get even. If you can't beat them join them.
Over here, they even stopped me going & helping free on Archie sites (bearing in mind I handed in everything I found) because I didn't have the right H&S certificate. Its a £30 online course, been meaning to do it, but no need right now.
So my point is find out what they need so they can cover their arse;
Do the course?
Wear the high viz & hat
Do the risk assessments etc...
Then your be the only detecting outfit geared up to do those sites in future.
There is always a way around, might be a bit of bother, but how bothered are you?

 

[digger460]

It's to bad we couldn't invite some city officials on a hunt. Take them out for a nice long 7 or 8 hr. hunt, and see them in traction the next day They would probably say " man if you want to go through that, have at it"

Sign off on liability, and get out of my way "Suits"

 

[tomhighland]

Here's a way to keep the snoops out of your hair. Buy a white hardhat, an orange vest, a clipboard and a couple of traffic cones. Make yourself look "official". Nobody bothers a working man. Anyone wanders up tell them it's a closed site and they need to stay back behind the barriers. Too late for this one, but next time....!

 

[CRUSADER]

Here's a way to keep the snoops out of your hair. Buy a white hardhat, an orange vest, a clipboard and a couple of traffic cones. Make yourself look "official". Nobody bothers a working man. Anyone wanders up tell them it's a closed site and they need to stay back behind the barriers. Too late for this one, but next time....!

Heard of that before, but why not go one step further now you have the PPE & make it official. Then you really can tell them to mind their own business.

 

[OutdoorAdv]

...2 years back at a CLOSED DOWN school I sprained an ankle and tore a rotator and bicep tendon during a fall in a rut hidden by uncut grass----did I sue the school district---NO!! ...

Nor would I. But sadly it's those people that do sue for frivolous reasons, looking for a quick payday, that have inflated insurance and created all those liability issues. So I can sort of see where the "officials" are coming from... and it sucks for us good guys. It would never cross my mind to sue someone because I made a mistake and hurt myself... I would take accountability for my own mistake.

 

[DigToChina]

OA, I like your "intern" idea... at least I got my 1st 1600's WILLIAM III coin to soothe the rage I'ze be feelin'______________and that, fellow diggers, is my 2 Cents worth :--)

Sweet coin!

OA's idea is awesome although if the City Engineer has already said no, the contractor might think twice now. I wonder if it would also help to take a case of beer or two when you talk to him. If it doesn't grease the wheels for the actual lot at this point, it sure wouldn't hurt the chances for the cleared dirt. You can say it's a "thank you for him being cool with it to begin with". Start with that so it doesn't look like there are strings attached. It will still help because most people will want to return kindness and he's already shown he's not a knob.

Who did the cops say you had to get permission from? Would it have been okay to stop asking at the contractor or was it a cascade where everyone said yes but passed the buck until the final D-bag had his/her say?

DigToChina

 

[ivan salis]

well you could say in reply ---be careful --there "MIGHT" BE UNEXPLODED REV WAR CANNON BALLS ABOUT ... for safety reasons -- I'm looking for them to "be sure" everything is safe ,,,, yah and I "MIGHT" HIT THE POWERBALL TOO...

 

[alabama11]

Wimpy people fear history.

 

[ArDirtSlinger]

Sadly it's that way all over the country now if a Corporation owns the property. Lawyers and Politician's necessary evils