terrain rating 1

[+Du's Crew]

We've just returned to geocaching after about 2 years. Alot has changed on the website since then! We have placed a couple of new caches in our area that in the past would meet the terrain rating of 1 (flat terrain, no obstacles, etc). We're now being encouraged to note them as wheelchair accessible. Someone in a wheelchair could easily reach the site, but the caches are placed high off the ground. I don't remember ever being asked this question before, so I suppose it's another improvement to the site. Should we change the rating to a 2?

[+SKPnGo]

Should we change the rating to a 2?

 

NO NO NO is my vote.

 

As a diabled person, that handicap rating and height information tells us if we can reach it from a wheelchair, or if kneeling/stuping over/ or reaching up is required. These are important factors to someone with limited movement or ability.

 

Also, we need cashes to hunt for too, you know. We all can't climb mountains or trek through the woods. Rating something as a 2 might remove it from our search autmatically. And rating it 2 so you don't have to input that it's 3 feet off the ground is down right mean.

 

One suggestion might be that the site puts that kind of information under a pop-up link or something so that those looking for that kind of information can get it, but it's not on the main cashe page for those that don't want to see that detail information.

 

My 2 cents for the day.

 

SKPnGo

Edited July 1, 2008 by SKPnGo

[+wapahani]

No, don't mess with the rating. Do as it says. I'm also disabled and knowing the terrain rating is a good thing. I can't move through the woods and over bad terrain anymore since my injury.

Its helpful and tells us if Mrs.Wapahani and the kids will have to go solo on a find or not.

[+Lasagna]

A terrain of "1" has by definition of the rating system that Clayjar put together usually meant the location is "wheelchair" accessible (paved walkways, etc.) however the hide style itself can make the cache itself inaccessible. I have always reserved a terrain of "1" for wheelchair accessible hides and notched the hide style up a half-notch to "1.5" if it's an easy terrain but involves something which might make it inaccessible to everyone -- such as a curb or height of the hide. I also make use of the attributes page to indicate if a cache is accessible under other circumstances but requires a higher rating (in which case you should explain that in the writeup without necessarily giving the hide away).

 

We've just returned to geocaching after about 2 years. Alot has changed on the website since then! We have placed a couple of new caches in our area that in the past would meet the terrain rating of 1 (flat terrain, no obstacles, etc). We're now being encouraged to note them as wheelchair accessible. Someone in a wheelchair could easily reach the site, but the caches are placed high off the ground. I don't remember ever being asked this question before, so I suppose it's another improvement to the site. Should we change the rating to a 2?

[+va griz]

I've wondered this same thing. One cache I hide was on a small bridge, and one of the site robots encouraged me to add the handicapped accessible icon. I did, but wondered how someone would fare if they attempted it in a chair. There was a slight incline to get to it, a little steeper than a ramp. But my main concern was the "roadway" was composed of coarse planks, and I have no idea if that could catch a wheel or not.

 

So I'll ask here since there are knowledgeable people in the thread. Where should the limit be for handicap accessable? Especially in terms of grade and surface. I don't mind typing "cache is above eye level" to inform someone that it can't be reached from a chair, but for instance, I don't want to trick them into going a quarter mile on a nice trail but be stopped by what seemed to me to be a shallow ditch.

[+Renegade Knight]

I've wondered this same thing....

 

There is a flaw in the rating.

 

Terrain/Difficulty

 

Terrain at 1 is wheelchair assessable terrain.

Difficulty is the difficulty of the find.

Missing is the "within reach"

 

A chair user with certain tools can get more caches with than one without.

[+Rattlebars]

I've had reviewers tell me that a rating of "1" is RESERVED for wheelchair accessible caches. A rating of "1.5" MAY also be accessible for chairs, but may have minor obstacles such as curbs, roots, or mud. However, a nimble wheeler could get at them. A rating of "2", not usually accessible.

 

A cache in reach for a wheeler is also in reach for a child. One not, also not unless climbing for a kid is possible. A kid friendly attribute, yes or no, might add to the information without a giveaway.

[Neos2]

In my area, we tend to reserve a 1 terrain for wheelchair accessible hides--so we'd bump a non-accessible hide to a 1.5. If my terrain is low, I usually go ahead and say on the cache page if it might not be easily accessible for someone who must remain seated in a wheelchair.

 

That tells people it probably isn't between 1-3 feet off the ground withut giving everything away--and lets folks who must remain seated know they will need to take along tools if they attempt it. If they email me to ask more, I'm happy to give them any additional info they need.

 

There is the Handicaching site, too.

Edited July 1, 2008 by Neos2

[+climbstuff]

We've just returned to geocaching after about 2 years. Alot has changed on the website since then! We have placed a couple of new caches in our area that in the past would meet the terrain rating of 1 (flat terrain, no obstacles, etc). We're now being encouraged to note them as wheelchair accessible. Someone in a wheelchair could easily reach the site, but the caches are placed high off the ground. I don't remember ever being asked this question before, so I suppose it's another improvement to the site. Should we change the rating to a 2?

 

make it a 1.5 if a wheelchair can't get close enough while someone else could walk there unobstructed...

[+SKPnGo]

There is a Website that's sole purpose is to rate Geocashes for the handicapped. They ask peolpe to rate cashes they planted or found so others will know what to expect. Check it out www.Handicashing.com and check out their rating system http://www.handicaching.com/ratingsystem.html. A cashe would have a rating of H 21313, if it was more than 500 ft away over grassy terrain with no obsticals and was hidden over 6 ft above ground level.

 

Maybe a link to their site could be added. It would be great if we all use the same system.

[knowschad]

For a very informative discussion on the subject see the Where Can You Wheel? thread

[+va griz]

Thanks folks, that's the info I was looking for.

[+briansnat]

...I suppose it's another improvement to the site.

 

Not really. 1 star terrain has meant handicap accessible since I started this sport in 2001. I guess the only improvement is that many reviewers now will question a 1 star terrain rating to make sure it is indeed handicap accessible.

 

One issue is that there is no one definition of handicap accessible. I've heard of wheelchair bound cachers who will leave their chair and crawl over tougher terrain to get a cache. There are also handicapped cachers who aren't wheelchair bound. Some use crutches, or a walker and some have other handicaps that make them officially "disabled", but they can negotiate tougher terrain.

 

I personally spent 3 months on crutches not long ago and I could negotiate terrain up to about 2 stars with some difficulty, but it wasn't impossible.

 

My personal opinion is that for it to be one star terrain it should be reachable by someone in a wheelchair.

Edited July 2, 2008 by briansnat