What would you do?!

November 16, 2006

Yesterday we decided that we both had an hour to kill so what better thing to do than hit up a couple local caches! This caching trip was going to mark our 99th and 100th find!

The first cache went according to plan, a micro in an area of town I didn't know existed.

The second cache (our 100th) also went according to plan until went came off the trail and got in our vehicle. Before we could get in we were harassed by a lady who was in the building next to the cache (an Adult High School), she came out steaming like an over-heated kettle "WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?" so Beth said that we were just going to a walk (we weren't expecting such a snappy question). The lady then went on to say "DID YOU KNOW YOU ARE TRESSPASSING ON SCHOOL BOARD PROPERTY?!", we politely said that we didn't know and apologized and then the lady said "GOOD! DON'T COME BACK!" and with that she turned on her heels and went back inside the building. :unsure:

We were very upset by this event, it was supposed to be a happy time since we were celebrating our 1st of many to come milestones, and it really put a damper on our happiness.

I know we had a similar incident with one of our caches (a micro on our university campus) with some cachers and a over-anxious security guard, but I know for a fact that all of the campus is open for public viewing, since it is part of the Dept of Ag & Fish some of the taxpayers dollars go towards its infrastructure.

My question is what should (or would) you do if you were placed in a similar situation???

November 16, 2006

If I knew I had a right to be there then I would continue and explain to her that I had a right to be there.

If I wasn't sure, I'd leave it and email the cache owner for clarification.

November 16, 2006

Was the school board a public school board? If so you had every right to be there.

22k · November 16, 2006

I would have done the same, (I don't argue with crazy people), but you shouldn't allow them to control whether or not you are happy.

It's a big world and there are plenty of crabby people just waiting to meet you.

Do what the penguins do,

‘Smile and wave boys, just smile and wave’.

8.4k · November 16, 2006

My question is what should (or would) you do if you were placed in a similar situation???

I would and have used the Slobovian Tourist Excuse?

When a person begins acting officious, you speak a gibberish language to your partner who answers back in kind all the while maintaining a straight face and keeping headed toward your means of egress.

When the person turns their back to stomp off, I find giving them the finger is also quite satisfying.

I wouldn't let it ruin my experience.

Congrats on the milestone. :unsure:

Edited November 16, 2006 by Snoogans

6.7k · November 16, 2006

Firstly I would laugh at the experience!

There are all kinds of jerks in this world, but even the most unpleasant can be seen as humerous!

Imagine having to live with someone like that and it will make you realize just how much you appreciate your spouse!

Then I would file an SBA note.

Caches are clearly prohibited on school grounds.

Anytime placement permission is called into question the Reviewer should be alerted so they can investigate and make a decision.

As far as a milestone, would you remember the cache two years from now if nothing interesting had happened? You found a cache and it was # whatever? Probably not... but I would bet that you will always remember this cache and retell your adventure to caching buddies for years to come!

It's all in how you look at it. :unsure:

Ed

November 16, 2006

How about asking the cacher owner if they had permission to place the cache at "said" location. Sounds like another example of folks assuming that they have permission when they really don't. I've placed many caches on public property, but I've had the permission of the Corps of Engineer Rangers who supervise/manage the land. Just my opinion!!!

5.3k · November 16, 2006

If the so called school property was large enough I would have place another cache. :unsure:

November 16, 2006

Then I would file an SBA note.

Caches are clearly prohibited on school grounds.

I think a SBA might be a bit much.

Yes, I know that the guidelines say :

Caches near or under public structures deemed potential or possible targets for terrorist attacks. These include but are not limited to highway bridges, dams, government buildings, elementary and secondary schools, and airports.

But, this cache is in Canada, not the US. Caches are often placed near schools here. I guess we are not so worried about those being potential targets for terrorist attackes (and a cache was placed less than a hundred meters from parliament, the main government building, last year, so we really don't worry about terrorists it seems!)

Plus this cache is apparently near an adult high school, so it's not like cachers are going to be accused of being creeps spying on young kids. (Though that also seems to be a bigger concern in the US... lots of caches near playgrounds in Canada.)

I'm not saying we are safer from terrorists and other creeps up North, we just worry less about it.. :unsure:

20.7k · November 16, 2006

I agree with the witch. An SBA is unwarranted. I would merely mention the situation in my log and shoot an email to the owner with a more detailed explanation of what happened.

November 16, 2006

Sounds like you were the victim of an annoying busybody... welcome to the club! I was chased out of a neighbourhood the other day, while parked on a public road, by a self-proclaimed blockwatch captain who escorted me out of the area and followed me for 10 minutes in his car to make sure I wasn't going to circle back and return to pillage their homes

Something that comes in handy is to prepare a standard answer ahead of time that you can automatically respond with that will put muggles in their place. Such responses could include "I'm a biologist studying the effect of (insert pest here) in the local area for my master's thesis", or "I'm a bridge inspector" (this one works well if you wear an orange vest and hard hat and carry a clipboard). If you sound like you're doing something official, most people will leave you alone.

Congratulations on your milestone! You'll have this interesting experience to share at the next geo-event with other sympathetic listeners :unsure:

18.9k · November 16, 2006

Note the incident in your log and don't let the person ruin your day. Cache probably doesn't belong that close to a school but as noted there are exceptions.

November 16, 2006

Do what the penguins do,

‘Smile and wave boys, just smile and wave’.

:unsure:

November 16, 2006

My question is what should (or would) you do if you were placed in a similar situation???

I would have have taken hold of the woman by an arm and a leg and had my partner do the same. Then, swung her back and forth until the momentum built up, enough to throw her, either onto the roof of the building or onto the back of a passing truck. A possible alternative would have been to drag her down to the local tattoo parlour and had the words 'ydobysuB a ma I' tattood on her forehead. (in mirror image) That way she would have seen it every time she went to shave.

Oh yes I would!

24.7k · November 16, 2006

Firstly I would laugh at the experience!

There are all kinds of jerks in this world, but even the most unpleasant can be seen as humerous!

Imagine having to live with someone like that and it will make you realize just how much you appreciate your spouse!

Then I would file an SBA note.

Caches are clearly prohibited on school grounds.

Anytime placement permission is called into question the Reviewer should be alerted so they can investigate and make a decision....

I agree with the turn it into humorouse. When I meet people like that I always find myself picturing who the heck would marry them. Then I can't help but snicker to myself.

As for how proceed I'd let the cache owner (via your log or an email) know about the incident. They may need to take a look at the cache. The owner always needs first shot at fixing or looking into their own cache.

Edited November 16, 2006 by Renegade Knight

1.1k · November 16, 2006

Or you could just laugh at the experience weeks from now....you found the cache did you not? I have learned to just take the punishment from people (just like you did) and then when I leave the grounds start whooping and hollering that you have officially hit a milestone. The only time I get upset is when the crabby lady comes out before I found the cache. That means I have to come again.....If I got the cache, then the crabby lady comes out and I can just smile and wave because I have already completed my mission on her land.

There was one instance that I was involved in that I got chewed out by a landowner, and I deserved it. The cache was placed on private property without permission and I had every intention of logging a SBA log, and letting the owner know that they obviously didn't have permission to place said cache......well, my GPS said I was 150 feet from it so I decided I would find the cache, and then say something. Well, the landowner came out FUMING with anger and I deserved it 'cuz I was hunting for the cache on his land. I never found the cache, and the cache is now archived. DANG I hate those storys......if only I had the cache in my hand when he came out I would have been happier.

38.2k · November 16, 2006

I would probably log an SBA and let the cache owner work things out with the school board.

November 16, 2006

I would, as I have in the past, log an SBA on the cache. So far we have been removed from 2 properties and in both cases, permission was actually granted for the cache placements, but this was not known at the time. The first, the property was sold and the new owners did not want the cache there and it was relocated. The second and most recent was at a Pennsylvania rest stop, found out these have attendants 24 hours a day (2 at this one). We were in another country (visiting from Canada), told being in the woods was trespassing (never made it to the woods, he stopped me at a picnic table since it was 11PM and I had a flashlight, well it was dark out) and items should not be left on state property without permission. They did not believe my explaination of geocaching, said it looked more like a drug drop and they were considering getting the state troopers involved if we did not leave the rest stop immediately (never been thrown out of a rest stop before, our only no find for the trip). This cache did have permission, but the attendants, being relatively new, was not informed about the cache as they stopped another cacher the next afternoon. It is never fun when it happens, we just let them know what we are doing and leave when requested, then inform the cache owner of what happened as soon as possible as I would not want to see anyone else stopped or arrested, not worth it. Also stopped caching at rest stops in Pennsylvania for the remainder of the trip, but have a good story for events about that part of the trip.

As far as caches being on school property, without express permission and depending on the school, a cache should not be placed there no matter which country you are in. Public access to a property does not make it public property.

November 16, 2006

Must agree with earlier response . . . the world is absolutely full of unhappy miserable people who feel they are so righteous as to have the right to rain on everyone else's rights & ideas.

Remember, it is not their attitude but your response that matters - never let them get to you. We all meet them out there.

You can not let these very sad people make one moment of your life become diminshed in happiness . . . shrug, walk away & smile, you got a new milestone. GO your 1K now!!!

November 16, 2006

I would probably log an SBA and let the cache owner work things out with the school board.

Personally, I'd probably attempt to confirm IF the cache is on the private property. If it's like... 50 feet off of it, but they were walking THROUGH the property to get to it... then all that might be required is to go after the cache from the opposite side (if possible). I wouldn't immediately log an SBA because a woman says that you're on private property. I mean... she could have been having a miserable day, and even if you were standing at the cache location, you could have been 20 feet away from the property line... and she just wanted to yell at someone to vent from prior frustrations.

November 16, 2006

Something that comes in handy is to prepare a standard answer ahead of time that you can automatically respond with that will put muggles in their place.

"North American (insert continent of choice) Geodetic Survey." "We're measuring continental drift and I'm trying to find a marker that was placed here last year." Handy to have your paper or paperless notes with you.

Many years ago I was trout fishing at a state park. There was a small waterfall posted as no fishing there. I stopped for a momment to look at it and let a friend catch up. The care taker (not a warden or ranger) who was known as being a cantankerous busy body came running up to yell no fishing allowed here. I told him I was just looking and that wasn't prohibited by the sign. Never mind my fly rod was resting on my shoulder the whole time. He was more inclined to yell than observe the situation and react accrdingly.

Certain people should not be given any level of responsibility!

November 16, 2006

When the person turns their back to stomp off, I find giving them the finger is also quite satisfying.

For added entertainment, don't wait until they've turned their back. :huh:

7.3k · November 16, 2006

I believe my husband and I would lept from the car and performed the geocachers greeting and dance

(quote briansnat)

When meeting somone you think might be a geocacher you yell "Ho, are ye a geocacher?" and the correct response is "Yay I a geocacher am I".

Upon the confirmation, the two then approach each other, put their left hand on the other person's right shoulder, standing arm's length and dance around in a circle while skipping and singing (very loudly) "Geocachers are we! Runy muny mee! Yaba daba baba. He, he, he!". This should continue for no less than 3 minutes.

I'm sure she would have been suitably impressed.

The right hand should be lightly clenched and held behind the back at waist level,( or at least that's the regional variation in Florida). The Canadian version may be somewhat different.

Congratulations on 100 finds.

November 16, 2006

We were out last week and stopped at the first part of a multi and the money taker came driving up and told us we could not park where we were, So we polilty told him we would move and man he was a real A## about it, so then we paid our $5.00 to get in the park and then hiked 20 min to the cache and guess what No Cache, talk about a bad day. But at least we had fun at Fresgo's Birthday party and did not let that get us down we headed off and found 4-5 more on the way home.

Just Perspective......Smile and Wave ( that is sooooo funny)

Tahoein' Bunch

10.1k · November 16, 2006

Sorry. Rudeness like that is never warranted. And making obscene gestures may be against the law where you live. (I got frisked by the local constabulary for giving the finger to someone who almost ran me over!)

One should return anger with kindness! (Or perhaps some choice obscene phrase from a foreign language.) "My, you are a hideous biddy. Who are you, and by what authority do you question me?" Naw, that might bring in the authorities. Ah! "Thank you for pointing that out to me, you harridan. Nothing would please me more than to remove myself from the presence of your hideousness."

Naw. We just think these things.

November 17, 2006

My question is what should (or would) you do if you were placed in a similar situation???

I would have have taken hold of the woman by an arm and a leg and had my partner do the same. Then, swung her back and forth until the momentum built up, enough to throw her, either onto the roof of the building or onto the back of a passing truck. A possible alternative would have been to drag her down to the local tattoo parlour and had the words 'ydobysuB a ma I' tattood on her forehead. (in mirror image) That way she would have seen it every time she went to shave.

Oh yes I would!

How many women do you know who look in the mirror when they shave?! :huh:

But seriously, I would just apologize and say you didn't realize you weren't allowed to be there, maybe ask if "trespassers" have been a problem before and maybe even say, something like "your rudeness is not necessary." Sometimes people are dense about how they sound to others and they need to be politely told that they're acting like like asses. At least that way, you wouldn't be stooping to her level, and maybe you would gather info for the cache owner at the same time. If she's had problems before with this, the cache owner should know!

Congratulations on 100! We just got that milestone as well. Feels good, doesn't it? :lol:

November 17, 2006

We had a very unfortunate milestone as well. It was also our 100th. See our log for GCK0AN

Oh yeah, on our way to the cache we got pulled over by a cop who thought we didn't have our seat belts on (which we did).

Congrats on #100

November 17, 2006

Sounds like you were the victim of an annoying busybody... welcome to the club! I was chased out of a neighbourhood the other day, while parked on a public road, by a self-proclaimed blockwatch captain who escorted me out of the area and followed me for 10 minutes in his car to make sure I wasn't going to circle back and return to pillage their homes

Something that comes in handy is to prepare a standard answer ahead of time that you can automatically respond with that will put muggles in their place. Such responses could include "I'm a biologist studying the effect of (insert pest here) in the local area for my master's thesis", or "I'm a bridge inspector" (this one works well if you wear an orange vest and hard hat and carry a clipboard). If you sound like you're doing something official, most people will leave you alone.

Congratulations on your milestone! You'll have this interesting experience to share at the next geo-event with other sympathetic listeners

Congrats of the milestone! You could also use a line I had to use... before I found out about geocaching...

"I work in Corrections and I am looking for an escaped convict" :lol: I think they would back off :huh:

November 17, 2006

One should return anger with kindness! (Or perhaps some choice obscene phrase from a foreign language.)

All kinds of useful phrases here:

Firefly Chinese Phrases

1.2k · November 17, 2006

We had a similar problem with a local cache, Cross Over the Bridge (GCQMT9), where a lady kept chewing people out for geocaching on a public pedestrian bridge, just because it happened to be next to her back yard and her dog was going spastic over it. No one was on her property and everyone had a right to be there. Someone eventually posted an SBA, probably because it was such an unpleasant experience, and the owner archived it. What is with these people who derive such a perverse pleasure from screaming at complete strangers who happen to be minding their own business?

9.3k · November 17, 2006

I would file an SBA note.

Before you knee jerk your way into filing an SBA, you should take a few seconds to determine if it should, in fact, be archived.

Step 1: Find out who owns the property. Just cuz a psycho says a plot of ground belongs to the school board don't make it true.

Step 2: If it is school board property, contact the school board and inquire if the area is open to the public for hiking & birdwatching. :huh:

Step 3: If they tell you it's not open to the public, then contact the cache owner for further information.

Step 4: If it's school board property, not open to the public, and the owner doesn't have specific permission, then consider an SBA.

6.7k · November 17, 2006

I would file an SBA note.

Before you knee jerk your way into filing an SBA, you should take a few seconds to determine if it should, in fact, be archived.

Step 1: Find out who owns the property. Just cuz a psycho says a plot of ground belongs to the school board don't make it true.

Step 2: If it is school board property, contact the school board and inquire if the area is open to the public for hiking & birdwatching.

Step 3: If they tell you it's not open to the public, then contact the cache owner for further information.

Step 4: If it's school board property, not open to the public, and the owner doesn't have specific permission, then consider an SBA.

Anytime placement permission is called into question the Reviewer should be alerted so they can investigate and make a decision.

Why try to be cache cops investigating other people's caches?

An SBA isn't a hostile act, it's simply a notification to the Reviewer that there might be a problem and a request that they look into it.

Ed

9.3k · November 17, 2006

Ed, while I usually value your insight, I disagree with you on this.

An SBA is a note that says a cache Should Be Archived. Just because a wacko confronts a person, does not mean the cache Should Be Archived. If you want to alert the local reviewer to a potential problem, why not just send them an E-mail? Nothing in the original post indicated that the cache needed to be archived, so an SBA at that point would be grossly inappropriate. If you just gotta feed your inner cache cop, what's wrong with doing a couple minutes worth of research before blindly hitting the SBA button?

November 17, 2006

The permission legwork should have been done before the cache was hidden and should not be up to the cacher that was confronted on/entering/leaving the property. Depending on the situation, yes, the cache should be requested archived until permission is confirmed or still valid. Both times I was thrown off of property, I was on the road far from home not about to find out who owned the property, just apoligize and leave. I requested the cache archived so others did not encounter the same problem.

24.7k · November 17, 2006

....Anytime placement permission is called into question the Reviewer should be alerted so they can investigate and make a decision.

Why try to be cache cops investigating other people's caches?

An SBA isn't a hostile act, it's simply a notification to the Reviewer that there might be a problem and a request that they look into it.

Ed

An SBA is a slap in the face. It's the equivilent of someone going over your head. It's also public and so like being chewed out by your boss in front of all your co-workers. Doing an SBA log without contacting the owner (which removes the need in most cases) is rude.

As for contacting the reviewer. That too is a last resort. The reviewer is not the one responsible for the cache. The owner is. That's why you first contact them when there is a problem that allows the luxuery of time to deal with it. If someone is threatening to blow your head off if you don't take the cache and get it archived. That's a good time to resort to the SBA log, and then email the owner as your second contact.

14.3k · November 17, 2006

I think the reviewer may have overlooked this one because it is at a school and is in violation of the guidelines. We all have agreed to follow the guidelines. They are not that tough to follow. So this cache should be reported to the reviewer. An SBA with a note is the easiest way to do this. Remember that the word "should" does not mean "must." It is the opinion of the person submitting the SBA based on their understanding of the guidelines. They could be wrong but they also could be right! So let the reviewer decide!

24.7k · November 17, 2006

The permission legwork should have been done before the cache was hidden and should not be up to the cacher that was confronted on/entering/leaving the property. Depending on the situation, yes, the cache should be requested archived until permission is confirmed or still valid. Both times I was thrown off of property, I was on the road far from home not about to find out who owned the property, just apoligize and leave. I requested the cache archived so others did not encounter the same problem.

Since the cache owner has said they have adequate permission in order to have the cache listed, permission should be assumed for each cache you seek. In other words you give the cache owner the benefit of the doubt. It's the job of the cache owner to look into a problem. I agree it's not up to the finder to figure out things, but they should be working with the cache owner to let them know there may be a problem with the cache and that they did have a problem while seeking it.

November 17, 2006

Congrats on 100. I can only aspire to such a lofty goal...

As for my response....

"Ma'am. We're leaving. Have a nice day."

If she refuses to let up....

"Ma'am. I've already told you were are leaving. We have concluded our business and will be on our way. And it would be wise of me to warn you that you should not, in all good practice, make it a habit to rudely approach what could be a potentially dangerous fellow who is, at present, causing no trouble but might, at the slightest provocation, decide that tonight's dinner would include some fava beans and a nice KEE-AN-TEE, and decide that some days, in order to avoid public attention, it is a good idea to not become violent and this is quickly becoming NOT ONE OF THOSE DAYS!!!!"

--MGB

14.3k · November 17, 2006

but might, at the slightest provocation, decide that tonight's dinner would include some fava beans and a nice KEE-AN-TEE --MGB

November 17, 2006

The permission legwork should have been done before the cache was hidden and should not be up to the cacher that was confronted on/entering/leaving the property. Depending on the situation, yes, the cache should be requested archived until permission is confirmed or still valid. Both times I was thrown off of property, I was on the road far from home not about to find out who owned the property, just apoligize and leave. I requested the cache archived so others did not encounter the same problem.

Since the cache owner has said they have adequate permission in order to have the cache listed, permission should be assumed for each cache you seek. In other words you give the cache owner the benefit of the doubt. It's the job of the cache owner to look into a problem. I agree it's not up to the finder to figure out things, but they should be working with the cache owner to let them know there may be a problem with the cache and that they did have a problem while seeking it.

I always give the benifit of the doubt and while being escorted off property I indicate that I was told that permission for the cache and myself were given allowing me to be there for the purpose of geocaching. I do find it a slap in the face, in a more ways then one, when permission was not obtained and I was in fact trespassing as no cacher seeking a cache should be placed into that situation in the first place and that any and all employees of the property be informed of the cache and activity. It is only in the most extreme case I will request that the cache be archived, being next to a school and yelled at by a school board employee, I would request it archived until permission was confirmed.

BTW, congrats on your 100 mark&beth :huh: Still counts as a find :huh:

9.3k · November 17, 2006

being next to a school and yelled at by a school board employee, I would request it archived until permission was confirmed.

Has anybody confirmed the "lady" in question was a school board employee? No? Has anybody checked to see if the property was indeed private? No? You're wanting to fire off a hypothetical SBA as a knee jerk reaction to being confronted. Just because somebody confronts you does not mean a cache Should Be Archived. A cache should be archived if it violates the guidelines. Does this one? No? Don't know? Filing an SBA just because you are uncomfortable is a misuse of the system. You believe their "might" be a problem, but are unwilling to spend a few minutes to determine the facts, and instead you opt for the easiest method of satisfying your inner cache cop, which is clicking the magic SBA button and dropping the problem on our reviewers. There is nothing in the original post that indicated the cache violated any guideline, other than a loud, rude comment made by a wacko.

2.6k · November 17, 2006

Instead of being a cache cop and logging an SBA on arguably skectchy information, why not notify the owner and the reviewer by logging a Needs Maintenance and put the private property concerns there? This notifies everyone that there MAY be a problem without sayng that YOU know for a fact that this cache needs to be archived.

November 17, 2006

One should return anger with kindness! (Or perhaps some choice obscene phrase from a foreign language.)

All kinds of useful phrases here:

Firefly Chinese Phrases

I actually use a few of those.

2.5k · November 17, 2006

If I am within the law and somebody starts telling me what I can and cannot do, I politely respond to them but continue going about my lawful business. The ruder and louder they are, the more calm and polite I am... it drives them insane in a way that shouting and being rude back never could!!

I think the OP's problem was that they were not clear that they were allowed to be on the school property. You would assume so, because the cache owner put the cache there... but perhaps for 'assume' we should realistically say 'hope'.

Anyhow, well done on your milestone and don't let the bad experience dampen your enthusiasm... in my experience the great majority of people are nice, yes, even muggles. As I always say, they upset you for 10 minutes or so, but they have to go through their entire life being a ****, so let it go and carry on enjoying yourself.

9.5k · November 17, 2006

Was the school board a public school board? If so you had every right to be there.

Not entirely true. Some investments are commercial for the purpose of regenerating funds. That would make it private property and subject to tresspassing regulations.

2.7k · November 17, 2006

Just pull out a pencil and paper and write on it WE ARE DEAF. Then just leave them, and go on.

November 17, 2006

In this case we have someone chasing after 2 cachers from the nearby building asking what they are doing there, upon stating they were just going for a walk, they were told the following "DID YOU KNOW YOU ARE TRESSPASSING ON SCHOOL BOARD PROPERTY?!" and "GOOD! DON'T COME BACK!", would you want the next cachers to be subject to this or if spotted entering the property going for the cache, to have the police called and waiting for them upon their return. Maybe in this case they entered from the wrong angle and the cache is in fact not on school board property and if it is a public school I don't see where this gives you a right to be there. So yes, to alert the cache owner and reviewer I would post a SBA log, this does not get the cache automatically archived, but does alert the owner and reviewer of a problem that needs immediate attention, don't think I am being a cache cop, if I were, I am sure there are many, many caches I could pick a guideline issue with and request them archived also. I also don't think I should have to check into the permission and property issue as a cacher seeking a cache. There are a number of new caches here I have recently found that made me a little weary when I found them, but I do assume they were placed there with permission, I have not had any of these archived, that would be being a cache cop.

6.7k · November 17, 2006

Perhaps the reluctance to use an SBA is due to confusion as to its purpose.

I would love to hear clarification on this from TPTB - I may even open a thread on the question - but my understanding of the SBA is that it is a request for a review of a percieved issue, not really a statement that it Should Be Archived.

The name of this note type might be reconsidered to reflect its true purpose, as usually only the owner and Reviewer really know if a cache should be archived.

While I certainly do not want to add to the Reviewer's workload, I do not believe that the typical geocacher has a full understanding of the Guidelines and the regional and Reviewer-specific interpretations.

I also believe that far too often geocachers squabble when someone complains or questions, and the Reviewer can be more tactful and if necessary more forceful.

Therefore, in cases such as this OP, the Reviewer is the only one qualified to review the putative issue, decide its merit or lack thereof, discuss it with the owner if necessary and resolve the issue.

If looked at as a request for review rather than as an order for action or a public insult I think the hesitance to use SBA notes when appropriate will fade away.

Ed

38.2k · November 17, 2006

Has anybody confirmed the "lady" in question was a school board employee? No? Has anybody checked to see if the property was indeed private? No? You're wanting to fire off a hypothetical SBA as a knee jerk reaction to being confronted. Just because somebody confronts you does not mean a cache Should Be Archived.

You are correct. Just because someone is confronted doesn't mean that a cache should be archived. But if the person confronting claims to be a representative of the land owner and that the public is not welcome there, the responsible thing to do is to archive the cache and let the cache owner work things out. Its best that we err on the side of caution when dealing with potential irate landowners and their representatives. You never know who they know and all you need is one connected landowner and you might find yourself dealing with a situation like there was in SC last year.

If the lady in question was out of line and the geocache is welcome on the property, it can be reactivated with the click of a mouse. Its not like issuing an SBA blows up the cache.

Edited November 17, 2006 by briansnat

November 17, 2006

When I get a cache as in question here, I would archive it and ask the cache owner if he had permission if the reviewer notes did not indicate he had permission. I take trespassing seriously and always hope for permission.

Edited November 17, 2006 by Cache-tech

What would you do?!

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