Jump to content

Suggested Parking


Gralorn

Recommended Posts

Asked this on the Chat site and was surprised by some of the answers so I'll ask it here to see what the reaction is: I appreciate that some people cycle and others go for long ramblimg walks so it would make no difference to them at all. I'm talking about the car drivers, especially those passing through so to speak and not local to the area. What are the feelings about suggested parking being a mandatory requirement which is to be shown on a cache page when submitted for review? :mad::D

Link to comment

Asked this on the Chat site and was surprised by some of the answers so I'll ask it here to see what the reaction is: I appreciate that some people cycle and others go for long ramblimg walks so it would make no difference to them at all. I'm talking about the car drivers, especially those passing through so to speak and not local to the area. What are the feelings about suggested parking being a mandatory requirement which is to be shown on a cache page when submitted for review? :mad::D

I put suggested parking as waypoints....seems to work!

Link to comment

Well, I go for long rambling walks, and don't normally park in a specific place in order to do a specific cache, BUT we do generally drive out to our starting point. Hope that doesn't disqualify me :D

 

Is there really a problem at the moment? Most caches seem - off hand, from memory - to have some kind of parking info on them, (even if it is sometimes completely dodgy - like a passing place or a gateway! but that's another story ...)

 

Do you perceive a problem with lots of caches that don't have parking?

 

I suggested on here a while ago that if people did provide this info they could try to make sure the quality was good, (ie the place is safe & legal). I was told that this would put people off from placing caches! http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php...t&p=3056775

Link to comment

Asked this on the Chat site and was surprised by some of the answers so I'll ask it here to see what the reaction is: I appreciate that some people cycle and others go for long ramblimg walks so it would make no difference to them at all. I'm talking about the car drivers, especially those passing through so to speak and not local to the area. What are the feelings about suggested parking being a mandatory requirement which is to be shown on a cache page when submitted for review? :mad::D

 

Mandatory parking would kinda give the game away on some puzzle caches wouldn't it.... ?

 

Jon

Link to comment

I don't think giving suggested parking should be obligatory, as has been said before shouldn't we then include bus stops, cycle racks, etc...

 

Having said that I have included suggested parking for all mine, but they are all proper car parks, and on one this is a mile away but there are other places to park off road if you're really lazy but you need to find them yourself, similarly the recommended parking for my daughters cache is about .75 miles away and we didn't mention the offroad about 200yds away :D

Link to comment

This was discussed recently on "the other forum" :D.

 

Making it mandatory is probably a bit of a non-starter. Some cachers think that driving round wasting time and fuel is a part of the hunt. Me, I find it more fun going for a walk in the country, and I'm grateful to the very few cachers who do give suggested parking.

 

Yes, there are cachers who travel other than by car, and there are caches - especially in urban areas - where bus/train/tube/tram information is given. That info isn't often useful to me, but I'm still grateful that the cache owner has taken the trouble to provide it.

 

All information on how to get to the cache is useful. Thanks to the owners who provide it :mad:

Link to comment

Suggested parking co-ords make a huge difference, IMO.

 

If the cache is in an area we do not know, we definately look for and hope to find the cahce setter has taken a bit of stress and worry out of finding somewhere apropriate to park. Even if it tells us that the nearby roads have plenty of parking available.

 

Not knowing an area and not knowing where to park can be a real put-off when deciding what caches to do. Many caches we have passed or been near have been left alone simply because we don't know where to park and it can be hard when you don't know the area. :D

Easy solution is look for a cache that we know where we can park.

 

As far as public trasport goes, I don't think it is the same at all.

Two minutes on the internet can tell you where the cache is, and a quick look on the right pages will tell you where buses stop and where the closest railway stations are.

Where can you find that kind of information for parking a car? I personally look on Google Earth, hoping to see where other cars are parked, but that is not really too reliable.

 

Should they be mandatory? No. Not all caches should be approached by car. I would not take my car to go caching in central London! :mad:

When I list a cache, I try to think of it a bit like making an advert for the cache. I want to attract as many people as possible to it for them to enjoy. I know many people would prefer to know in advance that they can park safely as opposed to having no idea even if they will find somewhere.

 

Oh, and as a driving instructor, I don't think there is any excuse for not owning a car and driving :o

Edited by Geo-Kate
Link to comment

Don't think it needs to be mandatory, however I do admit to finding it useful as I myself am disabled. Therefore if someone knows where the best or closest place to park is, it just makes life that little bit easier. I also try to include them in the few caches I've posted/placed, purely for the same reasons!

 

Ade

Edited by osman123
Link to comment

The pass time is supposed to be about navigation in part is it not.

 

Part of the skill surely is to find the way there.

 

Compulsory parking co ords, you would get em but they would be bu**er all use for parking.

 

Yes, I agree, but I like my navigation and orienteering to be done on foot between the car and the cache, not before!

Driving around trying to find somewhere to park = not fun and stressful at times.

Walking around trying to find correct path = fun and can be stressful at times!

Link to comment

The pass time is supposed to be about navigation in part is it not.

 

Part of the skill surely is to find the way there.

 

Compulsory parking co ords, you would get em but they would be bu**er all use for parking.

 

Yes, I agree, but I like my navigation and orienteering to be done on foot between the car and the cache, not before!

Driving around trying to find somewhere to park = not fun and stressful at times.

Walking around trying to find correct path = fun and can be stressful at times!

 

Looking at a map generally helps.

Link to comment

We actually prefer it if suggested parking is suggested on the cache page and I agree with the comment that a cache page is a bit like an advert with one wishing to attract visitors to it, by putting such detail does attract us that's for sure. Also it must be said that the actual ground never looks the same as you had imagined it on the map when you get there! :D:mad: So not mandatory then! Just be helpful.....

Link to comment

If we are going to have suggested parking, then let's have a mandatory field for safe places to lock up bikes for us cyclists?

...Is there such a thing?

...Good point. Maybe suitable places then?

 

:mad::D

 

Chained to the leg of the mandatory cow in the mandatory field maybe? :o

 

MrsB

Edited by The Blorenges
Link to comment

Asked this on the Chat site and was surprised by some of the answers so I'll ask it here to see what the reaction is: I appreciate that some people cycle and others go for long ramblimg walks so it would make no difference to them at all. I'm talking about the car drivers, especially those passing through so to speak and not local to the area. What are the feelings about suggested parking being a mandatory requirement which is to be shown on a cache page when submitted for review? :mad::o

It would be nice if Additional Waypoints were used when suggesting parking places, or any other waypoints for that matter. Some of us don't particularly enjoy keying in coords. :D

 

I will almost always offer parking coords, but I can see that there are occasions when you wouldn't want to supply them.

Link to comment

Are we all loosing the plot here.. paking co-ords!!! The whole game/sport/hobby is to find something hidden.

 

Part of that is the getting to it. Why give parking co-ords.. I have been on wrong side of walls, rivers, fences.. housing estates.. with the Oh! Bu**er comment. All part off the game.

 

Gettin to be that folks want to be spoon fed every thing so the game is easier.

 

Shame when part of the whole thing is supposed to get yer out of your cars an get some exercise :mad:

 

Quads are different :D

 

Moss T

Edited by Moss Trooper
Link to comment

I will almost always offer parking coords, but I can see that there are occasions when you wouldn't want to supply them.

Hmm... Evil thought... :mad: I guess you could make the puzzle part of the cache resolve both the parking co-ords as well as the cache co-ords?

J

Strangely enough we just did the Green Valley Zone series, which does exactly that. I wonder how many people have actually worked out the parking coords though. :D

Link to comment

Would this suggestion mean that someone who travels by foot, bus, or bike to place a cache, would then need to scout around for the nearest legal parking spot, take into account whether it's a common site for thefts or "other stuff that goes on in car parks" :D , etc?

 

Another reason it's a bad idea: it would provide another way for the cache owner to get into conflict with the reviewers. I don't think the latter are clamouring for more ways to be hassled.

Edited by sTeamTraen
Link to comment

Are we all loosing the plot here.. paking co-ords!!! The whole game/sport/hobby is to find something hidden.

 

Part of that is the getting to it. Why give parking co-ords.. I have been on wrong side of walls, rivers, fences.. housing estates.. with the Oh! Bu**er comment. All part off the game.

 

Gettin to be that folks want to be spoon fed every thing so the game is easier.

 

Shame when part of the whole thing is supposed to get yer out of your cars an get some exercise B)

 

 

We've been known to supply parking co-ords with our caches but generally we are in full agreement with you.

Link to comment

OK - parking is really useful info for urban and suburban caches done by those in mobile metal coffins, and parking waypoints are a real boon - as often parking info requires local knowledge. Hey its greener to go straight to a parking spot than cruising streets and lanes endlessly - ( touch of irony methinks here ).

 

Which brings me to my point ... lets have a 'Send to GPS, option for waypoints. I know we can download the GPX file and upload that from our PC utilities - but lets make life a little easier if we can. Throw a little light on the process, so to speak and move forward from the gas mantle.

Link to comment

OK - parking is really useful info for urban and suburban caches done by those in mobile metal coffins, and parking waypoints are a real boon - as often parking info requires local knowledge. Hey its greener to go straight to a parking spot than cruising streets and lanes endlessly - ( touch of irony methinks here ).

 

Words like "glasshouses, stones, people, ham and common" spring to mind. B)

 

P

Link to comment

If a cache needs parking co-ords then Waypoints are fine.

We did 4 caches on Sunday, 12km round trip on foot.

The first one was about 1500m from the Suggested car park. If we had just been going in for the first then there was parking that would have been suitable for a cache grab.

I wouldn't have been happy to park there for the whole walk it was comforting to know that there was a public car park there before we set out but only cos it was easier than searching ourselves.

Some of the roadside caches in scotland it is nice to be given parking suggestions cos if you pass them it can be some time before you get an oppertunity to turn around.

but then if we are going down that route i want to know if it is easier accesable going north or south??

I missed a cache on sunday because it was on the other side of the road. It was only a 2 lane road but there was no where safe to park (when travelling in either direction). and it was not safe to cross that road.

But knowing would have taken the fun out of it...

Link to comment

I think that this thread just goes to prove that you cannot please some people at any time and others only some of the time. Oh well it's only a game/hobby/pastime and we are of course free to play it as we wish to play it and whenever we choose. So just enjoy it wherever you park or whatever side of the river you find yourself. B)B):grin:

 

PS: Thanks for all your views and comments...'enlightening' to say the least! B)

Link to comment

OK - parking is really useful info for urban and suburban caches done by those in mobile metal coffins, and parking waypoints are a real boon - as often parking info requires local knowledge. Hey its greener to go straight to a parking spot than cruising streets and lanes endlessly - ( touch of irony methinks here ).

Words like "glasshouses, stones, people, ham and common" spring to mind. :laughing:

P

LOLOLOL - Yep - the given location is the parking!! Forgot to add a waypoint with the same location. Less of a glasshouse and stones , more simply feeble of mind. :laughing: :laughing:
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...