How Close To An Airport Is Too Close For A Cache?

[+The Haddads Pit Crew]

While out caching today I got questioned by the same officer twice. It seems that the industrial park around the Manchester, NH airport is a target zone for terrorist and this officer was just trying to keep the industrial parks safe.

 

There are two caches about ¼ of a mile from the end of the runway in the town of Londonderry. From the terminal of the airport, the caches are probably a mile away.

 

The first time the officer pulled me over. I turned the wrong way at an intersection and made a u-turn at an airport access road. He only saw me pulling back out onto the road. He followed me to a three way stop sign, where I went straight across. As I started across he turned on his lights and pulled me over.

 

Now what did I do? I couldn't have been speeding (although I have been known to speed). I was watching my GPS. Maybe I was going too slow. Nope! He asked me what I was doing coming out of the airport access road. I explained my u-turn and he let me go.

 

I turned around again (I was looking for a good place to park). I pulled way off the side of the road by a cement barrier by a river. I walked to the cache and found it. Did the trade and log thing and walked back to the car.

 

As I got close to my car, I saw that my officer friend was back. He was running my plate. He asked me if I was letterboxing. I explained geocaching was like letterboxing but a little different. He said he knew I was doing something like it because he saw my dash card about geocaching and my GPS holder that is labeled "GPS Holder Mark I". He proceeded to tell me that the airport area is posted for "No Parking" (the only signs that I saw were "no parking on the pavement") and that I should not be out walking around the airport in this post 9/11 era. He told me that the airport is patrolled constantly for parked cars and if I was going to continue my hobby that I should stay away from the airport.

 

So how close to an airport is too close for a cache?

 

By the way, the two caches have very clever hides and are well worth the chance of meeting the law.

 

Donna of The Haddads Pit Crew

[+The Leprechauns]

I'd say that if the caches were within a patrolled security perimeter, then that's too close. I'd have wanted to hand the officer a cache page that said the cache was placed with permission from [name of land manager].

 

Hindsight is 20/20, but ordinarily once I've had a law enforcement encounter, unless we parted as best buddies and the officer said he knew about geocaching and wished us fun and good luck, I'd have driven away from that area and chosen some other caches to hunt.

[+BillsBayou]

Unfortunately, different areas may be treated differently. I'd stay away from heavy brush areas in the take-off/landing paths of runways for a half mile (at least). If there is a commercial complex or two between the cache site and the airport, you're less likely to run into John Law. I guess a "Line of sight" rule would guide you. If you can see the airport buildings directly from your cache site, it's too close.

 

Then again, the "Men With Guns" rule works as well. If "Men With Guns" show up, you're too close.

[bogleman]

I work for a non hub airport. As far as I am concerned if the airport owns the property it is too close but a lot depends on the location of the cache and what type of cache it is. If the LEO's are doing their job you stand a good chance of being checked. I would love to place several caches around the airport but I do not want to put anyone through the potential trouble that could happen. Caching can be seen as a harmless hobby or you could be the biggest threat since Osama, it all depends on the location of the cache and what you have to do to get it. PS if the airport owns the property they do not have to post no parking signs at every little spot on the airport. It's a regulation thing baby.

[+Mighty Nimbus]

Then again, the "Men With Guns" rule works as well. If "Men With Guns" show up, you're too close.

[+Tim&Bets]

Another option...take up flight lessons! At least that way, you'll have an excuse to be on the airport!

[+BillsBayou]

When caching near the airport, I recomment driving up to the cache in STYLE!

 

 

If "Men With Guns Come," just tell them:

 

"mmmmmmwwwwwwWWWWRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmm...

 

Meep! Meep! Mittah! I'm twyin' ta wand!"

[+The Haddads Pit Crew]

When caching near the airport, I recomment driving up to the cache in STYLE!

 

 

If "Men With Guns Come," just tell them:

 

"mmmmmmwwwwwwWWWWRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmm...

 

Meep! Meep! Mittah! I'm twyin' ta wand!"

 

If I had been driving one of those I would have gotten a ticket for driving a plane on a road!

 

I forgot to mention in my OP about the 18-wheeler that stopped to ask the officer for directions. The big, burly man got out of his cab and was crossing the street, "Officer could you help me?". And the officer replied, "I am taking care of this problem first then I can help you. Get back in the truck and wait until I am done." Then in a low voice, "Take a number Bub. I can only do one thing at a time."

 

I work in customer service and if I ever talked like that to a customer I would be fired. But I guess when you work in the Safety field you can be as rude as you want and no one questions it.

[+WaldenRun]

I am now thinking that anywhere near the perimeter is a bad idea. While I was taking some photos to log this locationless cache, someone wrote down my plate number. I was subsequently called into the FBI office in Providence RI to explain myself.

 

That experience was recalled when I found a recently hidden micro quite near the same airport. That led to this log.

 

Sooooooo, we are out this morning trying to FTF a new multi-cemetery cache. Yes, one of the stages is right next to the SAME airport. We were not there more than 90 seconds when Office Letsmovealongnow stops to see if things are OK.

 

-WR

[+BillsBayou]

I think we all need to just relax and get in touch with our inner children.

 

rrrrRRRRROOOOOOOOWWWWWWRRRRRRrrrrrr Where's that cache?

 

OOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO What's going on here? You letterboxing?

 

RRRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrmmmmmmm*pishhhhhhhhh* Excuse me officer can you help me?

 

You need to wait over there until I'm done here.

 

EEE OOO EEE OOO EEE OOO EEE OOO EEE OOO EEE OOO EEE OOO

 

Take a number bud.

[nobby.nobbs]

ohhhh which one to choose!

[+madajb]

As long as you aren't on airport property, then you aren't too close.

Don't let Johnny Law run you off.

 

-ajb

[CoyoteRed]

It's a sad state of affairs.

 

Popular spots near airports, which were in effect parking lots, are now blocked by concrete barriers and "No Trespassing" signs. These are only in line-of-sight of the airport, not on the property, and were for plane spotters.

 

Now, you can't look at a a plane funny.

[+JohnnyVegas]

If it's a public road that is open, then you have every right to be there. If the airport does not want anyone on the road the can approach the local officals to have the road closed to all trafic. While they can post no parking signs, they cannot stop you from park in another area and walking in.