What to do with Muggles?

[+Sabri.Suh]

Hey, today I went after my first cache, I was really excited, it took me a little to find it, 'cause I really didn't know what I was looking for, lol...

 

Well, after a few minutes, I found it, but when I was about to take it out, I heard people coming, so I moved a little and pretend that I was looking for nice leaves... Well, I had to do the same a lot of times, because there was a lot of people exercising in that park.

 

What do u do in this situation? I felt really silly!!!

 

Thanks for reading!

[+WatchDog2020]

No advice about what to do besides get use to it - after a while it will become 2nd nature

Edited October 15, 2008 by WatchDog2020

[+StarBrand]

Best advice I can give is to boldly walk up to the cache, retrieve it, sign and trade and then replace it and walk away. Act like you know 100% for sure what you are doing. Behave as though you belong there and you are doing nothing wrong (mostly because you aren't - are you?). Such people are barely noticed in everyday life. Bring a hard hat and clipboard for added annominity. If you have any discomfort level with the cache - simply move on to another one.

 

Cachers that try to be stealthy end up attracting a lot more attention and get noticed easier.

[+CaddyCachers]

You could also pretend to be having a conversation on your GPSr. But it's true, act as if you belong there and are doing nothing out of the ordinary.

[+vwaldoguy]

I actually did that, pretended that my GPSr was a phone at one point, held it to my ear, leaned against the lamp post, and waited until the people walked past.

[+Sabri.Suh]

Thanks for the advises, now I'm going for other caches that I hope to find... I will use your words... and just act like I know what I'm doing...

 

See you later... And again, thank you... All the answers where really fast =)

[+sportside]

So far I only cache with my dog. Walking around in circles with a dog is very natural... Non dog people ignore you, dog people ask questions about her

 

I also chose my first several caches based on them being out in the woods, so it hasn't been much of an issue. The only non-dog-walking cache I have done, I parked the van to block any view - i knew exactly where it would be. Got out, grabbed it, signed the log, put it back, went on my way...

[+NYPaddleCacher]

I actually did that, pretended that my GPSr was a phone at one point, held it to my ear, leaned against the lamp post, and waited until the people walked past.

 

Last weekend I was caching in a muggle rich area and found myself tapping on the screen of my GPS with my pen as if I was using a large PDA.

[+Sabri.Suh]

Hey I have to honest... I had laughed a lot with some of your answers...

 

The thing is that I have been in the states for 6 months, but I'm not really used to how the people looks in the parks, I mean, the people that "works" or whatever...

 

But I'm learning, besides I was reading another topic of the things that geocachers say to the people that ask, there is everything, but now I'm scared of the police, lol...

[+the3gmen]

You also have to remember that for some of the more urban caches, the most challenging part of finding the cache is dealing with the muggles. Sometimes it is the main reason in a higher difficulty.

[+Two Seats]

What to do with Muggles?

 

This is my favorite recipe:

 

MARINATED MUGGLES

 

Marinate skinned, boned muggles in marinade:

 

1 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. rosemary or thyme

1 or 2 cloves garlic, press (optional)

1/4 c. olive oil

 

[+rubberchickenclan]

i usually lie!!!!! i work for garmin and i am plotting gps pionts so we can realigne our satalites. ( they generally say ..... COOL) , or im looking for points with my gps to match them to a survey done back in the sixties. make it up, make them believe you, have fun with them....... unless he or she has a badge then come clean.

[+J-Way]

....unless he or she has a badge then come clean.

Never ever lie to a cop when you aren't actually doing anything wrong/illegal. It just causes trouble.

[+Sabri.Suh]

....unless he or she has a badge then come clean.

Never ever lie to a cop when you aren't actually doing anything wrong/illegal. It just causes trouble.

 

I have a little doubt... do cops always wear uniform?? Or sometimes they just look normal?

[+jeffbouldin]

Here is a novel idea! Tell them what you are doing. Explain geocaching. You might recruit someone. Why do Cachers feel like they need to keep it secret?

[+reddeeps]

We take the dog, and if people are taking notice of us say "hurry up and find your ball"

[+markandsandy]

Hey, today I went after my first cache, I was really excited, it took me a little to find it, 'cause I really didn't know what I was looking for, lol...

 

Well, after a few minutes, I found it, but when I was about to take it out, I heard people coming, so I moved a little and pretend that I was looking for nice leaves... Well, I had to do the same a lot of times, because there was a lot of people exercising in that park.

 

What do u do in this situation? I felt really silly!!!

 

Thanks for reading!

 

I almost always carry my camera. I've got lots of pictures of those "nice leaves".

[+Kohavis]

I almost always carry my camera. I've got lots of pictures of those "nice leaves".

Yep. My camera has worked for me many times. Like sportside said, non-dog people ignore you if you have a dog. Non-photographers also ignore you if you have a camera and are pretending to set up that "perfect shot"

[+Coyote's Girl]

I think the reason that more people don't just tell muggles the truth is that it just feels cool to be part of a "secret" club. That, and it could compromise the cache. Personally, I'd like to know more people to go caching with, so I'm letting friends in on the secret. It'd just be more fun with more people along, I think

[+pklong]

Here is a novel idea! Tell them what you are doing. Explain geocaching. You might recruit someone. Why do Cachers feel like they need to keep it secret?

 

Because there are many a******* out there who would take great delight in trashing the cache as soon as you were gone....

[+DanOCan]

....unless he or she has a badge then come clean.

Never ever lie to a cop when you aren't actually doing anything wrong/illegal. It just causes trouble.

 

If someone questions me, I normally have two questions for them:

 

"Are you the landowner of this property?" and "Are you a member of a law enforcement agency?"

 

If they answer yes to either one of those I'll come clean. If the answer is "No" I like to give some song and dance about what I am doing.

 

As I wrote in one of my logs: Apparently if you are wearing dress clothes "Tree inspector for the Parks Department" IS an acceptable answer to the question "What are you doing?"

[+Kohavis]

If they answer yes to either one of those I'll come clean. If they answer yes to either one of those I'll come clean. If the answer is "No" I like to give some song and dance about what I am doing. I like to give some song and dance about what I am doing.

If it's a friendly question asked out of curiosity, I'll exoplain it to them patiently, and answer their questions.

 

If it's someone giving me the third degree, and if they're not a cop or the property owner, I'll tell them to &@%#-off

[+Sabri.Suh]

Well, it seems that not everybody does the same. My english is not so good, at least not in Geocaching language, so this morning I printed 5 copies with information about, just in case a cop or the owner of the place stops me... I can get really nervous and forget all of my words.

 

But so far, I'm getting my camera everywhere, a notebook to write notes and sometimes pretend that I'm drawing. At least in Chile it's pretty normal to see students in the streets doing that (I just hope, nobody sees my "art", will be pretty clear that I don't know what I'm doing). I will take the idea of GPS = Cellphone. But if I see someone truly interested, I will do my best to explain Geocaching!

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Here is a novel idea! Tell them what you are doing. Explain geocaching. You might recruit someone. Why do Cachers feel like they need to keep it secret?

 

I did that last weekend. I was geocaching in Mountain View, Ca. after a meeting at Google the day before. After spending a considerable amount of time on caches that were in areas with lots of muggles (one was in a newpaper dispenser not more than 5' from a restaurant with a couple of table of people eating lunch on the other side of glass wall) I headed for an area that was near the bay where there were a lot fewer building and people about. As I walked down a trail to one of the caches I turned a corner and saw a man jumping rope in the middle of the trail about 10' from where the cache was located. I walked past him, then turned around and stopped and told him exactly what I was doing. He watched me find the sign, and I explained a bit out the hobby as I was signing the log. He thought it sounded interesting and would be good exercise. Sometime you have to judge each situation on it's own merits.

[+mbharpman]

Fillet and release...

[+DanOCan]

Here is a novel idea! Tell them what you are doing. Explain geocaching. You might recruit someone. Why do Cachers feel like they need to keep it secret?

 

When I started Geocaching was a much more clandestine activity. Being "in" on the idea was a good part of the appeal. I often still wish it was more like that.

[BLIXX88]

My mother always told me that honestly was always the best option. If not I recommend holy water and a large silver cross. Scream something terrible about their souls finaly waypoint.

[+SmokyMtnz]

I know one Geocacher that printed up her own business card size information about Geocaching. If someone asks, She'll chat with with them for a moment, and if they seem interested, she'll give them the "business card".

 

I have read in some logs about getting "caught" by police. Then after explaining what they were doing, the police actually helped them look for the cache!! Usually the people have kids, and that's a huge treat for them.

[+scubajt41]

i toy with their heads.. make up a ridiculous excuse

 

see this thread..

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=182709

[+Lennu]

I am italian but I am in the US for a few month for business reason. My english is rather good but when muggles approach me I pretend I am a poor english speaker and I stress my italian accent. On top of tha I pretend to be stupid. This is not an effective technique but I used it a couple of times

 

[muggle] - May I help you?

[me] - You want help me?! to do what?

[muggle] - MAY I HELP YOU? (again)

[me] - well, no. You may not. What about me helping you?

 

==================================

 

[muggle] - May I help you?

[me] - I am fine thanks

[muggle] - I am <<his name>>, pastor of the church

[me] - and I am <<my name>>, telecommunication consultant

[+she_wolf]

This is actually a very good question. When I first started, ok and still sometimes, I feel like it takes me forever to find the cache - anyways back to the topic, in the beginning I was so paranoid that someone would ask what I was doing. I am usually out on my own, no pets, no camera, no kids, trapsing around with my hiking shoes and jeans if I anticipate any bushwhacking.

Now after a few months, I would welcome someone asking me, and giving me the opportunity to explain. But as someone mentioned before, you have to read the situation, if you think someone will destroy the cache or knock every tree down on the way to a cache, I don't share. I love families with kids - the young 6-10yr olds totally get the GPS, and coordinates, and caching - must be internet games or something.

Anyways.... As time has passed, I don't get so paranoid as I dive off of the beaten trail into the underbrush.

[jeeper88]

A friend/fellow cacher and I were out looking for a cache at night a few nights ago, and he mentioned a pretty good disguise that would get you looks, but nobody would bother you. . . Wear a suit, sunglasses, and an earpiece, and carry a silver briefcase handcuffed to your wrist. . . People will assume you are some government agent that's doing something top secret. lol I think I'm going to give that one a try next time I'm out on a cache.