+ryme-intrinseca Posted October 24, 2005 Posted October 24, 2005 I set up a series of caches last weekend. I was given permission from the relevant landowners, but now I've had to disable one of them. Some time in the past, someone hid a cache here without permission. This has recently been found by a Muggle, and handed in to the park managers. Now I think they are reconsidering whether my cache can remain there or not, cuz this 'Geocaching' thing might be damaging to the area. It's a shame, cuz I've been really careful about where I hid mine. I've emailed them, and am waiting for them to say if I can reinstate it. They've been very friendly in their emails to me, so perhaps they'll agree to letting it stay there... So now I'm feeling sorry for myself, and thought I'd share it with you. And I was so pleased with my series. Quote
+Stuey Posted October 24, 2005 Posted October 24, 2005 Your series is ace! (especially seeing as I FTF'd 6 of 'em ). The Globe is a wonderful area to go to and that cache is so close to the path I can't see how it will do any harm. Keep at it, I hope you get this sorted. Good luck! Quote
Nediam Posted October 25, 2005 Posted October 25, 2005 Hope you get it sorted. Perhaps an e-mail promising regular maintenance might help? Also mention that the cache may be "busy" for the first month, but after that, the number of people looking for it will drop off. Quote
+Brenin Tegeingl Posted October 25, 2005 Posted October 25, 2005 I'd point out that this cache was placed by another cacher who has no connection to you, that you've obtained permission off them and they have contact details and know the location of all the containers that you've placed. Also that you will physically remove the containers immeditely if in the future they wish them removed. Dave Quote
+sTeamTraen Posted October 26, 2005 Posted October 26, 2005 Let's see if I've understood: - You asked permission to do "X". It was granted. - Someone else did "X" without permission. - Because of that, permission for you to do "X" has been withdrawn. Provisional conclusion: the people who gave and then withdrew permission are acting irrationally. Assumption: the individuals involved are not irrational, but they appear to be because of some internal communication issue (left hand/right hand). Suggested action: write the friendliest, politest, neatest letter you have ever written, to the person who signed your original permission (you did get it in writing, didn't you?), saying that there seems to have been some misunderstanding. You could add something like "as you will no doubt understand, the whole reason why I asked for permission was because I know that people sometimes operate without it. I fully understand why you would have their caches professionally crushed into small coins. Could you just please confirm that my permission still stands ? Yes, I have reported the placer of the unauthorised cache to our favourite listings site, and I believe Grant and Phil are on their way round to sort him out". Quote
+wildlifewriter Posted October 26, 2005 Posted October 26, 2005 Let's see if I've understood: - You asked permission to do "X". It was granted. - Someone else did "X" without permission. - Because of that, permission for you to do "X" has been withdrawn. Provisional conclusion: the people who gave and then withdrew permission are acting irrationally. The 'people' wouldn't agree with you. I ran into almost exactly the same situation as the OP, yesterday afternoon... I have permission to place caches in a nearby Regional Park. (This wasn't easy to secure, as there are three different agencies responsible for it.) During the original discussions, I gave the whole spiel about guidelines, and how Geocaching is a responsible and properly self-regulating hobby. There wasn't a problem. A problem appeared when a visiting cacher decided my choice of location was so suitable that he'd hide one of his own a few hundred metres away. Unfortunately, he didn't hide it very well and the park staff found it while cutting grass verges. Next thing, I'm asked to come and be spoken to by one of the park supervisors, who have suddenly decided that Geocaching isn't a responsible and well-regulated hobby after all. They don't understand the distinction between me and this irresponsible holiday cacher... They just think we're ALL irresponsible. I had to agree to take the offending box away with me (even though I didn't own it), and it took some fancy chat to persuade them to allow my own caches to remain there. I didn't tell them that they were being "irrational" as this would probably not have helped. -Wlw. Quote
+sTeamTraen Posted October 26, 2005 Posted October 26, 2005 (edited) I didn't tell them that they were being "irrational" as this would probably not have helped. The word "irrational" is, indeed, the very last one (of more than four letters) that one should consider putting in the letter to them. Nonetheless, it is a correct description of their overall behaviour. Their reaction is perfectly understandable, and one might not be able to do anything about it, but it isn't logical. It almost certainly won't help to point this out to them, but it should condition the way in which one responds. Their reaction would have been rational if people searching for the OP's cache had caused damage. After all, I'm sure that assurances were given that it would not lead to hundreds of quad bikers tearing up the park, or whatever. And if it could be shown that the people hunting for the unauthorised cache were causing damage, that would arouse reasonable suspicions that they might do the same looking for the OP's cache. But the simple fact of someone else placing a cache, is totally irrelevant to the discussion. You can tell I've been reading this book... it's actually quite dangerous, as it tends to reduce one's ability to put up with fallacious arguments, and being quite short (and written by a bit of a curmudgeon), it doesn't offer any way to cope with your new-found knowledge. If I had any irrational friends I'd be in danger of losing them. Edited October 26, 2005 by sTeamTraen Quote
+wildlifewriter Posted October 26, 2005 Posted October 26, 2005 (edited) (snip) But the simple fact of someone else placing a cache, is totally irrelevant to the discussion. Perhaps I didn't understand the original poster correctly, but I got the impression that people placing caches without permission WAS the subject of his discussion. It was certainly the subject of the lecture that I had to listen to, yesterday. -Wlw. [Edited to quote the quote] Edited October 26, 2005 by wildlifewriter Quote
+sTeamTraen Posted October 27, 2005 Posted October 27, 2005 (edited) Perhaps I didn't understand the original poster correctly, but I got the impression that people placing caches without permission WAS the subject of his discussion. It was certainly the subject of the lecture that I had to listen to, yesterday. Yes, I'm sure the park people brought it up, despite its illogicality. I meant that it should have been irrelevant to their discussion. I was just trying to offer some logical comfort. However, "you're right... but so what" isn't always a lot of help, I agree. Kind of like when a 35-ton lorry comes out from a Give Way junction without looking and hits you I certainly don't want to end up like Mr. Logic from Viz, although I can see I'm heading that way... Edited October 27, 2005 by sTeamTraen Quote
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