reply
..... I ask what the legal law is when pertaining to an activity I wish to conduct. I don't want trouble, who does? So it is better for me personally to know the real laws...... It is my choice to find out the legal law.....
Sure. And no one here is advocating to "not know" or "not find out" what the laws/rules are (as I understand this thread). The issue here (the way I understand it) is whether or not asking "can I" is the way to do it.
Why not look it up yourself? Why can't that be the way to "know the real laws"? How can you be "in trouble" if you've looked it up, and found no specific prohibition? Why risk someone's arbitray capricious "no", as if you'd just asked their personal whim, based on their moods, their whimsical interpretations (to fit your "pressing question"), etc...?
When this topic has come up before, some people have thought the best way to combine the best of both worlds (to ask a live person, yet not have it sound as if you're asking "permission"), is to phrase it in this way:
"
Is there any rules that prohibit the use of metal detectors?".
Notice how different this is from saying
"Is it ok I metal detect?" (which is simply asking permission, as if that was needed. And not asking if there's any actual rules).
By asking if there's any rules prohibiting detecting, you might *think* this puts the burden of proof on the desk-bound clerk, to CITE and PRODUCE such a rule, if one existed.
As much as that seems clear-cut, and allows you ask a live clerk, instead of looking it up yourself, is that it too can back-fire. Those that have tried such a tactic have gotten odd responses. Things like this:
a) "we would prefer you didn't" (as if you'd just asked their personal opinion or permission).
b) "yes but you can't dig" (even though you NEVER mentioned digging).
c) "No because of cultural heritage rules" [or alteration, or defacement, or sandcrab harrasment laws, or ....... fill-in-the-blank]. And if you object and say that you won't leave any trace of your presence, or bother the sandcrabs, you will simply open yourself up to a debate that you will loose.
I mean, think of it farmer-chick: The mere fact that ANYONE thinks they need to go ask someone "can I do such & such?" merely presumes that something is inherently wrong, or damaging, or evil, with their chosen activity, to begin with. Lest why would you be "asking", if it were innocuous and harmless? This is not subconsciously lost on the person you are asking, so they will tend to give the "safe" answer (when in fact the thought, prior to that, might never have crossed their mind!).
You can satisfy everything you've said, by looking it up yourself. In this day and age of the internet, most every state, county, and a lot of cities now have their codes, charters, laws, rules, etc.... on-line. If you go to a park's and rec. dept. website, you can often find the rules. You know, like "no dogs allowed", "park closes at sunset", "no alcahol", etc ... blah blah. If you see nothing there saying "no metal detecting", then presto, there's your answer.
..
