Cachers not maintaining caches

[+jelly, custard and sprinkles]

I have been looking back through caches i have done and ones i want to do and there is a few that either need maintience or replacing but the owner has donr bugger all about it and just archived it.

 

THere is one cacher in particular who sets caches both in the UK about abroad and then doesnt maintain them....

 

Anyone else seen this problem

 

Moan over...

 

Gill

[+Foinavon]

If the box is still there you can actually log archived caches. This one near my work is quite busy!

 

There is one particular one in Bolton which needs maintenance and quite a few of us have offered to adopt it but the owner keeps refusing, even though he never maintains it and doesn't even log on to geocaching.com anymore.

 

 

I have been looking back through caches i have done and ones i want to do and there is a few that either need maintience or replacing but the owner has donr bugger all about it and just archived it.

 

THere is one cacher in particular who sets caches both in the UK about abroad and then doesnt maintain them....

 

Anyone else seen this problem

 

Moan over...

 

Gill

[lakeuk]

I've seen the odd one or two but most of the caches in this area are set by whose who found a few before setting their first.

 

Of the odd ones,

 

one is near one of my caches and the owner hasn't responded to any comments from finders that the co-ords are out and that the cache needs some TLC.

 

Another had good comments but was archived by one of the Ops 7 months ago (No reason why, I assume it was because one of the other owners caches needed some TLC), I found it 2 weeks ago and it's in excellent condition and in a good location.

 

Finally (This one has been winding me up) a new cache 30mins drive away set by a newbie, co-ords clearly wrong and no one has found it - apart from me one other DNF - using the description and clue I've found where I believe it should be - but no responce from the cache own.

[+Sensei TSKC]

If the box is still there you can actually log archived caches. This one near my work is quite busy!

 

There is one particular one in Bolton which needs maintenance and quite a few of us have offered to adopt it but the owner keeps refusing, even though he never maintains it and doesn't even log on to geocaching.com anymore.

Is it not possible to have GC.com force an adoption of a cache from a cacher who does not maintain and log into GC.com?

[+Matrix]

If the box is still there you can actually log archived caches. This one near my work is quite busy!

 

There is one particular one in Bolton which needs maintenance and quite a few of us have offered to adopt it but the owner keeps refusing, even though he never maintains it and doesn't even log on to geocaching.com anymore.

Is it not possible to have GC.com force an adoption of a cache from a cacher who does not maintain and log into GC.com?

 

I know of 2 that I have done recently that have not be repaired ...and its a shame as both are nice caches

[+sTeamTraen]

Is it not possible to have GC.com force an adoption of a cache from a cacher who does not maintain and log into GC.com?

 

Forcing an adoption would presumably imply forcing an adopter!

 

Groundspeak's policy is clear: caches belong to their owner. As long as the listing meets the guidelines, it's rare for the reviewers to get involved, and about all they can do is archive a cache.

 

Sometimes a cache in a really great spot, whose owner has gone AWOL, will be informally adopted and maintained by nearby cachers. I know of a couple of examples where the cache got a new box, goodies, and log book, with just the original log bagged up for posterity.

[+Family Hodge]

I have been looking back through caches i have done and ones i want to do and there is a few that either need maintience or replacing but the owner has donr bugger all about it and just archived it.

 

THere is one cacher in particular who sets caches both in the UK about abroad and then doesnt maintain them....

 

Anyone else seen this problem

 

Moan over...

 

Gill

I had noticed one of my caches was becoming a little short on swops? so a week later off i go to do a little maintience and top it up and some generous cacher or cachers had top it up with swops (Thank You ). I often leave a little something if a cache is short of swops. So i think it must be good Caching Karma.

Hodge

Edited January 22, 2007 by Family Hodge

[Lactodorum]

If a cache isn't being maintained it is in breach of the GC.com guidelines and we reviewers need to know about it. The preferred method is to post a "Needs Archived" log (or SBA as it's sometimes known!). That brings it to our attention and we can then take the appropriate action. It doesn't necessarily mean we'll archive it but that may well happen.

 

Forced adoptions are not often carried out these days. If a cache has not been maintained and the owner is unwilling to pass it on, or can't be contacted the cache will likely as not be archived. That then frees up the area for someone else to place a new cache there.

[+purple_pineapple]

If a cache isn't being maintained it is in breach of the GC.com guidelines and we reviewers need to know about it. The preferred method is to post a "Needs Archived" log (or SBA as it's sometimes known!). That brings it to our attention and we can then take the appropriate action. It doesn't necessarily mean we'll archive it but that may well happen.

 

Forced adoptions are not often carried out these days. If a cache has not been maintained and the owner is unwilling to pass it on, or can't be contacted the cache will likely as not be archived. That then frees up the area for someone else to place a new cache there.

 

Out of interest, why this 'policy'? Surely, if there is a willing adopter, it would be better to force the adoption, as that prevents geolitter. If the cache is archived without input from the owner, the cache may sit there ad infinitum, unless a local cacher takes it upon themselves to clear it up?

 

I would have thought Groundspeak should be preventing litter (geo or otherwise), not encouraging it!

[Edgemaster]

Thanks for reminding me, I still need to collect a sodden piece of geolitter that I SBAd in Nov!

[Lactodorum]

Sorry if I oversimplified the process. As I said, "forced" adoptions are relatively uncommon. However there IS a process outlined in the FAQ thread in the Getting Started Forum

 

You will see that under certain circumstances it is possible and this will avoid "Geolitter". Of course, if a cache has been archived you are quite at liberty to recycle any geolitter (always assuming you can find the cache!)

[+stora]

When one posts a log as "Needs Archiving" does the owner receive notice of the log ?

[+Johnmelad]

If a cache isn't being maintained it is in breach of the GC.com guidelines and we reviewers need to know about it. The preferred method is to post a "Needs Archived" log (or SBA as it's sometimes known!). That brings it to our attention and we can then take the appropriate action. It doesn't necessarily mean we'll archive it but that may well happen.

 

Forced adoptions are not often carried out these days. If a cache has not been maintained and the owner is unwilling to pass it on, or can't be contacted the cache will likely as not be archived. That then frees up the area for someone else to place a new cache there.

 

So, once a cache is archived, I can place my own cache in exactly the same place and CITO the archived one, or am I missing something?

[+Haggis Hunter]

When one posts a log as "Needs Archiving" does the owner receive notice of the log ?

When any type of log is made on a cache the owner receives an email with the log details.

[+purple_pineapple]

If a cache isn't being maintained it is in breach of the GC.com guidelines and we reviewers need to know about it. The preferred method is to post a "Needs Archived" log (or SBA as it's sometimes known!). That brings it to our attention and we can then take the appropriate action. It doesn't necessarily mean we'll archive it but that may well happen.

 

Forced adoptions are not often carried out these days. If a cache has not been maintained and the owner is unwilling to pass it on, or can't be contacted the cache will likely as not be archived. That then frees up the area for someone else to place a new cache there.

 

So, once a cache is archived, I can place my own cache in exactly the same place and CITO the archived one, or am I missing something?

 

you can indeed! In fact, if the cache is in good nick, you can just re-use the original cache!

[+Westie Walker]

I have been looking back through caches i have done and ones i want to do and there is a few that either need maintience or replacing but the owner has donr bugger all about it and just archived it.

 

THere is one cacher in particular who sets caches both in the UK about abroad and then doesnt maintain them....

 

Anyone else seen this problem

 

Moan over...

 

Gill

 

Can understand a couple of weeks to sort out a cache but there are a few near to my home that I am watching & waiting to be sorted & doubt if they will be. It is very frustrating whenyou spend time & money looking for caches & the owners will wait until they get 3 or 4 DNF's before they sort it. One of my caches has been muggled twice & I have sorted the problem out within a week, douglasf & myself only maintain caches that are inside 2 miles of our home co'ords. Westie walker

[+Sensei TSKC]

 

Can understand a couple of weeks to sort out a cache but there are a few near to my home that I am watching & waiting to be sorted & doubt if they will be. It is very frustrating whenyou spend time & money looking for caches & the owners will wait until they get 3 or 4 DNF's before they sort it. One of my caches has been muggled twice & I have sorted the problem out within a week, douglasf & myself only maintain caches that are inside 2 miles of our home co'ords. Westie walker

Well I am a setter who would like to see 3 DNF's before I go to maintain unless the finders contact me off cache page and I can confirm it's gone.

 

Remember, a DNF doesn't mean it's not there. It means the cachers couldn't find it!

 

I do understand what you mean though.

[Lactodorum]

So, once a cache is archived, I can place my own cache in exactly the same place and CITO the archived one, or am I missing something?

.

.

.

you can indeed! In fact, if the cache is in good nick, you can just re-use the original cache!

Now I didn't say that but ........

[+purple_pineapple]

So, once a cache is archived, I can place my own cache in exactly the same place and CITO the archived one, or am I missing something?

.

.

.

you can indeed! In fact, if the cache is in good nick, you can just re-use the original cache!

Now I didn't say that but ........

 

 

chances are, it'll need replacing anyway, but the spot is free to use after its been archived (with the usual proviso of permissions etc.) which was the important point!

[+gazooks]

I did a cache recently only to discover that it was missing. When I checked the logs the last person had not found it but had claimed the cache as they were in the right area. Previous logs had noted that it was missing (which I failed to read) for a few months.

 

I therefore listed the log as 'Needs maintenance' - a month later nothing has been done. Are the moderators notified of 'Needs Manitenance' listings ?

I also noted that a couple of this cachers other cachers have been forcibly archived by the moderators recently.

 

The cacher still seems to be caching - up to November at least.

[Lactodorum]

..... Are the moderators notified of 'Needs Manitenance' listings ?

 

No, which is why an SBA log is the preferred option. We DO get notified of these and the system generated e-mail we receive contains some useful links.

 

I'd take this opportunity to point out that having a "Sock Puppet" account just to post SBA's is not something I would condone. There is no stigma attached to signalling that there's a problem with a cache, indeed it helps all geocachers in the long run so don't hide behind an alias.

[+sssss]

 

THere is one cacher in particular who sets caches both in the UK about abroad and then doesnt maintain them....

 

 

agreed very annoying it is, i have come across a few of his that need a little tlc. I may go back to a few of his local ones and if they have not been looked after then maybe an SBA should be in order.

[+Hi-5ers]

...It is very frustrating whenyou spend time & money looking for caches & the owners will wait until they get 3 or 4 DNF's before they sort it....

Well I am a setter who would like to see 3 DNF's before I go to maintain unless the finders contact me off cache page and I can confirm it's gone.

 

Remember, a DNF doesn't mean it's not there. It means the cachers couldn't find it!

 

I do understand what you mean though.

If one of our caches gets a couple of DNFs, we try and visit because the DNFs logged probably put others off trying to find it. When we visit and find all is OK, it's good in some ways, but also frustrating ... particularly when you get completely soaked to the skin finding the cache is exactly where it should be!

[+Travers]

I think this is another tricky question and the owner ultimately has to take resposibility for their cache - sometimes we visit after every DNF, sometimes when the difficulty level is higher, we wait to see whether there are two or three DNFs.

 

That said, I do think it's good etiquette for other cachers who know before they visit a cache that it may have some 'issues' to help out. There have been several occasions where we have mopped up, trashed out, replaced the box and/or contents when we have known they have been necessary.