Theyre tearin out the sidewalks by my house... GRRR.....

[Boatlode]

If anybody says anything just tell them "I'm with the government. I'm here to help."

 

[Tom_in_CA]

I'm deeply ashamed of all these "just do it" posts In order to be law-abiding, you need to go talk to the city attorney, and ask him "Hi. Can I please step over yellow ticker tape ribbon, beyond the orange cones, into a closed construction zone. So that I can dig holes, and take city property [the coins] for my own enrichment and pleasure". Then hand him a search and salvage contract for him to sign. ONLY when you get a "yes", can you proceed. Afterall, you "wouldn't want to get arrested", right? And afterall, you "can't be too safe" right?

I just don't know how you people sleep at night. I mean, tsk tsk "looking over your should ninja style" in closed zones. What else do you think those barricades or ribbon was there for ? For LOOKS ? No. Of course not. It was to keep people out. So go do the right thing and ask first !

 

[uglymailman]

What Watercolor said. Honesty is the best policy and you might get more property to hunt.
I was doing a land survey in Sioux City,Ia. A couple of kids came out to watch us and asked what we were doing. My crew Chief told them we were extending the runway for the airport. About 10 min.s later Mom came wanting to know about a runway extension as the airport is like 10 miles away. She was not pleased.

 

[dholland02]

The time of the year I always look forward to are street tear-up's
Any ground that's been scrapped from the sidewalk to the street is fair game.

Weekend mornings and after dinner on weekdays. . . homeowners I've met on tear-up blocks have always been curious
what we find and some have even offered to let us hunt their property (1890's homes).

One last thing. . . be honest.
Your interested in history and what might have been lost under the slabs for the past 80-years and
the last thing you want are homeowners asking you questions about street project details you can't answer.

Have fun!

U just tell them the reason for the tear out is. There's rumors of the teenage mutant ninja turtle living in the sewers under the tear out.

 

[rickv14623]

Hunt it and report back!

 

[Jeremy S]

Go very early in the morning or late evening when no one is around. I wouldn't impersonate or lie about being a utility worker, that's just asking for someone to make phone calls about you and stir up trouble. An orange vest isn't a bad idea, a lot of joggers wear them so cars can see them. Nobody will question a guy near a construction site wearing a bright colors safety vest!

Act like you belong there and nobody will even notice you. Act all skittish and asking everyone who walks by for permission, you will attract attention.

Go for it and move fast, the city workers typically don't leave a street or sidewalk torn up very long. Last summer I was on my way to detect a torn up sidewalk in an old neighborhood. As they were tearing it up, a crew was right behind them framing in the new one, followed by a concrete truck. Nothing was left torn out overnight for me to detect!

 

[Hot zone]

Never let fear or common sense get in your way...it's treasure ... Go for it! Or some real Th'r will beat you too it!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

... I wouldn't impersonate or lie about being a utility worker, that's just asking for someone to make phone calls about you and stir up trouble.

Nobody will question a guy near a construction site wearing a bright colors safety vest! ....

Huh? seems like a contradiction there Jeremy

But I like how you say:

... Act like you belong there and nobody will even notice you. Act all skittish and asking everyone who walks by for permission, you will attract attention....

This is so true ! It's 99% of all our permission issues solved ! Because you're right: if you're detecting ANYWHERE (a park, a sidewalk tearout, etc..) and are acting all evasive, looking around at passer-bys with the "on no, does he see me?" type look, then you can BET that .... people will catch those vibes. And say to themselves "gee, what's that guy doing?" . Great psychology wrapped up in this !

When I was young, I knew a guy who was only about 20 yrs. old here in CA (below the drinking age of 21 yrs.). He proudly boasted that he could get into any bar in town. I knew this couldn't be true, since I knew he wasn't legal age yet. But he persisted in saying he could get into any bar in town. So I said to him "ah, then you must have fake ID, right?" (which was the popular method amongst under-age minors in my town, when I was young). But he replied: " nope, no fake ID. I just walk right into any bar in town" Now he REALLY had my curiosity up, so I gave in and asked him "ok then, how do you do it?"

What he said has always stuck with me, and it plays into the pyschology of md'ing too: He said "I just walk right in like I own the place. And no one ever cards me". [And mind you, this guy did NOT look 21 or older either]. Because you see, he had figured out that the only people the door bouncer cards, is those people who act skittishly, evasively, avoid eye-contact, walk a wide-berth as far as they can, etc.... So my friend would walk RIGHT UP to the bouncer with a giant smile, shake his hand and say "how ya doing tonight?" . And then walk right in. Never got carded.

 

[Jeremy S]

Huh? seems like a contradiction there Jeremy

Wearing an orange safety vest seems pretty harmless. Telling people you work for the utility company sounds pretty shady.

If you really want to blend in, spray paint your detector green and slap a "WeedEater" sticker on it

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Jeremy , I thought that wearing an orange vest was to make people think you were a worker .