Law & Order: SVU

[+HomerJFong]

On the episode that will be airing tomorrow (9/30) in the States, but is currently airing now in Canada, the show opens with a couple of geocachers chasing down a FTF coming across a corpse.

 

Depressingly, the two cachers manage to short circuit the geek-o-meter.

[+jasondulac]

Am in the middlle of watching it right now don't want to ruin it for others but let just say it gives the FTF hounds of geocaching a bad name

[+42at42]

I don't think I am that geeky, do you?

[+doingitoldschool]

I saw it too - looks like we're still on that lunatic fringe with trekkies and people who like to dress up as stuffed animals.

[+EscapeFromFlatland]

Maybe I'm just sick, but I would bypass the body, get the FTF, log it, then call the cops about the body.

Its not like he's going anywhere. And worse case scenario is he was the FTF but died on his way back to log online.

 

Edited September 30, 2009 by bramasoleiowa

[+GeoPahkers]

Unfortunately I only heard and saw flashes of last night's episode despite my pleas to my family to 'shh'. Hopefully I'll be able to see it again sometime. I have to say I worry about the sport that we all love being shone in the same light as crime. There are a lot of sick people out there, people constanting looking for new ways to subject their evil to the innocent. I think we all have to face the fact that geocaching provides an opportunity for that. Imagine racing off to claim a FTF only to have a pipe bomb explode in your hands. Eventually something like this will happen. Given the nature of the sport it's impossible to have it monitored/administered to guarantee cacher safety but I think some modifications could be deployed to minimize some risk. For instance ensuring that a cacher has a significant amount of finds before publishing a cache and that they have been a member for awhile. I know obviously someone could just claim finds without actually finding caches but it might help. Of course this would also cut down on newbies making newbie mistakes, like placing illegal hides (damaging public property), burying caches, etc.

Don't get me wrong...I absolutely love this sport and love introducing it to others but I would prefer that those introductions are done by word of mouth rather than plastered all over the tv for anyone to see. I've also gotta high-five bramasoleiowa on the FTF theory. I could see myself doing the same thing.

[+CanUK_TeamFitz]

I don't watch the show, but they couldn't have got the idea from this thread could they?

 

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=232244

 

[+42at42]

Unfortunately I only heard and saw flashes of last night's episode despite my pleas to my family to 'shh'. Hopefully I'll be able to see it again sometime. I have to say I worry about the sport that we all love being shone in the same light as crime.

 

The goecaching reference had NOTHING to do with the crime.

 

The hunters found the suitcase with the body that was close to the actual geocache. The hider actually helped the cops with video of the suitcase being dumped.

 

They portrayed geocachers as albeit geeky, but very helpful.

[+Ambrosia]

I saw it too - looks like we're still on that lunatic fringe with trekkies and people who like to dress up as stuffed animals.

 

Trekkers.

 

*snort*

 

(And Furries, while we're at it. )

[+agilefox]

This is the reason* I don't run. You always hear in the news about joggers finding bodies.

 

*OK, not the only reason.

[+ecanderson]

... and people who like to dress up as stuffed animals.

Tell me you're not one of those people who caches in ordinary street clothes? How are we supposed to recognize each other in the field???

[+doingitoldschool]

... and people who like to dress up as stuffed animals.

Tell me you're not one of those people who caches in ordinary street clothes? How are we supposed to recognize each other in the field???

 

Somewhere in this maze of threads is the geocacher's greeting.

 

From memory, one person holds up the GPSr and says, "I be a cacher, and thou?"

and the second replies " I be a cacher too, well met".

 

And then we do that dance...

[+wimseyguy]

Am in the middlle of watching it right now don't want to ruin it for others but let just say it gives the FTF hounds of geocaching a bad name

I don't think the FTF hounds need a TV show for that.

[+wimseyguy]

I saw it too - looks like we're still on that lunatic fringe with trekkies and people who like to dress up as stuffed animals.

The guy who played the sexy blue kitty on that episode of CSI is the younger cousin of one of my closest childhood friends. Sometimes a paycheck is just a paycheck, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.

 

In Willy's words (the actor) "you are either working, or looking for work in this biz."

But it was quite bizarre to see the face of someone I knew pretty well a few years back revealed when the head was removed in the interrogation room.

[+42at42]

Am in the middlle of watching it right now don't want to ruin it for others but let just say it gives the FTF hounds of geocaching a bad name

I don't think the FTF hounds need a TV show for that.

 

LOVE IT

[knowschad]

... and people who like to dress up as stuffed animals.

Tell me you're not one of those people who caches in ordinary street clothes? How are we supposed to recognize each other in the field???

 

 

Orange vests?

[knowschad]

Somewhere in this maze of threads is the geocacher's greeting.

 

From memory, one person holds up the GPSr and says, "I be a cacher, and thou?"

and the second replies " I be a cacher too, well met".

 

And then we do that dance...

 

 

When you see someone you think might be a geocacher you yell (very loudly) "Ho! Are ye a geocacher?"

 

If the person is indeed a geocacher, his response will be "Yay, a geocacher am I". Llisten very carefully to the response because there are some phony geocachers out there who will respond "Yay, a geocacher I am" If you hear that, RUN! because he is a fraud and might be an evil doer.

 

Once you've established that you are both geocachers you approach each other until you are facing each other at arms length. You each then put your right arm on the other's left shoulder and start dancing and skipping in a circle while repeatedly singing (very loudly) "Geocachers are we! Runy muny mee! Yaba daba baba. He, he, he!". This should continue for no less than 3 minutes.

 

- Author and inventor: Bryansnat

[+Stunod]

On a train track? That's worse than the "trowel" episode.

 

At least it was published on a different website than gc.com

[+Ambrosia]

Hamster Furries!

[+BunniK]

There was also a geocaching family on Extreme Makeover Home Edition on Sunday night. They got to go to Hawaii and the host even used geocaching to give the family a new hybrid car and Disney vacations. I thought that was really cool......talk about the ultimate FTF prize!

[+Pat in Louisiana]

Well I didn't care for the light it shed on Geocaching but.....

It happened here last year.

Cacher found a skeleton wearing nothing but tennis shoes.

GC1DN54

[+doingitoldschool]

Somewhere in this maze of threads is the geocacher's greeting.

 

From memory, one person holds up the GPSr and says, "I be a cacher, and thou?"

and the second replies " I be a cacher too, well met".

 

And then we do that dance...

 

 

When you see someone you think might be a geocacher you yell (very loudly) "Ho! Are ye a geocacher?"

 

If the person is indeed a geocacher, his response will be "Yay, a geocacher am I". Llisten very carefully to the response because there are some phony geocachers out there who will respond "Yay, a geocacher I am" If you hear that, RUN! because he is a fraud and might be an evil doer.

 

Once you've established that you are both geocachers you approach each other until you are facing each other at arms length. You each then put your right arm on the other's left shoulder and start dancing and skipping in a circle while repeatedly singing (very loudly) "Geocachers are we! Runy muny mee! Yaba daba baba. He, he, he!". This should continue for no less than 3 minutes.

 

- Author and inventor: Bryansnat

 

Yes, that's the one. Thanks!

 

Still annoyed at the law and order portrayal. They did avoid using the the official Groundspeak logos and website, so maybe we're big enough that they don't want to risk a lawsuit .

[+Ms.Scrabbler]

Wonder who did the research to peg us so perfectly.

 

I hated the portrayal I don't know any cachers that while being questioned in a police station after finding a body would still be chomping at the bit to sign the log first.

[+Knight2000]

Well I didn't care for the light it shed on Geocaching but.....

It happened here last year.

Cacher found a skeleton wearing nothing but tennis shoes.

GC1DN54

Besides that naked cacher, how many people cache in nothing but tennis shoes?!

[+Knight2000]

Wonder who did the research to peg us so perfectly.

 

I hated the portrayal I don't know any cachers that while being questioned in a police station after finding a body would still be chomping at the bit to sign the log first.

Maybe you're a newbie.

[+JohnE5]

Are there really geocachers out there that have their own site?

 

The hide in the show was inside a train tunnel. That would never get published on GC.com but if a user has their own site there would be no regulation to prevent them from hiding anywhere they want.

[+Tobias & Petronella]

I saw it too - looks like we're still on that lunatic fringe with trekkies and people who like to dress up as stuffed animals.

 

Trekkers.

 

*snort*

 

(And Furries, while we're at it. )

 

Trekkers are fans of the show and see it as great entertainment.

 

Trekkies see the show as a blue print to the future and how to "live long and prosper".

[+Tobias & Petronella]

For those that want to see the Law & Order: SVU show, here is one place to watch it.

 

http://www.casttv.com/shows/law-order-svu/sugar/f9u2a9

 

Only the first 6 1/2 minutes of the show deals with geocaching.

[+Snoogans]

Just one more step toward the geocaching Mainstream Event Horizon.

[+Snoogans]

Wonder who did the research to peg us so perfectly.

 

I hated the portrayal I don't know any cachers that while being questioned in a police station after finding a body would still be chomping at the bit to sign the log first.

 

I know a few!

[+Snoogans]

I saw it too - looks like we're still on that lunatic fringe with trekkies and people who like to dress up as stuffed animals.

 

Funny, that's my wife's exact opinion of the activity, but she likes geocaching events...Go figure.

[+Snoogans]

Well I didn't care for the light it shed on Geocaching but.....

It happened here last year.

Cacher found a skeleton wearing nothing but tennis shoes.

GC1DN54

 

Here's a news story that involves one local cache here...

[+Knight2000]

For those that want to see the Law & Order: SVU show, here is one place to watch it.

 

http://www.casttv.com/shows/law-order-svu/sugar/f9u2a9

 

Only the first 6 1/2 minutes of the show deals with geocaching.

You could have posted that earlier and saved me the DL.

[+42at42]

I saw it too - looks like we're still on that lunatic fringe with trekkies and people who like to dress up as stuffed animals.

 

Funny, that's my wife's exact opinion of the activity, but she likes geocaching events...Go figure.

 

My wife said the same thing. I know I am a techo-geek, but I don't think I am geeky.

 

Live long and prosp....

oops

[+cheech gang]

Just for grins I looked up the coordinates given in the "clue" for the cache in the SVU epsisode. It is Grand Central Station. As bogus as everything else was in that portrayal of geocaching I wonder why they bothered to get some actual coordinates...

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

I had no idea the episode mentioned caching. I used to watch SVU sometimes but this year it is opposite Criminal Minds, I would've recorded it if I knew it. Maybe they'll rerun it soon or it will be online for awhile......

[+mospeed1]

heres a link from youtube of last night

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YB05tjr52i0

 

Edited October 1, 2009 by mospeed1

[Laura612]

I thought it was funny. The first time I ever heard of geocaching was through a L&O episode. Can't remember which series though.

 

I loved the CO's user name. Can you use some GPS'ers in tunnels?

[+Pat in Louisiana]

Are there really geocachers out there that have their own site?

 

The hide in the show was inside a train tunnel. That would never get published on GC.com but if a user has their own site there would be no regulation to prevent them from hiding anywhere they want.

 

I don't know about yours but my GPSR doesn't like tunnels at all!

 

Maybe it's an offset. Coords bring you to the opening then you have to walk 12,000 paces inward?

Edited October 2, 2009 by Pat in Louisiana

[+HaLiJuSaPa]

In my view it showed it in a horrible light now that I saw it! Made it a lot more geeky than it was, and while there are a few "crazy" Manhattan hiding locations, I don't think some of the ones shown in here are even allowed. And while I thought the user name was funny, it's a shame as this is a very family-friendly activity and this goes a long way towards turning off parents learning of this activity through this show.

 

I'm not sure if this is one of the other 2 links posted, but what I like about this YouTube post is it ends with a disclaimer describing what geocaching REALLY is and how many families enjoy it:

 

[+Castle Mischief]

I wonder if this is how Furies felt after that CSI: Vegas episode a few years back...?

[+doingitoldschool]

I wonder if this is how Furies felt after that CSI: Vegas episode a few years back...?

 

I doubt it, they had the semi-understanding ubertolerant Grissam (sp?) on their side, and they partied in the glitz of Las Vegas, whereas we had dumpster diving FTF hounds and a self-gratification double entendre, with the investigators rolling their eyes the whole time.

[knowschad]

Interestingly, this was not the first time Law & Order used a geocaching theme. I just ran across this link from a 2005 discussion of a LaO show that used geocaching as the theme

[+JohnE5]

At least they are trying to get closer to the real geocaching. The first one we used a shovel to find treasure. That was about it.

 

This second one got some of the terms we use right and even showed a cache.

 

I've never been that aggressive to get a FTF. Those guys were wacked out!

 

I noticed they didn't reference the geocaching.com site, instead some individuals personal caching page. Which I guess excuses the fact that a few big GC.com rules were broken. Like rail roads and permission.