Using A Gps In A Crowd

[+busybea]

This may be an odd question, but lets imagine you are searching for cache in a city with a lot of people around. Would you openly use your GPS or would you try to hide it?

 

Last week I started a hunt in a city and felt I had to hide the GPS, and being new to this wondered how others would act in this situation.

 

thanks.

[+GPSOkie]

Interesting topic! Actually, I tend to have the opposite reaction in that I tend to want to have mine out so it looks like I'm doing something legitimate. I think GPSrs are so common now days that few people think anything about them.

[+Berjr1]

I wouldnt hide it, most dont know what your up to anyways. if they ask tell them what your up to. I think most people are walking around with all sorts of electronic today, whether they are ipods, cellphones or palmplots no one is going to notice. if they do they will ask.

[+charliewhiskey]

I've used the tip I read about in "Geocaching for Dummies" - I pretend I'm talking into a cell phone, and people quickly turn away.

[+Kai Team]

The way you act (suspicious, furtive, looking around vs. nonchalant, like you belong) has more to do with stealth than whether your GPSr is showing, although the old "cell phone" trick works if you draw undue attention for some reason.

 

For maximum stealth, note the bearing (direction to the cache) and distance while you're still 50 or 60 feet away. Look in the direction and distance and pick out a landmark. You'll not only be less odd looking, but you'll also have a better chance of finding the cache with your head up vs. looking at your GPSr!

 

When you spot the cache, reach in quickly (but not frantic) to retrieve it, then move away from the hide to a less crowded spot to log it (it's hard to log without being obvious - moving away from the hide avoids compromising the location).

 

I was caching in a crowded park and the micro cache I was seeking was hidden in a gazebo near a family gathering. No one was in the gazebo, but they had put some stuff in it - i.e. bags, coats. I had a good idea where to find it from past experience, so I walked up like I belonged there. The family ignored me while I was "inspecting" the gazebo (and retrieving the cache), but when I returned to put the cache back, they assumed I worked there and asked me a question about the park rules! I didn't know the answer, so I said I was "new" and referred them to the park office, and they thanked me!

 

Edit: typo

Edited December 3, 2005 by Kai Team

[+Airmapper]

I once had a guy in a RV give me a suspicious look while looking for a Wal-mart micro. He stuck his head out, and when I seen him I waved. He just looked, said "mornin" and went back inside.

 

If you act suspicious you'll look suspicious.

[nobby.nobbs]

as has been said the best way to get noticed is to act suspiciously.

 

most people are far too busy wrapped up in their own lives to notice you.

[+budd-rdc]

Since my eTrex would have a hard time locking to satellites in cities with tall buildings, I usually hold it in plain sight to increase chances of reception, and not hide it.

 

I've had smart-asses tell me (in good nature) "You have a GPS in your hand" and some have even guessed that I was Geocaching. Most perceptive muggles have guessed that I was playing a game of some sort, and for people who give strange looks, I ignore them since they are likely to leave the area quickly anyway.

[Garmin8888]

NO, as they won't know if it's a mobile or not....!

[+JohnnyVegas]

I have used to cell phone ploy, but if some one sees you and they know you are taking into a GPS they might think your nuts. But if you are withing 20 feet or so your best bet would be to use the hint if there is one.

 

The real trick, trying to get the cache when there are lots of people around.

[+Mile Runner]

i always carry around my USGS id when i go geocacing in a city, so that if a cop gives me any trouble i just show him my FEDERAL id.

[+W4G_SOTAGoat]

i always carry around my USGS id when i go geocacing in a city, so that if a cop gives me any trouble i just show him my FEDERAL id.

But not all of us have that advantage.

[+JohnnyVegas]

You cold always get a Ham radio license and then show the cop your Federal communications ID

[+Airmapper]

I could show my student pilot's lisense, that from the FAA, and thats federal government as well.

[+denali7]

i show them my fishing license and tell them i'm

a state trout spotter.

[+busybea]

I tried it again today as the clues are spread around the city (still not found them all yet).

This time I used the phone trick and just whipped the gps out to make sure I was on track, the clue had to help after that. I still haven't got to the cache yet so I haven't tackled that part yet.

 

Thanks for all your answers though, and if anyone sees me in canterbury, looking suspiciously at a bright yellow phone just say hi

[+Bill & Tammy]

I once had a guy in a RV give me a suspicious look while looking for a Wal-mart micro. He stuck his head out, and when I seen him I waved. He just looked, said "mornin" and went back inside.

 

If you act suspicious you'll look suspicious.

I would tell anyone interested that my wife bought me it so I could find my car in the parking lot

[+geognerd]

i always carry around my USGS id when i go geocacing in a city, so that if a cop gives me any trouble i just show him my FEDERAL id.

If you were to do this, I would consider it abuse of the ID. I have this rather unofficial-looking USGS ID and a more official-looking photo ID from my employer (county govt). I think neither would appreciate me using it to get out of a geocaching scrape, which is decidedly not work-related. Best explain to the officer what you are really doing. Can't you get arrested for providing false information? Or is that just if you lie about who you are?

[OGBO]

I have been wandering around with a GPSR in hand since long before geocaching was even a dream (in the bad old SA days). Over the years, I have had the following questions:

 

1. on several airline flights "Sir, is that a cellphone/2-way radio you are using? You should know that regulations do not allow you to use them in the plane." (the cellphone rule is in the process of changing). Reply "No, it is a GPS"

 

response 1a - "oh, ok." flight attendant leaves.

 

response 1b - "Those are also not allowed" (Alaska Air, which used to switch back and forth between permitting and forbidding about every 6 months, but forbidden since 9/11)

 

response 1c - "I will have to ask the captain if it is ok" (various responses from the captain - "yes", "no", "come up to the cockpit, I want to see how good it is (pre-9/11, of course)"

 

2. "Is that a cellphone?"

 

3. "Is that one of those g-p thingies?"

 

4. "Is that a walkie-talkie?"

 

5. "is that the new iPod?" (shortly after the first ones were announced - this was near Apple's headquarters)

 

And some questions I have gotten when hiking with my Kestrel 4000 around my neck (to record my hike profile) -

 

1. from a couple of geocachers - "Is that a new model of GPS?"

 

2. from many people - "Is that a GPS?" hmmm, with a propeller in it (for measuring wind speed)?

 

Then again, when I hike with hiking poles, I still get wise-guy remarks about "How's the skiing?", even in mid-summer.

[+ventura_kids]

I usually carry two things with me besides my gpsr..... just in case someone asks.

 

One - a printout describing geocaching. I found it in .... um... I think the utah cachers site.

 

Two - an old ammo can that still has 'grenades' painted on the side of it.

 

They both get the muggles to leave.... one is a bit faster than the other.

[+Bob Blaylock]

I've used the tip I read about in "Geocaching for Dummies" - I pretend I'm talking into a cell phone, and people quickly turn away.

  There's nothing that looks more suspicious than someone who is obviously trying very hard not to look suspicious.  Especially when he's talking on a yellow cell phone with a big Garmin logo on it.

[+Airmapper]

It may not be too bad with my AirMap (I-Finder) but can you see me holding A Garmin 72 to my ear?

[+cachew nut]

I usually show them some Federal Reserve Notes and the the direction to the nearest donut shop.

Edited December 4, 2005 by cachew nut

[+Anonymous']

I bring them out in crowds and whatnot but I feel like everyone is internally laughing at me cause i need a GPS to find my way.

[+Huckleberry Slim]

It's pretty easy for me to play the "dumb redneck trying to go high tech" part. Not much stretch of character for me The humor in this situation is probably why it works, looking like a fish out of water grinning and saying; "This dadgum contraption told me to go here,,, rekon I PROgrammed it wrong"

[Clan Riffster]

Wear a kilt & a sword. Swear in Celtic....a lot. Avoid personal hygiene. Folks will leave you alone.

[+briansnat]

i always carry around my USGS id when i go geocacing in a city, so that if a cop gives me any trouble i just show him my FEDERAL id.

But not all of us have that advantage.

But you can.

[+Titansfan]

Another idea is to have the cache pages on a clipboard. Walking around with a clipboard, muggles will think you are working and not bother you.

 

When muggles ask about the GPSr and what I'm doing, I explain the GPSr and tell them about geocache.

[+wandererrob]

You're in the city. A GPSr is for navigating. Where's easier to get lost than in the city?

 

My point is, I never hide my GPSr. It's primary purpose is navigation and information, for which I can make plenty of legitimate excuses. Geocaching is just how we choose to use this information, that's the poart I'm stealthy about.

[4wheelin_fool]

This may be an odd question, but lets imagine you are searching for cache in a city with a lot of people around. Would you openly use your GPS or would you try to hide it?

 

I wouldnt be worried about using the GPS, nobody really notices. Searching ground-zero is a little different, as you dont want to stand out. Just act with confidence and dont act suspicious, or fearful of being seen. Of course, you dont want to be seen, or noticed, but if someone sees you, you dont want to act guilty or flash a "I'm caught" look.

 

Another idea is to have the cache pages on a clipboard. Walking around with a clipboard, muggles will think you are working and not bother you.

And it seems we have a seasoned upper manager, or supervisor in here.

[+Criminal]

Honestly, there is nothing more lame than talking into a GPS unit. Back a few years ago when they weren’t sold in every wal or K mart you might have gotten away with it. Now you’ll just look like a moron.

 

What are you trying to hide, or more importantly, why? Just geocache, and if someone wants to look at you cross-eyed for holding a GPSr then so be it.

 

[+Chiro75]

I just palm my Etrex and it is pretty out of sight. Otherwise I have occasionally turned it into a cell phone. Getting away with it depends on where you are. My neck of the woods is NEXTEL country, home of gigantic (relatively) cell phones, many of which are bright yellow and black. In fact, my Etrex is smaller than the NEXTEL I had a couple of years ago. One of the more popular models is bright yellow with black rubber accents, so I can definitely get away with it here. If you're in a place where everyone has Bluetooth headsets implanted in their skulls, then you probably won't be too sly using that technique. Works for me! I've had some great conversations, too!

[+Sputnik 57]

Another idea is to have the cache pages on a clipboard. Walking around with a clipboard, muggles will think you are working and not bother you.

I have heard that some cachers in muggle-rich areas wear an orange vest and carry a clipboard. Some add a hard hat for extra effect. If you look "official" you must be official.

 

At a cache near here, heavily frequented by nannies with tots, a local cacher's post says that he lit up a cheroot and used the smoke to cleanse the muggles from the area. I'm not a big cigar fan, but whatever works.

[Myself248]

Simply know that you belong there, and you won't look suspicious. They say dogs can smell fear, but I think it applies more broadly. If someone is looking your way, just muster up half a smile, flash it in their direction with half a nod, and go back to what you were doing with just a hint of annoyance at the distraction. You're just trying to finish this last site before your shift is over and you can go home, after all.

 

A clipboard is the single most official-looking piece of gear you can carry, anywhere, for any purpose. Particularly if it's the clamshell style that can hold some papers internally. Another piece of good urban camo would be a rolling ruler, the wheel-on-a-stick that some kinds of surveyers use. You might find it coming in handy for actual caching, too!

[+saxdiva and mr. vibes]

I do the cellphone bit all the time... especially when I'm hunting micros at night. So far, no problems.

 

A couple of times when I've been busted looking for a cache in bushes (or wherever), I launch into the standby: my husband, in a drunken tantrum, threw my car keys into these bushes last night. Works great unless he's with me--then, I say our son did it. Either way, people usually don't ask follow-up questions.

 

[+One of the Texas Vikings]

I find that when I am in a crowd, if I wear my aluminum foil hat and mutter under my breath, "there's one, there's another !" no one asks me

 

Actually, I keep it out and if someone asks, I tell them, if not, let them stare...

I'm having fun !

[+deimos444]

I always trip out on this topic because I really don't give a rats what people in a crowd think as long as they are not out to lynch me ( or worse ).

When you walk around in a city like San Francisco it seems that any behavior is common.