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Comment by blueflow | Hacker News Reader

Are you one of these persons who like to have cops on their property?

Compared to your prior "Major annoyance" descriptive (for having the police visit), how would you rate being maimed or killed by exploding ordnance?

As unlikely.

Your funeral. Quite literally.

If you grew up in the US and didn't have the background "pensioner dies after discovering WWII ordinance in field" story every couple of years, it must seem unlikely indeed. But for those who do, they're not as stupid so as to think so.

> If you grew up in the US

Yeah which isn't the case.

feel free to add "or any other country where that is the case" at the appropriate place in my comment so that it applies to you, if you need to be spoonfed.

Hey, you may have not intended it, but your response comes across with a bit of a condescending tone. Please help promote HN as a place for continued civil discourse.

Thank you for pointing that out. Too late to edit, unfortunately. What response would you have given to the comment I replied to?

I’m not sure what they meant, so tbh I probably just wouldn’t have replied. You made a good point that for someone in the US (or any other country that hasn’t experienced modern war), unexploded ordinance isn’t even on their risk radar, despite the US being a major contributor to the problem. It’s unfortunate how many people continue to face that reality.

The argument relies on the insinuation i would not live in an affected area. Right now from where i sit i can see a rubble pile from USAAF/RAF bombings.

I’ll take some police briefly on my property over that gamble any day.

Letting cops on your property is not a gamble to you?

In Germany?

If you hate the cops so much, that's all the more reason to let them deal with the sketchy bombs!

If you call them to pick up dangerous material, in Germany? No. Plus, if you have neighbours, it's not only about you anymore.

All alternatives are a gamble. In many cases letting cops supposedly trained in the matter is the least risky gamble - if they are trained as they are supposed to be there is no risk.

Very few industrial countries where that is a gamble.

Certain DIY things reliably cause questioning or even an investigation by the police despite being legal.

*May depend on race

True. OTOH - I suspect that OD specialist officers, summoned to your property by your "I found something in my garden that looks a lot like that WWII mortar shell in your Call-us-immediately-if-you-see Guide" phone call would be far more benevolently inclined than regular police officers coming to your property for most other reasons.

I despise cops as an institution, but I'd rather have someone actually trained and especially equipped deal with that mess than risking to blow myself up.

The level of PPE and training required to safely dispose of explosives far surpass what I can afford financially.

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