I read all the post and realize that if the proposed rules would be implemented, I would never be able to become a geocacher.
I live on a small island in the Pacific ocean. When I learned about the geocaching half year ago, there were 6 caches on the island. I found them all Some short travel allowed me to find some off island caches and now I have 16 found.
I really love geocaching and would love to see it developed here. The only way for me to do it is to start hiding caches myself to give reason for traveling geocachers to visit our island and for newbies - to play. I do my best promoting geocaching through different media and activities. Now we have 20 caches and more and more off island visitors come for geocaching, which makes me happy. Some also leave behind a cache or two, and I am the one to take care for these caches as for the moment I am the only active geocacher on the island.
I have learned the wrong way that my Android can bring me to a cache I look for, but would not give me correct coordinates when I hide. My first cache coordinates were faraway from the actual location. I was really ashamed. Fellow cachers from a Facebook group helped me understand how the Android GPS work and where was my mistake. They helped me find a cheap Garmin Oregon and even brought it to me on the island so I could continue doing geocaching in a better manner. Simply said: when I felt, they gave me a hand and supported me. This is a geocachers' fellowship in action, isn't it?
When you discuss such matters as limiting the freedom of geocaching by some rules, please remember that not the entire Earth is covered by geocaching and there are places where this outdoor activity just begin its development. Don't discourage newbies just because they haven't done something the way you expect it - help them be better if you are near by, physically or virtually.
If you are angry with cache of a fellow cacher because it is not maintained, don't rush to judge as you don't know what have happened in that person's life. Maybe you can invest in the well-being of the geocaching and help that unknown cacher by changing the container, or the logbook, or leaving a pencil? This would be a random act of kindness that may be more educational and inspirational for that cacher and fellow cachers than just marking someone as "bad".
