Lesson learned yesterday,,,, Be careful out there !!

[Tony AZ]

So i'm kinda new to bottle digging I've only did it about 10 times w/ limited success...a few things i know like -Don't dig by yourself-- actually have broken this rule a few times-- yesterday being one of those days... So yesterday i decided to go do some sifting at an old Railroad site.. Alone ----but felt confident of my ability to return home afterwards...

I tried sifting for an hour and a half w/ nothing to show for my efforts, so i took a break ate some food and just walked around a bit.. I noticed a low spot and after break returned w/ shovel in hand.....Started digging and found some glass and cans at about 1.5 feet deep... Hmmmmmm''' the area i had been sifting was only about 6in deep.. I keep digging not too exciting could have already been disturbed by someone else.. not really finding a trash layer. I keep digging- it bottomed out at 3 ft... so i start searching the sides - one side definitely has a trash layer, so i start scraping away. found 4 bottles all damaged or broken-- but encouraging.. So this is where things get exciting... I've probably dug about 2 ft back into the side of my hole.. theirs about 8-10 inches of dirt above my arm-- when it caves in on my arm------totally unexpected....No big deal as this has happened before... Except this time when i try to remove my arm I CAN'T MOVE IT !! What??? So with my left arm i start to dig for my right arm--- I immediately see the problem-- A large rock that was totally hidden has fallen on my arm !! So as i start to totally uncover this rock - i realize how big it really is ... I try to grab it with my left hand --its too thick to really get a hold of it-- I make a couple of attempts to move it--- it doesn't move at all.. tried to pull my arm out again --nothing.. My arm is starting to hurt now..I try digging around my arm w/ my left hand seems too slow--- arm and hand hurting now---- I look around me and see my shovel-- I reach for it ---Just out of reach !! OMG !!! I look around again and i see a rusted out can-- I grab the can and use the can try to reach the shovel handle-- first attempt--- was poss a little panicked and actually pushed the shovel a little further away !! Second attempt tried to calm down and stretched as far as i could and moved it a little closer.. I finally got a hold of the handle-- after 3 or four stabs i was able to get the shovel under the edge of this rock and pry it up to remove my right arm !!! LESSON LEARNED TODAY--DON'T DIG ALONE !! Be Safe Out There------- and Good Luck!!! Tony AZ..

 

[WesternPA-collector]

Thank you for sharing your story. I'm glad you are okay! The key is to never panic in any situation like that. Because most of the time a solution is always nearby, just like you happened to find one. I focus most of my bottle hunting efforts on things that I don't have to dig for much. But something could go wrong no matter what. I worry most about the hazard of broken glass!

 

[Tony AZ]

There luckily was very little glass here unlike other areas i have dug... Rock could have pushed my arm into some glass and cut a artery !!! I was very lucky..

 

[hemihampton]

Reminds of the time I was at the very bottom of a 7 foot deep Privy. All crouched down on my knees digging with a little hand digger into bottom floor pulling out 1870's stuff, all excited wondering whats next. BUT, Then I look up & see this daylight way up high above me & it's the little hole I climbed down threw to get where I was. And I thought, hmmmmmmmm, What if these walls collapsed & cave in on me. I'm here all alone, Nobody would find me & I just dug my own grave. I had a real eerie creepy feeling come over me & I suddenly decided to vacate my hole. Only to find 2 Mexican Punks pounding on my Door Glass Window with a Brick trying to break into my Truck. Luckily I was able to scare them off with my Probe & Shovel. This was in Detroit in Mexican Gang Territory, Latin Counts. I guess if my hole didn't Collapse on me I could of got shot & robbed in my Hole. Dug my grave again. SO, Good Advice, Don't Dig Alone. I still do though, I did today after work where they tore a House down. LEON.

 

[SoCal_bottle]

I was panicking just reading that!

 

[otto]

I would go and dig on a Saturday afternoon after putting in a half day at work. I would bring a change of clothes and change in the car at the dig site. One day I had a 6 Foot hole going and the bottles were popping out and placed around the top of the hole. As I was digging away some dirt started coming into the hole. When I looked up I saw 2 sets of Black shinny shoes at eye level. 2 NYC Cops were standing looking at me in the hole. "Buddy is that your car over there?" YES … 'Whose clothes are those in the back seat?" MINE " Why?" I'M DIGGING FOR BOTTLES. Bottom line...….. they thought I was burying a Body and after a lot of explaining they GOT IT.

 

[sandchip]

Wow. I'm glad all of you are okay.

 

[photolith]

You would have had to cut your arm off like Aaron Ralston....

 

[RoyalRuby]

Thank you for sharing your story. I'm glad you are okay! The key is to never panic in any situation like that. Because most of the time a solution is always nearby, just like you happened to find one. I focus most of my bottle hunting efforts on things that I don't have to dig for much. But something could go wrong no matter what. I worry most about the hazard of broken glass!

And don't forget about good old rusty sharp metal objects along with that broken glass.....

 

[slugplate]

WHOA! That's horrifying. We all know how tunnel vision can cloud our judgement when we're hitting bottles. Bottom line, you can always come back and your person is always more important than a bottle.