ALMOST AN ALTERCATION :starwars:

[BigDan]

A couple of days ago I was hunting an empty beach that was miles long. I chose to hunt an area that was about a 1/4 mile from the main entrance. Another detectorist arrived and started to detect just feet away from me. When I asked him why on such a large beach he was detecting on top of me and interfering with my machine he attacked me verbally. I was twice his size and seriously weighed the consequences of punching him out! I restrained myself.

Why does this hobby collect such idiots?

If I show up on a beach and someone is already there I either find another beach or stay far away from the other detectorist.

I think their rudeness must be grounded in greed!

 

[mudpuppy]

i dont know...I used to have a little dachsund that wasnt afraid of anything no matter how big it was...He actually lipped off to you? Most folks give each other a wide berth on a big beach..yeah, for a little guy to act like that, its best to move on no matter if you were in the right...avoid crazy people as much as possible, no telling how this could have turned out..
Mud

 

[GeorgeinSC]

He thought that you knew where all the treasure was hidden and wanted his share. I was at the beach detecting in the wash zone as the tide was receding. Had a guy cut in front of me about 30 yards down the beach swinging a CTX-3030 with the big 17 inch coil. I was a bit miffed but just kept swinging. I was digging the occasional piece of junk jewelry and the occasional clad coin when I got a different tone on the Excal. A nice 18k mens wedding band weighing over 9 grams came out of the surf. I wasn't too miffed at the guy that missed that one. Never saw him dig but one crater.

 

[fongu]

Sounds like he wanted to provoke you for some reason or is just dumb. Lots of little people try to provoke big people and then pull out a gun if you say something to them. It's some type of status to them, putting a big guy or gal in their place, where ever that is. You see more people with a Caste system mentality from the bottom up than from the top down.
I can understand someone being ignorant, but attitudes are hard to handle and it seems like everybody has one these days. Must be something in the water.
Stay safe and watch out for JFSD'S. Japanese Flying Squirrel Dummies....Lol
The people at the Ford place that services my Mom's car have always been super nice, but last week must have been
the wrong moon phase, because they sure showed out on me.
If people were as nice as Rocky and Bullwinkle, it would be a better place. Maybe he wanted to pick up a few pointers from you but lacked the manners or social skills to ask and when you informed him his detector was interfering with your detector's frequency, he felt rejected.

 

[Goldstrike]

I can only remember 1 time that another detectorist really displayed his ignorance, un-professionalism, stupidity, I'm trying to find a better adjective but I'll leave it at that! I was detecting in a park and I just happened to see this guy out of the corner of my eye about 6-8 ft away to the side of me. He was standing still with his detecting gear and kinda staring at me weird and after I said hi, he explained with an arrogant attitude that he "detects this park every Saturday" and gave me the 'message' without actually saying it that this was 'HIS' park and I was on his turf. I wanted to say what was on my mind but refrained and said "well, I'll just have to come on Friday's in the future"............needless to say, he didn't like that response and I could tell he was pi**ss** off and we went our different detecting ways! I also can't stand ignorant people but unfortunately, they are to be found occasionally everywhere we go!

 

[Elton]

Just walk away my friend. There isn't anything worth a fist fight or worse over a few lost coins etc..........

 

[Nauti]

Never had any problems over here.......most detectorists we see on our local beach usually just walk straight up for a chin wag and we end up talking for ages and not getting any detecting done lol.Never had a single problem with anyone invading anyone elses space but I suppose thats our reserved nature.
I'm with Elton on this point,just walk away from any future incidents and avoid any conflict.

 

[Jeff Harris]

Probably trying to make up for his lack of coil size.

 

[dewcon4414]

I run into more than my share of those kind of unbelievable people. Some are new, some just dont give a rats, and some use it as a tactic if they hunt that beach regularly. I know one guy who does it all the time to get people to leave or avoid his spot when hes there. Doesnt work with me..... ive had him walk right in front of me or beside me. I just flip to AM and do my own thing. He knows me so hes kind of given up especially when hes concentrating so much on me and im pulling the good stuff. You are right people are CRAZY and ive learned to avoid those even thou im quite capable of taking care of myself. But in a way its why i like this hobby..... you get some interesting stories out there.

Dew

 

[Cupajo]

One of my best gold ring days occurred when I followed two water hunters in the early '80s. They practically ran to beat me to the water's edge and kicked up small waves by rushing their hunt ahead of me. Each time another gold ring dropped into my sifter I held it up and yelled to them that they needed to slow down!!

They went ashore at the far end of the beach 150 yards away (I had slowly hunted about 25 yards by then.)) and walked back to their car without doing much digging that I could see. They never said a word when they passed me and I recovered gold ring # 6, the last one of the day, as they drove away!

Over they years this is the only time I experienced this sort of thing.

The third ring recovered that day, a fairly large 14K signet ring, was lost by a local lad on his 12th birthday right after his aunt gave it to him. It dropped into my sifter 40 years later!!

GL&HH Friends,

CJ

 

[mudpuppy]

...I think the strategy Dewcon suggested is what was going on with this guy! There has to be a reason right? So he was just trying to give you a bad experience for you to walk away from his self supposed 'territory'.

I suppose a small chat would be in order, "Is this your spot? Do you hunt here often?" Something like that to try to figure out if the guy has boundary issues or is just plain crazy...
Mud

 

[JimmyCT]

X2

Just walk away my friend. There isn't anything worth a fist fight or worse over a few lost coins etc..........

 

[dgruff]

Probably trying to make up for his lack of coil size.

Lol, good one!
I've never run into anything like this. Out where I hunt, I'm usually the only person there.....which is why I'm THERE

 

[pasttom]

I hunt a fairly famous beach 3 to 4 days a week year round. I feel some ownership but am happy to share as it is a large beach and no one is going to hunt it dry. I talk to many curious people and have been snubbed by several hunters. I am not daunted by hunting behind anyone no matter what they are using. Different machines will see different targets and usually they have horrible technique. I just hate the unfilled holes and trash not dumped, I cannot understand. It is like they think their mother will come clean up after them but she never does.

I think the small guy aggressor is often called the Napoleon complex. I prefer to defuse with humor because I hate making hospital calls. It is better now that I have a cell phone.

 

[tailofdog]

They just think they own the place and, are just letting you know.
I was trying out new scoop on a children's playground at 6am. The Hero decided to yell out to me and,
The women's fitness group about how he felt about me looking for gold in a guilders playground.
Lot of things I felt like saying and doing but, let it go.
I was just finishing up when he was coming back. He saw me putting the scoop in my car and, had the shits as it's a nice car.
So in someways it worked for the best

 

[Ron Lord]

I don't mind people coming down to hunt my beaches, it's the guy that comes down when I am hunting and tell me this is his beach, then I ask how long have you been hunting this beach? and I say I have been hunting this and all the other beach here for 40 year ,how come I have never seen you ?? This lets him know he's the Jr. here and I am the Sr. on these beaches. But I have been told a few time that this is their beach and to stay off . And that's when I tell him off . HH everyone. Ron Lord

 

[Harold in NC]

Hi Dew, well I know where your coming from, I could almost tell you who the person is, if it's the one I think it is we had a run in, I told him to leave his car home the next time he go's hunting, because your so close now you won't need a car, well he called me every name in the book and havn't talked to this guy since.

 

[Grubstake]

I have a friend, named Jim Owens, From Monterey Ca, in 1981 Christmas day, he was detecting on the beach, they had a good cut, His own Brother in law would constantly get in front of him. So that day he did it, got in front of him, so Jim made a right hand turn and just a few feet down after he made that turn, he hit a Private Mint 1851 $5.00 gold coin, It sold at Action for $45000.00 thanks to his dumb brother in law getting in his way detecting. Grubstake

 

[Neil]

Just walk away my friend. There isn't anything worth a fist fight or worse over a few lost coins etc..........

Ive seen this myself and think the other hunter thinks you've found the best area. But that's just guessing.

Eltons advice is good hear. Remember if you go looking for trouble, you got a good chance of finding it.

 

[seahunter34]

I feel differently. As far as I know this still is a Free Country and say Stand Your Ground. There is no way I ever would let an SOB push me around in the field, no matter their size! Small people can be very dangerous. First off, I would not even respond to these donkeys unless I had to- just better not touch me! Second if I felt threatened I'm prepared to defend myself and often pack a Glockenspiel! Otherwise I would get on my cell phone and call 911. I do not play games. If someone starts something with me they had better come prepared to finish it! Some of these SOBs just do not realize they might mess with the wrong person one day.

I'm not saying walking is cowardly. For some walking might be the smart thing. But even if you feel it's not worth it and walk, at least call the police and report that person intimidated, bullied and threatened you. If you do nothing the bully will just keep at it with you again perhaps sometime in the future and others! I suspect most would walk- but not me because I'm Type A. When detecting on public lands/beaches/places/parks, I just can't stand those self-proclaimed authorities who somehow think they can stake a claim or dictate how the property is used and by whom and when! No apologies here. I'm not saying to get in a fight/altercation- unless you have to defend yourself. You have the Right to detect. Others do not have the Right to control you on public ground. I mind my own business- so to all you Detector Bullies out there be warned... BETTER MIND YOURS!