When to walk away...

[+RaneMokeev]

Welp, I'm about to hit 60+ finds today. Still a noob, but I'm working my way up.

 

My question is this. When do people on here decide searching for a cache is too risky? Last Thursday my gal Moxie and I gave up a FTF in a park because a couple was literally sitting on GZ. It was either search for the cache and possibly have it later be stolen (something neither of us want this early in our geocareers) or let it go and let someone else get the glory. Having read through geocreed.info, we chose to walk away.

 

So when do you folks walk away? I'm assuming it's a personal preference, but when do you risk the integrity of the cache and when do you simply move on?

Edited April 4, 2009 by RaneMokeev

[+BCandMsKitty]

Or you could have spoken to the people at GZ and "gasp!!" told them what you were doing and let them find it with you! Who knows, you might have lost the chance to recruit some new geocachers!

 

We usually walk away when there are several people that we have no chance to talk with, thus causing more chance of having the cache muggled.

[+RaneMokeev]

Or you could have spoken to the people at GZ and "gasp!!" told them what you were doing and let them find it with you! Who knows, you might have lost the chance to recruit some new geocachers!

 

We usually walk away when there are several people that we have no chance to talk with, thus causing more chance of having the cache muggled.

 

In a city park where two people do not appear very friendly it's sometimes difficult to approach them and explain what geocaching is. But as you said, since this was the case we just walked away

[+redjada]

Or you could have spoken to the people at GZ and "gasp!!" told them what you were doing and let them find it with you! Who knows, you might have lost the chance to recruit some new geocachers!

 

We usually walk away when there are several people that we have no chance to talk with, thus causing more chance of having the cache muggled.

 

In a city park where two people do not appear very friendly it's sometimes difficult to approach them and explain what geocaching is. But as you said, since this was the case we just walked away

 

Or, they were waiting for you to leave so they could be the FTF. Just a thought.

[+Knight2000]

In a city park where two people do not appear very friendly it's sometimes difficult to approach them and explain what geocaching is. But as you said, since this was the case we just walked away

If you would have taken off your over shirt/coat and exposed your firearm they might have left.

 

Every situation is different. Some are more patient than others. Some people just dont care about muggles and do whatever while people are watching.

[+BCandMsKitty]

Or you could have spoken to the people at GZ and "gasp!!" told them what you were doing and let them find it with you! Who knows, you might have lost the chance to recruit some new geocachers!

 

We usually walk away when there are several people that we have no chance to talk with, thus causing more chance of having the cache muggled.

 

In a city park where two people do not appear very friendly it's sometimes difficult to approach them and explain what geocaching is. But as you said, since this was the case we just walked away

 

Or, they were waiting for you to leave so they could be the FTF. Just a thought.

 

yeah.

 

My post wasn't to say that you were wrong in walking away. Each case has to be taken on it's own merit, and as you suggested, it is a personal thing.

[+Renegade Knight]

...when do you risk the integrity of the cache and when do you simply move on?

 

Cache placed where it's clear the cache owner was discrete, I'll be discrete. If the cache owner places it on 5th Aveneu where 20,000 cars and 30,000 pedestrians can see you searching, I may walk away just because I don't like being watched, or I may decide "to heck with it" and search like it was for king and country in plain sight cache integrety be danged.

[+flask]

 

Cache placed where it's clear the cache owner was discrete, I'll be discrete.

 

yes, if the cache owner isn't actually a distinct person but rather part of some sort of wave, i won't bother to be discrete either.

 

i just merge into my surroundings and become one with the cache.

[+wimseyguy]

I walk away when it isn't FUN anymore. Sometimes that happens in 90 seconds, sometimes 90 minutes.

 

I'll also walk away if I have concerns for my personal safety. In your case, if I didn't have those concerns, I might have walked up to that bench and sat down next to them. Maybe make them uncomfortable and they will leave?

Maybe invite them to join in the hunt? Maybe say-excuse me I'm playing an internet game where I look for hidden containers all over the world, and I think you are sitting on one right now.

 

Each situation is different.

[+dacjohns]

When it feels uncomfortable.

 

We walked away from a cache that was in front of a busy restaurant and someone was sitting at GZ.

 

We walked away from a cache that was in front of an elementary school and it was while school was in session.

 

There is a multi-stage cache at a rest stop that we haven't found yet because it involves looking under a foot bridge between the parking lot and building. That really makes you stand out.

[+undertree]

Yes it depends. I was doing a multi and the first stage was off the highway but there was large trucks and one person directing the construction trucks. She was standing at GZ. We asked her if we could park and she was fine with that. I explained what we were doing and she was pretty surprised when I pulled a hide a key from a fence post. She was super nice and seemed interested in it. I give her one of my signature items and was on my way.

 

Yes you have to size up the situation and make a call. Just because there are people around I don't give up right away.

[+sbell111]

Welp, I'm about to hit 60+ finds today. Still a noob, but I'm working my way up.

 

My question is this. When do people on here decide searching for a cache is too risky? Last Thursday my gal Moxie and I gave up a FTF in a park because a couple was literally sitting on GZ. It was either search for the cache and possibly have it later be stolen (something neither of us want this early in our geocareers) or let it go and let someone else get the glory. Having read through geocreed.info, we chose to walk away.

 

So when do you folks walk away? I'm assuming it's a personal preference, but when do you risk the integrity of the cache and when do you simply move on?

If I don't believe that I can remove and replace the cache without being spotted doing so, I pass on the cache and try again some other time. Doing otherwise is incredibly rude, in my opinion.

[Clan Riffster]

I walk away when it isn't FUN anymore.

That's it in a nutshell, for me. Once the ol' fun meter hits zero, it's off to the next cache.

The longest I spent physically searching for an individual cache was 15 hours, over multiple trips.

The shortest I've spent looking for a cache was about half a second.

[+VirginiaGator]

I walk away when it isn't FUN anymore. Sometimes that happens in 90 seconds, sometimes 90 minutes.

 

I'll also walk away if I have concerns for my personal safety. In your case, if I didn't have those concerns, I might have walked up to that bench and sat down next to them. Maybe make them uncomfortable and they will leave?

Maybe invite them to join in the hunt? Maybe say-excuse me I'm playing an internet game where I look for hidden containers all over the world, and I think you are sitting on one right now.

 

Each situation is different.

Exactly. And it's not fun when I'm heading off a fire road, standing at the edge of the woods, and the GPS says it's a quarter mile into the woods...with NO trail around. No thank you!

 

Safety is a big issue also. At the same cache that was .25 into the woods, there were two separate issues in the parking lot. And with the second issue, I was VERY glad to see a police car turn into the lot.

 

There was a cache in a park where a couple was sitting. I said...Excuse me! I'm on a scavenger hunt, and I need to look for something on the bench you're sitting on. They moved and watched.

[+Merlin1978]

You are with your gal at the time? Well you could just have a right good snog and see if that shifts them. I rekon most people would run for their lives

 

Once the coast is clear nip in and get that log signed. Job done!

[+VirginiaGator]

You are with your gal at the time? Well you could just have a right good snog and see if that shifts them. I rekon most people would run for their lives

 

Once the coast is clear nip in and get that log signed. Job done!

A mom and kid.

[+Scubasonic]

I recently had this happen pulled up to a cache location started out when a truck drove up and asked if he could help I handed him a "Muggled" card and explained what Geocaching was, and he was intrigued younger guy 20ish. He followed me and helped me look for the cache I found it but let him come over and actually pull it outta it's spot and look at the contents. He was pretty excited, don't know what happened to him but wouldn't be surprised if he was out there caching as we speak.

 

Scubasonic

[+Castle Mischief]

i just merge into my surroundings and become one with the cache.

 

I have this mental image of you with your foot in the ammo can and the lid on your head, standing very, very still as to avoid detection.

 

Any time I find myself in a place that I don't want to be in or that I don't want my kids to be in I leave. If anybody looking for a cache is made uncomfortable by the location or circumstances they should just walk away.

[GPS-Hermit]

I never risk the integretity of the cache for any reason and with that said if I suspect perpetual muggles I will not return at all. I don't really like having to come back over and over again. I have decided against it.

[+Shuckymomo]

Here in Prague, I was finally able to do some caching. On one, me and this other person snatched the cache and when we went to put it back, a homeless guy had camped himself not 20 feet from where it went! I had to take it with me. Went back about 1 1/2 hours later...the guy was still there! So, I went home, logged a note and returned a few days later.