Playground Caches

[+mcrow]

 

Personally, I'd like it to be a rule that you cannot hide caches on playgrounds (or within 100ft of one) school or not.

 

Anyone else hate these things or is it just me?

 

You're downloading 30 caches, to look up each one on google earth is tedious to say the least. And what about single males? it's just not fair to them.

 

So you want a rule to protect you from caches you don't like because you're too lazy to use all the information available to help you make an informed decision? There are cache types I don't like, but I've never advocated banning them because I always read the cache pages and usually look at the maps. Over 2000 times I've decided to look for the cache. Maybe a few hundred times I've decided not to hunt for one based on readily available information about it. Occasionally I've arrived at a cache site and decided not to get out of the truck. In that case, I just drive on.

As for "fair" to single males, I'm not even sure what that means. I don't own a kayak. Does that mean it's not "fair" that people place caches on islands?

OK, I'll give you this: I'd like to see a playground icon added to the attributes. You would still have to read the cache pages though. What a drag.

A playground icon would solve the whole problem for me.

[RITrailhikers]

I agree that if it is a playground cache, it should state as much. Even barring the reasons you gave, you certainly cannot get in there with tons of children around, you would know to wait til late at night or go in early am.

 

I agree, not to ban them, but just to put it in the description.

 

Thanks for the post!

 

 

Sorry, I don't want to waste my time driving to a playground cache just to find out it's something I wouldn't want to do. And most maps don't tell you wether there is a playgroundt there or not and if the waypoint is in the playground.

Maybe I'm biased. I've found a lot of caches sans GPS. I've never been surprised to discover that a cache is in a playground. After clicking on the "Google Maps" link and switching to satellite view, I can easily tell if the cache is hidden in a playground, near a playground, or elsewhere in the park.

 

For playground caches, I hunt for the cache when there aren't any kids around, and I decrypt the hints before searching. I also have my PDA out. I try to walk right to the cache location, take care of business, and keep moving. No one pays attention to people who do that. But they do pay attention to people who are trying to act stealthy.

[+Knight2000]

A playground icon would solve the whole problem for me.

If you mean a playground attribute that wouldn't do much. Unless you print the pages and take them with you, you won't see it as this won't show up on paperless.

Edited May 12, 2009 by Knight2000

[+mcrow]

A playground icon would solve the whole problem for me.

If you mean a playground attribute that wouldn't do much. Unless you print the pages and take them with you, you won't see it as this won't show up on paperless.

 

I look at the cache page for almost every cache I go to including the attributes, so it would work fine. I don't do paperless caching at this point anyway and I'm guessing that the majority of cachers at this point don't either.

[+Knight2000]

A playground icon would solve the whole problem for me.

If you mean a playground attribute that wouldn't do much. Unless you print the pages and take them with you, you won't see it as this won't show up on paperless.

 

I look at the cache page for almost every cache I go to including the attributes, so it would work fine. I don't do paperless caching at this point anyway and I'm guessing that the majority of cachers at this point don't either.

I would disagree. The majority of people who cache regularly go paperless.

[+mcrow]

A playground icon would solve the whole problem for me.

If you mean a playground attribute that wouldn't do much. Unless you print the pages and take them with you, you won't see it as this won't show up on paperless.

 

I look at the cache page for almost every cache I go to including the attributes, so it would work fine. I don't do paperless caching at this point anyway and I'm guessing that the majority of cachers at this point don't either.

I would disagree. The majority of people who cache regularly go paperless.

I think maybe the majority of cachers that frequent the forums go paperless but I highly doubt the geocachers as a whole go paperless.

[+hukilaulau]

A playground icon would solve the whole problem for me.

If you mean a playground attribute that wouldn't do much. Unless you print the pages and take them with you, you won't see it as this won't show up on paperless.

"Paperless" doesn't mean brain dead! You can read a cache page without printing anything. I agree there are a lot of cachers who just do a PQ for the closest bazillion caches and head out the door without knowing anything about the caches in their gps. Then they go to the forums and complain about two things:

1) That they can't download TWO bazillion caches at once

2) That some of those caches are types they don't like, and they shouldn't have to be inconvenienced by them.

I have no argument with mcrow anymore! We are in agreement that cache owners should give as much information as they can on the cache page, and then it's up to cache hunters to read it!

[+Knight2000]

I would disagree. The majority of people who cache regularly go paperless.

I think maybe the majority of cachers that frequent the forums go paperless but I highly doubt the geocachers as a whole go paperless.

Not forum users. Those who cache regularly. Not those who do 1 or 2 a weekend. Those who get 30 caches a day and go out 6 times a month. Unless you had a computer on the road, it is unreasonable to think that a cacher will print 40 pages and head out for a day of caching. Same thing with reading things ahead of time.

 

We found 40 caches before we realized to spend a day caching you need to go paperless.

 

In my area the majority of those finding our caches are regular caches with hundreds of finds. Unless you have spread hundreds of finds out over 9 years doing a couple a week- paperless is almost a necessity.

 

Not everyone- just religious cachers. There are lots of those!

[+Pork King]

 

In my area the majority of those finding our caches are regular caches with hundreds of finds. Unless you have spread hundreds of finds out over 9 years doing a couple a week- paperless is almost a necessity.

 

Not everyone- just religious cachers. There are lots of those!

 

Just to play Devil's Advocate...

 

I have "Hundreds of finds" (664 of them, as of this posting), I go out often, and I have found over 30 a day (though not regularly). I usually shoot for 10 or so on a full day of caching. Almost every single cache I have found has been printed out and carried with me. I don't print the whole cache page, but cut and paste the title, GC#, diff/terrain, coords, and a synopsized description with encoded hint. You can fit 3-6 caches on a page this way. I then bind them together by area (N, E, S, or W of my home coords) and keep them in my truck next to my GPS. When I find a cache on my GPS, I search for it on my sheets, read description, decode hint (if i need to), and search for the cache. When I'm done, I can write a note about the cache on the paper, and list what find of the day it was (to log them in order) and mark the title off.

 

Seems old and busted, I know. I'm not opposed to paperless caching, but until I buy a PDA to read cache pages on, this is the way I'm gonna do it, cause I love having the description available in case something important is there (ex. "Don't cross the fence or you will be shot at" (NOT an actual cache description)).

 

At least I use recycled paper... <----EDIT: Didn't realize I had both a and a . Upon editting, I've decided to keep them both, and add one more

Edited May 13, 2009 by Pork King

[+atmospherium]

Those who get 30 caches a day and go out 6 times a month. Unless you had a computer on the road, it is unreasonable to think that a cacher will print 40 pages and head out for a day of caching. Same thing with reading things ahead of time.

 

But surely even a paperless cacher who wants to avoid playground caches can take a quick glance at 30 caches online to see if a playground attribute is present. Unless paperless means "can't read". A playground attribute is a fine idea. It won't solve any problems for those who never look at the attributes, but it's still a reasonable solution to a reasonable concern.

[+kraushad]

As a 36 year old (tomorrow) father of a 4 year old, and one on the way, I can defeinitely see both sides.

 

As a father, I would be wondering what the heck a man, alone, was doing crawling around playground equipment while my son played there. It wouldn't make me leave, or call the police, but it certainly would get my attention.

 

As a 36 year old man, schoolteacher, harmless as a butterfly, I have every right to be there alone, and I don't really worry about a LEO questioning me should one be called. I would just level with him and show him what was up.

 

However, I have avoided this in the past with the reflective safety vest, white pickup and clipboard. Also, I will initiate a conversation with the adults in the area, and tell them that I am glad they are enjoying the equipment. I will then after a few minutes of looking, discuss with them that "we" love seeing their children enjoy the area, and like to keep the equipment inspected regurlarly for safety. Seems to eliminate 95% of the staring.

 

If I really want to snow them, I will even whip out the hardhat!

 

Edited for bad spelling.

Edited May 13, 2009 by kraushad