What would you have done?

[leslie(nova scotia)]

Navy Davy and I went beaching early this morning with limited success . Still a nice drive and conversation. As ND was dropping me off home I informed him I was going swishing at a certain lake which I try big time to avoid during regular hours as it is in a tough neighborhood.....Navy Davy knows which one I'm talking about.


SO WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE?


Get to the fresh water beach and is not really that busy in the water with the life guards off duty. A young fellow about 13 asks me what I'm doing and a few other of the normal questions one gets asked. I politely informed him that it was a metal detector and I was looking for metal. Okay so far. So I start a lateral grid of the water with this young fellow following me soon to be joined by his brother. Okay so far. The brother has a raft with a paddle and stats following closely behind me.


"I have a metal pole under the water so stay back a little please"


No response other then to turn his raft over and swim beneath it. Okay to this point. I try moving away but am stalked....yes by a pair of teenagers when I feel a jab in my back....I look back with the paddle just behind me and say nothing moving away trying to detach myself from the duo. Accident no harm no foul as I reverse my course going towards an older couple with the mother having an infant in her arms.
Hear her call the name Jeff and one of the teenagers pops out from under the raft. By now I'm in front of this lady holding the child when I receive another jab behind my left knee (artificial one) that almost capsizes me.


I turn to the teenager and tell him if it happens again I'll put a hole in his raft...forcefully this was said and the mother just laughed.


At this point I turned to the lady holding the black infant (she was white as was her husband/boyfriend) and asked her politely to tell her two teenagers (black) not to touch me. Again she just looked at me like I had three heads. Basically I am non confrontational and just back off and leave to return another day but the last jab had hurt me and I took my headphones off and said to the "parents,"


"I'm ashamed that my tax dollars are paying for a women like you to bred disrespectfully ignorant children like that. You should be neutered" I said as I looked her and her "boyfriend/husband in the eye! So much for being non judgmental or bias! The husband looked away as did the woman holding the child. I slowly made my way to the shore and left.


On a brighter note I went to gas up Nogo and get the $20 that ND and I had won on the last Lotto Max only to find that we had won $40. Thinking we have a few more chances as this is our 3rd win in a row on the one only time we had gone splits on tickets.


SO AGAIN I ASK WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE DONE?


Once home put some rub on the back of the leg and took a pain pill.......works.


Take for the day was $6.05, a zipper (think I should have used that earlier on my lips) a junker, dolphin dewy, and a spoon that one would most likely use to "cook" something!

 

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[leslie(nova scotia)]

well, you DID ask

At this point I turned to the lady holding the black infant (she was white as was her husband/boyfriend) and asked her politely to tell her two teenagers (black) not to touch me. Again she just looked at me like I had three heads. Basically I am non confrontational and just back off and leave to return another day but the last jab had hurt me and I took my headphones off and said to the "parents,"


"I'm ashamed that my tax dollars are paying for a women like you to bred disrespectfully ignorant children like that. You should be neutered" I said as I looked her and her "boyfriend/husband in the eye! So much for being non judgmental or bias! The husband looked away as did the woman holding the child. I slowly made my way to the shore and left.

several things here I detest about you
what does anyones skin color have to do with it?
why do you assume the government is paying her to "breed"?
if her man is white and she is, maybe they have adopted?
I would have moved farther away..

You are right indeed...colour was not an issue . I patrolled this area as a young policeman and dealt with the bad children only to have to deal with them as they got older. I did not include the vulgarity and racial slurrs thrown my way and being hurt by the paddle did cause me spout off a tad on the "politically correct course" but feel that the situation warranted a response short of calling the police and dealing with a system I know only too well. As for the welfare commit...true to the point and just facts and again not implying that all folks in public housing are bad....adopted...........not. As for moving away I tried and things did develop fast and again once hurt said my piece and left. If I had not been hurt i would have just moved on....like one fellow said who needs the stress!

 

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[tomhighland]

I always hit my local beach at night. The young people that hang out there all know me at least by sight and I have never had any sort of issues. Had a teenager give me a handful of change once. I guess he thought i was a bum because I still had my work clothes on. Had deer follow me around a couple times. Basically, I would say if you feel bad about you said, then you were wrong. If you don't feel bad, it isn't anyone's place to judge.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Warning, do not turn thread in to a political or race issue.

 

[against the wind]

I hunted numerous places in NYC, where the situation could have turned explosive. I have no doubt that those experiences had to do with people who thought they were being funny. I moved on but I didn't feel good about it.
On the brighter side,, when I reflect back on all the good experiences I have had, I consider myself pretty lucky.
Sorry to hear about your altercation Leslie. If these young hooligans don't straighten up,, you know exactly where they will end up.

 

[Javadroid]

I would have told the kids i was a police officer looking for evidence of a crime. I would have let them know right away that they needed to stay at least 20 feet from me or risk being charged with interfering with an investigation. It works!

It's also a felony...

 

[GB1]

if you go back again and they do it again call the police now me with my temper i would have beat the crap out of them (i'm 15) but nice finds

 

[WHADIFIND]

Well avoidance is still best for me.

But one I used that seemed effective when I was hunting in the water was, when asked what I was doing, I'd say searching for a radioactivity leak.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

It's also a felony...

Most times it isn't a felony to say, it is a felony to impersonate being a police officer by the use of false IDs, flashing lights, uniforms etc.

 

[Stringtyer]

Interesting question and situation. Since you asked "what would you do?, I'll wade in.

First, your statement that " I was going swishing at a certain lake which I try big time to avoid during regular hours as it is in a tough neighborhood.....", indicates that you understood the risk in going to the lake when you did. In other words, you knew the stove was hot when you put your hand on it.

The idea that the boys showed an interest in what you were doing is, in most instances, simple curiosity. That is a good thing. Any time I can teach a young person something new, I take that opportunity. The fact that their behavior became intrusive and aggressive would suggest that their intent was more nefarious to include, perhaps, assault and battery or robbery. At that point, I would have made my way back to my vehicle and left the area. I'm reasonably certain that there is absolutely nothing in a swimming hole in a rough neighborhood that would be worth the confrontation you described, much less the possibility of personal injury ... or worse. Situational awareness is essential.

I would certainly never have engaged in the insulting, belittling words, or name-calling, the assumption that the bystanders were welfare recipients, nor the suggestion that another human being should be neutered because of poor parenting. The old nursery rhyme said, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me", may be true for the person being insulted but may trigger them to use those sticks and stones on the person hurling the insults. No need for that kind of language; it may result in a serious beat down by a group of angry folks. Don't put your hand in the dog's bowl while he is eating.

I'm, in no way, condoning the behavior by the boys. By striking you with the paddle, they committed battery which was likely a misdemeanor. You have to remember that there are persons who, for whatever reason, enjoy intimidating others. I won't pass judgment on your attackers other than to suggest that they have likely made some poor choices in their lives and were blaming anyone different from them for their problems. You were simply available entertainment.

So ends my rant.

 

[ecmjamsit]

Well, If you get a Go Pro we can all see the video. I bought one to wear if I expect trouble, the video don't lie. It just straps on your chest. In the US, I am careful about what the courts say are "fighting words". Personally, I just move away from such people and wait it out. I just walk away. I have called the police before and left. If they got warrants or drugs, or fight the police, they go to jail.

 

[Silver Saver]

This seems like a deep question! Ha. Well, you've received a variety of answers since this is a forum and we're all different. I'll chime in too.
Youngsters seem to take an interest in what we're doing, which isnt a bad thing but they can be bothersome at times like if they're repeatedly getting in the way or taking off with equipment. Then I'll kindly ask them not to, or get a little stern if needed but wouldn't be mean at all. If that wouldn't work then I would move to a different area or take a little break to lose their interest.
As far as saying something to the parents, I'm not sure if I would've or not. If I did say something it would be in a respectful type manner. But I do know that I would be thinking in my head why they would allow their children to act that way and not do/say anything about it.
I've learned from my own experience that when I say what I'm feeling in a heat of the moment situation and it comes off as mean or disrespectful then it will just backfire on me and I will feel bad about it. That's just me though, and not everybody is the same.
So, there's my opinion. Not here to judge. Everybody is different, everybody makes mistakes both kids and adults, and everybody is on their own unique path with the freedom to make their own choices along the way.

 

[screwynewy]

Well, that was way too rational of a post for an internet forum. I vote that you are banned for making too much sense

Interesting question and situation. Since you asked "what would you do?, I'll wade in.

First, your statement that " I was going swishing at a certain lake which I try big time to avoid during regular hours as it is in a tough neighborhood.....", indicates that you understood the risk in going to the lake when you did. In other words, you knew the stove was hot when you put your hand on it.

The idea that the boys showed an interest in what you were doing is, in most instances, simple curiosity. That is a good thing. Any time I can teach a young person something new, I take that opportunity. The fact that their behavior became intrusive and aggressive would suggest that their intent was more nefarious to include, perhaps, assault and battery or robbery. At that point, I would have made my way back to my vehicle and left the area. I'm reasonably certain that there is absolutely nothing in a swimming hole in a rough neighborhood that would be worth the confrontation you described, much less the possibility of personal injury ... or worse. Situational awareness is essential.

I would certainly never have engaged in the insulting, belittling words, or name-calling, the assumption that the bystanders were welfare recipients, nor the suggestion that another human being should be neutered because of poor parenting. The old nursery rhyme said, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me", may be true for the person being insulted but may trigger them to use those sticks and stones on the person hurling the insults. No need for that kind of language; it may result in a serious beat down by a group of angry folks. Don't put your hand in the dog's bowl while he is eating.

I'm, in no way, condoning the behavior by the boys. By striking you with the paddle, they committed battery which was likely a misdemeanor. You have to remember that there are persons who, for whatever reason, enjoy intimidating others. I won't pass judgment on your attackers other than to suggest that they have likely made some poor choices in their lives and were blaming anyone different from them for their problems. You were simply available entertainment.

So ends my rant.

 

[HCW]

This is the best one yet. I like it.

Interesting question and situation. Since you asked "what would you do?, I'll wade in.

First, your statement that " I was going swishing at a certain lake which I try big time to avoid during regular hours as it is in a tough neighborhood.....", indicates that you understood the risk in going to the lake when you did. In other words, you knew the stove was hot when you put your hand on it.

The idea that the boys showed an interest in what you were doing is, in most instances, simple curiosity. That is a good thing. Any time I can teach a young person something new, I take that opportunity. The fact that their behavior became intrusive and aggressive would suggest that their intent was more nefarious to include, perhaps, assault and battery or robbery. At that point, I would have made my way back to my vehicle and left the area. I'm reasonably certain that there is absolutely nothing in a swimming hole in a rough neighborhood that would be worth the confrontation you described, much less the possibility of personal injury ... or worse. Situational awareness is essential.

I would certainly never have engaged in the insulting, belittling words, or name-calling, the assumption that the bystanders were welfare recipients, nor the suggestion that another human being should be neutered because of poor parenting. The old nursery rhyme said, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me", may be true for the person being insulted but may trigger them to use those sticks and stones on the person hurling the insults. No need for that kind of language; it may result in a serious beat down by a group of angry folks. Don't put your hand in the dog's bowl while he is eating.

I'm, in no way, condoning the behavior by the boys. By striking you with the paddle, they committed battery which was likely a misdemeanor. You have to remember that there are persons who, for whatever reason, enjoy intimidating others. I won't pass judgment on your attackers other than to suggest that they have likely made some poor choices in their lives and were blaming anyone different from them for their problems. You were simply available entertainment.

So ends my rant.

 

[HCW]

I'm surprised this thread hasn't been bumped yet.

 

[creskol]

I am not real sure, but I imagine that raft would have mysteriously developed a digger size hole.

 

[b3y0nd3r]

So when harassed by anyone but an attractive female and I don't want them there, I will simply say, "Looking, I work 40 hours a week and I am trying to get some relaxation. Please go about your business".

OR

I will ignore them completely.

OR(if physical or purposely trying to p*ss me off)

I will bring out my phone, and tell them not to move as I am calling the police.

NOW, you gave them a piece of your mind and I bet that felt good. But in this current culture that can be very dangerous.

 

[DetectingGodlikeOnOlympus]

Nice finds!

 

[Honest Samuel]

I would had put a hole in his raft and just laugh, if needed, I would swear at the parents.

 

[Stringtyer]

Well, that was way too rational of a post for an internet forum. I vote that you are banned for making too much sense

I promise I will stop trying to be rational. Please don’t have me banned. Of course if you do, I’ll just swear at you and disparage your heritage ... in a sane and rational way, of course.

 

[leslie(nova scotia)]

Great to see that we are all concerned about this as it could happen to other detectorists. In retrospect when they followed me after the first direction change that should have been an indicator. Nice to see all the points of view whether positive or constructional towards a peaceful resolution.

In future this Canuck will stick to the 0600hr swish here (lake is very productive). I'm 64 and can claim a senior citizen lapse in judgement about going there in the first place. I know the neighborhood well and have dealt with the parents of many in the area when they were just young being foul of the law. Sadly it seems that the traits the now parents showed when young have been passed on to their children.