CanUK_TeamFitz

Is that in the lexicon? Thanks for the new word! I love it! LOL, I arrived at the neologism independently, but I think it's prior art in these forums! I think there's even a cacher called Geotard.

What I notice is not outright hostility towards newbies, it's more of a passive aggressive type response in most cases. It's passive in the sense it can be excused later as a not intended that way if it's later taken in the wrong way. It's very easy to be passive aggressive, disruptive and subversive towards a person or group of people and pass it off later as a misunderstanding - that is the whole intention of doing it in the first place. It also doesn't seem to be something that can be avoided, considering for some, their testosterone level is inexplicably linked to the game in various ways. What I'd suggest as an alternative is that moderators focus on moving incendiary newbie posts that stumble into the General forum into the Getting Started forum soon after they appear. This would have the double-whammy effect of discouraging trolls (ie. the one's who pretend to be newbies to start a flame war) and getting genuine help for those who are genuinely confused without exposing them to the harsher elements. I notice the topic of popcorn comes up. I don't know about others who have used the icon in the past but I use the popcorn icon to indicate I'm going to watch and laugh at all the geotards responding in their typical way - often because I know the OP is going to wish they had never discovered the forums/geocaching after the thread is finished. In this instance, I use geotards to refer to those who are neither civil or objective. Disclaimer: This post was carefully made in the highest quality controlled environment, but may contain trace elements of passive aggressiveness.

-A forum is for expressing your opinions, idea, thoughts. -Do not assume that posters post to increase their post count. This is something that we cannot control. That is the same as assuming that someone who has 10k finds is in it for the numbers. This may or may not be true. Maybe they just enjoy caching/posting. Post counts may be unintentional and beyond our control... however there is a certain reverance for high poster counts (HPC) regardless of the merit of their contributions. I noticed one thread recently where someone with a HPC returned to the forums after a long absence to ask a question with a slightly disgruntled tone. This poster recieved somewhat dismissive responses until it was pointed out their HPC then the following posts took on an almost apologetic tone. So newbies will get a rough ride - happens in a lot of forums but few would be humble enough to acknowledge their prejudice. Skills and experience counts for nothing, but if you are able to post a few of these... or one word approvals/missives ...on more than a few threads you can easily rack up your post count and you will then be in with the clique. Your words will suddenly take on an air of wisdom and respectability. Happens on a lot of forums... the most wisened and experienced of folks here could join a GPSr or Outdoors forum elsewhere tomorrow and get their comments trodden all over.

I've been a daily user of the Internet for 12 years and a daily message board user for over 7 years and I had no idea you could do that. Exactly. I'm technology-friendly but I still have zero clue how to use waypoints, pocket queries, or anything else. I can upload the cache to my GPS and that is it as far as using the technology goes. I haven't looked so far to find out how to use those features, perhaps I will do that this morning. I'll tell you this though - chances are, if I don't find the answer, I won't ask it here. I won't bother to search either, because rarely does the search engine work for me. I will more likely Google it and cross my fingers, or ask one of my seasoned cacher friends, which I am thankful to have. Had I not been mentored by a couple of experienced, awesome cachers, I'd be SOL and probably still looking for that first cache "how do i do that" site:http://forums.Groundspeak.com

Very good!

Why not just go the whole hog and have an EULA agreement?

If I found anybody "signing" any of my caches like that, I'd surely delete all the Found It's; to be clear, it's not the team name I'd object to, it's the Sharpie on the outside of the container. I'd consider that vandalism, not log signing. Got any garden gnomes? So we have a confession and a crime of cache vandalism... I feel another geo-court-case coming on! Light up your torches and sharpen those pitchforks....! Seriously, TAR has already been judged and sentenced for this. There really is no reason to have another go at it. Yes, but I think he should suffer for the rest of his life for this crime against the geocaching community - hopefully someone here has his address.... just so that he knows we know where he lives.... just sayin' No violence was encouraged or intended toward Alabama Rambler in this session of online goading. JK --

If I found anybody "signing" any of my caches like that, I'd surely delete all the Found It's; to be clear, it's not the team name I'd object to, it's the Sharpie on the outside of the container. I'd consider that vandalism, not log signing. Got any garden gnomes? So we have a confession and a crime of cache vandalism... I feel another geo-court-case coming on! Light up your torches and sharpen those pitchforks....!

We did some geocaching in Prague just a few months ago! Be warned they are mostly micros, even the puzzles. You have to travel quite a distance outside the city before you get to small -regular size caches, however there are some small ones in the city most memorable were these ones (in no particular order): Tancici Dum / Dancing House RIVERSIDE Prague Tribute Terezka Jindrich a Maria - this one took a while and the english hint was garbled. Vaclavak / Wenceslas square Mainly it was their inventiveness, or the fact there was room for small bugs and coins.

Good call. Yes it easy to set up groups on facebook, superfluous groups get set up for all sorts of things, not just geocaching. Human and democratic nature takes care of which ones are successful or not. Sometimes just best to let something fail or succeed on it's merits. Should we all drive just one model of car or eat at just one branded restaurant?

The guidelines actually do specify logging on and signing up. I see. Didn't click through to the guidelines link as I didn't have the time to study it... I'm surprised signing up to the website would be part of the requirement. Are other scouting activities commercialised in this way? Sorry I was in boy scouts and it's been a while since I did that anyway.

I assume the badge is for 'geocaching' not 'signing up to geocaching.com website'. I see no reason why the scouts should need to follow any Groundspeak guidelines or demands of the geocaching community. They could just as easily place their own temporary geocaches wherever they liked and keep it all in the scout community. Granted having them list on geocaching.com would be a boon, but it's not necessary. It's a bit like getting a merit for camping, but only if you purchase a Vango Tent and camp at Vango approved camp sites. Some of us may be more experienced at doing this but we don't own the hobby, it's something anyone can take part with or without our permission, way of doing things, or a specific website. Flame-suit on.

Who cares about 3D Street View, I was having a great conversation with a giraffe on chatroulette using Google's new animal translate feature and that's not working now either!

I'm surprised you're shop is still in business if that's how you run it... most businesses weigh up ROI and decide small sums like that are NOT worth chasing in court - they just ban/refuse to do business with the debtor. Isn't it more like... "Sorry Mr Smith, I have no officers available to come to your assistance [whilst your home is being invaded/car is being stolen/you're being assaulted] because our last available officer was dispatched to arrest someone for stealing a piece of tupperware."

I take it you cache paperless too, then? I have the shame of doing this more than once on series caches where they all start with the same name (I have a BB Pearl with a small screen).

I'm not a geocacher. I find geocaches, I sign the logs, I log online. I put caches out there for others to find, I even got permissions for an SSSI... but I'm not a geocacher.

Good call Cougarfan! Here's to more newbies coming along with the proverbial balls to stick it to the inhospitable cretaceous crowd! To all the crustaceans who don't like newbies coming in and ruining their game, well there are geocaching websites just for you like cachingusa.com. To the friendly elder folk, however, our thanks!

I try not to ask for help - I like the feeling I found it myself even after several tries. However... as a cache owner I don't mind people asking for help - I like to be able to read logs more than I like to bash people with rules. I think if you ask for a hint from the CO you'll find most are happy to provide you with one - beware though, make sure to specify if it's just a small hint you want - otherwise the owner might reveal too much. That said on my puzzles I try to keep my hints as cryptic as possible and try to prod the seeker in the right direction.

Some of my longest logs have been on micros. Most recently I even completed a multi that was a micro at the end and I think it's my longest log yet - had to go onto a note to finish it due to the character limit. http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?wp=GC14CPG I don't really get all et up by size, I do quite a few in London and micros are pretty much all that can be hidden. Occasionally I think to myself a larger one could have been hidden here, but I get more frustrated with caches that are reported as regular size, that turn out to be small (because I tend to then find I can't fit the TB in I was planning to leave). I've seen a lot of those. Some of the caches I've listed technically as small have been larger than some I've found listed as regular. Size only matters for me when I got TBs, otherwise I do it for the experience - swag depletes anyway. So many containers I've found with nothing but a few elastic bands, tiny plastic beads and chock full of damp business cards - in these cases a micro would be sufficient that I don't have dip my hand in to all of that to retrieve the log! I await the rabid Coyote to come along and compain that I'm ruining his game again. I put out a special puzzle cache with people like that in mind.

Dubzie86, it sounds as though you are holding out for everyone, or at least the majority to give you some kind of signal to "go ahead", the problem is you are in the forums and therefore you're never going to receive a unified answer. Despite what some may desperately want to happen, there are no rules forbidding micros, and few are going to begrudge you for setting one down. My first cache was a 1/1 nano, I like you just wanted to get a feel for being a CO and also set it near our flat, hoping to spot cachers in the field (still haven't managed to yet - sneaky b*ggers). It's actually been one of my most popular caches and has gotten the most photo's posted on it of all my caches placed. It's also opposite a hotel so I even get the occasional thanks from cachers who are only in town for a short time. Did I plan it this way? No. I wish I could get more cachers to attempt my small sized trads and regular sized puzzles but the truth of the matter is most cachers will go for the easy micros over the more challenging ones. You will get more logs and thanks.. and doing a favour for handicachers. Don't hang around in the forums waiting for someone to bless your endeavour, it ain't gonna happen. Final thought, if you want to enjoy geocaching.... stay outta the forums altogether!

The mischievous side of me wondered if placing a cache with a small low powered jammer inside it (as described in the article) would make for a very interesting cache! GIve out accurate coordinates, but no-one with a GPS would be able to successfully find it!! Matt Great idea for a mystery cache! I was just thinking along the same lines... Of course, if you were able to map out a circumference around the 'blackspot', just head to the middle for the cache.

Is there a place in GS world where threads that turn somewhat off topic and even a little nasty can be moved to. If so, I realise that it may be somewhat overcrowded, but................... If I sound nasty I apologise currykev but Border Caz's post, as well as being wrong was uncalled for.

Totally off topic, but neither driver is breaking the rules in this example. The approaching car slows down and flashes his lights at you - the light flashing is done as per the Highway Code - to draw your attention to his presence. What you do about it is up to you. From his speed and position signal - the slowing down and stopping before the junction to allow you room to pass - you can surmise that he is giving way to you, not from seeing his lights flash. If he isn't slowing down then it's obvious he isn't giving way, and you don't pull out in front of him. I have often seen drivers flash their lights to draw the attention of other drivers to their presence for many other reasons - such as a warning that they are travelling at speed and aren't going to stop so get out of their way. Flashing of lights and blowing of horn have the same meaning - to attract the attention of other road users. It is the other signals whcih are put with them that clarifies the intention. Sorry, back on topic - I have seen many caches of micro or nano size attached to street furniture such as benches, phone boxes, lamp posts. I very much doubt that any of the placers sought specific permission for them. My response was totally in context of Dubzie86 previous post, furthermore it's sounds as though you have never driven extensively on the UK's roads, that is if you actually drive at all! Now I will go OT in order to correct your utter ignorance: Here is an excerpt from Direct.gov.uk: So The Highway Code clearly states that flashing lights are ONLY to let other road users know you are there. If you use use lights to warn other road users to slow down you are using them incorrectly. If you slow down after flashing your headlights (to possibly allow others to pass in front of you) you are using them incorrectly. Back OT: Of course, my point, which you completely missed in your haste to sound more knowledgeable than you actually are, was that most road users do not follow this part of The Highway Code, as well as many other rules in the Highway Code. Consequently if you tried to follow the the Code by the book then you may end up having an accident. Ergo, not everything in life has to be done "by the book", ergo when it comes to adequate permission for placing caches, it's not always necessary or useful to explicitly state your uncertainty as to whether you have adequate permission or not.

Look, it's not honour amongst theives here... how about this example - Do you drive a car in the UK? What do you do if you want to turn right, and the approaching car on the other side of the road slows down and flashes their headlights at you? Most people take that as a signal to turn - as they are allowing you to go. However, this goes completely against The Highway Code. The Highway Code states that you must only flash your headlights to let another vehicle know you are there - i.e. if the other driver had been following the Code, he would keep on driving and when you turned you would have crashed into him. However, despite the Highway Code which we all passed a test on and agreed to drive by, every driver on the road flashes headlights to let someone go ahead. So not everything in life works when you try to go "by the book"... try instead to stick to "in the spirit of..." you will find it much easier to achieve things.

That's what she said.