Myers Depot Metal Detectors

Permission to detect at schools

Tom_in_CA said:
Curious what you think that past md'rs did, that might have brought about ("messed it up") that law ? I bet I know why it got on the books. And .... no .... I bet it wasn't "holes they left" or "shovels", etc.... I just have a hunch. :roll:
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I have no idea what previous MDists did to bring about that law. But the fact that there is a law explicitly prohibiting metal detecting on Roswell, GA public property indicates that there was a reason for the law. The people making laws don't just sit around brainstorming about !!!! to exclude from their list of acceptable activities on public property.
 
StevePcola said:
I have no idea what previous MDists did to bring about that law. But the fact that there is ...
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Yes. I have no doubt that you/me/we "can't change the past". But I was just thinking that the reason for such a rule (enforced or not) is: Often that someone(s) went in there , in the past, and asked "Can I metal detect?". Hence: A law/rule is born.
 
Tom_in_CA said:
Yes. I have no doubt that you/me/we "can't change the past". But I was just thinking that the reason for such a rule (enforced or not) is: Often that someone(s) went in there , in the past, and asked "Can I metal detect?". Hence: A law/rule is born.
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I'm pretty cynical about government in general, but I'm damned near absolutely certain that people in charge of even the smallest municipalities have more important things to do than take preemptive measures against activities that have not yet caused concern amongst the citizenry. So I doubt that the mere act of somebody inquiring about metal detecting on public land spurred a law that explicitly prohibits metal detecting on public lands, Tom.

I live in a very small town and I have seen holes dug by some idiots around town that they never even attempted to fill in. There are a bunch of them of the border of my girlfriend's sister's property, which is on the historic register. Someone or some people dug holes and didn't even carry off the located trash or try to kick the dirt back in the holes. It's ridiculous that there are people that do things like that, but there are, unfortunately.

So I'll continue to believe that bad behavior by metal detectorists in the past cause restrictive laws to be passed that constrain contemporary hobbyists.
 
StevePcola said:
.... people in charge of even the smallest municipalities have more important things to do than take preemptive measures against activities that have not yet caused concern amongst the citizenry...
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We agree on this. That a "pre-emptive measure" is not dreamed up, for "something that has not happened yet". However, I think where we disagree, is that I think the act of someone asking "can I?" *OFTEN IS* the "ACT" that "causes concern" . Because, let's be brutally honest : The image in a lot of people's mind of md'ing (when fielding this "pressing question") is that the md'r will dig. And now you're standing in front of them waiting for a yes or no. See ?

StevePcola said:
... I doubt that the mere act of somebody inquiring about metal detecting on public land spurred a law that explicitly prohibits metal detecting on public lands,...
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While I can't say it explains "all" the muni. rules about md'ing, yet I CAN give you point-blank examples, where/why this was the ONLY reason it ever came on a city's radar, to make a rule.

And humorously , if you now asked "but why ?" , they would say "because of holes". Right ? (and would not say "because someone asked"). So the md'r mutters under his breath "durned those guys that left holes". And yet, I know that it was never a policy till all the "FAQ's" landed on their desk. I have many examples of this psychology unfolding.
 
you will notice that in volusia county . that there are NO signs posted saying no metal detecting .. this addition to the web site saying this has come about in the last 2 yrs I believe .. as I have hunted quite a few of them in the past if not all of them . the current admin believes they are lord and master .. now saying that I have also found out that many of the park rangers themselves actually metal detect.. bet you they do it when they lock the gates .. so who is watching the watchers .. but that is just county parks .. city parks are a different matter
 
StevePcola said:
I have no idea what previous MDists did to bring about that law. But the fact that there is a law explicitly prohibiting metal detecting on Roswell, GA public property indicates that there was a reason for the law. The people making laws don't just sit around brainstorming about !!!! to exclude from their list of acceptable activities on public property.
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I have to disagree somewhat with your statement that people who make laws don't sit around brainstorming these laws. The sign on my avatar about metal detectors prohibited in park is one example. Back about 10 years ago I went to this park hoping to detect and of course saw the sign. Noticing that there were some park workers around I went over to them and asked them if the sign was put up because someone with a metal detector dug holes and left the park a mess. I was told that they never had a problem with people digging BUT just wanted to make sure it didn't happen in the future. so....based on what the park guys told me the "powers that be" DEFINITELY passed a law beforehand where no problem had existed.
 
diggin4clad said:
.... I was told that they never had a problem with people digging BUT just wanted to make sure it didn't happen in the future. so....based on what the park guys told me the "powers that be" DEFINITELY passed a law beforehand where no problem had existed.
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Good post diggin-4-clad. And I would add that it's possible (and I've seen many examples), of the REASON for their concern about the "future potential" was well-meaning md'rs showing up, asking "Can I ?" type questions.
 
Tom_in_CA said:
Good post diggin-4-clad. And I would add that it's possible (and I've seen many examples), of the REASON for their concern about the "future potential" was well-meaning md'rs showing up, asking "Can I ?" type questions.
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Definitely a possibility...……politicians are bad enough without bringing a "problem" to their attention.
One example in the small eastern Connecticut town of Colchester. About 10 years ago a detectorist was made to leave the town's athletic complex because he was detecting there even though there were no signs prohibiting detecting.
He left but didn't just give up. He made a stink with the town councilwoman about not being allowed to pursue his hobby. This went on and on and eventually made the local newspaper. The councilwoman made her statement for the paper with the usual political BLAH, BLAH, BLAH about how "If we can prevent just one child from tripping and falling, then I have done my job". Oh please ! pass me a hanky, the tears are rolling down my cheeks. If she was so concerned about a "child" tripping and falling then she needs to pass an ordinance that prohibits the schools in town from having playscapes, no more after school soccer, no baseball games during recess or gym class, and maybe make them wear helmets while their walking to class in case they slip on a banana peel.
 
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diggin4clad said:
... The councilwoman made her statement for the paper with the usual political BLAH, BLAH, BLAH about how "If we can prevent just one child from tripping and falling,....
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What ?? You mean you are *FOR* little children "tripping and falling" into the "holes" you have created ?? How can you be so evil ? :laughing:
 
Tom_in_CA said:
What ?? You mean you are *FOR* little children "tripping and falling" into the "holes" you have created ?? How can you be so evil ? :laughing:
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Yes, and I suspect that I'm not the only one.:laughing: From here on out I'm going to go to schoolyards and sports fields and dig with a shovel so the holes will be bigger and thereby increase their chances of falling in a hole....THEN and only then will I fill the hole burying them completely. I can be so evil because I'm one of those old New Englanders.
BUT just think how many would benefit from a kid falling in a hole. The school officials and local politicians could once again get up on their soapboxes and with the crowd applauding tell the "people" how they will do their duty and save everyone from the metal detecting menace invading their town. Then, instead of the kid just getting up, brushing himself off and going about his business the lawyers will be there to say WAIT....lawsuit so they'll make money. Then a trip to the doctor's office to pad his wallet and exaggerate the "injury" for the lawsuit. The police could then be diverted from what they should be doing, such as going after the gangs, drug dealers, burglars, etc.etc. and be put on metal detector watch.
 
diggin4clad said:
.... From here on out I'm going to go to schoolyards and sports fields and dig with a shovel so the holes will be bigger and thereby increase their chances of falling in a hole........
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Yup. And it's because of people like YOU that laws exist to restrict us. How can you be so evil diggin-4-clad ? How do you sleep at night ? Tsk tsk :mad:
 
The only good thing I can think about regarding Kids is the process of making them...after that, its all downhill danger.... looking back, the process was not at all what it was cracked up to be...Just about like every pitfall in a Mans Life.. "over promised, under delivered"...Kids nowadays are extremely Dangerous! Especially with a Lawyer...Its not like you can simply club them with a firewood log and feed them to the hogs anymore like we used to do back in the 80's and then go inside and make another... Damn kids! :laughing:.
 
Sorry to bring up an older post. So what would you guys do about detecting a piece of property that is owned by the school district but isn't a school. There is a local district near me that owns a house that was built around 1910. Currently it sits empty and not taken care of. Windows and doors boarded up. The yard has a temporary chain link fence around it but that is only because they are storing a storage container in the driveway. Would this be a site you would ask permission to detect? Or just walk through the massive gap they left between the fence and the gate?
 
If you know for a fact that the land is public property, and if you can access it without subterfuge or hopping a fence, I'd beep the ever-loving cr@p out of it. I keep threatening my good sense to go beep the courthouse lawn, but have not yet worked up my courage. There are signs that say "Keep off the grass", but signs are laws or ordnances. I should just get up before dawn and go test scan it,
 
Nerdling said:
...Or just walk through the massive gap they left between the fence and the gate?
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I agree with stevePcolo. Here's an example (similar to your situation) : My grandmother's house in a small CA town (blt. in the 1910's) was right next to an elementary school. It was bought up by the school district through eminent domain, because they had eventual plans to enlarge the school. So the school district had bought up several homes that were immediately adjacent to the school.

However, the wheels of progress turn slowly. So the homes sat, boarded up, for another year or so. Then were eventually demolished. Yet the land sat vacant, for yet another year or so.

I don't recall if "fences" were up around the boarded up homes and/or vacant lots. But .... regardless .... I would not have hesitated to hunt them. Heck, I'm sure I lost my boyscout ring when I was playing on my grandmother's yard back in the 1970s after all. You wouldn't want to forbid me from finding my own boyscout ring, now would you ? :?:
 
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