Car Travel Bugs

[+CanUK_TeamFitz]

Started off discussing this on BlueDeuces thread but didn't want to continue hijacking it.

 

I have some questions and suggestions so I want to air them out and get some idea of what is acceptable and what can be improved.

 

1) Since most of the week my car is parked in an underground parking (and I usually tube it to the office) I'd like to find a way to expose my Car TB a bit more. Since leaving a Car TB logged into a live cache is not acceptable - are we allowed to post (most likely) coords on the mission/description? Obviously on condition that it's not always going to be there.

 

2) Any guidelines for dipping? I will walk/cycle/drive to a cache. However if I drive, park, then have to walk 3 miles, I still intend to dip my Car TB - is this acceptable? What if I attached my dogtag to my car keys and take those to the cache (which I already have done)?

 

3) What do you do if you get a new car, is it possible to change the name/description and carry on caching?

 

OK so here are some thoughts I had that could be converted into suggestions:

 

A) Should Car TBs be treated the same as normal TBs. It seems very restrictive to be limited to discovered or dipping?

For example: If your car is going to be parked next to a cache for a few days - people could see where it's parked and be able to log it.

 

B.) The argument against leaving your car logged into a cache is that some people wouldn't realise it's not a typical TB and therefore not actually in the cache - but wouldn't this be the same argument you could use against additional logging requirements? Yet these are allowed.

 

C) If I created a cache that had the Car TB as part of the ALR - ie. this is where it's parked if you want to discover it - then what is the difference between this and a normal ALR like post a photo? Could it not be treated as a puzzle/mystery cache or something?

 

OK Well that's all for now.. but I hope I can get some clarity as well as generate a bit of discussion about Car TBs.

 

Thanks.

Edited July 14, 2009 by fitzwesley

[+Eartha]

I'll reply in green.

 

Started off discussing this on BlueDeuces thread but didn't want to continue hijacking it.

 

I have some questions and suggestions so I want to air them out and get some idea of what is acceptable and what can be improved.

 

1) Since most of the week my car is parked in an underground parking (and I usually tube it to the office) I'd like to find a way to expose my Car TB a bit more. Since leaving a Car TB logged into a live cache is not acceptable - are we allowed to post (most likely) coords on the mission/description? Obviously on condition that it's not always going to be there.

 

Where would you post them? How would you get people to find that post? The forums are only seen by a small percentage of cachers, and cannot be used as one's own personal cache listing. How many of this small percentage will be passing by that garage?

 

2) Any guidelines for dipping? I will walk/cycle/drive to a cache. However if I drive, park, then have to walk 3 miles, I still intend to dip my Car TB - is this acceptable? What if I attached my dogtag to my car keys and take those to the cache (which I already have done)?

 

It's your personal TB, and it can be used to log your miles AND have people "discover" it. They should not be moving it with grabs and retrieves if it is on your car, and can't be taken away by them.

 

3) What do you do if you get a new car, is it possible to change the name/description and carry on caching?

 

Absolutely, that's what the edit button if for, just do not delete anyone's logs from the first car, since that takes any credit for having logged it away from them.

OK so here are some thoughts I had that could be converted into suggestions:

 

A) Should Car TBs be treated the same as normal TBs. It seems very restrictive to be limited to discovered or dipping?

For example: If your car is going to be parked next to a cache for a few days - people could see where it's parked and be able to log it.

 

See above, the "discover" option is for people to be able to log your geocoin or Travel bug and get the icon for it on their stats, without doing the old way (before the discover option). The old way, they had to log it away from you, log it into a cache, and log it back out and you log it from them, or you log it back out of the cache. This way was the one step option and saved a TON of grief. More bugs went missing simply because more than one cacher was trying to log a bug from an event all at once, and no one could tell who ended up with it, if the last person forgot to log it, it was a big mess. We learned, and we came up with a better way. Please, don't ask us to go that way again! It didn't work well.

 

B.) The argument against leaving your car logged into a cache is that some people wouldn't realise it's not a typical TB and therefore not actually in the cache - but wouldn't this be the same argument you could use against additional logging requirements? Yet these are allowed.

 

Apples and oranges. Caches stay put, travel bugs move. Not every one reads the TB page before going caching, or the cache page for that matter, sometimes.

 

C) If I created a cache that had the Car TB as part of the ALR - ie. this is where it's parked if you want to discover it - then what is the difference between this and a normal ALR like post a photo? Could it not be treated as a puzzle/mystery cache or something?

 

Moot point, ALRs are no longer allowed a required. They can only be optional, see the cache placing guidelines where it says:

Logging of All Physical Caches

 

Geocaches can be logged online as Found once the physical log has been signed.

 

If it is appropriate for your cache location or theme, you may ask the cache seeker to accomplish an optional and simple task, either close to the cache site (normally within 0.1 miles or 161 meters) or when writing their online log. For example, wear the goofy hat inside the cache container and upload a photograph. Cache finders can choose whether or not to attempt or accomplish optional tasks. Cache owners may not delete the cache seeker's log based solely on optional tasks.

 

This guideline change applies immediately to all logs written from April 4, 2009 and going forward. Older caches with "additional logging requirements" (ALRs) are not grandfathered under the older guideline. If you own an existing cache with mandatory additional logging requirements, we request that you:

 

* Cease deleting logs based on additional logging requirements.

* Review your own cache listing to see if the ALR can be made into an optional and simple task, or whether it must be removed altogether.

* Adjust your geocache listing by editing the text then contact a reviewer to change the cache type, if appropriate.

 

 

OK Well that's all for now.. but I hope I can get some clarity as well as generate a bit of discussion about Car TBs.

 

Thanks.

 

I hope that clears that up some for you, fitzwesley. Thank you for asking. Feel free to ask whatever you need to know (well except stuff like the meaning of life, some things we don't know)

[+TEAM HARTSOCK]

ummm, its a TB that you place on your car. If people see it and can get close enough to read the tracking number, then they log it and say "hey! I passed you on I-80 on the way to Cleveland for a ball game." or some such thing. I got one on my Durango that has yet to be logged eventhough I have met other cachers on the hunt and have been to an event with it on.

 

They don't get alot of logging. I have seen one in traffic but couldn't get a read on the number/letters.

[+CanUK_TeamFitz]

Thanks for you answers, Eartha.

 

So I get the reasons why we should not keep a Car TB logged into a cache and "discovered it" is for others to be able to log it.

 

So what about enhancing the discover function?

 

Couldn't there be an option or a tick box to add coords and/or location, so this could also give a distance calculation - even if you weren't dipping?

 

I know people ask for others to log where/when on their discovered logs, but this would provide better tracking integration with the site and all your dips too, don't you think?

[+BlueDeuce]

It's been requested before. People want a way to mark the place of connection/meeting with other cachers at locations other than caches. Along with automation of mileage and cache tracking that is currently done manually with personal travel bugs.

 

Check the website forum and you'll see the same requests going back for quite a while. gc.com has a long list of enhancements some of which will eventually come along.

 

I think they need to move this type a tracking away from a travel bug which is an object that moves from caches to cache and put it as part of your profile that tracks you.

[+CanUK_TeamFitz]

It's been requested before. People want a way to mark the place of connection/meeting with other cachers at locations other than caches. Along with automation of mileage and cache tracking that is currently done manually with personal travel bugs.

 

Check the website forum and you'll see the same requests going back for quite a while. gc.com has a long list of enhancements some of which will eventually come along.

 

I think they need to move this type a tracking away from a travel bug which is an object that moves from caches to cache and put it as part of your profile that tracks you.

 

Totally good idea. That way you could even have a bug that goes with a personal item that you carry - e.g. if someone sees you wearing a certain jacket (though I don't know if that would be going too far).

 

Does anyone use a TB for the cycle the same way they use a car?

[+Eartha]

These are questions for the website forums, and there are threads there open for discussion.

Personally, I don't need that many people stalking me!

I'm happy with travel bugs and watching them move without me tagging along.

[+CWagoner]

OK great questions and answers here, thanks for all the info.

 

Here is what I have done. I have a vehicle cling TB. I enter it as dropped off and then pick it up from each cache I visit. That way I have a great log of miles done and it really puts out a cool looking Google earth track! Plus I have had people find it while at a cache site so it works both ways.

 

Thats all OK right? It seems to work out great and give me a records of all the traveling I have done with it and so on.

 

Anyway thats how I do mine.. have fun with it and watch your tracks grow as you travel with it.

 

Edited July 16, 2009 by CWagoner

[+CanUK_TeamFitz]

OK great questions and answers here, thanks for all the info.

 

Here is what I have done. I have a vehicle cling TB. I enter it as dropped off and then pick it up from each cache I visit. That way I have a great log of miles done and it really puts out a cool looking Google earth track! Plus I have had people find it while at a cache site so it works both ways.

 

Thats all OK right? It seems to work out great and give me a records of all the traveling I have done with it and so on.

 

Anyway thats how I do mine.. have fun with it and watch your tracks grow as you travel with it.

 

 

Pretty cool.

[+BlueDeuce]

I put the metal dogtag on my keychain. That way it's always with me while I'm caching and if I ever lose my keys it may just help get them back.

[+CWagoner]

I put the metal dogtag on my keychain. That way it's always with me while I'm caching and if I ever lose my keys it may just help get them back.

 

Me too!! But the bug part is wearing off, but you can still read the letters and numbers.