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Dangerous cache contents


Birders

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We have on several occasions found "undesirable" items in caches but today we were very concerned to find a cigarette lighter and several party poppers in one. The log did not mention the items so we do not know if they were put there by cachers. The cache was in a wooded area where fire is a serious hazard, particularly in dry weather.

 

Do others agree with our sentiments that such items are not the right things to leave in caches?? What do our reviewers think??

Edited by Birders
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"Cache Contents

 

Use your common sense in most cases. Explosives, fireworks, ammo, lighters, knives (including pocket knives and multi-tools), drugs, alcohol or other illicit material shouldn't be placed in a cache. As always respect the local laws. Geocaching is a family activity and cache contents should be suitable for all ages.

 

Food items are ALWAYS a BAD IDEA. Animals have better noses than humans, and in some cases caches have been chewed through and destroyed because food items (or items that smell like food) are in the cache. Even the presence of mint flavored dental floss has led to destruction of one cache.

 

If the original cache contents list any of the above items or other questionable items, or if a cache is reported to have the questionable items, the cache may be disabled, and the owner of the cache will be contacted and asked to remove the questionable items before the cache is enabled. "

 

Here's a passage lifted from the official guidlines... :o

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I have placed party poppers in my own caches before now, but wouldn't again. While it is hard to hurt yourself or an other with one, they soak up water and go manky very quickly. And if they do work and are let off near they cache, they make a mess. I have seen them in other's caches and didn't remove them though. I suppose they are 'technically' an explosive, and thus a prohibited item, but against other items on the No No list, I think they're a long way down in terms of relative naughtiness. I've seen multitools in boxes too...

 

The lighter certainly shouldn't have been in the box though. That's just asking for trouble.

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I'd consider candles dangerous; I once saw a video of a candle that self ignited at just a tad over 60 celius, there was a reason, something to do with paper that was with it, but it was eye opening.

 

Good point, but as it will be a while before it hits 60 degrees in the UK, im still happy to place mini candles in caches. I have been guilty in the past of placing lighters into caches (still do it sometimes) - but only in places which are remote and a so could be needed for trangeia lighting etc.

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"Cache Contents

 

Use your common sense in most cases. Explosives, fireworks, ammo, lighters, knives (including pocket knives and multi-tools), drugs, alcohol or other illicit material shouldn't be placed in a cache. As always respect the local laws. Geocaching is a family activity and cache contents should be suitable for all ages.

 

Food items are ALWAYS a BAD IDEA. Animals have better noses than humans, and in some cases caches have been chewed through and destroyed because food items (or items that smell like food) are in the cache. Even the presence of mint flavored dental floss has led to destruction of one cache.

 

If the original cache contents list any of the above items or other questionable items, or if a cache is reported to have the questionable items, the cache may be disabled, and the owner of the cache will be contacted and asked to remove the questionable items before the cache is enabled. "

 

 

 

 

.....exactly!

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I'd consider candles dangerous; I once saw a video of a candle that self ignited at just a tad over 60 celius, there was a reason, something to do with paper that was with it, but it was eye opening.

 

Good point, but as it will be a while before it hits 60 degrees in the UK, im still happy to place mini candles in caches. I have been guilty in the past of placing lighters into caches (still do it sometimes) - but only in places which are remote and a so could be needed for trangeia lighting etc.

 

Not entirely true, the experiment was in a standard laboratory, and no energy was input into the demonstration, it was the heat it reached and then set alight spontaneouly. I was about the paper acting as a catalyst. I think I did not make that clear, so my fault in not being explicit on what the demonstration showed.

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Good point, but as it will be a while before it hits 60 degrees in the UK,

It's not the ambient air temperature that matters. If something is in direct sunlight or other radiative source, it will heat up to much higher temperature. eg car on a sunny day. Most caches are probably pretty well insulated from direct light, so hopefully this is not an issue.

Not sure if party poppers are classified as explosives or pyrotechnic device. Anyone got a pack to hand? If so look for a UN no on the packaging probably near the CE mark, very possibly UN0431? But I'd never put any in a cache.

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I'd consider candles dangerous; I once saw a video of a candle that self ignited at just a tad over 60 celius, there was a reason, something to do with paper that was with it, but it was eye opening.

 

Good point, but as it will be a while before it hits 60 degrees in the UK, im still happy to place mini candles in caches. I have been guilty in the past of placing lighters into caches (still do it sometimes) - but only in places which are remote and a so could be needed for trangeia lighting etc.

 

Not entirely true, the experiment was in a standard laboratory, and no energy was input into the demonstration, it was the heat it reached and then set alight spontaneouly. I was about the paper acting as a catalyst. I think I did not make that clear, so my fault in not being explicit on what the demonstration showed.

 

Oh i see, so when the temperature was reached the candles wik basically 'automatically' lit because it had reached its threshold of resisance. Then because there was paper nearby this caused fire.

 

Interesting, i wonder if waterproof paper (like in some log books would work the same) - is it flamable?

Maybe something to test :o

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I don't like candles in caches as they are realy 'food items' to any small mammals sniffing around, especially the scented ones.

 

I regularlly pile in to a plate of candles

 

Are you a small mammal?

 

no just a little fat bloke

 

.....just as long as you aren't ANOTHER short, fat bloke with beard and specs :laughing::blink:;):);):)B)

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I have learned the error of my ways... Now I just leave kittens.

 

animal-smiley-027.gif

 

This is so wrong! :laughing:

It is very dangerous to leave kittens in caches: They have very sharp little claws and teeth which could do a lot of damage to the unprotected cacher. Many folk are allergic to kittens: They should only be handled with latex gloves.

Please reconsider your actions!

 

MrsB :blink:

Edited by The Blorenges
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I must admit I have also placed party poppers in my cache so give me a slap on the wrist!

 

But I totaly agree dangerous cache contents should not be laying about seeing as a lot of cachers have kids who love to rummage through the tat!

 

When ever I see lighters I just get rid of em!

 

All though I have not seen many dangerous cache contents myself it's mainly McDonalds Tat!

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I have learned the error of my ways... Now I just leave kittens.

 

animal-smiley-027.gif

 

This is so wrong! :laughing:

It is very dangerous to leave kittens in caches: They have very sharp little claws and teeth which could do a lot of damage to the unprotected cacher. Many folk are allergic to kittens: They should only be handled with latex gloves.

Please reconsider your actions!

 

MrsB :blink:

l -xx-

 

So thats why Bones1 leaves latex gloves in all caches!

 

Gill -xx-

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I have learned the error of my ways... Now I just leave kittens.

 

animal-smiley-027.gif

 

This is so wrong! :blink:

It is very dangerous to leave kittens in caches: They have very sharp little claws and teeth which could do a lot of damage to the unprotected cacher. Many folk are allergic to kittens: They should only be handled with latex gloves.

Please reconsider your actions!

 

MrsB ;)

l -xx-

 

So thats why Bones1 leaves latex gloves in all caches!

 

Gill -xx-

Surely the corgis get rid of the kittens :laughing:

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We found some condoms, a lighter and several other unsavoury things in a local cache once. We removed most of it but drew the line at the condoms (Isaac was starting to ask tricky questions about what they were for :laughing:).

 

It's a cache that seems to attract newbies and the cache owner was horrified to hear what was in there and went the very next day to have a good sift through the contents.

Edited by The Bolas Heathens
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My kittens are always flame proofed.I always test them first....MEEEOW!! :D

 

and the non-flame proof ones go WOOOOOF I assume?

 

:D

 

I left a party popper in a cache once, we found it in our junk drawer and thought it would make good cache fodder. I can't see the harm in it, it is not dangerous, and is definately family freindly. I personally cannot see a cacher feeling compelled to set one off into woods for no reason.

 

One of our caches was reported to be left exposed on a log, and it went on to say there was food in the cache. The cacher who reported it suggested some animal had smelt the food and was trying to find it. Food expires, and attracts animals so is a no-no.

 

The rules to what is allowed or not OK for caches are quite clear, so most items as long as they are not dangerous to anyone, unsuitable for children to find, or could cause health problems (no, please lets not toalk about allergies!) are fair game.

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A lot of people appear to think that party poppers are safe, they are in fact just as dangerous as a lighter may be, if found by a child. They can and have deafened and blinded people in the past. that is why the government has a ban on them being sold to anyone under the age of 16. Link here. You are looking for the paragraph, with the following quote.

 

• set 18 as the minimum age for purchasing fireworks (apart from certain fireworks such as caps, cracker snaps and party poppers which can be supplied to persons 16 and over);

 

If you do a google for Part Poppers Age Limit and select UK, you get this.

 

So I would say that they should be on the banned items list. Remember the person that thinks something isn't dangerous and handles them is the person that causes the danger!!

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A lot of people appear to think that party poppers are safe, they are in fact just as dangerous as a lighter may be, if found by a child. They can and have deafened and blinded people in the past. that is why the government has a ban on them being sold to anyone under the age of 16. Link here. You are looking for the paragraph, with the following quote.

 

• set 18 as the minimum age for purchasing fireworks (apart from certain fireworks such as caps, cracker snaps and party poppers which can be supplied to persons 16 and over);

 

If you do a google for Part Poppers Age Limit and select UK, you get this.

 

So I would say that they should be on the banned items list. Remember the person that thinks something isn't dangerous and handles them is the person that causes the danger!!

 

Anything can be dangerous if used incorectly! A pencil has a sharp point, that can cause serious injury in the wrong hands, or you slip while writing the log! I do not doubt your statement, but I think you are more likely to get injured or find something that can be harmful on your walk to the cache, rather than anything in the cache.

 

Of course, there should be, and is, a list of things that should not be in caches, but party poppers? There has to be some level of self responsibility, otherwise anything that could hurt a careless person will be banned and all we will end up with is edible crayons and a log book, incase a someone swallows a small toy or stabs thmeselves with a cracker-gift stapler. I wouldn't be supprised if somebody calls for a ban on ammo-cans just in-case somebody hurts themselves on a sharp metal edge or closes it o their finger.

 

I was supprised to read that there is a minimum age for purchasing the poppers, but I can only assume it is to stop school kids buying loads and using them as a way to harass people on busses and just cause chaos.

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I was just trying to point out that the law doesn't allow it, just like you have to be 16 to smoke. That's right smoking can kill you!!!

 

I do find your statement as a contradiction to the rules on things like alcohol and lighters as these too are perfectly safe in the correct hands. You used the correct wording 'incorrectly' and people who believe that something is safe are more likely to use it incorrectly. I think the age limit is there because they do actual bodily harm if used incorrectly.

 

A child may use them incorrectly and without the parent realising what they have. When I have allowed my daughter to use them, I have fully supervised her doing so.

Imagine that the adult is filling in the logbook and the child finds a popper and whilst looking straight at it pulls the cord, I can assure you from a childs arm lenght away that is a definite trip to the hospital and possible eye surgery. It has and does happen.

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I have found this which states this -

 

Illegal to Supply

No one should buy fireworks other than

responsible adults who are going to supervise

the use of those fireworks in their own garden.

It is illegal for anyone under the age of 18 to be sold

fireworks including sparklers, apart from some, such

as party poppers, which can be sold to persons

over 16 years of age. The age was raised because

there have been too many injuries in the past

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I have to confess. When I first started caching I failed to read the guidelines carefully. I thought I was doing my fellow a cachers a favor by leaving the waterproof matches as swag.

 

To be honest, if the cache involved a overnight walk to reach it, I would think that matches are acceptable. Surely if any "small" children did find it after an overnight walk, they would have been exposed to a stove etc. and have an idea of fire safety.

 

Just my tuppence :D

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Party popping scented kittens? :D :D

 

Most caches are damp and as any person who's been at wet new year's eve parties knows, it usually renders the pyros inside useless.

 

Candles - even tea lights attract critters - its amazing what rats will scoff. I with several other cachers I've met dont like tea lights. Even McRubbish toys sometimes are more interesting to look at and not quite so mean, although as a parent I currently wish to shoot the person who decided on bringing out their latest McRubbish toy :D

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We found some condoms, a lighter and several other unsavoury things in a local cache once. We removed most of it but drew the line at the condoms (Isaac was starting to ask tricky questions about what they were for :D).

 

 

Yes we once found a condom in a cache but fortunately I was able to distract Zip junior and removed it from her view before she rifled through the cache contents. We left it in the cache after we had finished though, after all it's not exactly dangerous.

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Not dangerous I agree, but it's definitely not family friendly (in more ways than one :D) so not something I'd appreciate finding in a cache.

 

Yes we once found a condom in a cache but fortunately I was able to distract Zip junior and removed it from her view before she rifled through the cache contents. We left it in the cache after we had finished though, after all it's not exactly dangerous.

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Yes we once found a condom in a cache but fortunately I was able to distract Zip junior and removed it from her view before she rifled through the cache contents. We left it in the cache after we had finished though, after all it's not exactly dangerous.

I agree a condomn is inapproriate for a cache, but why are you so scare Junior will see it?

After all they just look like some sheets of foil.. a kid will not have any idea what it is, so you can just remove it and don't have to be sneaky about it (that will only cause more suspicion with the kid).

If they ask what it is, you can allways tell them it is something for grownups without having to do the whole birds and bees story :D

 

just my £0.02 But then again I was raised by liberal dutch parents..

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Not dangerous I agree, but it's definitely not family friendly (in more ways than one :D ) so not something I'd appreciate finding in a cache.

 

Yes we once found a condom in a cache but fortunately I was able to distract Zip junior and removed it from her view before she rifled through the cache contents. We left it in the cache after we had finished though, after all it's not exactly dangerous.

 

I don't see a problem with condoms in caches. If the kids are young then a quick explanation of what its for would be suffice (no need for the mechanics).

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Not dangerous I agree, but it's definitely not family friendly (in more ways than one :D ) so not something I'd appreciate finding in a cache.

 

Yes we once found a condom in a cache but fortunately I was able to distract Zip junior and removed it from her view before she rifled through the cache contents. We left it in the cache after we had finished though, after all it's not exactly dangerous.

 

I don't see a problem with condoms in caches. If the kids are young then a quick explanation of what its for would be suffice (no need for the mechanics).

 

Alternatively, you could snatch it up with apparent glee, tear off the wrapping, and blow it up as big as you could. "Look! it's one of those ultra-strong balloons!" Then let the air out slowly so that it makes that rasberry noise and put it back in the box again. "Let's leave it for the next cacher". Thereby entertaining the child and teaching them the value of sharing :huh::D:D

 

Martin

Edited by Team Maddie UK
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