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Cache owners should post parking coordinates!


The VanDucks

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From the responses I've read here, it seems the best course of action for a cache hider is to post the parking coords, both in the cache description, and as a waypoint. That way, those who like to have that data, wil, whilst those who prefer not having it can simply ignore it. Both sides are satisfied.

 

I concur.

 

But that is only if the owner wants it to be part of the hunt. There's nothing wrong either way. It just depends on how you want to handle the integrity of the cache. If parking location and approach are paramount I'll make it a multi and let the posted coords take you to the parking area.

 

On the flip side, we've had plenty an adventure trying to find the proper place to park. These are opportunities to see more than if we were guided there directly.

 

IMHO, the posting of parking coords is simply one aspect of guiding a hunt. It's kind of like telling a hunter which fork in the trail to take in order to avoid a 7 hour DNF because now you're on the wrong side of the stream with no sane way to cross it without risk of death. Hey, it's all part of a good day geocaching.

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I have just recently started using parking coords on my hides.

 

I placed one this weekend, for example, where there is a parking area beside a road and then you cross a 30 acre grass field to get to the cache.

 

The issue here is that the field is a field and not houses because the ground is undermined with sink-holes from eroded limestone caverns under it - you could, at least in theory, be driving across the flat grassy field and disappear forever without a trace!

 

Also, the maps I use, Street Atlas, Streets & Trips and PC-Miler all pretty regularly take me to the wrong side of a park - it will indeed be the closest spot to the cache, but no road... the park entrance is miles away!

 

Still, outside of this kind of situation finding parking and access is part of the game.

 

Ed

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We went to an unfamiliar part of our very congested suburban county to look for some geocaches, but the traffic was terrible and we spent more time in the car than actually geocaching. If only the cache owner had posted a place to park, it would have made the day much less frustrating. (You know how your GPS will helpfully tell you you're right at the cache, as you're driving along an interstate with no exit in sight!)

 

I guess the person who hides the cache assumes that everyone will be familiar with his area, but we really need to give parking coordinates for caches in busy urban or suburban areas. It's also very helpful to give the name of the local park if the cache is in a public park, so the seekers can look for a street sign and know where to turn. We use a car GPS while driving, and a handheld GPS and a PDA while out of the car, but none of those electronic tools can tell us where to park to avoid a ticket or a tow if the trail to the cache begins in a neighborhood with restricted or nonexistent public parking. We're hoping to place a few caches of our own soon, and I'm going to have a parking coordinate listed for every one of them!

 

pacifier.jpg

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It's been very interesting to read all the comments since I posted this question. Some of the answers have given me a lot to think about. Although we've found 145 caches so far, we are still beginners compared to some of you! (By the way, we are about to list some caches of our own, and yes, I do mention parking in each of them!)

 

From looking at the many answers above, I've begun to think that it really depends on the area of the country where you are caching. In our area, in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., many caches are placed along county walking trails in narrow "ribbons" of parkland that run between housing subdivisions. There are usually no signs, no parking areas, and very few trailheads to reach the pathways. That was really the impetus of my "rant" - that there is almost no method to find a way to get on the path, other than walking through someone's backyard, which would not endear geocachers to the general public. Yes, driving up and down every cul-de-sac on the map might lead to a trailhead, but not very often. And, unfortunately, our local traffic is fast approaching gridlock even in the non rush hour parts of the day, which makes aimless driving around pretty difficult.

 

Those of you who live in areas with abundant public lands, with perhaps less chance of trespassing, are fortunate; although we do have an advantage in that there are so many caches in our area. Thank you for taking the time to express your opinions, and I hope that at least some of you will choose to provide a clue to parking when you feel that it is needed, and let each geocacher decide whether or not to use the parking clue.

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Thank you for taking the time to express your opinions, and I hope that at least some of you will choose to provide a clue to parking when you feel that it is needed, and let each geocacher decide whether or not to use the parking clue.

 

Somehow this makes no sense to me. "Oh. There are the parking coordinates listed, but I'm not going to use them!" Hunh? Maybe as an encrypted hint, this might make sense, but not as a waypoint.

For my 'lets go hike in the state park caches', I'll waypoint parking coordinates. Anything else, you're on your own. Yup, I've hiked up the wrong side of the river. All part of the game. Or should we all post topozone maps with the proper course marked in red? Should I hold your hand, and guide you every step of the way to the cache? 'Nuff said.

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All part of the game.

Harry, I'm confused. (don't worry, it happens a lot with me) :)

If you were to hunt one of my caches, and pick your own parking spot, ignoring the one I put on the cache page, cuz for you finding good parking is "part of the game", would the fact that the coords I suggested are on the cache page somehow diminish your experience? I'm sure there's something I'm missing here, but since I'm typically refered to as being dumber than a box of crow bars, could you clarify your position?

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(By the way, we are about to list some caches of our own, and yes, I do mention parking in each of them!)

 

Not entirely true. I just looked at your Good Morning cache, and all I see is a statement that there is parking available. That's sorta like saying the ocean is damp.

 

Since I don't live anywhere near Virginia, shouldn't you practice what you preach, and put in parking coordinates on the chance that I may go to Virginia someday?

 

I have provided parking coords on some of my caches, and didn't on others. I will if finding a place to put the rig is gonna be a real bear. Otherwise, you're on your own.

 

Previous posters mentioned the "Entitlement Generation." This is so true. We refer to is as a "Sense of Entitlement." The sad part is, this is not confined to the somewhat younger members of our society. People my age (early 50's) are also developing it. Living in our times has made some people think that everything should be handed to them.

 

If you can't find a place to park, go do another cache. Seattle has some of the worst parking I've ever seen, and I used to live in Honolulu. Usually, I can find a parking place. If not, I didn't need to find that cache all that bad.

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I'd prefer you not add parking coords unless I'm truely going to need them, thanks.

 

My GPS will hold additional waypoints keyed to a particular cache, and I usually run my PQs so they pick up the additional coordinates. If I run a PQ for 100 caches and they each have set of parking coordinates, my GPS map is going to be terribly cluttered. That will make the visual information less useful to me, and eat up my resources a lot faster as well.

 

If you only give me parking coords when you think I am really going to need them, I'll be much more likely to pay attention to them when they are there.

 

Tell me on the cache page that you've added the coords to the only legal spot to park and I'll take notice. Tell me that cache is in a tiny park tucked away between two subdivisions and I'll thank you for not making me learn my way through a maze of streets named Magnolia and Sassafras only to learn that I should have parked on Willow.

 

There is such a thing as overkill. Parking cords for most caches just aren't needed.

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The thrill of the hunt is in the chase. The chase for me starts when I download the cords for the cache in my GPSr. I enjoy troubleshooting and problem solving. Parking cords to me are a buzzkill. If I DNF because I can't figure out where to park it just adds to the flavor of the cache - and will make me want to go back. It also makes me want to bring others into the game so I can enjoy that "aha!" moment with them when we go after that cache.

 

Please don't give away more than you absolutely have to when posting your caches and this includes parking cords.

 

just my $0.02

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There is such a thing as overkill. Parking cords for most caches just aren't needed.

 

I'm new to caching, but I have to agree - for me, part of the fun is figuring out where the cache is.

 

Having said that, I DID invest $50 in the North American maps for my eTrex Legend; I don't like to waste TOO much gas driving around in circles, so I do sometimes use the map function to get an idea of where to head, and/or to refresh my memory as to whether the cache requires hiking.

 

I've only been to one cache so far where entrance/parking coordinates were 100% necessary. For that one, the location is visible from the main roads, but following the GPSr will take you to a permanently blocked-off road or to a cul-de-sac in a new subdivision, where you could PARK quite close, but would have to cross private property to get to the site.

The entrance has to be reached by going a good bit PAST where you can see the site, then down a small side street & up a not-very-obvious small lane.

 

I do appreciate it, however, when parking coordinates are given for tucked-away suburban parks such as the OP was referring to. I can usually find the parking anyway, but I understand the OP's point, especially when following the GPSr leads you to cul-de-sacs and dead-end streets where the upscale residents don't appreciate any invasion by outsiders. Which is, I think, something of an East Coast/Mid-Atlantic phenomenon....

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IMHO - it looks like a lot of people just want everything easy and handed to them:

1. they don't want a GPS, they want a free phone application.

2. Don’t want to look at city maps, they want parking place included.

3. Don’t hide the cache, put it in the open so they can quickly find it and go to dinner.

 

If you don't want a challenge, go play tic tack toe with yourself and leave the interesting activities to people who can handle a challenge and some adversity.

 

Was just seaching for a cache the other night and couldn't find a place to park, cache was near busy road and it was rush hour, so had to leave and come back next day at a different time and try again until I found someplace to park and found the cache. Now I feal like I accomplished something instead of being spoon fed by my mother in her basement.

 

I will not include parking coordinates in my cache hides, I feel you should work for it or don't bother looking.

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Well, without seeming hateful, if you can't find a place to park, how do you expect to find a cache? Maybe the cache owners should also provide step by step instructions on how to get to the cache also? I always thought that finding the cache (including access to it) was the game.

Well, without sounding hateful, your response sounded pretty darned rude to me. TPTB provided the parking coordinates option for a very good reason. Sometimes it is NOT obvious where to park. And when you're not from that area, it can sometimes be awfully difficult to find the parking because you don't even know where to look.
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Required parking coordinates? GreySurprized.gif What a ridiculous notion!

 

Have you never heard of a map? Or how about a little research and preparation before heading out caching?

 

Seriously, we have more free resources available to us than ever before to assist with your planning. Between Google Earth, mobile internet, free downloadable maps for both PC and Smartphones, free hi-res satellite imagery, etc. you can almost find just about any cache without even a GPS! I've done it. GreyRedEyesFlashing.gif

 

Are you sure you want to stop at parking coordinates? How about mandatory detailed directions to the cache container and spoiler photos of the hide? Perhaps a flashing LED at GZ? Better still, how about a cache delivery service where you just sit in your chair and have a cache delivered along with your pizza? GreyLaughingAnim.gif

 

This is a geek pastime. It requires more than a GPS or Smartphone to participate. It actually does occasionally require some planning, preparation, other resources and a bit of intelligence and wherewithal. Sadly, the last two requirements seem to be becoming a rare commodity in the geocaching community, like much of the rest of human society. GreySmirk.gif

 

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I have to go with parking coords are optional. This is supposed to be a challenge. Part of that challenge is finding the appropriate parking. Of course my GPS has sometimes taken me into residential when the cache is in the park or path behind the houses but locating the entrance and finding a place to park to me has been part of the challenge.

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I typically don't use the parking coordinates or find the parking area on my own.

 

A cacher here put a traditionals at parking areas for a couple of their other caches. I thought that was pretty spiffy and will probably do the other caches now as a result where I wasn't that interested in them before. Made me take a second look.

 

Anyhow just normal parking coordinates... nah. I'm good. I'll look sometimes on the map when they're there and get a feel for the area based on the maps. But I don't pay much attention to them in my gps as they tend to just muddle things up for me.

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I have to go with parking coords are optional. This is supposed to be a challenge. Part of that challenge is finding the appropriate parking. Of course my GPS has sometimes taken me into residential when the cache is in the park or path behind the houses but locating the entrance and finding a place to park to me has been part of the challenge.

Huh? HUH? In who's eyes? Certainly not in mine. I want to get out of the car and go after the cache, not drive around and around looking for a spot to park my gasomobile. If your idea of fun is looking for parking, good for you. I hope you get plenty of exercise doing it, too.

 

I'm not sure where the idea came from that they should be required. The OP (from 4 years ago) did not say that. It politely said that it would be... ahem!... POLITE to provide them.

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I agree with adding a parking coordinate waypoint to the posted cache because of the convenience of Smartphone Geocaching applications. Without a posted parking waypoint, smart phone Geocaching apps navigate you to the nearest street closest to the cache site which is often the front yard of a muggle's house.

Even the post that resurrected this four year old thread does not say that parking coordinates should be required. And you naysayers can replace "smart phone" with "Nuvi" if you'd like. There is no "entitlement" involved here... it is simply a request for reasonable consideration of fellow cachers.

 

To say that "trying to find parking is part of the fun", to me, sounds analogous to "soft coordinates add to the fun of trying to find the cache"

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Wow, Deja Vu. Seems like we had this discussion something like four years ago.

Well I looked at the post that reopened this old thread to see why this happened now. And I have to say that four years ago people didn't cache using smartphone apps that have the capability to give you navigation instructions to the nearest cache. It seem that if there isn't parking nearby you can get instructions that take you someplace where 1) you can't park and 2) you can't access the cache from.

 

I remember back in the day when you planned what caches you were going to find before you left home and you did research on how to get there. But still there were people who wanted to know where to park if the cache was some place where there was no obvious parking. Sometime cache owners tell you where you could park in the description. When we started to get paperless caching and downloaded the GPX files to Cachemate on our Palm PDAs, parking became harder. We might look for the next closest cache while out in the field and if we hadn't prepare we wound up driving around looking for parking. Eventually the capability added to provide extra waypoints and if the cache owner put in parking coordinates we could look them up on the PDA or on the GPS. Now cachers have smartphones with Geocaching apps. They press a button to navigate to a cache they have never looked up before. I would guess if there are parking coordinates the app could use them, but if not it probably would fall back to the cache coordinates. Seems a little too much work to actually look to see if there is something in the cache description or the bring up Google maps and look at the satellite pictures to find an appropriate place to park.

 

Just goes to show that so-call advancements in technology aren't always so.

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There is one cache near me that intentionally does not have coordinates.

It is in a huge natural area surrounded by houses. We wasted an incredible amount of gas circling this area looking for an entrance into it.

 

It was fun for no one but maybe the cache owner who enjoys frustrating cachers.

 

Gave up, but it on our ignore list.

Wasted too much gas looking for that one already.

I'm into searching for caches, not searching for parking.

 

PS. Caches like this cannot be found with a smart phone.

It is in an area where you would have to find the walk-in entrance yourself.

Edited by Sol seaker
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I've definitely driven past several caches where I could not find the parking. Oh, try again another day, or not.

The GPS will take you to the nearest road. There are some great caches in the Jersey Meadowlands. Nearest road is the New Jersey Turnpike! Parking coords are a great idea here! (Though with a map, you should be able to figure it out...) Hey! I've got a cache where the nearest road is the Lincoln Tunnel. I worked hard to get parking coords so that mapping programs will take you the right way. Had to go to the far edge of the parking lot. I really hope that no one would consider stopping in the tunnel, but the parking coords should eliminate that.

(Slightly off-topic: If I stop at the traffic light under the helix. the GPS thinks I'm on the helix, and tells me to go into the city and make a u-turn... Nah. I know better than that!)

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Just because I would like to hear opinions, here is what I plan for when we start hiding (have to find an interesting place first, Wal Mart is OUT).

First get permission of course, then place the container for testing and get coords.

Then go someplace fairly far away, maybe even two or three different places, and plug the coords into my Nuvi and see where it takes me. If that isn't the right place, then add a parking waypoint and a note to the cache page that mentions the need to use it.

I know of at least one cache that the Nuvi takes me to the side of the interstate if I am coming from the south but if I'm coming from the north it stops me about two feet from it. That one mentioned the road name in the description so I knew that the westbound shoulder was the wrong place to be....

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Ok - use my home coords as the parking coords for all of my caches. :laughing::laughing:

 

 

Seriously - I have been to caches that have parking coords .75 miles from the cache when in reality with a quick look I found parking .15 away. I tend to NEVER fully trust the parking coords. More fun that way too.

 

Many times I've found parking a lot closer then the posted coords

just by taking the time to Google the caches. I can remember one cache that I mentioned in the log that I had found closer parking, and received an email from the CO asking not to tell anyone where it was.

Of course these were not urban caches, but even with urban caches you should be able to find parking spaces using Google earth.

Take the time to look.

 

Sheesh a 4 year old thread

Edited by vagabond
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Ok - use my home coords as the parking coords for all of my caches. :laughing::laughing:

 

 

Seriously - I have been to caches that have parking coords .75 miles from the cache when in reality with a quick look I found parking .15 away. I tend to NEVER fully trust the parking coords. More fun that way too.

 

Many times I've found parking a lot closer then the posted coords

just by taking the time to Google the caches. I can remember one cache that I mentioned in the log that I had found closer parking, and received an email from the CO asking not to tell anyone where it was.

Of course these were not urban caches, but even with urban caches you should be able to find parking spaces using Google earth.

Take the time to look.

 

Sheesh a 4 year old thread

 

I did just that on one of my caches, I provided parking coordinates .5 mile away in a public lot instead of .1 mile away on a street in front of houses purposely. I was hoping people would enjoy the walk through the park. That's also why I made it an unknown cache type instead of a traditional.

 

Driving around to find legal parking is not part of the fun for me. But with online aerial photos so easily available these days, I'm not concerned if I need to do a bit of armchair research to know where I'm going before heading out.

 

Also, not ever cache needs to be a macho-man challenge. There should be room for some easy caches designed to give a family with kids an enjoyable outing.

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Just came across a parking situation for a cache I was planning on searching for out on an island on one of the bigger lakes in MN

The main boat landing was a good half hour walk across the ice, and after searching for a while, I did finally find an ice report for that lake saying there was 8" of ice - so the walk didnt concern me, just wanted to shorten the walk

 

But browsing thru Google Maps I happened to come across a dirt path leading into the lake and what looked like a park. Downloaded the coords into my GPS and sure enough, parked me at a public water access 10 minute walk to the island.

Five minutes after I got to the island, another cacher came strolling up the path, I saw GPS in hand so we teamed up for our search. As we were looking, he told me that he made the half hour walk across the lake from the main landing.

 

Unfortunately we came up empty handed on our search (8-18 inches of snow we were digging thru for an hour)

 

CO did not have anything for a description (as he has 2 finds and 2 hides)

 

So to be polite, I posted my parking coords for others to use and gave my fellow searcher a ride back to his vehicle to save him the walk back

 

So - parking coords are helpful

Racettes

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Ok - use my home coords as the parking coords for all of my caches. :laughing::laughing:

 

 

Seriously - I have been to caches that have parking coords .75 miles from the cache when in reality with a quick look I found parking .15 away. I tend to NEVER fully trust the parking coords. More fun that way too.

 

Many times I've found parking a lot closer then the posted coords

just by taking the time to Google the caches. I can remember one cache that I mentioned in the log that I had found closer parking, and received an email from the CO asking not to tell anyone where it was.

Of course these were not urban caches, but even with urban caches you should be able to find parking spaces using Google earth.

Take the time to look.

 

Sheesh a 4 year old thread

 

I did just that on one of my caches, I provided parking coordinates .5 mile away in a public lot instead of .1 mile away on a street in front of houses purposely. I was hoping people would enjoy the walk through the park. That's also why I made it an unknown cache type instead of a traditional.

 

 

I did that to one of my caches is well. I provided parking coordinates to a spot across the road from the entrance to a flat trail (an undeveloped rail-to-trail section). It's about .2 of a mile from the cache and goes through a really pretty area that most locals don't even know about. However, it's possible to park much closer to the cache and scramble up a hill but those that do so (the majority, from what seems to have been posted in the logs) miss a nice short walk down a pretty trail.

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We went to an unfamiliar part of our very congested suburban county to look for some geocaches, but the traffic was terrible and we spent more time in the car than actually geocaching. If only the cache owner had posted a place to park, it would have made the day much less frustrating. (You know how your GPS will helpfully tell you you're right at the cache, as you're driving along an interstate with no exit in sight!)

 

I guess the person who hides the cache assumes that everyone will be familiar with his area, but we really need to give parking coordinates for caches in busy urban or suburban areas. It's also very helpful to give the name of the local park if the cache is in a public park, so the seekers can look for a street sign and know where to turn. We use a car GPS while driving, and a handheld GPS and a PDA while out of the car, but none of those electronic tools can tell us where to park to avoid a ticket or a tow if the trail to the cache begins in a neighborhood with restricted or nonexistent public parking. We're hoping to place a few caches of our own soon, and I'm going to have a parking coordinate listed for every one of them!

 

Agreed. It's frustrating wasting time looking for parking. Post parking as a waypoint or put the address in the cache page.

 

I've done that with many of my caches and am working to update the rest. I always at least mention a street name.

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I agree that parking coordinates should be included when needed. Also, the start of a trailhead should also be included. (Sometimes these are the same place.) One of the problems I have seen is when people don't use these coordinates when given to them. By now you would think that cachers would understand that the best way to a cache isn't always a straight line in the direction of the arrow shown on their GPSr units.

 

I've received logs on some of my hidden caches where they complain that the terrain rating wasn't appropriate for the difficult climb; yet, if you continue reading the log, it is clear that they did not start where the description and additional coordinates have instructed. Sometimes they even mention how much easier it was to return to their vehicle using the nice trail that they "found" near the cache.

 

You might say, "tough for them, if they can't follow instructions", but this can also result in trespassing and habitat destruction in unwanted areas. I once had a ranger, who knew about the placement of one of my caches, complain because people were taking the deer trail to find the cache instead of the designated walking trail. I let her know that I specifically mentioned the trailhead and gave coordinates in my description, but unfortunately there will always be people who will not follow instructions. Incidences like these definitely cause a black eye to our sport.

 

On another cache, I have purposefully given the parking location about 1 block from the cache hiding spot despite a dead-end alley going very near the cache. I did this for a few reasons: First, the designated parking location makes for easy parking without venturing down a series of dead ends and one-way streets; second, the 1-block walk takes you past some very interesting landmarks and across a very cool walking bridge; third, parking near the cache results in blocking the alley that people along the alley need to use to get access to their backyard garages and personal parking places. When I read the logs left for this cache, it is usually quite apparent whether they have parked where designated or pull up next to the cache on the alley. Those that walk the 1 block to the cache have a more pleasant experience to report. Those that park in the alley missed out on half of the experience.

 

medoug.

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If the cache is in an area that has heavy traffic I say post some parking coordinates. It could become a safety factor in some areas. There was one cache I did in a city I wasn't familiar with that had three lanes of traffic going each way with a 55 MPH speed limit and the entrance to the park looked like one of the private drives. Got a little hairy for awhile.

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Well, without seeming hateful, if you can't find a place to park, how do you expect to find a cache? Maybe the cache owners should also provide step by step instructions on how to get to the cache also? I always thought that finding the cache (including access to it) was the game.

 

right on... maybe a trail of cookie crumbs and a flashing neon sign over the cache to let you know when you're there... It's a game of navigational skill. Learn some.....

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I'm about as conservative as you can be, but I don't think providing parking coordinates has anything to do with the entitlement mentality so common today.

 

Listing parking coordinates is an appreciated courtesy. To me, the fun of geocaching is ... geocaching, not geoparking. :D Let me know the safe and legal place to park, and let me get into the woods.

 

We all play the game differently. For me, finding a parking place is not part of the game. I get no satisfaction "discovering" the right parking place. But, make the hike and the hide as diabolical as you like. That, to me, is geocaching.

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Just goes to show that so-call advancements in technology aren't always so.

That's probably what the orienteering folks say about all of us.

 

Certainly some, but not all. It depends on past experience, but I think everyone interested in the outdoors should attempt to learn enough navigational skills to survive a battery failure. That would include figuring out how to park a car and safely and legally access a cache location. I only provide parking coordinates when there are dangerous/illegal routes that might look inviting.

Edited by edscott
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I'm about as conservative as you can be, but I don't think providing parking coordinates has anything to do with the entitlement mentality so common today.

 

Listing parking coordinates is an appreciated courtesy. To me, the fun of geocaching is ... geocaching, not geoparking. :D Let me know the safe and legal place to park, and let me get into the woods.

 

We all play the game differently. For me, finding a parking place is not part of the game. I get no satisfaction "discovering" the right parking place. But, make the hike and the hide as diabolical as you like. That, to me, is geocaching.

 

A courtesy, yes. No an absolute necessity but something the CO should consider using when building the cache page. An LPC at WallyWorld certainly doesn't need them. A park whose entrance is not easy to find might. Gas is expensive, There are places that people should not park. The parking closest to my one cache is in a firehouse. Usually no cars in it, unless the alarm sounds. Then it fills up. I don't want people parking there, I want them to go around the block to the barely marked park entrance. It makes so difference to the cache itself, the lots are adjoining though separated by a grass strip.

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Oh! I wish people would start giving parking coordinates. I'm handicapped and can only walk about 1/2 mile on level terrain. I've wasted so much time and gotten so frustrated over figuring out where to park! Even after much research with Google Earth, there are too many caches I drive away from with me head hanging low, vowing to quit this silly game. Like I really could...

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I'm about as conservative as you can be, but I don't think providing parking coordinates has anything to do with the entitlement mentality so common today.

 

Listing parking coordinates is an appreciated courtesy. To me, the fun of geocaching is ... geocaching, not geoparking. :D Let me know the safe and legal place to park, and let me get into the woods.

 

We all play the game differently. For me, finding a parking place is not part of the game. I get no satisfaction "discovering" the right parking place. But, make the hike and the hide as diabolical as you like. That, to me, is geocaching.

 

Ditto for me. I don't feel any entitlement to parking coordinates, but I appreciate them when they are given, and I include them on my caches. I don't get any fun out of trying to find where to park.

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We went to an unfamiliar part of our very congested suburban county to look for some geocaches, but the traffic was terrible and we spent more time in the car than actually geocaching. If only the cache owner had posted a place to park, it would have made the day much less frustrating. (You know how your GPS will helpfully tell you you're right at the cache, as you're driving along an interstate with no exit in sight!)

 

I guess the person who hides the cache assumes that everyone will be familiar with his area, but we really need to give parking coordinates for caches in busy urban or suburban areas. It's also very helpful to give the name of the local park if the cache is in a public park, so the seekers can look for a street sign and know where to turn. We use a car GPS while driving, and a handheld GPS and a PDA while out of the car, but none of those electronic tools can tell us where to park to avoid a ticket or a tow if the trail to the cache begins in a neighborhood with restricted or nonexistent public parking. We're hoping to place a few caches of our own soon, and I'm going to have a parking coordinate listed for every one of them!

 

Speaking as a cache owner....

 

Your lack of preparation is not my fault or concern.

 

It's YOUR choice to provide parking coords. I'm sure some folks will use those instead of actually reading your cache page.

 

As I stated on a thread, oh, just a few days ago. I'd prefer that folks get vital information about my caches by actually reeeeeeading my cache pages. If there were some problem involved with parking, I would provide coords.

 

Please do not ASSUME that everyone is not reading the cache pages, granted there may be a few that don't, but I am guessing that most do, or at least enough of the page (including taking a look at the maps on the cache page) to get an idea if parking might be an issue.

 

I have gone after caches that had no parking coordinates, and figured that PUBLIC parking would be available within a relatively close (less then 1/4 mile), or I would be able to park on the street in the area. Unfortunately, with one of the most recent cache I went after the street has at least moderate traffic all day, every day and the closest PUBLIC parking I could find was almost 1/2 mile away. All the other parking was labeled for customer use only at the businesses in the industrial parks and businesses. And that was not the only cache that had parking issues, and that parking coordinates would have been helpful.

 

Weather or not you personally put parking coordinates is always your choice, don't think that it is the people looking for YOUR cache(s) to provide parking coordinates in THEIR logs, or that people are lacking preparation in getting ready to look for YOUR cache(s). As a cache owner myself (my cache is currently disabled due to weather) I have provided in the hint where I think the best place to park, but that was MY CHOICE.

 

And I do agree with a lot of the people in here, SOMETIMES finding parking is part of the fun. If there is limited public parking, or in an area where the traffic is heavy for the better part of the day, what harm is there in posting parking coordinates, even if the parking is a bit away.... It would the cachers choice to use them or not, and it would help them so they could be better prepared when they are doing their homework on the cache.

Edited by ChrisEMT1
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