+Starglider Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 If a cache listing has an additional waypoint of type "Parking Area" doesn't that mean that parking is available at this cache? I wonder why the website doesn't automatically set the "Parking Available" attribute when a parking waypoint is added. That would be one thing less that a cache owner can forget to do. One could even go a step further and set this attribute only if there is at least one waypoint added for parking. So it would be completely autmatic and maybe encourage some of the cache owners to add parking waypoints instead of only mentioning them in the cache descriptions. Link to comment
+jhauser42 Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 If a cache listing has an additional waypoint of type "Parking Area" doesn't that mean that parking is available at this cache? I wonder why the website doesn't automatically set the "Parking Available" attribute when a parking waypoint is added. That would be one thing less that a cache owner can forget to do. One could even go a step further and set this attribute only if there is at least one waypoint added for parking. So it would be completely autmatic and maybe encourage some of the cache owners to add parking waypoints instead of only mentioning them in the cache descriptions. I suppose that would depend on how you are defining "Parking Available". If the parking area is a few hundred feet from the cache site, that would likely mean there is parking available. If the parking area is a 2 mile hike from the cache site would that qulaify for the "Parking Available" attribute. My opinion would be that people that are searching by that attribute would be looking for close parking, not just a recommended parking area a long hike from the cache. Joe Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted September 3, 2009 Share Posted September 3, 2009 Agreed - I take that attribute to mean that there is parking available nearby the cache. Not nearby the starting point of a 3 mile hike. I don't see the addtion of parking coordinates and the use of that icon as a 1: 1 relationship. Link to comment
+Starglider Posted September 4, 2009 Author Share Posted September 4, 2009 Although I see your points, how often does it really happen that a parking waypoint is that far from a cache location? Link to comment
+Harry Dolphin Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 I do it all the time with my hiking caches. The hike is usually about a mile each way. The waypoint is to tell you where I parked (usually near the trailhead.) The best parking spot is not always obvious. I use the parking available attribute to tell you that there is easy parking available near the cache itself. For me, they are two entirely different things. Link to comment
+jhauser42 Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 I do it all the time with my hiking caches. The hike is usually about a mile each way. The waypoint is to tell you where I parked (usually near the trailhead.) The best parking spot is not always obvious. I use the parking available attribute to tell you that there is easy parking available near the cache itself. For me, they are two entirely different things. Exactly what I was trynig to say above. If the parking is obvious enough that the parking available attribute should be clicked, why include parking coordinates? I only find parking coordinates useful if there is no obvious parking, and then the parking available attribute should not be selected. Joe Link to comment
+StarBrand Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Although I see your points, how often does it really happen that a parking waypoint is that far from a cache location? Quite often for caches around here. Link to comment
+Isonzo Karst Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Although I see your points, how often does it really happen that a parking waypoint is that far from a cache location? I just checked, I offer parking coords on 38 caches. One of those (a Wherigo) is probably under .5 miles total walking, out and back. The others vary from a couple of miles to 16. Link to comment
cezanne Posted September 4, 2009 Share Posted September 4, 2009 Although I see your points, how often does it really happen that a parking waypoint is that far from a cache location? Very often in the area I am caching if I exclude the urban areas. Parking just somewhere at the edge of the roads is much more often forbidden or not possible than it is the case for example in the areas of Germany where I have already cached. Cezanne Link to comment
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