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Problems with Other cachers


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I'm just taking a brief survey to see if anyone has ever had a problem with another cacher. I live in a small college town and up until recently everything has been going fine, but now that the students are starting to come back I am starting to have a problem.

 

We have a new cacher in town that seems to love to go out of his way to criticise my three caches. He made a good point about the first one being in a high-erosion area (which it is, but everywhere is an erosion area on the shore of Lake Superior) but the second and third were almost to the point of being rude. The best example I have is one I placed smack dab in the middle of campus. I rated it as a 1/1 and said it will only be available at night when the students are not walking by. He found it and said that it was "too easy" and that he would have placed it elsewhere and would have made a better looking (micro) container.

 

Anyone have any suggestions. For now I'm just going to ignore it and go about caching. Can't let one person ruin the game.

 

Thanks,

Robert

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Yep, just ignore them. Their reputation suffers with every negative (non-constructive) criticism they write - just shooting themselves in the foot as they are taken less & less seriously. Pay more attention to what everyone writes as a whole about your caches in their logs - it will more reflect the actual truth.

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My guess is that this person has something negative to say on his logs for other people's caches as well. Some people thrive on such negativity. If this is the case, other cache hiders in the area will soon have his number. It will only affect him in the long term as he isolates himself. Don't worry about it. It's his problem.

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I'd ignore him for now. But, if it becomes more of an issue, I would simply suggest that if he "would have placed it elsewhere and would have made a better looking (micro) container." than he is MORE than welcome to, and you look forward to seeing what he can come up with!

 

Be lucky you don't have one like our most recent. He just LOVES to steal containers. And those he dioesn't steal, he lefaves nasty things in.

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I'd be curious to know the manner of the criticism. Is it just a one-time criticism in the find log, or is it a repeated criticism? Does he dredge it up at events? Does he spred it around in gossip? If it's a one-time criticism, then it's not so bad; just chalk it up as critical snark. If it's something that he keeps bringing-up over and over again, then I feel sorry for you and have no really good suggestion. In fact, if anyone does have a suggestion on how to deal with the repetitively critical types I'd be interested in hearing it.

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I'm just taking a brief survey to see if anyone has ever had a problem with another cacher. I live in a small college town and up until recently everything has been going fine, but now that the students are starting to come back I am starting to have a problem.

 

We have a new cacher in town that seems to love to go out of his way to criticise my three caches. He made a good point about the first one being in a high-erosion area (which it is, but everywhere is an erosion area on the shore of Lake Superior) but the second and third were almost to the point of being rude. The best example I have is one I placed smack dab in the middle of campus. I rated it as a 1/1 and said it will only be available at night when the students are not walking by. He found it and said that it was "too easy" and that he would have placed it elsewhere and would have made a better looking (micro) container.

 

Anyone have any suggestions. For now I'm just going to ignore it and go about caching. Can't let one person ruin the game.

 

Thanks,

Robert

 

 

Robert, I checked out all the responses on your 3 caches and failed to find where this person said anything

about making a "better looking micro container". From my computer, he only replied to two of your caches. Overall I did not see his posts as very derogatory but maybe a little critical with lack of tact. He also said overall one of your caches was good.

 

The replies about foot traffic causing erosion etc. may have been a little over the top, especially since he was probably putting his size 12 Waffle Stompers all over the dunes also.

 

The remark about how the micro could have been hidden in the group of pine trees is just his personal choice.

 

I also read about 30 of this guys replies to other caches and his overall tone was pleasant.

 

I did read one disturbing post from this cacher about you to another cacher. He was applauding a particular cache and made a statement to the fact that "you" (mentioning your handle) could learn something from that cache.

That was a little far out for me I think.

 

Summary....The guy is not "out to get you". He is probably just a person concerned about the environment where people walk around to get caches and disturb the land. But he doesn't mind plodding around with his big brogans because they don't do damage like "other folks" brogans.

 

Have fun with your caches!

 

Chuck

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If you're going to hide caches you better have a thick skin because someone is always ready to take a shot at you. Some folks are more diplomatic than others. The "others" don't seem to realize (or care perhaps) that sooner or later you will see each other at events and then what do you do. Maybe just ignore each other like another cacher and I did at the MWGB.

 

That being said, there is usually a grain of truth in all criticism. See if you can find it and ignore the rest. That doesn't mean you should retire or change your hide. Just learn from it.

 

Deane

AKA: DeRock & the Psychic Cacher - Grattan MI

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I say it's best to treat others as you would wish to be treated. And if you need a good lesson, then treat another who needs a good lesson a lesson. And then if they feel as you do, they will treat you with a good lesson that you were needing. Perhaps then, you will be even, in which case you can just go back to zero and enjoy geocaching. Then you should treat others as you would wish to be treated. And let the first without crappy caches cast the first stone. And that goes for travel bugs too.

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Consider that his criticism might be legit. There are some people who have the gumption to say what others only think.

 

So think about what he is saying. If there might be something to it, rethink your hiding strategy. If you feel its totally unwarranted, then ignore him.

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I know I'm overreacting and that there is constructive criticism in the posts, but I just dislike how someone can ignore the description of the cache and what it's trying to achieve and blast the location. For the "Academic Mall" example, the grouping of pines referenced WOULD make a better hiding spot, but they are not in as visible of a location as the spot I chose. You could hide in the trees all day and no one would notice you. Better hiding spot yes, but not what I was trying to achieve. I already have a much better, harder cache in a more difficult location out there and I wanted to make a quick one that can be done any time of the year by anyone.

 

The second thing that bugs me is how someone whom I've never met in person will post about how I should take lessons from another cacher (and encrypt the entry so I can't "read" it to boot). Sounds very immature and disrespectful to me. The always have the choice of adding my caches to their ignore list.

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I'm just taking a brief survey to see if anyone has ever had a problem with another cacher. I live in a small college town and up until recently everything has been going fine, but now that the students are starting to come back I am starting to have a problem.

 

We have a new cacher in town that seems to love to go out of his way to criticise my three caches. He made a good point about the first one being in a high-erosion area (which it is, but everywhere is an erosion area on the shore of Lake Superior) but the second and third were almost to the point of being rude. The best example I have is one I placed smack dab in the middle of campus. I rated it as a 1/1 and said it will only be available at night when the students are not walking by. He found it and said that it was "too easy" and that he would have placed it elsewhere and would have made a better looking (micro) container.

 

Anyone have any suggestions. For now I'm just going to ignore it and go about caching. Can't let one person ruin the game.

 

Thanks,

Robert

 

Sounds like your new cacher is not having the kind of fun the rest of us are having (due to his lousy attitude). I'd ignore him and let him suffer on his own.

 

DCC

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One cacher threatened to adjust my attitude for me if he ever saw me in person.

 

Another decided he didn't like how I log and reach out and flamed me by email and posted about what a good thing he had done for the world.

 

One cacher who joined our coin buying group blew his top. That was fun.

 

Our local cache maggot does his best to create havoc.

 

Many others I know have someone that has taken time to make their geocaching life miserable.

 

These are the exceptions rather than the rule. But it doesn't make it any more fun to deal with.

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Sounds like constructive criticism to me, maybe you should read it with an open mind! Aas others suggested, either learn from it or ignore it.

 

Of course, you could always write the person and voice your thoughts (NICELY). Maybe the person didn't know what you were trying to achieve and suggested the better place (as you even agree about).

 

You may need thicker skin if you wish to continue to place caches and have fun , there will always be someone out there with a differing view than yours!

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There's one guy in my area who posts these huge, self-centered, ego-laden dissertations in his logs. He'll also email you after finding your cache and criticize. He acts like some sort of 'Cache-Cop', saving the world of geocaching. People like this are just on some huge ego trip. It's better to just let them go on and ignore it. If you can see that he's an a**, so can everyone else. It's not personal.

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Well, I'm not the one to ask. <_< I once logged that a cache in a mud puddle in an industrial area near the defunct Flushing Airport was the "Second ugliest place that I'd ever found a cache." Cache owner thought that that was hilarious! On rare occasin, I have been known to post what I think about a cache.

If I think that your coords are badly off, I will let you know. Not sure if I actually logged "Wow! Discarded kitchen appliances in the woods!" But I'm sure that my brother did.

Bt it would never occur to post what s/he did about the one on the college campus. "Too easy"? So what? "Not creative enough camo"? So what? That's his/her problem, not yours.

On the other hand, I did find a magnetic key container on a park bench last weekend. I could see it from twenty feet away. I'm surprised that it lasted two weeks! But the first two finders noted that it was not one of the better hides that they'd seen, so I did not feel the need to add any criticism. Oddly, of the three caches I seached for on Saturday, the other two were much better hidden, but had been muggled. Go figure!

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unfortunetlly sour grapes are a part of life. If someone wants to nit pick about something I am doing, they have to much time on their hands. No one should be that concerned about someone else's life. I am sorry to hear you are having a sour grape squash your caching fun. GeoCaching is supposed to be fun, when something about it is no longer fun, remove it. I would stop dealing with this person, move forward and cache on!!

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Well, I'm not the one to ask. <_< I once logged that a cache in a mud puddle in an industrial area near the defunct Flushing Airport was the "Second ugliest place that I'd ever found a cache." Cache owner thought that that was hilarious! On rare occasin, I have been known to post what I think about a cache.

If I think that your coords are badly off, I will let you know. Not sure if I actually logged "Wow! Discarded kitchen appliances in the woods!" But I'm sure that my brother did.

Bt it would never occur to post what s/he did about the one on the college campus. "Too easy"? So what? "Not creative enough camo"? So what? That's his/her problem, not yours.

On the other hand, I did find a magnetic key container on a park bench last weekend. I could see it from twenty feet away. I'm surprised that it lasted two weeks! But the first two finders noted that it was not one of the better hides that they'd seen, so I did not feel the need to add any criticism. Oddly, of the three caches I seached for on Saturday, the other two were much better hidden, but had been muggled. Go figure!

 

If you ever run out of creative "found it" logs may I suggest this Log Generator.

 

I've been known to be brutally honest in my cache logs. The only person who takes any issue with my logs is the local "log suppresion agent." Sometimes cachers should know why there is something wrong with there cache, but it is better done via "private messages."

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I've been trying to come up with something constructive for this topic since it was first posted.

 

Since I am one of those 'brutally honest' about the cache people, I'm sure any one of my logs to that effect would have similarly upset the OP.

 

It doesn't seem as if the 'logging cacher' in question here is just snarky and bad tempered about ALL of the caches he finds... just this one in particular. So, he didn't like it and thought it could have been done better. Big whoop. Maybe he's right.

 

Among others with a similar attitude, BrianSnat wrote this:

 

Consider that his criticism might be legit. There are some people who have the gumption to say what others only think.

 

So think about what he is saying. If there might be something to it, rethink your hiding strategy. If you feel its totally unwarranted, then ignore him.

 

Is it possible there is ANY truth in what your logger has said? Maybe there are points that could be improved upon - maybe you like the location in the middle of the action... so, could the camo be better? Could the hide have been executed better? Whatever it is, consider the things you MIGHT be willing to change and go from there.

 

I did think it was in quite poor taste that he continued to rant about how much he disliked this find in a log for ANOTHER cache, though.

 

Then again, maybe you should go see what cache he thought WAS better and consider it from that angle as well.

 

This doesn't mean he's right... but consider the possibility that there is some grain of truth in what he is saying.

 

Well, I'm not the one to ask. :P I once logged that a cache in a mud puddle in an industrial area near the defunct Flushing Airport was the "Second ugliest place that I'd ever found a cache." Cache owner thought that that was hilarious! On rare occasin, I have been known to post what I think about a cache.

If I think that your coords are badly off, I will let you know. Not sure if I actually logged "Wow! Discarded kitchen appliances in the woods!" But I'm sure that my brother did.

 

I once mentioned, "Oooh ,goodie! Used condoms on one side of the cache, and their wrappers on the other. So, so glad I didn't have the kids with me today. On the other hand, we were not accosted by vagrants like last weeks cacher was. I had my pepper/tear/uv spray at the ready to go and was looking forward to using it. No takers on that today, darn the bad luck."

 

I've been known to be brutally honest in my cache logs. The only person who takes any issue with my logs is the local "log suppresion agent." Sometimes cachers should know why there is something wrong with there cache, but it is better done via "private messages."

 

Local Log Suppression Agent - that's good. That's really good. I may have to use that at some point in the future. <_<

 

I am curious as to what you think should be done in 'private messages' and what you think is brutally honestly ok to put in a log.

 

I am kinda one of those people who will tell you I think your 20th Black Film Cannister Under a Bridge/In a Fence Post/On a Railing is uncreative and has wasted what was potentially a good space that might have actually had a ) a decent hide that required SOME effort to find other than stopping the car and rolling down the window to reach and b ) might have been worthy of an actual expenditure for a Real Container of Appreciable Size.

 

Just because you've placed a cache doesn't make it a good cache.

 

 

michelle

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I am kinda one of those people who will tell you I think your 20th Black Film Cannister Under a Bridge/In a Fence Post/On a Railing is uncreative and has wasted what was potentially a good space that might have actually had a ) a decent hide that required SOME effort to find other than stopping the car and rolling down the window to reach and b ) might have been worthy of an actual expenditure for a Real Container of Appreciable Size.

 

Just because you've placed a cache doesn't make it a good cache.

 

 

michelle

 

 

My sentiments exactly!! That's why I always suggest a "BIG PILE OF STICKS"! In a field. With a single

BIG tree. And a sensible size container, up to and including footlocker! :):)B)

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Don't worry about what other people say to criticize, at least they're not stealing your cache and claiming it's what is best for the game!

 

 

One cacher threatened to adjust my attitude for me if he ever saw me in person.

I'll make a similar threat to you too. If I meet you in person, I'll adjust your attitude... by buying you a beer.

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I've been trying to come up with something constructive for this topic since it was first posted.

 

Since I am one of those 'brutally honest' about the cache people, I'm sure any one of my logs to that effect would have similarly upset the OP.

 

It doesn't seem as if the 'logging cacher' in question here is just snarky and bad tempered about ALL of the caches he finds... just this one in particular. So, he didn't like it and thought it could have been done better. Big whoop. Maybe he's right.

 

Among others with a similar attitude, BrianSnat wrote this:

 

I've been known to be brutally honest in my cache logs. The only person who takes any issue with my logs is the local "log suppresion agent." Sometimes cachers should know why there is something wrong with there cache, but it is better done via "private messages."

 

Local Log Suppression Agent - that's good. That's really good. I may have to use that at some point in the future. :)

 

I am curious as to what you think should be done in 'private messages' and what you think is brutally honestly ok to put in a log.

 

michelle

 

The cache in question was placed by new cacher, and unbeknown to any of us at the time, the coords were off by 12,000 feet. He made an error in the minutes section, but I eventually figured out his mistake on a future trip, and bagged FTF.

 

My first post and my DNF:

 

I sure hope the coordinates are off on this geocache. The coords I had lead me to a ditch filled with gutter water, smelly black mud, and trash. The location was next to a very busy intersection (40th East and Ave. R-8).

 

When I pulled up, I saw qzmtrspd searching for the elusive cache. He had already been hunting for 15 minutes, with zero luck. Another geocacher pulled up, hey, it's Team Wiggy! Four adults and several kids made a diligent search, all the while ignoring the stench, and the stares of passing motorists. The smell was so intense, that my five year old even said, "daddy it stinks here."

 

I didn't find the cache.

 

Sorry for the brutal honesty.

 

Log Suppresion Agents log (after mine):

 

Oh great! KF has decided to bash yet another new comer’s cache hide. Hopefully this hider doesn’t get discouraged like some of the past new geocachers that have been affected by his so called ”brutal honesty”. Obviously the coordinates are off or something else is wrong.

The other 3 DNF’ers at least found some positive thoughts to post about their experience.

BTW: What is KF doing seeking Terrain 1 caches? He has made it VERY public more times than I can count that he is above these types of cache hides and refuses to go after them.

Sorry rothenmr to use your cache page as a forum but this guy is once again out of line.

Ok off my soap box.

 

My rebuttal:

 

I didn't bash his cache, in fact I never even found his cache. I posted a truthful log of what I encountered at "ground zero." I even posted that I hoped the coordinates were wrong.

Since you weren't there and have not looked for this cache, you're in no position to censor my log, or make blatant assumptions about how I cache.

 

His cache was actually hidden near the California Aquaduct, and it afforded a nice scenic view.

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I know I haven't posted in the forums for awhile. I just had to put in my 2 cents. Which is probably what it's worth anyway.

 

I have only one cache active right now. To some people it's a,"Lame Micro," but at least it wasn't just thrown out in the woods where ever it would land. It was carefully planned so it would be somewhat of a challenge, but not to much of a challenge for those with limited mobility. If you don't like it, don't do it.

 

I agree with others in here. Just ignore what they say, I'm sure others will have a more positive logs. Enjoy the game.

 

 

Off Topic: Yes. I have had trouble with 2 cachers on something totally different. They know who they are and what they did. I sent them a e-mails that will let them know what I thought of them and that was it.

Edited by IronMaiden
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Hi Robert,

 

Yup.. We have one out here as well.

 

The problem is that we've all known him for several years and he just assums that anything we get involved in is his business.

 

He always has a negative opinion about someone and now that he's tried caching, he goes out of his way to comment on how he doesn't like the walk, placement, design, coordinates, Needle in the haystack hides, and the fact that none of us want to have him join us in a team outing.

 

The funny thing? After only about 150 caches or so, he is trying to declare his "rules" on his profile page that he heard as a suggestion about the upcoming Geowoodstock event in '08.

 

So, in any event, having an arrogant, self appointed cachemaster is inevitable. There's one in every crowd.

 

Just ignore him (or her) and try and remember, it's just a game - Have fun!

 

Jim..

 

I'm just taking a brief survey to see if anyone has ever had a problem with another cacher. I live in a small college town and up until recently everything has been going fine, but now that the students are starting to come back I am starting to have a problem.

 

We have a new cacher in town that seems to love to go out of his way to criticise my three caches. He made a good point about the first one being in a high-erosion area (which it is, but everywhere is an erosion area on the shore of Lake Superior) but the second and third were almost to the point of being rude. The best example I have is one I placed smack dab in the middle of campus. I rated it as a 1/1 and said it will only be available at night when the students are not walking by. He found it and said that it was "too easy" and that he would have placed it elsewhere and would have made a better looking (micro) container.

 

Anyone have any suggestions. For now I'm just going to ignore it and go about caching. Can't let one person ruin the game.

 

Thanks,

Robert

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I've been known to be brutally honest in my cache logs. The only person who takes any issue with my logs is the local "log suppresion agent." Sometimes cachers should know why there is something wrong with there cache, but it is better done via "private messages."

 

Log Suppresion Agents log (after mine):

 

Oh great! KF has decided to bash yet another new comer’s cache hide. Hopefully this hider doesn’t get discouraged like some of the past new geocachers that have been affected by his so called ”brutal honesty”. Obviously the coordinates are off or something else is wrong.

The other 3 DNF’ers at least found some positive thoughts to post about their experience.

BTW: What is KF doing seeking Terrain 1 caches? He has made it VERY public more times than I can count that he is above these types of cache hides and refuses to go after them.

Sorry rothenmr to use your cache page as a forum but this guy is once again out of line.

Ok off my soap box.

 

Recently, I posted an honest DNF log, and I got flamed by the "resident defender of newby cachers." It turned out my hunch was correct, but the "defender of newbies still hasn't retracted his log.

 

We have been contacted this afternoon via two emails and one phone call about existence of a small portion of this thread and one other thread targeted at us here.

 

KF has decided to bring our on going feud out into the public forum most likely due to his insecurities and looking for some kind of public approval for his negative cache logs.

 

Yes, we guess “Log Suppression Agent”, “resident defender of newbie cachers” and or “defender of newbie’s” is an appropriate title for us at this time. Unfortunately it is a requirement due to KF and his recent holier than thou attitude and continual cache bashing logs not only on local newbie’s caches but also on some of the local veterans caches as well because they do not meet his personal cache hiding standards.

 

New cache hides in our area have just about come to a complete halt and can more than likely be partially attributed to his actions. Being one of the most senior geocachers in our area we have been contacted on many occasions asking what this guy’s problem is.

 

He has caused two new geocachers that we know of to flat out quit geocaching after just a few weeks and several local veteran cachers to quit hiding and cut back on hunting caches because of his so called and unfortunately commonly used ”brutal honesty” type cache logs.

 

There are more tactful means that could be used to notify a cache owner that his/her cache didn’t meet his HIGH expectations. Now KF admits that “it is better done via "private messages” in this thread.

 

When a negative comment is put in a public forum it automatically puts the recipient on the defensive with a need to respond. Just like our response here in this thread for being called a “Log Suppression Agent”.

 

It is our opinion and the opinion of other local geocachers that although KF has nice cache hides he has done more harm than good to our community with all the negativity.

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I'm just taking a brief survey to see if anyone has ever had a problem with another cacher. I live in a small college town and up until recently everything has been going fine, but now that the students are starting to come back I am starting to have a problem.

 

We have a new cacher in town that seems to love to go out of his way to criticise my three caches. He made a good point about the first one being in a high-erosion area (which it is, but everywhere is an erosion area on the shore of Lake Superior) but the second and third were almost to the point of being rude. The best example I have is one I placed smack dab in the middle of campus. I rated it as a 1/1 and said it will only be available at night when the students are not walking by. He found it and said that it was "too easy" and that he would have placed it elsewhere and would have made a better looking (micro) container.

 

Anyone have any suggestions. For now I'm just going to ignore it and go about caching. Can't let one person ruin the game.

 

Thanks,

Robert

 

I am a newbie so please forgive me if my answer sounds ignorant.

 

I don't think he should criticize you. I also don't think you should let it ruin your fun. Criticism is a two edged sword. There isn't any reason why you couldn''t criticize his caches if it makes you feel better. (Usually it doesn't, but I thought Id suggest it.)

 

Now I gotta say I have been critical. I am new though and my criticisms come from the way I interpreted the rules of the game. My criticisms were posted because I thought I was doing the right thing by posting my feelings. I was kind of policing caches. This all comes from being a newbie. I realize now that cache owners are easily offended by criticism. They shouldn't be, but I was. I only hid one cache. Now I respond to criticism pretty well I think, but I am still critical of caches I seek.

 

So think of it this way. I am not defending him, but maybe explaining him. Understanding that might help you do what you suggested in the first place. Just ignore him. If he keeps leaving negative messages in cache logs, then its harassment and there are rules here about that! If he already criticised your 3 caches, he shouldn't be commenting on them anymore. If he continues to do so...report him.

 

That's my opinion.

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One thing that I do want to point out is that as long as people are polite, they should be able to give their honest opinions on a cache. The past logs are what give other cachers info on whether or not they might enjoy doing a cache or not. :)

 

Hey, I think as long as you criticize the cache, only, you're good to go.

 

Once you start attacking the hider... that's not so good.

 

I appreciate honest logs... and people who leave them.

 

 

 

michelle

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