• Forum server maintanace Friday night.(around 7PM Centeral time)
    Website will be off line for a short while.

    You may need to log out, log back in after we're back online.

Friend or Foe?

I've seen various posts here that have touched on the subject of on lookers and how you handle them . I guess what I'm getting at is what's your position on the public and how you relate to them when the questions start? I'll go first.
Obviously I get the standard having any luck,finding anything what are you looking for etcetera but occasionally I get a little deeper interest and more questions. If I feel they are showing interest in the hobby I try to explain in a friendly way whats going on without spending all day . I look at this as just as much fun as actually detecting as I tend to talk a lot lol.If it seems to be a bit of confrontational attitude I make the attempt to win over the person with educating them as to the historical value that is being lost leaving the artifacts there to rust away and be lost forever. If they are having none of it which is very rare then I listen for an exit ,smile wave and move on. I would rather see the occasional person here and there than never run into anyone.Sometimes people get all excited when you show them what you've found and maybe makes it even more fun for me. I'd say mostly the people I come across are friends very few Foes


It's very situational. I'd offer a 3rd category, though, which is "I don't want to be bothered by you, right now." Neither friend, nor foe, but would prefer to just hunt...

Some folks come up and ask stupid questions, or are just ignorant. "wow... Finding metal, huh?" Yup. here's your sign.

Totally depends, too, on the vibe I get from them. If they're pleasant, stand back for a bit and watch some, it's a different situation, than if they make stupid comments to their friends, and then expect me to engage with them.

Only "foes" I've ever met though, were after dark... and turned out not to be foes, just some VERY stupid teenagers who thought making fun of me, then asking how much money I had on me, and whether or not I had valuable jewelry in my pouch was going to put me in a sharing mood. 3 of the 4 got the message the way I didn't answer their questions, put my back to a tree, and gripped my Lesche digger. The 4th one was the idiot of the group. He almost got seriously in trouble. I figured out, though, he was just an idiot... not a foe. Still, was touch and go on defensive. Had the other 3 not backed up wide-eyed, I'd have probably started swinging...

Skippy
 
Once a small family of Asians saw me in the park and stared at me for a long time until one asked me what I was doing in real broken English.
They never saw anything like this before in their country.
I showed them what I was doing and a few coins I had found and they got it...but still didn't understand why I was doing it.
You can't explain the notion of fun sometimes..

I was detecting along a curb in an area where a lot of people from Vietnam had moved. I saw an elderly lady and her granddaughter walking toward me. Upon seeing me the lady moved to the other side of the street. "She thinks you are looking for land mines." her Granddaughter told me.
 
Children are BRATS. Since I dive I don't get to talk to many. However they love to do three things. Smash rocks together underwater, throw handfuls of gravel or rocks so it falls harmlessly around me, or try to get on my dive float.

I stay away from being outside busy swim areas for those reasons on good days.
 
I generally only get followed by hot young women. I'm guessing it's my one lens sunglasses, plaid shorts, white knee socks, and large straw hat that just sends out some sort of "vibe".

What can I say, some of us got it, and some of ya's don't. :p
 
onlookers

I was hunting by a lake and went by 2 fisherman. One of them asked if I had found anything. I just had some coins that amounted tp 39 cents so he said you can't even buy a candybar with that, what a waste of time. The other guy asked him how many fish he had so far to which he replied, none yet. The other guy then said, well, he's doing better than you.
 
I tell the kids that what I am doing is dangerous so they need to go play somewhere else so they dont get hurt :lol: Usually that works but sometimes it dont , but I dont want them around , they shouldnt be talking to strangers anyway and i dont want to make them think its ok. With adults I just keep my answers short and vague these days , just enough so that I dont seem rude but they usually get the idea that I am busy. One lady walked up and asked if the city allows me to do that on city property , I said " Yep " and just kept on about my business. By her body language I could tell she didnt like me detecting there one bit.
 
questions

Long ago in my youth, I did a lot of ultralight flying. People would really be curious to the point of being obnoxious. They would think nothing of drumming their fingers on the fabric or trying to set their kids in the seat. Especially at airshows or fly-ins we would be deluged with questions, many of them beyond ridiculous. We referred to this type as a "whuffo". They would ask, whuffo this or whuufo that? Sometimes detecting can be a lot like that.
 
I guess I look at the curious a little different. I have talked to a few people while they were detecting throughout a few years. My curiosity was genuine interest in the hobby and trying to find out if it might be something I might like to do. Although I agree some people will talk your ear off and take up all your time others wind up being a big help. For instance being new to the area and the hobby I was searching the area looking for places to hunt. After reading on here I decided to try the local tot lot. I spent about an hour there and found a few clad coins when a gentleman and his young daughter probably 5 yrs old or so showed up. The little girl just gave me a few curious looks and went on about going playing on the different playground equipment. The guy wandered over and started chatting. The usual finding anything etc. Then after discussing the area a bit and how long we had been living there he asked if I had tried the local beach on one of the lakes which I had no clue even existed or where it was. He explained it was a very popular place in the summer with swimmers and boats. Also told me he knew for a fact that friends had lost wedding bands there and never found them. I thanked him for the info and after talking a little while more I headed out to find it. I have found a couple small rings (1 gold) probably 10$ in clad and some costume jewelry.Its been my go to place when I don't have a lot of time and it always gives up something. A few days ago I found my nicest find yet a very nice cross. I'm sure most are just generally curious while others may be genuinely interested in the hobby and seeking more info. Sure some may possibly not like me being around but haven't really seen much of that so far. Most people have been very nice and I enjoy talking to them. If /when I run across a negative encounter I'll just move on too many nice people to meet.
 
I tell the kids that what I am doing is dangerous so they need to go play somewhere else so they dont get hurt [emoji38] Usually that works but sometimes it dont , but I dont want them around , they shouldnt be talking to strangers anyway and i dont want to make them think its ok. With adults I just keep my answers short and vague these days , just enough so that I dont seem rude but they usually get the idea that I am busy. One lady walked up and asked if the city allows me to do that on city property , I said " Yep " and just kept on about my business. By her body language I could tell she didnt like me detecting there one bit.
Easy, Most today's kids are spoiled brat s and have always had someone just gave them stuff and they now think thats normal.



Sent from my LGLS775 using Tapatalk
 
Back
Top Bottom