funny story of fellow asking:

[msand]

Did I here someone say Global Warming? Where did Global Warming go this winter?

 

[hickory46]

Did I here someone say Global Warming? Where did Global Warming go this winter?

I see that you haven't been keeping up with the latest news on the Climate Change/Global Warming/We're all going to drown theory. The climate "experts", and I use that word very reluctantly, say that all the freezing temperatures are caused by, you guessed it, global warming.
I got raked over the coals on a different forum a few weeks ago by asking the simple question of why the polar ice cap is thicker than it has been for years if all the ice was melting. I also asked if humans were responsible for the glaciers retreating about 50,000 years ago. The alarmists weren't amused.

 

[msand]

I see that you haven't been keeping up with the latest news on the Climate Change/Global Warming/We're all going to drown theory.... The alarmists weren't amused.

Ya it just does not add up. I am sure someone would say all this ice, snow and cold is just a side effect of Climate Change

 

[LordOfTheZincs]

I think I would try to use the 1-800-dig people to my advantage in your case Tom. Call em and say "Dunno why this lady at the parks dept. wanted me to call you before detecting anywhere but I guess she wanted you to give me a general depth of cables and things? Sure would be dumb to call you each time I excavate a screw cap at 4 inches." I mean it doesn't have to go exactly like that but make them look like the morons they are. Explain to them about the depths etc and what is involved with detecting. Ya never know, you may run into another detectorist on the other end of the line? or maybe they have a brother/sister detectorist........ If they go along with it ask them to call that lady in that dept. and explain to her that people don't need to call them before detecting and that she is indeed a moron.

 

[msand]

Sounds to me like the answer was YES just simply call before you dig.

 

[LordOfTheZincs]

Sounds to me like the answer was YES just simply call before you dig.

Exactly! It probably DOES say call AT LEAST 24 hrs in advance right?
Just tell the dig people you are putting them on standby.
As gravedigger max would say.........."Standby, we're inbound!"

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Exactly! It probably DOES say call AT LEAST 24 hrs in advance right?
Just tell the dig people you are putting them on standby.
As gravedigger max would say.........."Standby, we're inbound!"

Lord-of-zincs and msand, interesting observation. I hadn't thought of that. I guess because I fully expected the conversation with the 800# people to go something like this:

me: "hi, I'd like to know if I can dig a hole up to 8" deep in so & so park, in such & such city?"

them: "where in the park are you planning to dig exactly? We need a location".

me: "well, I don't have an exact location within the park yet, but ... just the entire park, as I'll be walking around, and don't know yet which beeps I'll decide to chase"

them: "well I'm sorry sir, we need to have a location, in order to answer. To just say 'and entire city block' or 'an entire park' isn't specific enough"

me: "hmm, ok then, well can you just tell me this: Is there or isn't there ANYTHING less than a foot deep in so & so park, TO BEGIN WITH, that I would even need to be worried about, from the git-go?"

them: "we're going to need a location, and then we can answer that"

AAaaaarrgghhh

Again, not saying the 800# thing isn't surmountable (perhaps they can just carte-blanche tell you that you can dig the entire block/park not to exceed 12" or whatever), BUT, on the OTHER hand, since all of us know this is silly to begin with, go back to the original question: Did anyone ever really care at that city counter whether or not the retired guy plyed the sandbox with his detector? I mean, do you REALLY think any of them, prior to this encounter, might have seen the guy in the sandbox, and gone over to him saying "excuse me sir, did you call PG&E before digging in the sandbox?"

 

[msand]

... saying "excuse me sir, did you call PG&E before digging in the sandbox?"

That's funny.

I expected it to go more like this, I make the PG&E call and I get about handful of calls back from every utility company in town the phone people, the cable TV, the elect, the gas guy, the water dept, the waste man. They all say well we can meet you at such and such address at such and such time. As each dept. came out you just show them where you plan to be digging and they all say they don't have anything buried in that location but in case you do come close to the street easement we'll put some paint and flags down for you. Bingo! your off detecting to your heart's content.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

That's funny.

I expected it to go more like this, I make the PG&E call and I get about handful of calls back from every utility company in town the phone people, the cable TV, the elect, the gas guy, the water dept, the waste man. They all say well we can meet you at such and such address at such and such time. As each dept. came out you just show them where you plan to be digging and they all say they don't have anything buried in that location but in case you do come close to the street easement we'll put some paint and flags down for you. Bingo! your off detecting to your heart's content.

Wow, if this transpired where you and I actually got real people to go out in-the-field and do surveys, mark lines, etc.... (afterall, that's what the 800# and those paid employees are paid to do), then.... : How long do you think it would be before those utility co people, and the city people conferred, and just made matter simple by outlawing md'ing? I mean, seriously now folks, why should they be bothered? Put yourself in their shoes.

 

[msand]

I was only kidding jeez

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

I was only kidding jeez

oh, sorry 'bout that!

 

[msand]

okay.

 

[LordOfTheZincs]

Kidding? I wasn't............

 

[aflippincan!]

Inane Conversation.