I have been think about switching gears and going after inland jewelry. I read your post on speed hunting and am looking forward to trying to master your technique for popping. In the town where I live detecting is allowed, but digging is not. Would you still consider this technique digging? I guess that it would be because you're still making a disturbance in the dirt, but then again, it isn't really digging is it?
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A question for mudpuppy (and anyone else who would like to chime in)
- Thread starter HEBEGB
- Start date
I dont consider it 'digging' since you are not 'excavating or removing' any dirt or sod...I'm sure Websters defines digging ... and stabbing is not digging...'coin popping' may be, since dirt goes flying and the sod jumps up..
.
You are merely poking a hole and compressing the dirt on the sides of it to make it large enough to get your finger down into, ...plus, if you wear shorts and flipflops, no knee pads or toolbelt, never kneel down, carry nothing but a screwdriver, your visual profile to lookie lous is that of a harmless old yutz, which we generally are...
If some 'authority' figure does come up to you, you can honestly say you are not digging, just poking around in the grass, bending over every once in a while to pick up something...doing no more 'damage' than a robin does, and a lot less than a squirrel!. Most of your finds will be from surface to 3" deep anyway...with half of them laying there hidden by the grass and the driver allows you to feel them...
I doubt anyone would ever try to press charges or tell you to leave if you proceed likewise, since theres no evidence of any 'digging or damage' you have caused at all! Plus, you were not carrying on your person any 'excavating tools', since nobody would ever consider a short screwdriver as such. Poking a hole in the ground the size of your finger doesnt hurt anybody, those soil aereator machines do it on purpose, and leave plugs all over the place...
I'm fixin at this very moment to head out and do a little harmless stabbing myself, got the shorts on, loose fitting short sleeve dress shirt, flops are out on the porch, gear in Rosie all ready to go! Good Luck!
Mud
. You are merely poking a hole and compressing the dirt on the sides of it to make it large enough to get your finger down into, ...plus, if you wear shorts and flipflops, no knee pads or toolbelt, never kneel down, carry nothing but a screwdriver, your visual profile to lookie lous is that of a harmless old yutz, which we generally are...
If some 'authority' figure does come up to you, you can honestly say you are not digging, just poking around in the grass, bending over every once in a while to pick up something...doing no more 'damage' than a robin does, and a lot less than a squirrel!. Most of your finds will be from surface to 3" deep anyway...with half of them laying there hidden by the grass and the driver allows you to feel them...
I doubt anyone would ever try to press charges or tell you to leave if you proceed likewise, since theres no evidence of any 'digging or damage' you have caused at all! Plus, you were not carrying on your person any 'excavating tools', since nobody would ever consider a short screwdriver as such. Poking a hole in the ground the size of your finger doesnt hurt anybody, those soil aereator machines do it on purpose, and leave plugs all over the place...
I'm fixin at this very moment to head out and do a little harmless stabbing myself, got the shorts on, loose fitting short sleeve dress shirt, flops are out on the porch, gear in Rosie all ready to go! Good Luck!
Mud
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/digging?s=t
when I cant detect how I want to , I think the phrase "I am out" or "I am done" come to mind.
I went down the back of a school today unemptied bins blown over and there was crap everywhere looked like a rubbish dump I spent 1/2 hr. picking it up if that's the form of people telling me I cant clean up a park, one piece of crap at time, guess they will have to toss me in jail
actually what about the tossers who throw the rubbish on the ground, they don't get in trouble!! talk about an a$$ about world we live in, as far as I am concerned I am doing a community service for much less than what a worker gets paid.
this one really gets my back up guess you would have worked that out !!
having said all that its pretty good where I live and experience has taught me about timing and that helps but there's always someone looking, but I don't tell them what they can or cant do , and I expect the same from them, but I am nice to people if they are nice to me, and most are and if they are not nice I turn my back on them and walk away. police don't care they have real criminals to chase.
local council guys are pretty kool except the ones in suits but they don't come out of there office they might get dirty, 1st park I went in here when I moved is right next to council chambers I am getting a few shallow coins see this suit coming he said you are not allowed to "dig" in council parks in this area, I said why, he said they are all contaminated from old gas works or something to that affect, I just laughed at him and said do you put that in the local tourist brochure ? and turned and walked away. giggling as I left.
not to worry went back at night and cleaned the place out and I didn't die but yes don't dig the parks are contaminated
so always a rebel been that way all my life, and they think they are smart but every right they take away from me and think they are smart guess what someone takes one from them, and the world is on explode mode.
recon that'll do me for one season !!
bloody hell you guys can carry a gun but you cant cut a small plug , what the !!
AJ
when I cant detect how I want to , I think the phrase "I am out" or "I am done" come to mind.
I went down the back of a school today unemptied bins blown over and there was crap everywhere looked like a rubbish dump I spent 1/2 hr. picking it up if that's the form of people telling me I cant clean up a park, one piece of crap at time, guess they will have to toss me in jail
actually what about the tossers who throw the rubbish on the ground, they don't get in trouble!! talk about an a$$ about world we live in, as far as I am concerned I am doing a community service for much less than what a worker gets paid.
this one really gets my back up guess you would have worked that out !!
having said all that its pretty good where I live and experience has taught me about timing and that helps but there's always someone looking, but I don't tell them what they can or cant do , and I expect the same from them, but I am nice to people if they are nice to me, and most are and if they are not nice I turn my back on them and walk away. police don't care they have real criminals to chase.
local council guys are pretty kool except the ones in suits but they don't come out of there office they might get dirty, 1st park I went in here when I moved is right next to council chambers I am getting a few shallow coins see this suit coming he said you are not allowed to "dig" in council parks in this area, I said why, he said they are all contaminated from old gas works or something to that affect, I just laughed at him and said do you put that in the local tourist brochure ? and turned and walked away. giggling as I left.
not to worry went back at night and cleaned the place out and I didn't die but yes don't dig the parks are contaminated
so always a rebel been that way all my life, and they think they are smart but every right they take away from me and think they are smart guess what someone takes one from them, and the world is on explode mode.
recon that'll do me for one season !!
bloody hell you guys can carry a gun but you cant cut a small plug , what the !!
AJ
Right on AJ! 
Preach!
I walk this Planet a Free Man who may choose to excersize a bit of discretion every now and then, a finely honed 'Spidey Sense' and an invisibility cloaking device developed from years of practice that tell me when its time to leave a party! I bet I broke several 'laws' already today, and its not quite 10am! I'm sure I will break several more before the day is done...
A few other tips regarding a detectorists camoflage if I may:
Wear a wedding ring whether you are married or not, it says to anyone intent on tossing a guy, "I'm housebroken, probably harmless, and a bit responsible"
Wear Buddy Holly style horn rim glasses, whether you need them or not, (pop out the lenses if you dont need them, just wear the frames) it says, "I'm weak and a poindexter"
Button your shirt all the way up to your neck...you want to look like Mr. Rogers, not Mr. T....If wearing sandals, also wear black socks pulled up to your knees!
In lieu of a button up, wear a cheap tee shirt that says in big bold letters, "Ask Me About My Grandchildren!" Even if you are only 25yrs old! This will keep just about everyone away from you!
If aggressively reprimanded by a badged Authority figure, start crying, foaming at the mouth, then stand there and wet your pants!.....Nobodys gonna cuff and stuff Harmless Old Poindexter Grandpa under these conditions! Think of all the paperwork? Let alone the biohazard clean up bill!
If you prefer to drive home in dry trousers, Learn a few foreign language phrases to use when questioned, whether they make any sense or not, I prefer to use Danish or French, "Volle le Futball Parken?" and "Tutu de suise, tutu de soire?" Just start babbling, but try to make it sound natural and realistic...I have no idea what either of these mean, but neither does any one else! Thats the point! A monolinguist will think you are a foreigner, perhaps with diplomatic immunity!
Anyway, I just got back from a ransack, got a miniscule amount of coins, a lot of cans, a pearl knob off of some kids Flugelhorn, and this hooded jacket that retails @$40..with no ill effects....I bet I get $5 dollar for it at my garage sale!
.,,So chalk up another successful sortie into the realm of Men and their Laws, unseen...Heading to the beer store...I might drive 37 in a 35 mph zone, and spit on the sidewalk too! Just on the principal of the whole thing!
Mud..
Preach! I walk this Planet a Free Man who may choose to excersize a bit of discretion every now and then, a finely honed 'Spidey Sense' and an invisibility cloaking device developed from years of practice that tell me when its time to leave a party! I bet I broke several 'laws' already today, and its not quite 10am! I'm sure I will break several more before the day is done...
A few other tips regarding a detectorists camoflage if I may:
Wear a wedding ring whether you are married or not, it says to anyone intent on tossing a guy, "I'm housebroken, probably harmless, and a bit responsible"
Wear Buddy Holly style horn rim glasses, whether you need them or not, (pop out the lenses if you dont need them, just wear the frames) it says, "I'm weak and a poindexter"
Button your shirt all the way up to your neck...you want to look like Mr. Rogers, not Mr. T....If wearing sandals, also wear black socks pulled up to your knees!
In lieu of a button up, wear a cheap tee shirt that says in big bold letters, "Ask Me About My Grandchildren!" Even if you are only 25yrs old! This will keep just about everyone away from you!
If aggressively reprimanded by a badged Authority figure, start crying, foaming at the mouth, then stand there and wet your pants!.....Nobodys gonna cuff and stuff Harmless Old Poindexter Grandpa under these conditions! Think of all the paperwork? Let alone the biohazard clean up bill!
If you prefer to drive home in dry trousers, Learn a few foreign language phrases to use when questioned, whether they make any sense or not, I prefer to use Danish or French, "Volle le Futball Parken?" and "Tutu de suise, tutu de soire?" Just start babbling, but try to make it sound natural and realistic...I have no idea what either of these mean, but neither does any one else! Thats the point! A monolinguist will think you are a foreigner, perhaps with diplomatic immunity!
Anyway, I just got back from a ransack, got a miniscule amount of coins, a lot of cans, a pearl knob off of some kids Flugelhorn, and this hooded jacket that retails @$40..with no ill effects....I bet I get $5 dollar for it at my garage sale!
.,,So chalk up another successful sortie into the realm of Men and their Laws, unseen...Heading to the beer store...I might drive 37 in a 35 mph zone, and spit on the sidewalk too! Just on the principal of the whole thing!Mud..
Its HUGE fun! More fun than hunting actually! Slipping through the world unnoticed! The loot you find is just proof you did it!
Like the old joke punchline: "You gonna talk, or you gonna fish?"
( I suppose any of you youngsters that havnt heard that joke can google the punchline so I dont have to type it all out)
Mud
More fun than hunting actually! Slipping through the world unnoticed! The loot you find is just proof you did it! Like the old joke punchline: "You gonna talk, or you gonna fish?"
( I suppose any of you youngsters that havnt heard that joke can google the punchline so I dont have to type it all out)Mud
way to go Mud,
cacked myself through the whole read thanks for the laugh and solid tips, not sure about the sandals and long black socks though
might be the men in white coats I need to worry about 
might have to remember a bit of French also good idea
still laughing very well done and youre right its not so serious and life is meant to be fun and detecting is fun and the killjoys well
I laugh sometimes someone will pull up in a car and just watch me , I want to go up and tell them it's not the latest reality show, but maybe that will work also take a camera crew and look all official
had one guy come up to me asking me if I was doing seismic testing , the area I was in has landslides of sorts and the locals wanted fixes, I didn't know what to say to other than Volle le Futball Parken, Tutu de suise true story minus the French 
good laugh thanks !!
nice jacket I will give you 5 for it if it fits me
shipping is the killer 
AJ
cacked myself through the whole read thanks for the laugh and solid tips, not sure about the sandals and long black socks though
might be the men in white coats I need to worry about might have to remember a bit of French also good idea
still laughing very well done and youre right its not so serious and life is meant to be fun and detecting is fun and the killjoys well
I laugh sometimes someone will pull up in a car and just watch me , I want to go up and tell them it's not the latest reality show, but maybe that will work also take a camera crew and look all official
had one guy come up to me asking me if I was doing seismic testing , the area I was in has landslides of sorts and the locals wanted fixes, I didn't know what to say to other than Volle le Futball Parken, Tutu de suise
true story minus the French good laugh thanks !!
nice jacket I will give you 5 for it if it fits me
shipping is the killer AJ
still looking 52
Well-known member
My thoughts are they are trying to protect the landscape from any damage and as long as no one can see any damage from your detecting your not a problem even allowing you to take a divot as long as you replace it so no one knows you've been there. On the lighter side just yesterday my brother wv62 and myself went out detecting and theses two guys asked us if we were working on the underground sprinkler system and then I showed them this dog tag I found and they wanted to know if the dog was with the tag. What a hoot!
I know right AJ? If a guy considers themselves or has ever been referred to as being an "Old Soul, born 200yrs too late", then I reckon we are 'grandfathered In' so to speak, we can hunt where and when we want, and not accountable or responsible to strictly follow the Laws of these modern day Humanoids..unless we choose to!
Good on ya for picking up the trash, Me and the Daughter used to do that of a morning just for the hell of it...it taught Her she is from a long line of self appointed 'Stewards of the Planet', a turtle saver, friend of the frogs, bee keeper, injured bird healer...etc... And as such, we are not encumbered by the whims of Men...Make the place better just on account you were there kind of deal...showing a bit of respect for the Planet and all....glad to see you are of the same old tribe!
If a fellow was so inclined and times it right, a guy could hunt the front yard of the Whitehouse, or Custers battlefield, or even Gettysburg..so whats the big deal about some little podunk park and a local ordinance saying a guy cant hunt!? Its all about timing and being invisible! It does take a keen sense of timing though, and that is best developed through practice at the local level before a guy attempts a big league hunt..
Also, just because a stranger comes up and asks you a question, dont mean you have to give them an honest answer!...'seismic' is good! What with all the fracking going on now a days...a fellow could use that! It also sounds Poindextery! Beautiful! Forgive me if I steal that one from you and employ as needed?
If you ever get over here to the States, I will host you under the 'foreign immune diplomat' status! We can easily go find you a nice jacket, Presidential seal on it, and a pack of Newport Menthols in the pocket and everything! Laying right there on the Whitehouse lawn by the basketball hoops!... Then, we will hit Gettysburg!...
By the way, I drove to the beer store, exceeded the speed limit, didnt buckle up, spit on the sidewalk, and flipped a cigarette butt out the window, and peed right out in the yard when I got home...and its not even noon! In fact, at this very moment, I am going to go outside and take another squirt...illegal as hell now a days, but not 200yrs ago! Good sweet Vishnu, How far we have fallen!
Mud
Good on ya for picking up the trash,
Me and the Daughter used to do that of a morning just for the hell of it...it taught Her she is from a long line of self appointed 'Stewards of the Planet', a turtle saver, friend of the frogs, bee keeper, injured bird healer...etc... And as such, we are not encumbered by the whims of Men...Make the place better just on account you were there kind of deal...showing a bit of respect for the Planet and all....glad to see you are of the same old tribe!If a fellow was so inclined and times it right, a guy could hunt the front yard of the Whitehouse, or Custers battlefield, or even Gettysburg..so whats the big deal about some little podunk park and a local ordinance saying a guy cant hunt!? Its all about timing and being invisible! It does take a keen sense of timing though, and that is best developed through practice at the local level before a guy attempts a big league hunt..
Also, just because a stranger comes up and asks you a question, dont mean you have to give them an honest answer!...'seismic' is good! What with all the fracking going on now a days...a fellow could use that! It also sounds Poindextery! Beautiful! Forgive me if I steal that one from you and employ as needed?
If you ever get over here to the States, I will host you under the 'foreign immune diplomat' status! We can easily go find you a nice jacket, Presidential seal on it, and a pack of Newport Menthols in the pocket and everything! Laying right there on the Whitehouse lawn by the basketball hoops!...
Then, we will hit Gettysburg!...By the way, I drove to the beer store, exceeded the speed limit, didnt buckle up, spit on the sidewalk, and flipped a cigarette butt out the window, and peed right out in the yard when I got home...and its not even noon!
In fact, at this very moment, I am going to go outside and take another squirt...illegal as hell now a days, but not 200yrs ago! Good sweet Vishnu, How far we have fallen!Mud
doc holiday
New member
Mornings with coffee and Mud---nothing better.
good stuff Mud
I just went out for a menthol and a squirt in the back yard granted its dark but yep an old soul for sure and I will pee in the back yard if I want too
thanks on the rubbish, I grow veggies and like to be able to do that even had to check local laws about building a greenhouse
bureaucracy gone mad !!
so just seeing all the crap on the ground hurt my head !
good that you teach your daughter that stuff
love to hunt the Whitehouse lawns that would be fun
don't like planes much but who knows
yep invisible that's the plan some night mode stealthing is always fun yep still at boot camp for the big Whitehouse hunt but I am getting there by the time I am ready none will even know I am there
by all means seismic is yours to use maybe tell them the rock is coming later after you're done to sign some autographs
so for those that worry about a bylaw 236.74.876.987653.8756 don't worry we have a precedent that can get you off
yep bugga the suits who want to jump of a building but haven't got the guts so the pass some "law" to stop themselves from jumping maybe they need a little nudge
so its all a bit of fun hey and if what I am doing bothers anyone maybe they need to get a life or go back inside and watch some reality show and pretend they are living.
keep up the good work and thanks for the giggle and the fun reads !!
AJ
I just went out for a menthol and a squirt in the back yard granted its dark but yep an old soul for sure and I will pee in the back yard if I want too
thanks on the rubbish, I grow veggies and like to be able to do that even had to check local laws about building a greenhouse
bureaucracy gone mad !! so just seeing all the crap on the ground hurt my head !
good that you teach your daughter that stuff
love to hunt the Whitehouse lawns that would be fun
don't like planes much but who knows yep invisible that's the plan some night mode stealthing is always fun
yep still at boot camp for the big Whitehouse hunt but I am getting there by the time I am ready none will even know I am there by all means seismic is yours to use maybe tell them the rock is coming later after you're done to sign some autographs
so for those that worry about a bylaw 236.74.876.987653.8756 don't worry we have a precedent that can get you off
yep bugga the suits who want to jump of a building but haven't got the guts so the pass some "law" to stop themselves from jumping maybe they need a little nudge
so its all a bit of fun hey and if what I am doing bothers anyone maybe they need to get a life or go back inside and watch some reality show and pretend they are living.
keep up the good work and thanks for the giggle and the fun reads !!
AJ
I'm just sayin', this is a Big Planet and our time on it is short, and these coils are so small, and I paid good money for my rig, so who has time to worry 'bout property laws?
Go and buy yerself an official looking vest and a hard hat at Home Depot and start in early sweepin' the old front rich yards in your town!
If some up and early homeowner comes out and asks "Hey! What dahell do you think your doing?" just tell him you are from the city, working the weekend on overtime, and your boss man sent you out here to find a lost pintle pin, clevis hitch, curb stop wrench, or (my favorite), "a threaded shidder stub" that got slung offn' the bushhog gutter washer, and due to liability, and tort laws, we cant have a homeowner hitting it with their Lawnboy and slinging it through their Dale Chihuly inspired stained glass window, or killing their grandkids, or worse!
If you are getting good hits, seated dimes, Q's, Barber halfs, Peace dollars, and whatnot, tell Thurston Howell there in his bathrobe you need a coffee refill with a shot of Baileys and must check the backyard just to be safe...
How hard is this? If you are feeling really Manly, Tell him to get the Wife up and make you biscuits and gravy, and perhaps do your laundry while you hunt...after all, its for the public safety.. kids, dogs, with all liability on the homeowner, should they hit a pintle pin with their zero radius XMark mower and injure somebody? Who are they gonna call on a weekend to verify your bullcrappery? ...You ever hit a brass threaded shidder stub or curb stop wrench with a 21" 2 cycle Lawnboy? Not pretty!...
This is why I hunt public area clad! Fewer questions, without wearing a vest!
Of course I have to do my own laundry and make my own coffee, but for me its an ROI based trade off...I dont like being distracted with stupid questions while hunting in a strangers front yard as I'm digging up his pacysandras...You'd think people would have some manners right? And let a man work?...
Mud
Go and buy yerself an official looking vest and a hard hat at Home Depot and start in early sweepin' the old front rich yards in your town!
If some up and early homeowner comes out and asks "Hey! What dahell do you think your doing?" just tell him you are from the city, working the weekend on overtime, and your boss man sent you out here to find a lost pintle pin, clevis hitch, curb stop wrench, or (my favorite), "a threaded shidder stub" that got slung offn' the bushhog gutter washer, and due to liability, and tort laws, we cant have a homeowner hitting it with their Lawnboy and slinging it through their Dale Chihuly inspired stained glass window, or killing their grandkids, or worse!
If you are getting good hits, seated dimes, Q's, Barber halfs, Peace dollars, and whatnot, tell Thurston Howell there in his bathrobe you need a coffee refill with a shot of Baileys and must check the backyard just to be safe...
How hard is this?
If you are feeling really Manly, Tell him to get the Wife up and make you biscuits and gravy, and perhaps do your laundry while you hunt...after all, its for the public safety.. kids, dogs, with all liability on the homeowner, should they hit a pintle pin with their zero radius XMark mower and injure somebody? Who are they gonna call on a weekend to verify your bullcrappery? ...You ever hit a brass threaded shidder stub or curb stop wrench with a 21" 2 cycle Lawnboy? Not pretty!... This is why I hunt public area clad! Fewer questions, without wearing a vest!
Of course I have to do my own laundry and make my own coffee, but for me its an ROI based trade off...I dont like being distracted with stupid questions while hunting in a strangers front yard as I'm digging up his pacysandras...You'd think people would have some manners right? And let a man work?...
Mud
Thinking about it, In a lot of ways, Americans and Australians are quite similar...we both come from criminal backgrounds and like to drink beer and dig things up out of the Earth...although up here, our toilets flush in the right direction, and we have lots of guns!..
You have crocs, we have alligators, you have the King Brown, and we have the Eastern diamondback...You have 'roos, and we have opossums, you have dingos and we have coyotes...You have the poetry of John Obrien, and we have Jeff Foxworthy!. OK, sure, we will concede the platypus, that is one unique critter alright!..We do have a mudpuppy though!....Luckily for you, thanks to Russel Crowe and Keith Urban, your accent is highly sought after and pleasurable for our city Sheilas to listen to, we dont mind that one bit! Keep them distracted if you can...and, well, we have lotsa guns! And Nascar!
I'll be a buggered bandicoot blowing a diggerydoo out my dunny under a eucalyptus tree in a dust storm! I think we are both taxed to death and beholding to the Chinese...good thing we have a lotta guns, and you dont! They will be coming after you first! It only makes sense, I mean, who wants to mess with a bunch of heavily armed Nascar Hillbillys when theres a few drunken unarmed Aussie surfers to practice up on? besides, we have the Canadians on our side to politely come to our aid if needed..not to mention a billion+ Mexicans!.....who you got, the Kiwis?
Good luck with that Bilbo Baggins! Hope y'all got a Govt issued magic invisible ring! I'm just jerkin your chain, AJ...Of course us Seppos will drop everything and come a running and a shooting if things get dicey for our AU friends! After all, us marsupials gotta stick together...pockets are pockets, and drinking buddys gotta help each other...the Chinese cant drink worth a damn, no sense of humor either, they can dig up the earth though, ever seen that one wall they built? Damn thing goes for miles.....
Mud
You have crocs, we have alligators, you have the King Brown, and we have the Eastern diamondback...You have 'roos, and we have opossums, you have dingos and we have coyotes...You have the poetry of John Obrien, and we have Jeff Foxworthy!. OK, sure, we will concede the platypus, that is one unique critter alright!..We do have a mudpuppy though!....Luckily for you, thanks to Russel Crowe and Keith Urban, your accent is highly sought after and pleasurable for our city Sheilas to listen to, we dont mind that one bit! Keep them distracted if you can...and, well, we have lotsa guns! And Nascar!
I'll be a buggered bandicoot blowing a diggerydoo out my dunny under a eucalyptus tree in a dust storm! I think we are both taxed to death and beholding to the Chinese...good thing we have a lotta guns, and you dont! They will be coming after you first! It only makes sense, I mean, who wants to mess with a bunch of heavily armed Nascar Hillbillys when theres a few drunken unarmed Aussie surfers to practice up on? besides, we have the Canadians on our side to politely come to our aid if needed..not to mention a billion+ Mexicans!.....who you got, the Kiwis?
Good luck with that Bilbo Baggins! Hope y'all got a Govt issued magic invisible ring!
I'm just jerkin your chain, AJ...Of course us Seppos will drop everything and come a running and a shooting if things get dicey for our AU friends! After all, us marsupials gotta stick together...pockets are pockets, and drinking buddys gotta help each other...the Chinese cant drink worth a damn, no sense of humor either, they can dig up the earth though, ever seen that one wall they built? Damn thing goes for miles.....Mud
With respect to diggin' holes...a time and place for everything...some places it's ok, some places it's not. Now Mud, dont you write off the Kiwis....even though they've got a smaller boat and are drifting happily 2 hours behind us, they can still be good mates, and handy to have in a set-to.
Sure, we've been disarmed (by our own friggin' politicians), and that has led to societal changes (more ram raids instead of armed hold-ups), but we're coping ok. I am with you on the point of similarity in our societies....my take on USers and Aussies is that they are more alike than many on both sides care to admit... on the rubbish thing, where I live we have some progressive council guys who actually appreciate the fact that I remove mu dug up rubbish, and have gone out of their way to thank me....I realise the whole world isn't like it is here. 
Ok, ok, I get the LOTR thing, but who have you got?
The main thing is to keep our hobby going, keep ourselves going and keep it enjoyable. HH