Cache owners should post parking coordinates!

[+EscapeFromFlatland]

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.

 

 

Edited January 7, 2011 by bramasoleiowa

[+humboldt flier]

As a transient cacher, I am in agreement with the posting of parking co-ords, and might extend this to the inclusion of trail head co-ords.

 

While locals may know the ins and outs of an area; we road warriors are at a distinct disadvantage and run the risk of running afoul of something or someone.

[+humboldt flier]

Finding the best parking spot/ 'attack' point is half the fun....

 

Not soooooo much fun when staring down and armed landowner with a not so friendly mutt.

[+humboldt flier]

FWIW:

 

We have Mary Jane Gardens out here in the Emerald Triangle and it is many times ill advised to go meandering over hill and dale

[+Azisbest]

I guess I have a laissez-faire attitude to geocaching. I figure if the CO wants to include parking coordinates and they are helpful I will use them. If he or she chooses not to, I will figure out the best parking on my own. I would never factor in parking difficulties into the difficulty rating of a cache. And to those who want to attach societal import or claiming "entitlement" issues to someont wanting parking cords, well I bet they wear funny outfits and have a false sense of self importance. Jeez, talk about a stretch. Chill.

[+Wizard1626]

I am going to add my two cents.

 

I have to agree that the adventure starts once I leave my house. Though I have grumbled a few times that I spent more time hunting for parking then hunting the cache. It still was all fun. As to should parking coords be required, I think only if there is no obvious place to park. There is a local one that I have looked at the maps and even drove around the area looking for a place and have not been able to locate a place that appeared to be legal. I am at the point of e-mailing the CO to see where he parked. I am sure he will help as I have meet him at some events and is a nice guy. But if I was out of town this would tend to make it a problem. I think if I was from out of the area I would have either e-mailed before I went, or just not do it.

 

It is all up to you as the hunter as to which caches to tackle or not after all.

[g_o_caching]

I get a chuckle out of these type of complaints. They are looking for a hidden cache but can't find a spot big enough to park a vehicle, and maybe have to walk more than they would for a park and grab. If the coords were given, and cars were already parked there would that be the CO's fault too?

[+addisonbr]

If the coords were given, and cars were already parked there would that be the CO's fault too?

I don't think so. I think providing assistance with parking is a nice thing to do, but I'd be surprised to find people blaming the CO if the lot or area was busy.

[g_o_caching]

If the coords were given, and cars were already parked there would that be the CO's fault too?

I don't think so. I think providing assistance with parking is a nice thing to do, but I'd be surprised to find people blaming the CO if the lot or area was busy.

 

I was being facetious about blaming the CO for that.

[GOF and Bacall]

You may not like the parking coordinates I recommend. Just keep in mind, I think you should enjoy the two mile walk through town. It is a scenic stroll. Of course you can always choose to park in the lot .10 from the cache.

[+narcissa]

You may not like the parking coordinates I recommend. Just keep in mind, I think you should enjoy the two mile walk through town. It is a scenic stroll. Of course you can always choose to park in the lot .10 from the cache.

 

+1

[+popokiiti]

We appreciate it when the CO's notes state something along the lines of "please don't park on XXX street, use YYY road instead." There's usually a good reason for this sort of statement. If parking coords are provided...I always miss them as they are usually at the bottom of the page! They can be handy, but it isn't the end of the world for me if we don't have them. If we're not sure of where a trailhead/parking is, we've been known to ask the locals.

[+ICHTHYS]

No thank you. My gps can only display 1000 waypoints/geocaches at a time. If every cache has parking cords I can only load 500 caches at a time.

[+doingitoldschool]

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!

 

I agree.