Legal Caches?

[+AbnSweetP]

I have a question I can't find an answer for any where. It's probably been right under my nose but I haven't located it. It'll also settle an argument between myself and a couple of other cachers.

 

Would a cache (of any type) placed in the large land areas between an on/off ramp and a highway or interstate be considered "legal"?

[+adambro]

Whether or not it is 'legal', I would have thought it wouldn't be a very good location for a cache. Surely access is a bit of a problem.

[+welch]

It wouldn't seem like a good idea since your likely to have people either parking along a busy highway (which may be illegal parking), or parking elsewhere and walking across the highway (dangerous).

[+Les Nomades]

I do agree with the others. No way you'd have me park on the side of the ramp or the hway and have me cross the on/off ramp. But if there is a place to park outside the ones above and if you can get to the location without crossing the above, I don't see any problem.

[+AbnSweetP]

Just another thought on this to expand my original post (I'm new to posting in forums...cant you tell) You don't have to actually cross the highways on any of them that I've noticed unless you park in the wrong area because most of them are placed near the on/off ramps so you can park on the side of the ramp or on the side of the road above that crosses the highway. But I won't attempt these because I'm afraid it is illegal to be on this area. I don't need some state highway patrolman or county mounty hauling my butt off to the local jail...LOL

 

Hubby tried one last month and I slid over to the drivers side and made it look like I was just stopping for a cell phone call...spent over 20 minutes appearing to be on the phone while he looked and every car (and must've been 100 cars) looked at me!

 

I know if I am driving down the highway or interstate and see someone off in the woods between this area (and I've seen plenty of hitchers and homeless camping in these areas around the country when travelling) I am leary of what they are doing and I guess that also is antoher reason I won't do it... I don't want to meet up with someone who is less than honorable in intent.

 

Anyway, thanks for the replies thus far

[+Ed & Julie]

I'm not sure about the legalities, but they are reviewed and listed.

I found on, and wasn;t entirely comfortable with being there. I was waiting for a Highway Patrolman to stop and grill me.

Road Rage

[+KoosKoos]

How bout the double whammy of a roadside AND a graveyard???

 

Marthas Graveyard

 

BTW, I loved doing this cache!

[+JC_Geo]

If this is on an Interstate, it could be on Federal/State land and wouldn't approval need to come from the correct government agency?

[+wimseyguy]

Found this NC motor vehicle law after a bit of googling. That should settle your argument. I too wondered about this; it seems to be a favorite spot of those who live near I-95. I have never seen it used anywhere else in the country though.

 

It is unlawful to stop, park, or leave standing any vehicle, whether attended or unattended, on any interstate highway or other controlled -access road, except in an emergency or when directed to do so by a law enforcement officer, or at designated parking areas [G.S. 20-140.3(5)].

Edited December 26, 2005 by wimseyguy

[+4leafclover]

I think most that you might find around now, are older caches, most likely (but not exclusively) placed before 9-11.

 

WHile the land you are referring to is "public" of sorts, it's still not a wise idea to force cachers to have to "abandon" their cars, or cross such dangerous traffic in order to access the cache.

 

I suppose, while not impossible to place, it just isn't the "wisest" choice of locales, IMO.

[+briansnat]

If this is on an Interstate, it could be on Federal/State land and wouldn't approval need to come from the correct government agency?

If they have a geocaching policy, then yes.

[+Mary&Dave]

This isn't an answer to the original question, but maybe something to consider. What's the appeal of the spot? Not knowing the area, I could certainly be missing something, but it doesn't sound like a very nice place to go caching.

[+Team Perks]

Personally, I think it the "legality" of this would vary depending on the situation. I see these types of caches all the time. Heck, I found one of these today, and I didn't need to park illegally, jaywalk, trepass, or do anything dangerous or illegal to get to it.

 

Around here, the "large land areas between an on/off ramp and a highway or interstate" are often used as park & ride lots, gas stations, transit stops, and so on. As long as I can be confident that I could have some other legitimate reason to be in that area, I don't see why it would automatically be off-limits.

 

Granted, there are plenty of off-ramp easements where I wouldn't feel comfortable searching for a cache, but there are also plenty where my presence wouldn't be unusual or alarming.

[+Renegade Knight]

I actually placed one of those. The location was the island between the onramp and the interstate. The spot was unique in that it had a lava cliff and trees that provided cover for those looking. There was off street parking within walking distance. For the most part I don't think that it's a good idea. However I would not hesitate to re-use the location that I had used because of it's unique charicter.