Caching Using Public Transport.

[The Cap Man & Swallowtail]

Hi all I am currently toying with an idea which if I undertake could take years to complete if ever and would also need the help of as many UK cachers as possible. But firstly I need to try to see if it would be worth it so if as many as possible could answer the questions below I will see what the responce is and then decide if I will make the project public.

 

1) Do you use public transport to go caching?

 

2) Do you avoid caches because you don`t know if there is a bus stop near by (say within 2 miles)?

 

3) Do you wish there was a data base or data bases which could be used with map software to display all the bus stop in an area?

 

4) Would you download and use the data baes (bases mantined in the above question?

 

5) Would you be willing to contribute to the making of the above data base (bases)?

 

Please don`t take it that I`m going to do this project yet I`m just trying to find out if it will be worth the time and effort.

 

The Cap Man

 

&

 

Swallowtail.

Edited July 31, 2006 by The Cap Man & Swallowtail

[+lathama]

1) yes i do

2) No not really, only events apply to say yes (and then it would apply more to trains).

3) would be more use to me if it applied to train stations

4) Yes, (applied to my answer).

5) I would help as far as i could (applying to my answer) ie - trains not buses

[+Master Mariner]

1) Do you use public transport to go caching?

 

2) Do you avoid caches because you don`t know if there is a bus stop near by (say within 2 miles)?

 

3) Do you wish there was a data base or data bases which could be used with map software to display all the bus stop in an area?

 

4) Would you download and use the data baes (bases mantined in the above question?

 

5) Would you be willing to contribute to the making of the above data base (bases)?

 

 

1. Only if caching in London (central) usually use the tube

 

2. Don't do buses as I do not understand them!

 

3. Could be useful - especially in London

 

4. Possibly if it covered an area I was visiting in London

 

5. Already have one for London Underground

[+currykev]

Re Q3:I doubt if thats an easy option as would require some serious software programming..or am I wrong.

I also think busues outside major city hubs are generally infrequent

so this may cause problems.But once you know which area you want to cache in,then a google search of buses local to that area will generally give you timetables etc.I did this to go to an event in Yorkshire some time ago.

[+Jonovich]

There is already a big database called Geocaching.com. Have you considered lobbying the cache setters to expand on the 'Public Transport Available' attribute to provide more information about a cache's acccess from public transport? The additional waypoints could be used for bus/train stops and the cache/waypoint descriptions could include links to the relevant transport organisation for times. Groundspeak may need to make some of these waypoints or descriptions more formal and easier to search or reference, but I would imagine it would be more preferable than creating a second database to reference the first, with the headaches of then keeping them in sync and up-to-date.

 

Jon

Edited July 31, 2006 by dakar4x4

[The Cap Man & Swallowtail]

Thanks for the replys so far, but I think there is a little bit of misunderstanding in what I put forward. My fault for not explaining it fully.

 

What I was hoping to do was not a data base of bus timetables but just files that could loaded into map software that would show by the use of marks taken by people showing just the location of bus stops. That way people could see that yes there is bus stop near a cache box. It would then be upto that person to then find out what bus services run to and from that stop.

 

The way I was thinking of doing it was to ask cachers from around the country to take a mark reading with their GPS when out caching or walking or whenever (they could even go out with the sole purpose of taking marks for all their local bus stops) and just send me the marks they record. I will then sort them and put them into map files for use with Memory Map, Fugawi UK and Garmin Map Source. I would then start a web site and put the files up for download.

 

The Cap Man

 

&

 

Swallowtail.

[+lathama]

Thanks for the replys so far, but I think there is a little bit of misunderstanding in what I put forward. My fault for not explaining it fully.

 

What I was hoping to do was not a data base of bus timetables but just files that could loaded into map software that would show by the use of marks taken by people showing just the location of bus stops. That way people could see that yes there is bus stop near a cache box. It would then be upto that person to then find out what bus services run to and from that stop.

 

The way I was thinking of doing it was to ask cachers from around the country to take a mark reading with their GPS when out caching or walking or whenever (they could even go out with the sole purpose of taking marks for all their local bus stops) and just send me the marks they record. I will then sort them and put them into map files for use with Memory Map, Fugawi UK and Garmin Map Source. I would then start a web site and put the files up for download.

 

The Cap Man

 

&

 

Swallowtail.

 

good idea. but remember that there are so many little bus companies, that it could take an age to get the database working...and then the bus numbers and routes change mucking up everyting.

I still think it would work better with trains.

[The Royles]

At the risk of sever flaming

 

If you propose, and set up a Waymarking category call UK bus stops, people could then log them there. Each cache page already includes a "show nearest waymark" option, so people could click this to show if there is a bus stop nearby.

 

Let the flaming begin in 3... 2... 1... go

[The Cap Man & Swallowtail]

 

good idea. but remember that there are so many little bus companies, that it could take an age to get the database working...and then the bus numbers and routes change mucking up everyting.

I still think it would work better with trains.

 

There would be not infomation about bus company or route number or even bus numbers serving the stops it would just be to show where bus stops are located nothing more.

 

The Cap Man

 

&

 

Swallowtail.

[The Cap Man & Swallowtail]

OK so its a bad idea Forget I ever said anything.

 

The Cap Man

 

&

 

Swallowtail.

[+currykev]

OK so its a bad idea Forget I ever said anything.

 

The Cap Man

 

&

 

Swallowtail.

 

You will always know very quickly on these forums as to whether an idea is good bad or indifferent.

Thats the beauty.Don't let it put you off any future ideas and posts.Best of luck next time.

[+dino-irl]

I think it's a good idea but the suggestion by The Royles to use Waymarking.com is an excellent idea too. Worth considering?

[The Royles]

The advantages of using Waymarking.com is that

 

1 - the database is already set up for you

2 - anyone can enter data

3 - it is linked to cache pages already

 

Personally I think the whole thing could be a very useful addition for bus stops nearest to caches (and even train stations).

[alistair_uk]

1) Do you use public transport to go caching?

Yes. It use to be all the time, but now it is about 30% of the time.

 

2) Do you avoid caches because you don`t know if there is a bus stop near by (say within 2 miles)?

No. I tend to take public transport to a locality and walk between caches. It is normal to walk between 1 and 3 miles for me.

 

3) Do you wish there was a data base or data bases which could be used with map software to display all the bus stop in an area?

Not really. the local transport systems are normally so complex I find the easiest way is to use a local map and the traveline service that is local, but available throughout Britain.

 

4) Would you download and use the data baes (bases mantined in the above question?

Probably not. I would always be sceptical about it begin up to date and accurate, and hence I would spend as much time checking it as I would without it.

 

5) Would you be willing to contribute to the making of the above data base (bases)?

To be honest I would probably not be interested.

 

I think I am sounding really negative, and I don't mean to be. If someone was to put together some cacheing guides with bus information, maps and advised routes then I would be delighted, but if it is just a bus stop database then I would just not find it helpful.

[+Jango & Boba Fett]

At the risk of sever flaming

 

If you propose, and set up a Waymarking category call UK bus stops, people could then log them there. Each cache page already includes a "show nearest waymark" option, so people could click this to show if there is a bus stop nearby.

... the suggestion by The Royles to use Waymarking.com is an excellent idea too. Worth considering?

OK so are you two putting yourselves up as the first two Officers for this bus stops close to caches Group? With South Wales and Donegal covered makbe you should invite Alistair and then that's oop north too.

 

I do think that this idea would work, especially if the Group managers were creative in making/pointing out the links to things like traveline and bus eireann. Certainly there are a lot of cachers using public transport as Mongie's unfortunately worded post brought to light (I'm still smarting from the last time you walloped me with that timetable Tony )

[The Royles]

OK so are you two putting yourselves up as the first two Officers for this bus stops close to caches Group? With South Wales and Donegal covered makbe you should invite Alistair and then that's oop north too.

 

I think you have got confused somewhere. I pointed out how it could be worked, not quite the same as wanting to invest time and energy in making it work. I do believe it is a good idea, but I would leave it to someone with more of a passion for it than I have to organize it.

 

Mind you, if The Cap Man & Swallowtail formed the group, I would act as an officer until it was up and running.

[+John Stead]

If someone is prepared to put in the work to get this going on Waymarking.com, some of us might at last be convinced that site is some use after all!