Big Boys Hobbies

America's Least Wanted?

B

Banned

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Mar 27, 2014
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There’s a peculiar bias that some people have against those who try to get something for next to nothing. I got to thinking about this while watching Joan Rivers go on a rant about poker players (I guess her Vegas gigs carry some baggage). But similar sentiments are expressed about horse racing, sports betting, and our hobby.

Sometimes it’s communicated with words; more often, it’s a withering glare that lets us know we’re not going to make their Sexist Men Alive list. Occasionally we get challenged (“You’re tearing up the ground! I'm calling the police!”), but I’ve always suspected that any outrage over soil disruption was a pretext for their resentment at our possibly finding something for free that the other person wouldn't.

This irks me, particularly as I schedule my haunts so as to minimize interfering with school activities, sporting events, and other gatherings.

In all fairness, a vast majority of people are nice, or at least tolerant of my endeavors. But the exceptions really drag me down and leave me feeling like: Gimme a break, already.

What do you think? Are our critics *really* that concerned about the landscape? Or is there something else at work?
 
Banned said:
There’s a peculiar bias that some people have against those who try to get something for next to nothing. I got to thinking about this while watching Joan Rivers go on a rant about poker players (I guess her Vegas gigs carry some baggage). But similar sentiments are expressed about horse racing, sports betting, and our hobby.

Sometimes it’s communicated with words; more often, it’s a withering glare that lets us know we’re not going to make their Sexist Men Alive list. Occasionally we get challenged (“You’re tearing up the ground! I'm calling the police!”), but I’ve always suspected that any outrage over soil disruption was a pretext for their resentment at our possibly finding something for free that the other person wouldn't.

This irks me, particularly as I schedule my haunts so as to minimize interfering with school activities, sporting events, and other gatherings.

In all fairness, a vast majority of people are nice, or at least tolerant of my endeavors. But the exceptions really drag me down and leave me feeling like: Gimme a break, already.

What do you think? Are our critics *really* that concerned about the landscape? Or is there something else at work?
Click to expand...

I think you've got a point but not in regards to getting something for nothing. I think the most pervasive sort of underlying feeling is in regards to Metal Detecting in school yards and kiddie parks. I think to a lot of people there's something sort of sneaky or mysterious (and thus questionable) about Metal Detecting (ie: headphones, looking for something hidden, crawling around, etc.) and thus something questionable about people who medal detect, and this culminates in the perception of a few that you've got 'Questionable Male' + 'Sneaky goings on' + 'Place where children play'. I had a conversation about this with a few friends that Metal Detect at schools and who told me, basically, it's the leering look from mothers, and the mother's directing their children away from them in a protective way, that bother them most in that regard and that they feel that sort of condemnation. I've never metal detected in a school yard or playground so I can't say I've experienced it myself but it makes sense considering today's hyper-paranoid world.....

I think a lot of the stories you read about where there is a confrontation with a 'father' at a park and a Metal Detector, that is the underlying feeling from the 'confrontor'. That 'they' are a 'father' and the Detectorist is a 'creep'. I'm sure it's a vast minority that show those sorts of feelings towards a kiddie park detectorist, but speaking for me, one time would be enough....
 
Banned said:
There’s a peculiar bias that some people have against those who try to get something for next to nothing. I got to thinking about this while watching Joan Rivers go on a rant about poker players (I guess her Vegas gigs carry some baggage). But similar sentiments are expressed about horse racing, sports betting, and our hobby.

Sometimes it’s communicated with words; more often, it’s a withering glare that lets us know we’re not going to make their Sexist Men Alive list. Occasionally we get challenged (“You’re tearing up the ground! I'm calling the police!”), but I’ve always suspected that any outrage over soil disruption was a pretext for their resentment at our possibly finding something for free that the other person wouldn't.

This irks me, particularly as I schedule my haunts so as to minimize interfering with school activities, sporting events, and other gatherings.

In all fairness, a vast majority of people are nice, or at least tolerant of my endeavors. But the exceptions really drag me down and leave me feeling like: Gimme a break, already.

What do you think? Are our critics *really* that concerned about the landscape? Or is there something else at work?
Click to expand...

What you said about "getting something for nothing," I can see how some people might perceive it as that. Most people aren't aware of how much time/money we put into our hobby. This is evidenced by the number of detectorists whom people assume are homeless or unemployed. As for the "creepiness" factor, I don't really get that from people because I am a woman, but I can see how prowling around a playground without kids could get you second looks.

When I was a kid I used to sell nightcrawlers. To catch them, I would go out with my dad after dark with flashlights. Well one day we were scanning the school across the street, and a cop stopped us and asked what we were doing. I imagine that looked pretty weird, a grown man and a kid stooped over with flashlights, creeping around after dark. I showed the cop my container full of nightcrawlers and told him, "I'm hunting worms," to which he replied, "good night for it, eh?" and left.

But as far as interactions between metal detectorists and the general public, I think different people have a variety of reasons for profiling detectorists depending on their opinion of the hobby. The tree-huggers may be genuinely concerned that you are harming the environment by wiping out a colony of microscopic bacteria. :lol: Park workers may be concerned that they will be blamed for holes or have to fill them. Overprotective moms may worry that their kid will twist an ankle in a hole. Unfortunately, it seems that most people are under the impression that detectorists make a mess/leave holes, probably because there are detectorists who make a mess and leave holes. I think that's one reason for the hostility some people have towards MDing. Then there are the people who just seem to enjoy giving people a hard time... those people are the worst.
 
It's for these very reasons we, as detectorists abide by the code of ethics to the letter. We need to make sure these things don't happen. If you go to a playground and see signs of someone who leaves a mess, spend the time to clean things up. Believe me, people DO see us doing these constructive things and that will help dampen their concerns to our hobby. You have to use common sense when hunting any area where kids are around or present. If we go to a playground and there are kids there, we go somewhere else. It's up to us to make sure this hobby keeps going in a positive manner.;)
 
Good points all.

That said, I think there's some people who are control freaks or are unhappy with some aspect of their lives that just can't stand to see someone minding their own business, hurting nobody and enjoying themselves. I have known a few like that.
 
GlassHopper , you got ir right and if you concentrate on trying to please them you empower them more.
HH
 
GLASSHOPPER1955 said:
Good points all.

That said, I think there's some people who are control freaks or are unhappy with some aspect of their lives that just can't stand to see someone minding their own business, hurting nobody and enjoying themselves. I have known a few like that.
Click to expand...

That is 99% of the jokers out there, no doubt.
 
I'm glad I haven't run accross any of "those types". Maybe because 99% of my hunting is at the beach very early in the morning. If someone does speak to me it's to ask about my finds and questions about our great passtime, very nice folks. I have had to speak to a couple of newbes about filling their holes to keep the general public happy. I must admit......" my name is John and I'm an MD addict". :laughing:
 
Banned said:
any outrage over soil disruption was a pretext for their resentment at our possibly finding something for free that the other person wouldn't.
Click to expand...

It goes well beyond nuisance way to often.
In one of these extreme "Someone is in the park with a gun." scenarios we hear about regularly, (except for you CCW folks) that would be lying to the police about imminent violence. The police are going to show up ready to draw. I'm sick and tired of it, to the point that person would probably get a subpoena depending on the circumstances. It is serious business.
 
GLASSHOPPER1955 said:
Good points all.

That said, I think there's some people who are control freaks or are unhappy with some aspect of their lives that just can't stand to see someone minding their own business, hurting nobody and enjoying themselves. I have known a few like that.
Click to expand...

I think this one hits the nail on the head. Have you noticed no matter what you are doing someone doesn't want you doing it. Nowadays everyone has a voice with internet and BELIEVE their opinion is important on every subject. If you are skinny there is someone saying its offensive to them because they are fat and vice versa.
 
Mountain Mike said:
I think this one hits the nail on the head. Have you noticed no matter what you are doing someone doesn't want you doing it. Nowadays everyone has a voice with internet and BELIEVE their opinion is important on every subject. If you are skinny there is someone saying its offensive to them because they are fat and vice versa.
Click to expand...

I strongly agree with Glasshopper and Mountain mike.

IMO you won't get very far trying to please the people who complain about everything. They are the problem not the few careless MDers. Parks allow all kinds of activities that do a lot more damage then MD. I love dogs , some people do not pick up after their dogs , would it be fair to ban all dogs because of them? My point lets demand our towns to be Fair, not keep apologizing for the few careless MDers .

MDHTALK has a article in it's windows " how to change or fight the laws "
 
Something for next nothing??! I'm carrying around 1,500 hundred dollars worth of equipment and REAPING bottle caps and pennies.....woo hoo...I'm rich....I'm wealthy...I'm independent :laughing:

As far as humanity goes.....a lot of jerks in the world. Ignore them and keep on digging!!! If they want to be persistently negative....that's harassment and I will react accordingly. Obey the code of ethics....but don't take any BS!! (NY attitude off)
 
It's gotten to the point for me that I don't usually tell people about my metal detecting hobby unless I really know them. When I say that I MD, I often get a look of either concern or disgust. They think of that 300 pound guy with the fluorescent fanny pack they saw at the beach in Florida and think that's what all metal detecting is like.

I do think that we justifiably have a bad rap sometimes. I’ve been to some parks where it looked like the grass had chicken pox. There were plugs everywhere that were dead and when I pulled one up, I saw they only cut down half an inch or so – literally scalping the ground. No wonder why grounds keepers will chase me off – they think *I* did that!

Oh, and I totes think I could have a chance in the world’s sexiest man list… :cool:
 
Around here, there is a stigma for relic hunters. People in spots have been pestered to death. Many have stories of poachers on their land in the past.


You still have landowners who think you just might find the motherload of valuable objects, leave their land with potholes, and run off without a word. All of this based on some horror story from somewhere.
 
GLASSHOPPER1955 said:
Good points all.

That said, I think there's some people who are control freaks or are unhappy with some aspect of their lives that just can't stand to see someone minding their own business, hurting nobody and enjoying themselves. I have known a few like that.
Click to expand...

:dingding:

Great subject! Hopper here nailed a great point. Here's another:

We actually get off the couch and chase our dreams, and that annoys people who lack the guts or drive to do the same.

We may never find a treasure but we're working on it! Those on the couch will never find anything except bad health and a brain melted by teevee.
 
Agree with Dirt Dobber...

Dirt Dobber is right but there is also a concerted effort to control our lives in every aspect. The big one is all of the regulations we have on us like health care, property, ect. You cannot even cut a tree down off of you're property with out someone causing a stink about it. This hobby is just one the small regulations.
 
I feel like for some reason people classify those who metal detect to be either poor or lazy. If they knew how much work it was and how much money some of these machines cost they probably would rethink that notion. I have had people ask me how much I make metal detecting. My general answer to that is, if I relied on it to feed myself I would definitely starve to death.

It's almost like people think that metal detecting is a way to shirk the responsibility of getting a real job. Not quite as frowned on as stealing but almost on the level with panhandling. :mad:
 
When I first decided to get a metal detector I told my son about it. He said, "You mean like one of those old guys at the park?" The tone of his voice and the look on his face made me think he thought there was something pathetic about "scrounging for pennies that someone else dropped". If it's even a small part of the general population that feels that way, even subconsciously, it might explain why there are so many irrational people or even laws that try to keep us from enjoying our hobby. Perhaps they believe they are saving us from ourselves. Or perhaps they think what we are looking for is a real buried treasure, as in a pirate chest full of gold doubloons, in the city park. If that's what they think who could blame them for thinking we're pathetic.

BTW, my son changed his tune when I found a .954 gold ring after only a month. :D
 
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