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Curbstrip concerns

TommyJay

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Joined
Jun 17, 2013
Messages
2,225
Location
WY
I see folks posting some very good finds from curbstrips, but the thought of just hunting them offhandedly makes me concerned. Yes I am aware that they are easements and right of ways owned by the local govt, but the folks who own the homes beyond, also take care of them.

So a few questions for those who hunt curbstrips:

Have you ever been chased off, or gotten yelled at?

Have the 'authorities' ever told you to cease and desist?

Do you let the homeowner know that you will be out there?

I would have no problem hunting the ones that adjoin businesses, especially on the weekend or Sunday when they are closed. But as far as private residence are concerned, I would want to ask permission first, or at least let them know that I was out there hunting the right of way.

Any other thoughts or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
 
I try to hunt the ones where you can tell the homeowner doesn’t care about them.
 
I see folks posting some very good finds from curbstrips, but the thought of just hunting them offhandedly makes me concerned. Yes I am aware that they are easements and right of ways owned by the local govt, but the folks who own the homes beyond, also take care of them.

So a few questions for those who hunt curbstrips:

Have you ever been chased off, or gotten yelled at?

Have the 'authorities' ever told you to cease and desist?

Do you let the homeowner know that you will be out there?

I would have no problem hunting the ones that adjoin businesses, especially on the weekend or Sunday when they are closed. But as far as private residence are concerned, I would want to ask permission first, or at least let them know that I was out there hunting the right of way.

Any other thoughts or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Tommy I am 100% in agreement with you.. I feel sort of weird in detecting Curb strips..

but.. I think it is more me than the actual public. I know when I first started in the hobby I felt weird even going to a public space period.. However I quickly got over it and it no longer bugs me at all.. Then there was the whole shovel thing.. by that I mean carrying one.. I now carry one and NO ONE even looks at me... I have even talked to park rangers with it in my hand and they never mentioned it even once.. so once again it was MY PERCEPTION not the publics.

Lastly this past weekend I went to a Park and their were three vehicles of Park Maintenance there and I got sort of worried about detecting there. I got out though and walked around the park and asked one of the guys if I was allowed to MD there.. His response was like sure go ahead.. so again it was ME.. not them. I myself am going to start Curb Stripping and if someone says anything.. I will move on to the next.. no biggie..

Good Luck and Like NIKE I say Just do it !!
 
Tommy I am 100% in agreement with you.. I feel sort of weird in detecting Curb strips..

but.. I think it is more me than the actual public. I know when I first started in the hobby I felt weird even going to a public space period.. However I quickly got over it and it no longer bugs me at all.. Then there was the whole shovel thing.. by that I mean carrying one.. I now carry one and NO ONE even looks at me... I have even talked to park rangers with it in my hand and they never mentioned it even once.. so once again it was MY PERCEPTION not the publics.

Lastly this past weekend I went to a Park and their were three vehicles of Park Maintenance there and I got sort of worried about detecting there. I got out though and walked around the park and asked one of the guys if I was allowed to MD there.. His response was like sure go ahead.. so again it was ME.. not them. I myself am going to start Curb Stripping and if someone says anything.. I will move on to the next.. no biggie..

Good Luck and Like NIKE I say Just do it !!

I think Ill ease in to it with the businesses first. There are many here with old dirt in the curbstrip. Ill move on from there.
 
Makes sense, but in that case I'd ask the owner and go for the whole yard!

What I’m getting at is a lot of the times the yard is well manicured(nice green grass, landscaped etc) and the curbstrip is dead and original looking... I still haven’t worked up the courage to go “Door Knocking” maybe we need to team up! lol
 
Have fun and just hit them up.Worst case scenario is someone thinks they own it and causes a ruckus..move on to the next one in that case,and keep having fun..
 
I see folks posting some very good finds from curbstrips, but the thought of just hunting them offhandedly makes me concerned. Yes I am aware that they are easements and right of ways owned by the local govt, but the folks who own the homes beyond, also take care of them.

So a few questions for those who hunt curbstrips:

Have you ever been chased off, or gotten yelled at?

Have the 'authorities' ever told you to cease and desist?

Do you let the homeowner know that you will be out there?

I would have no problem hunting the ones that adjoin businesses, especially on the weekend or Sunday when they are closed. But as far as private residence are concerned, I would want to ask permission first, or at least let them know that I was out there hunting the right of way.

Any other thoughts or experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

been hunting them for years, and never had a single problem! really! ..i have found that people who see me just don't care, and i 'suspect" it's because they think there is "somethin' goin' on upstairs" with me as they never approach me! i am just lucky!..i guess! ..i'm just sayin'

(h.h.!)
j.t.
 
I only hunt curbstrips that are not maintained by the homeowner, that are mostly dirt or that are obscured from view by a wall, trees or where the occupants cannot see the street from their vantage point.
Also, in front of remodels or construction sites or where there is no structure.

:thumbsup:
 
Want to give my perspective on this as a new MD'r and home owner.
I understand that the curb strip is not owned by the home owner however I never knew this. I always thought I owned it cause I mow it...When I see a dog walker that lets his dog do his duty on my curb strip I raise hell because I have to clean it up and that pisses me off. So right or wrong, I don't know if I would let an MD'r dig in my front curb strip.....That being said, I hope everyone else would let me MD their curb strip.....ha ha I guess that sounds selfish.
I'm sure some of you know what I'm trying to say....
 
Have you ever been chased off, or gotten yelled at? No

Have the 'authorities' ever told you to cease and desist? No

Do you let the homeowner know that you will be out there? No

If/when people pass by, pull into their driveway, or step out to their porch or front lawn, I just wave and say "hi."

In most juristictions the land between the curb and the sidewalk belongs to the municipality. The only ones I won't hunt are ones that people that've turned them into flowerbeds or ocassionally, gardens. I leave those alone. I've never been challenged or questioned.
 
......When I see a dog walker that lets his dog do his duty on my curb strip I raise hell because I have to clean it up and that pisses me off....

Sure. That makes sense. Thus: "right or wrong" (public or not public) it's still inherently just-as-wrong as someone letting their dog poop and not pick up the poop. Right ?

Ok, let's think long & hard about the implications/analogies with this logic : We can all agree that it's wrong for people to not pick up after their pooch poo, right ? And what does this imply, for the subject at hand ? Obviously that: Md'rs "leave a mess" , right ? (holes, damage, etc...).

If it is true that md'rs leave a mess and holes, then sure: Your analogy holds up perfectly. By why-that-starting premise ? If you leave no trace of your presence (cover, stomp, and fluff up) then presto: The analogy doesn't hold . Right ?

In other words, if we start with the premise that md'ing is inherently harmful, damaging, evil, etc... then sure, everything you're saying logically follows. But I do not consider md'ing to be those things. I consider it harmless, innocuous, healthy, nutritious, educational, etc.... Why do we start with any other starting premise ?

If someone in a home considers it otherwise, fine. Then I will simply go when that person is not watching.

(But ... seriously now .... I don't do curbstrips these days. Too busy doing ghost towns and demolition sites. Doh !)
 
This whole thread is confusing! Take the average curbstrip, maybe what, 50 to 70 feet long and 3' wide? 2 minute tops!

So there you go, you just run a fast recovery rig and have some quick target extraction skills and whip on through there and down the block before some old waddler can put the TV on pause to come out and cuss you out, you are already over into the neighbors yard! No debate about riparian rights!

Plus picking up Dog excrement? This is a relatively new phenomenon...I dare say historically, most dog excretia has gone unattended to no ones detriment....We are the first generation of Humans in all of Humanity that feels compelled to engage in this canine scatalogical disposal activity....

Imagine if Genghis Khan took the time to manually retrieve and properly dispose of the bowel movements of his war dogs? By gosh, He would have never gotten out of his own little village let alone across 7 time zones! Let alone the horses!

So...Just go do your business whereever you please and dont make a big production out of it...thats curbstripping, and thinking like a dog, and Genghis Khan.....'Park at one end and run the block'...its as simple as it gets...This whole thread is confusing....
 
What I’m getting at is a lot of the times the yard is well manicured(nice green grass, landscaped etc) and the curbstrip is dead and original looking... I still haven’t worked up the courage to go “Door Knocking” maybe we need to team up! lol

Sounds good. I dont mind door knocking because all they can say is no, and you move on. Working on hunting some property where the owner lives out of state. Got the phone number today, but I wont leave a message because they usually never call back. Ill wait until I can talk to him in person.
 
I have something else to say about this....I am not the best hole plug digger some of my fill ins are not very good...I'm trying but not there yet. What I'm trying to say is, I'm reluctant to know on doors because looking at some of my fill ins, I wouldn't let me dig in someones yard, Out in a farm field or rough fields, I don't worry but nice lawns...tha'ts another story.

Any of you feel that way.
 
I used to hunt around pay phone booths and a few times someone would complain. I let it go in one ear and out the other. No more pay phones around anymore so it's no longer an issue.
 
Great concerns.

I have been yelled at once for hunting the curbstrips. And that led to a full property permission.

I hunt only curbstrips that are not maintained nor pristine. Furthermore I hunt residential ones during working hours of the week. Commercial ones I hunt on the weekends when they are likely closed.

I suggest wearing a dirty ugly safety vest. Might save your life and makes you look like a municipal worker and less likely to draw attention.

I’ve found some great items in the strips. Recently found a 1718 2 Reale and a pocket watch that has emeralds for the hour marks.
 

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My take on curbstrips...

I would take it with a grain of salt when anyone tells you they detect strips (especially in front of occupied houses) and have never been challenged. I know one particular person saying that here spends a whole lot of time on the forums but very little time actually detecting. No names, just sayin':roll:

Here is a thread I posted about this a while back:

ROWS (right-of-way strips), commonly known as curb strips, can be fertile ground for detecting. But there are some folks who will take issue with someone detecting in front of their house on property they maintain. A tribal "he doesn't belong here" mentality. Regardless of legality, there are homeowners who can and will make a stink about you hunting those ROWS.

If you detect ROWS, you will be challenged or have the cops called on you sooner or later. Count on sooner if you are detecting strips in front of occupied houses without talking to the homeowner behind them first. Count on sooner still if you are detecting them during high traffic times. I speak from experience, I hit ROWS hard for multiple years.

A few suggestions (beyond having very thick skin) to those who may be considering detecting these strips:

#1 - Answer the what are you doing question with the phrase "city owned". As in "metal detecting this city owned right of way strip". Many don't realize that this is city owned property...of course, that's assuming it is city owned property where you are detecting. City owned is the most common, but by no means universal. You can often find out ROW ownership by looking online. I wouldn't suggest asking at city hall. But if you do, don't mention metal detecting unless you want to wind up with a reflexive "we don't want you doing that" from some bureaucrat who wouldn't have given it a thought otherwise.

#2 - Almost invariably, if someone has an issue with you being there, you can tell by the tone of their voice when they first approach you. Saying that you are looking for a lost ring works like a charm to disarm. Have a convincing backstory ready.

#3 - If someone has an issue with you, smile and leave. Get off the block and out of eyesight. Don't argue about having a right to be there. Being smart trumps being right every time. Getting the local governing body to enact an ordinance is typically very easy for a disgruntled resident to do. And cops who want to resolve a resident complaint will usually take the "Mexican tourist" attitude: The resident belongs there and if you weren't around, there wouldn't be a problem.

#4 - Watch your step. ROWS are major hot spots for dog poop, a certain percentage of dog walkers apparently think picking up droppings is not required here. When that certain smell follows you from one dig to the next, you've stepped in it. Or worse, kneeled in it.

#5 - Be careful and leave no trace of your retrievals. This is particularly critical for when you are being challenged.

#6 - Most people who say something to you will be pleasant. Unless their attitude proves otherwise, look at people who approach you as a resource as opposed to an annoyance. Smile if someone is friendly to you. Smile even more if they're not.

Funny thing is, I never had a man give me any serious bleep. It was always women. The only man who gave me pause was the guy who came out of his house with gun in hand. He didn't point it at me just asked what I was doing. I told him and he just said "Oh OK, I saw you duck down and thought you were messing (not the actual word used) with my car," then turned around and walked back inside. I got away from detecting ROWS in front of occupied houses in fairly short order and just went to vacant homes, businesses on the weekend, churches on Saturday, apartments without onsite managers, etc. The problem with doing them like this is you really aren't detecting much ground. Even though ROW strips have a decent percentage of keepers per square foot, there's usually not much ground to cover with each one.

What I have since realized is that those ROW strips work best for me as great little welcome mats. It's the easiest permission to get from a homeowner, and often leads to permission for the rest of the yard. And just like when you are questioned about what you're doing, the term "city owned" works best when asking for that permission.:thumbsup:
 
I was finishing up a corner lot and from the sidewalk side I was detecting under the hedge row around the perimeter of the property. This guy comes out of a door a few houses down and walks slowly past me.

"Whatcha doin' there buddy?!?! Lose something?"
"Something like that. Just looking for coins and things."

He stopped to watch (I think) but he didn't say anything. So, I said,

"Yeah, I like finding old coins, but I mostly find and throw away a lot of litter." I patted my bag.
"Do you live here?"
"No, but I have permission to be here from Mr. X the property owner."
"Oh, man, I wasn't saying you couldn't do your thing. Don't get the wrong idea, brother! Find that gold! Whoo-hooo!!!Haha!"

Then he walked away. In other words, he not only got a kick out of what I was doing, he actually apologized for giving me the impression he was challenging my right to be there.
 
I have to agree with your take on it TJ...though “city owned”, they tend to be taken care of by the adjacent homeowner...so,by some degree of default,they have more “skin in the game” than I do. IF I hunted curbstrips, my own intuition would be to ask quick if the homeowner minded,instilling in them the whole time that while I realize that I COULD just have at it, I wanted to at least let them know who I was and what I’m doing. In the end it would appear as though I was doing THEM a courtesy by introducing myself,while at the same time diffusing any potential problems that may have otherwise come about.
That’s MY mind at work,guided by my own experiences with other people,and taking into consideration how I would feel if the situation were reversed.
You could ALSO....go to Walmart and buy a neon yellow construction workers vest. This actually works,and if anyone were to challenge you,you’re simply wearing it to be seen,though the intention is to make people think that you are working in some official capacity.
Sometimes we think that we are over analyzing some of this stuff,but I like to be prepared for any eventuality that might come up. We can’t ever think of everything that might happen,but I at least like to know what I’m getting into,and know that I at least have a way out.
 
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