Can I ask what beach that was ?
This may shed some light on that hypocricy: So too has it been pointed out, when the subject of "booted md'rs" comes up: An md'r notices that people let their dogs poop on the ground and don't pick up the poop. Even though there's a rule that says "Pick up after your pooch". So the md'r ...... just like your post here ..... points out the inherent contradiction in enforcement/concern.
But notice the difference between those dog-people and the md'r: MD'rs historically go ask lifeguards, send emails, make cold calls, etc.... asking bored govt. officials and beach personnel:
"Hi. Is it ok to metal detect on the beach ?" Then the pencil pusher or lifeguard ...... tasked with this
"pressing question", sleuths long & hard through the minutia. He finds something that he thinks means "no". Eg.: disturbing sand crabs, or some such nonsense. So he tells the md'r : No.
Then guess what happens the
next time that official or lifeguard sees another md'r ? He remembers the earlier inquirer and starts booting others.
CONTRAST TO THE DOG PEOPLE: Who
NEVER show up asking "
Hi, can I let my dog poop all over and not pick it up ?"
Hence shame on those dog-people for not asking "can I?", eh ? Or perhaps it's "shame on us md'rs for asking stupid questions of bored desk jockeys" .
This beats the heck out of spending your whole life trying to get 1 lone person in 10,000 persons, to change their mind . Rather than knock yourself silly trying to change the attitude of a single person like that (when the other 9,999 persons don't care), it's often better to avoid just that one person. Some people might call that "sneaking around". Ok, fine: Sneak around