Drive by Geocaching

[+Cardinal Flyer]

Hi,

We're Team Nimrod of The Inland Northwest, and new to the sport, only 266 under our belts.

But I think we are missing something, "DRIVE BY GEOCACHING" we just don't get it. We thought you had to actually find and sign the log, then post the find at Geocaching.com. Several of my own personal caches have had people log into Geocaching.com and post the find, but their name is not in the caches log. And today, we woke early to go caching, got a first to find, no other signatures in the log all blank pages except for ours. The cache we found was published last night. We get home to post our FtF at Geocaching.com, and there is somebody else logged in as the first. The log book was brand new never written in until I signed it. So is drive by Geocaching a new aspect of the sport that has not yet caught on or just an underground thing.

[+BlueDeuce]

Understand that we reviewing one example. Perhaps that person didn't see your logbook signing or perhaps they think that posting on line first is FTF.

 

Not a fun thing when you were first and someone else claims it. I just think we need to clarify what's going on here.

[+ICHTHYS]

Did their online log say they were FTF? They may have found it after you, but logged it online before you did.

[+Y2KOTA]

I've had one just the like that. New caches around here now have a spot for the FTF to log in with the time included for the FTF.

[+Cardinal Flyer]

Understand that we reviewing one example. Perhaps that person didn't see your logbook signing or perhaps they think that posting on line first is FTF.

 

Not a fun thing when you were first and someone else claims it. I just think we need to clarify what's going on here.

I'll try to be more clear. A cache was published yesterday. I went out early this morning to fid it, I did find it.

The log book at the newly published cache was empty, brand new never written in. I was the first person to write in it. I signed my name , date, and time cache was found, and proclamed that I was FtF. when I returned home I logged the find at geocaching.com, only to find someone else claimed FtF. There were no other logs in the caches log book at the time of my finding it. Hope thats clear

[+Cardinal Flyer]

Did their online log say they were FTF? They may have found it after you, but logged it online before you did.

They claimed they were first to find at geocaching.com. Yet They had NO SIGNATURE in caches log.

[Neos2]

There is possibly an alternate explanation...

 

Perhaps the other cacher signed the opposite side of the logbook. I've seen people do that. If your signature was on the other end of the log, they may not have noticed in the excitement of thinking they were FTF. They may have logged the cache from a cell phone, or perhaps they live or work nearer the cache than you do --or just weren't out as long caching today. Since they also posted their find before you logged, they may still not know that you even logged the find.

 

The logbook will speak for itself, and anyone who comes along after you will realize what happened. You know the truth and that it all that really matters. Right?

[+briansnat]

Understand that we reviewing one example. Perhaps that person didn't see your logbook signing or perhaps they think that posting on line first is FTF.

 

Not a fun thing when you were first and someone else claims it. I just think we need to clarify what's going on here.

I'll try to be more clear. A cache was published yesterday. I went out early this morning to fid it, I did find it.

The log book at the newly published cache was empty, brand new never written in. I was the first person to write in it. I signed my name , date, and time cache was found, and proclamed that I was FtF. when I returned home I logged the find at geocaching.com, only to find someone else claimed FtF. There were no other logs in the caches log book at the time of my finding it. Hope thats clear

 

Anybody can claim whatever they want to claim, but if you were the first to find it, then you were the first to find it. Period. FTF is not something to be claimed or awarded, it's just a statement of fact.

 

As far as bogus logs in general, it happens. Some people seem to think a high find count validates them in some way as a person and will log finds for caches they didn't find. As the cache owner it's within your rights to delete those phony logs (actually if you read the guidelines, it's your duty).

[+GrateBear]

It seems most responses so far are addressing only the FTF issue, but the key issue is really with those who claim a find but do not sign the log. And, I agree with you that it does happen. A few months ago there was a person in the Boise area who logged something like 65 posts in one day, claiming to have done them with his children. I found that a bit hard to believe so set out to see if it was true. I checked a few caches I had already found, plus searched out several that I hadn't found yet. The majority of those caches had not been signed by this person, so my guess is that he found a few and the rest he just drove by and "yep, it's 50 feet that way, another find".

Bottom line, if someone wants to do that, no big deal. But, if it's one of my caches and I realize that, I will delete the find.

As for your FTF, sounds like it's yours and yours alone.

[Neos2]

And everyone may be jumping to a conclusion...

 

Just because they hadn't signed the log at 10a.m. doesn't mean they may not have signed it at 10:15 a.m. on the other end of the log.

 

Has anyone gone back to the cache to see who has signed the log?

[+vwaldoguy]

I'd head back to the cache if you could to see if they indeed signed the other side of the logbook. If they did, then it boils down to the time that it was logged. What's in the written logbook supercedes any online logging. And if they're not in the written logbook, I wouldn't have a problem noting that in my own online log when logging as FTF.

[MorningLightMountain]

Anyone that posts a "fake" log is beyond pathetic. I think this is different than the drive-bys you're referring to. I can understand someone only wanting to do the sport half-way by just driving by-whether they have alot of kids, are disabled, or just all around lame. Can't imagine Geocaching being any fun without actually opening the caches. And the ones you cant find make the ones you do better.

[+wavector]

Hi,

We're Team Nimrod of The Inland Northwest, and new to the sport, only 266 under our belts.

But I think we are missing something, "DRIVE BY GEOCACHING" we just don't get it. We thought you had to actually find and sign the log, then post the find at Geocaching.com. Several of my own personal caches have had people log into Geocaching.com and post the find, but their name is not in the caches log. And today, we woke early to go caching, got a first to find, no other signatures in the log all blank pages except for ours. The cache we found was published last night. We get home to post our FtF at Geocaching.com, and there is somebody else logged in as the first. The log book was brand new never written in until I signed it. So is drive by Geocaching a new aspect of the sport that has not yet caught on or just an underground thing.

 

Take a look at the first three logs on this cache.

Alberta Ghost Town - Alderson

In this case Calgary Area Cachers J2D2 and Red90 deliberately signed the logbook near the middle and carefully put everything back making sure that the cache looked undisturbed. Look at the huge grin James uses in his log.

When Neko and Hirii found the cache they were very happy to loudly claim the FTF, they were the first to log online as well. After Neko and Hirii claimed the FTF J2d2 and Red90 then logged the cache showing that they had found it one full day before Neko and Hirii. The signatures are there, buried in the middle of the log book.

It was pretty funny and CAC newcomers Neko and Hirii took it all in stride because finding a geocache really doesn't mean anything, it is just a bit of fun.

 

So Neos2 is absolutely right, the logbook could easily tell a different story. Rather than a signature at the the other end there could be a signature somewhere in the middle of the book as well.

Edited December 9, 2008 by wavector

[+Harry Dolphin]

Take a look at the first three logs on this cache.

Alberta Ghost Town - Alderson

In this case Calgary Area Cachers J2D2 and Red90 deliberately signed the logbook near the middle and carefully put everything back making sure that the cache looked undisturbed. Look at the huge grin James uses in his log.

When Neko and Hirii found the cache they were very happy to loudly claim the FTF, they were the first to log online as well. After Neko and Hirii claimed the FTF J2d2 and Red90 then logged the cache showing that they had found it one full day before Neko and Hirii. The signatures are there, buried in the middle of the log book.

It was pretty funny and CAC newcomers Neko and Hirii took it all in stride because finding a geocache really doesn't mean anything, it is just a bit of fun.

 

That's just downright nasty. That's called sadism.

 

In the cache in question, one cacher claimed FTF. Cache owner reminded him that he should have signed the log.

Congrats to xxx for the FTF. Next time remember to note your find in the logbook.

Congrats to Cardinal Flyer for the STF and first to log in the logbook.

The the cacher claimed the great 'back of the notebook excuse'.

xxx just went back out to sign the log, and we did sign it last night. It was dark, and apparently we started the log at the back of the notebook, not the front.

Sounds like a lot more to this story than we know. But nothing worth getting worked up about. Oh, well.

[+rambrush]

Out here most of us use a camera and take a pic of the 1st page showing the cache name etc. reflecting that you are indeed getting a 1st to find.

Yes getting collecting 1st to finds does not pay you anything it does give us in the Deep Southwest geocaching project site additional points and makes the hunt a little bit more fun.

 

here is the link to my stats over there.

http://dgpstats.com/cacherdetails?c=57956