Johnnygeo

Thanks for sharing.

I could not have said this better myself.

Hello cachers, Just a quick FYI for anyone in and around the Edmonton area... http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...46-eb7ffb520515 Take care, Johnnygeo

Very happy with mine!!!

This is an accident waiting to happen. If any of you ever come across a cache like the one above please contact the cache owner or a Geocache.com reviewer ASAP to report this imminent danger. I would probably post SBA on that particular hide if I came across it. But since I generally turn around and leave when my coords zero out at a lamppost base, I would probably never know. The pictured cache is unsafe because one has to reach into the unprotected electrical wiring area, no matter how slightly, in order to get it. A slip could be fatal (assuming unseen wiring defects). The cache pictured is definitely out of the norm though. To judge all or even most LPCs unsafe because a few might be like this one would be utter nonsense. Like saying all cars are unsafe because you once drove one with bad brakes. I hear you. You're very good at explaining things out and appreciate the way you defend your point... Very difficult for some.

Hahaha... good one... Today's Blog Post... My Webpage

Love all your comments, I see that some of you have an understanding... The picture above scares much more that any micro attached to a Lamp Post. (not saying that LPC's are a smart choice, by any means... ) The above picture is an example of one of the worst types of geocaches that a person could ever hide. This is an accident waiting to happen. If any of you ever come across a cache like the one above please contact the cache owner or a Geocache.com reviewer ASAP to report this imminent danger. Some people just don't know that a large amount of the time, the wires in these posts are live, even in the day because a photo-cell is placed on the top of them that turns the light off and on. The connections can be bare or covered. The caps that protect the energized lugs are not always on all the way leaving energized lugs/wires at the opening. Again, please report this ASAP and contact your local power utlity company so they can put the cover on properly. JV, thanks for sharing this photo.

Lamp Post Caches, are they safe? At the end of this post I want you to answer the question... Please take a read... I "Googled" Lamp Post Caches on my computer and came up with a lot of hits on the subject. I read how they're lame because they're so boring after finding 10 of them in a row. I read that they're on private property and that a cacher needs permission before they hide a cache in the lamp post. I read that a lamp post cache caused a bomb threat. All of these concerns are valid but from a safety perspective I think we're missing the boat. There needs to be more thought on how a lamp posts electrical equipment fails. It's happening way too much to say.. Ahhh, that never happens... Remember, everytime you lift a lamp post cover to find a cache, you're trusting that the lampost wiring has not failed from old age or has not been vandelized before you got there. As I've said in the past, a city, town, etc can have the best electrical maintenance program in the world, and still, the power equipment can fail, like anything else. For a handful of you that may be asking yourself, "I haven't heard of anyone getting killed by geocaching by a lampost", you're right, and I hope that knowbody ever does. BUT people doing other hobbies, walking their dog, playing around lamposts and other types of electrical equipment are getting killed. Here's some proof on what's going on "out there". (please click on the link for the full story) (1)... The electrified spots were discovered during emergency inspections prompted by Ms. Lane's death...Manhattan had 53 electrified manholes and service-box covers, and 30 charged lampposts. The Bronx had 6 electrified manhole and service-box covers and 25 charged lampposts. Link (2) The downtown electrocution of a 9-year-old boy was caused by the failure of the insulation in a 480-volt wire in the base of a light post, according to a report from investigators. Link (3)An ungrounded light pole is being eyed as the possible cause of death of a 9-year-old girl at a self-serve carwash Monday evening, a city official said Wednesday. (YOU NEED TO SCROLL DOWN A BIT TO FIND THE STORY) Link These are just a small hand full of incidents that are occuring out there. Lamp posts are meant to be safe because they're out in the general public but as you have just read, that's not always the case. Lamp posts are meant to give light to an area and to be left alone... not to be played on or in. Also, if we teach our children it's okay to lift up covers to this equipment, will they know what not to enter when they're alone? Probably NOT. Link Let's not have our kids get-used-to playing around this equipment. There are so many other places we can hide and find geocaches, let's stay away from electrical equipment. So, are LPC's safe? Thank you, Johnnygeo For more info, please visit my blog @ www.johnnygeo-blog.blogspot.com Link

For more info on Geocaching Electrical Safety, please feel free to visit my Blog... www.johnnygeo-blog.blogspot.com You may find the two latest posts interesting. Please cache safely, Johnnygeo

Thanks for all your great comments. Also, I thank those cachers with other comments that are not so positive towards the site... I learn from all. (It shows me I have much more work to do) Please visit my site at My Webpage Thank you, Johnnygeo

RE: "It "trains" people to look at these things as cache locations. The next cache may be a micro in the ground near a similar box but the cacher thinks "Ah, another one of these! Let me pop this cover off and see what's inside..." Great comment!!!!!!!!!!!

RE:"Here is a question for you electrical types. I go to Walmart and buy a roll of speaker wire. I hold one end of the roll in one hand and the other end of the role in the other hand. I'm holding it so that electricity if it were flowing from one side of the wire to the other would flow through me. I then find a standard distribution line overhead (32,000KVA?) and run just under it. How fast do I have to run to shock myself?" I give up... the suspence is killing me (I feel as if this question is a trap / a question I'm not fully understanding)

RE: "It's not 'really out there'. It is a box that was given away at an event. It is not a cache until it is placed and listed. Heck, I have several ammo boxes and a bucket of film cans in my garage. Are those caches, also?" My mistake. Thank you. (though we're being a little picky(you should be in politics )... "Giving away at an event " in this forum tends to mean a geocache event, which in turn means that someone may try to hide it... I'm sure it's not going to be used to wire up a hot tub ) I would like to hear from others with some good comments... (pro or con) What have you seen out there for electrical type caches?

RE:Seriously evil cache, a challenge to any hunter, and a totally bad idea!" That is an evil cache. Thanks for sharing what's really out there.

Wow... That's some great information. I enjoy reading and learning from people who have experience. You explain things clearly for all to understand.

I respectfully disagree. apples to oranges here... Let's use apples to apples... -Roads are to used by the public. Electricity is used by the public. -Roads are maintained by someone competant. Electricity is maintained by someone competant. (competant=training+experience) -We do not hide a cache in the middle of the road because someone might get killed and you would need permission from that city/owner. We do not hide a cache on/in electrical equipment because someone might get killed and you need permission from that city/owner. NOT Correct... -The power box is accessable... I will play on and around it. The highway is accessable... I will play on and around it. (Just my opinion)

Hahahahahha lol

There are some really beautiful spots on Vancouver Island. I enjoyed caching there this summer. The VIGPS website will help... Have fun!

IImm ussinngg a highj voltagew switch stickl to type this inm fforr pprotectiuon.. lol

Thank you for the great information!!!

Yes. It's a different story if someone steals that ground for copper money or the connection has failed due to age. What path would the electricity take to go to ground?

RE: "It's also an angle that I overlooked. " No, I just didn't explain myself clear enough in the first place.

"It sounds like you figure them out after they occured." Sure, I'll bite the comment: I'll be a little more clear on the types of incidents. The human error incidents that have been occuring mostly are Copper thefts in North America. People opening up panels, entering substations to steal copper. They end up hurting or killing themselves. Also, people have been ruining the integrity of the equipment by tampering with it. Stealing the grounds and bonds that protect you and I. (You seem to be good with google since your rant on deregulated power industry... try typing in copper thefts. There's some great info. ) Also, operators are getting too close to lines because they think an incident will never happen to them. WE spend a lot of money on maintenance. I know from experience, no matter how much time, money and effort you put in maintenance there's still something that ends up failing. Thank you on your personal views on the deregulated power industry. You may need to look for another forum on politics

Thanks guys! Those are some great links! You never know when that stuff is going to fail either by human error or father time. I've done too many investigations this year where human error was involved in either a serious injury or fatality. Way too many! Same things are happening in the States as well. Not that I'll ever know this... but if I save one person/child from getting hurt of killed, I've done my job. Thanks for all the great comments that have come across this post. Your comments, links, questions help me learn on where I need to focus more energy. The day we stop learning and think we know it all is when... ... ... (well you know the rest)