Tom_in_CA
Elite Member
- Joined
- Dec 23, 2013
- Messages
- 20,731
A fellow, years ago, made a post on a forum, lamenting what had happened to him. I could probably never find the link now. But the basic gist of his story went like this :
He was a newbie, and got on the internet to learn everything he could about this new hobby. In the course of reading forum chit-chat, he began to be aware that md'ing was not allowed everywhere . For example, he read about certain cities that have "permits". Or perhaps he stumbled upon some chit-chat about someone being hassled. Or places it "wasn't allowed", etc.... This began to concern him. Since, of course, how is he to know whether or not his city allows it ?
But, to his credit, he stumbled upon OTHER forum discussion of the matter, and took-to-heart that the WAY to word the question, if/when you go into city hall park's dept, is NOT to ask "Hi, can I metal detect?" . Lest you subject yourself to arbitrary whim and mood. Instead, you carefully phrase the question to be : "Is there anything in park rules or city muni code that addresses metal detectors ?".
Because in THAT WAY, it subconsciously puts the burden of proof, on the person you're talking to, to cite any such law or rule, if any existed.
Hence, armed with his new-found knowledge, he went to his city hall park's dept. reception desk. And asked the lady the very carefully crafted question: "Is there anything in the park rules here, in our city, that addresses metal detectors?"
At first, the lady was confused. Because she was thinking airport walk-through metal detectors. Eventually she understood the question. She started leafing through all the paperwork on her desk, looking through all the list of rules and muni codes. And could find NO MENTION of "metal detectors" or "metal detecting". So she said to him: "I don't see anything about that, so I guess you're ok ".
The fellow made note of her name, and thanked her. As he turned to leave, he added ".... And I'll be sure to cover my holes and leave no trace".
She said "holes?". He said: "Well, yes, I have to dig the coins. But don't worry, I'll leave no trace, and you won't even be able to tell I was there". She said "dig?". He says: "Well yes. Of course, how else do you think I can get to the targets?"
She says "Hold on a moment". She excused herself from the front reception desk. And he could see her proceeding down the hallway. Poking her head into various doorways, apparently conferring with superiors.
She returned to the front desk and says: "I'm sorry sir, we're going to have to tell you no". The fellow objected and said: "But you just said it's ok. Why is it now not ok ?" She handed him a pamphlet that said "Call before you dig". And it had a picture of a back-hoe tractor and a 3-digit # to call the local utility company.
The man looked at the pamphlet, and immediately realized this was talking about construction companies that dig 6 ft. holes with heavy equipment ! (so that they don't slice into sewer pipes, etc...) So he handed the pamphlet back to her and said "But mam, this is talking about people who are going to be digging 6 ft. deep. I'm only going to be digging 6 inches deep. So this doesn't apply to me".
The lady looked through the pamphlet text/pages. And said "But it doesn't say how deep. It just says any digging. So we're still going to have to tell you no". She handed the pamphlet back to him. The poor guy left, the proud owner of a pamphlet, more confused than when he had arrived.
I got a chuckle out of reading that story
He was a newbie, and got on the internet to learn everything he could about this new hobby. In the course of reading forum chit-chat, he began to be aware that md'ing was not allowed everywhere . For example, he read about certain cities that have "permits". Or perhaps he stumbled upon some chit-chat about someone being hassled. Or places it "wasn't allowed", etc.... This began to concern him. Since, of course, how is he to know whether or not his city allows it ?
But, to his credit, he stumbled upon OTHER forum discussion of the matter, and took-to-heart that the WAY to word the question, if/when you go into city hall park's dept, is NOT to ask "Hi, can I metal detect?" . Lest you subject yourself to arbitrary whim and mood. Instead, you carefully phrase the question to be : "Is there anything in park rules or city muni code that addresses metal detectors ?".
Because in THAT WAY, it subconsciously puts the burden of proof, on the person you're talking to, to cite any such law or rule, if any existed.
Hence, armed with his new-found knowledge, he went to his city hall park's dept. reception desk. And asked the lady the very carefully crafted question: "Is there anything in the park rules here, in our city, that addresses metal detectors?"
At first, the lady was confused. Because she was thinking airport walk-through metal detectors. Eventually she understood the question. She started leafing through all the paperwork on her desk, looking through all the list of rules and muni codes. And could find NO MENTION of "metal detectors" or "metal detecting". So she said to him: "I don't see anything about that, so I guess you're ok ".
The fellow made note of her name, and thanked her. As he turned to leave, he added ".... And I'll be sure to cover my holes and leave no trace".
She said "holes?". He said: "Well, yes, I have to dig the coins. But don't worry, I'll leave no trace, and you won't even be able to tell I was there". She said "dig?". He says: "Well yes. Of course, how else do you think I can get to the targets?"
She says "Hold on a moment". She excused herself from the front reception desk. And he could see her proceeding down the hallway. Poking her head into various doorways, apparently conferring with superiors.
She returned to the front desk and says: "I'm sorry sir, we're going to have to tell you no". The fellow objected and said: "But you just said it's ok. Why is it now not ok ?" She handed him a pamphlet that said "Call before you dig". And it had a picture of a back-hoe tractor and a 3-digit # to call the local utility company.
The man looked at the pamphlet, and immediately realized this was talking about construction companies that dig 6 ft. holes with heavy equipment ! (so that they don't slice into sewer pipes, etc...) So he handed the pamphlet back to her and said "But mam, this is talking about people who are going to be digging 6 ft. deep. I'm only going to be digging 6 inches deep. So this doesn't apply to me".
The lady looked through the pamphlet text/pages. And said "But it doesn't say how deep. It just says any digging. So we're still going to have to tell you no". She handed the pamphlet back to him. The poor guy left, the proud owner of a pamphlet, more confused than when he had arrived.
I got a chuckle out of reading that story