Manners in the bush.

[DetectaDave]

Maybe I am getting old and senile but what the hell is going on with prospectors these days. I am camped out in the bush and a bloke comes down the track, right through the middle of my camp then pulls up leaving his 4x4 between me and the creek. I asked him where he was going as the track ended and he said he was going to park there. No is it o.k or do you mind, nothing. He then goes and starts panning at the point where I had been crossing the creek. After about an hour he comes back to his car, talks to his mate on the phone or radio, and then his mate comes in and parks on the other side of my camp. WTF. There is 54kms of creek frontage and they have to park in my campsite and I mean in within 4 metres. Finally they returned to the car and started detecting, right next to my camp. At that point I said something to them. They then went back to their cars and of course drove right through the middle of my camp.
They are probably wondering why I was a little less than happy.

 

[kleinman98]

Some people think of nothing but themselves these days.

 

[Sandta]

F'n rude !!
Letting tyres down would cross my mind

 

[DetectaDave]

I was pretty angry but managed to stay calm. Next time I will not be so nice....

 

[walshie1000]

That's poor form mate. We like our privacy when camping as well. I myself wouldn't dream of doing something like that. How hard is it to park somewhere else on the 54kms of creek frontage instead of parking in someones front yard and backyard. Some people just have no regard for others.

 

[madworld]

A few yrs back me and the ex were camped at pretty gully, northern nsw .. we were there for a couple of weeks so fairly well established camp, had the 4x4 isuzu nps with a 6m x 3m marquee beside that and the tent off the other side of truck under an awning with trail bikes etc behind the truck .. anyway you can pictuee it and it was off season not in holidays so fairly quiet .. this pair of young blokes rock up in their 2 4wds and parked so close to my marquee that they couldnt open there passenger doors, we were kayaking when they arrived so come back to them setting up rooftop tent and firing up a bbq .. some descriptive words were exchanged but they refused to move camp and then proceeded to get blind rotten drunk and blast there music till 3 am ... im short tempered at the best of times so the missus was very proactive in keeping me calmed down, but by 4am I was over it .. like a good boy I kept my mouth shut and just packed up camp ..once we were all loaded I quietly drove off up the creek so as not to wake our new neighbours who for some strange reason appeared to be following us at a distance of about .. oh shit my snatch strap ... always wondered how they woke up .. get a kick from telling myself it was with wet feet when trying to climb down the ladder for a sleepy eyed piss .. hopefully they learnt a couple of lessons, 1 show manners in the bush but more importantly lock your vehicle and put the keys away .. wish camera phones were around back then

 

[walshie1000]

Haha that's gold mad world. I don't understand why anyone would want to set up right next to someone else.

 

[madworld]

Me either.. defeats the purpose of heading bush imo ... even when I go camping with mates I tend to keep my distance, great to have a communal fire, kitchen etc but I like my space ..although im not worried about yowies .. guess some people are

 

[Ramjet]

Some people need a swift uppercut. But we need to not lower ourselves to that level.
Though I can see the merit to Madworld's approach

 

[Goldtarget]

Reminds me of the river at Easter and why I refuse to go anymore. It's a modern thing, the age of entitlement.
I'm certainly not that old I remember as a young teenage lad deer/pig/rabbit hunting you could get around and take arms without seeing a soul.
Modern life has granted better machinery and access but not bred better manners.
I am however better at keeping calmer about these things despite my lament.

 

[walshie1000]

Yea I'm the same madworld. We enjoy going away with others however we always set up camp with a bit of space between us. We love having communal fires and enjoying our time together. However when strangers arrive, I would be pretty pissed if they set up shop right next to us and would definitely need to excercise self control haha

 

[Danielkrupski]

That's a bit harsh. Was there room between the creek? Would have parked my car in between.

 

[madworld]

Thats the point daniel, why squeeze in between the man and his view of the creek ? Piss off and find your own bit of creek .. no one wants to look at you when they are enjoying the serenity of being away from it all.. ( not directed at daniel just "you" in general)

 

[20x]

im thinkin...if you were the only prospector camped and working the creek that day and they have absolutely no idea on how to find gold, then you were the indicator and their only hope....or is it possible that you were camped and working the same spot they had planned to so they were doing that on pourpose to startle/move you along?

am I even close? lol

 

[DetectaDave]

No, I suggest that he was just a smart arse. I was gobsmacked when he called his mate to come in as well. If he had parked 20 metres away would not have been a problem, but drive through my camp, and park right next to it, that's a different story. He only had a pan, sieve and bucket and shovel to carry. I don't mind sharing a creek at all and will happily share my years of experience, but when they have the attitude this banana brain had it leaves me cold. I have photo's and rego numbers. Next time it will get ugly. I also suspect he will be back and is probably a local.

 

[Metamorphic]

Yeh Dave i hear ya mate......sad situation and down right bloody rude.

Next time invite him down to the local pub at the end of the day to show off some finds.

PM my goodself, dwt, and Big Nugget.......we will meet you there and disperse some good ol' fashioned prospector etiquette.

Lol

 

[madworld]

Plenty of smart arses taking up what were previously "good guy" hobbies, im probably one of them in the eyes of some of you oldtimers .. but I like to think I have a bit more respect than to ruin someone elses hard earned timeout.. i refuse to set up next to someone else, be it at the cinema , fishing, camping or now prospecting and the kids hate coming to the creek with me cos im always rousing on them for squealing and yelling ...their new rule is they are not allowed to be any louder than nature if theres other people around..anyways good on you for not throttling the turd .. now you know what he is like if you ever see him out an about on the tracks again you can exact some revenge then

 

[toecutta]

its like when the puppy craps on the carpet.. you need to give the feedback immediately
the problem with NOT doing / saying anything immediately is it gives them positive reinforcement that what they are doing is OK and embrazens them to try it again or even up the ante next time

the herding instinct is stronger with some cultures than others and it appears that the current generation are SO tied up with fitting in and being like everyone else that they are missing the point

the summary i get from the previous postings (and i agree) they are clueless, frightened, entitled and in need of a good solid kickinthearse (maybe more than once) to reset their values and perspectives

 

[blisters]

Even with just camping it's a problem. I got the missus out for a camp, had the ring and was going to propose over the camp fire with the background of a nice running river. Then came the young lads and set up camp near us, music blaring full bore and chucking donuts on bikes until after 2 in the morning. No proposal that night. I can't understand it as even when I was a young fella I'd get out and enjoy the bush. I guess I might have been unlucky but the amount of crap I clean up at sites after others now is a bit disturbing and makes me think it's true that we are entering into a new era of self entitlement.

 

[DetectaDave]

Toecutta, he knew I was not impressed. Next time it will get ugly. I am sure he will be back.