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Cachers who don't sign the logs


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Posted

I think it would be hard to check the logs to make sure it was signed. Although, if it was a new hide and not many sigs it would be doable. I haven't hid any caches yet but I am sure I would be a little more observant at first. I think the more hides you have the more likely you are to let things slide.

 

There have been a few times that I did not sign a log on a cache. These times were when we went out with a group of cachers on a city recs department sponsored hunt. One person signed the log with the groups (Rec Dept) initals and we went to the next one. In all these caches when I logged them I made sure I logged that I was out with the group. There have been a few occasions where I dropped the pen in the car and had to go back for it (thankfully we were close to the geotruck). I usually carry a small geocache fanny pack and I usually have several pens.

Posted
There have been a few times that I did not sign a log on a cache. These times were when we went out with a group of cachers on a city recs department sponsored hunt. One person signed the log with the groups (Rec Dept) initals and we went to the next one. In all these caches when I logged them I made sure I logged that I was out with the group.
Interesting. You have a different definition of "did not sign" than I do. I consider signing as part of a group like that to be signing the log. The groups I've geocached with often sign as a group as a favor to owners of micro-caches, and sometimes as a favor to owners of small caches in remote locations. The small logs last longer before the owner needs to replace them.
Posted

The only problem I would have here is the FTF and no explanation of why there was not a signature. I wouldn't worry about it otherwise but might ask a question of why they didn't sign as the FTF.I know a lot of cachers here who put in effort to get the FTF so someone coming in and posting a bogus log would not really be cool.

-WarNinjas

Posted
There have been a few times that I did not sign a log on a cache. These times were when we went out with a group of cachers on a city recs department sponsored hunt. One person signed the log with the groups (Rec Dept) initals and we went to the next one. In all these caches when I logged them I made sure I logged that I was out with the group.
Interesting. You have a different definition of "did not sign" than I do. I consider signing as part of a group like that to be signing the log. The groups I've geocached with often sign as a group as a favor to owners of micro-caches, and sometimes as a favor to owners of small caches in remote locations. The small logs last longer before the owner needs to replace them.

My point is that if you look for a signature on a log and that person was in a group he may not of signed the log physically. Of course I always put down that I was in a group in case the CO checks. Granted the person in question was obviously not in a group but that is still a valid time when you may not see my name on a log. For the record I do consider myself as signing the logs.

Posted

Wow. I just joined this site, and was going to start going out and finding but after reading how off the wall some of these over-the-top serious replies were I don't think I'm that interested anymore. If I want to find a cache and not sign the log then that's my business...

 

And as long as you don't log the find on-line, you're golden.

Posted

It's a game. Have fun, and don't sweat the small stuff.

That. B)

 

So you're cool with me deleting your log, as it's just a game.

I'm gonna try and answer this as if it were a serious question, which makes it a lot tougher. Examining how I feel about a hypothetical isn't always easy. As best I can recall, I've had a grand total of one log deleted. When I got the email saying my log was deleted, it bothered me at first, especially as there was no explanation for the deletion. I located the cache, retrieved it, opened it, signed the log, closed it, and replaced it where I found it. The log was rather lengthy, (just under the 4000 character limit), but it was entirely positive, as it was a pretty good hide. After a few minutes, I got over it. I figure there must be something about the cache owner that caused him to take issue with either my find or my log, and as it was just one smiley, it really wasn't worth arguing over. I suppose if I were numbers driven, I might feel differently, but by that point, there were a few dozen caches I had found which I considered to crappy to log, so maintaining accuracy wasn't that big a deal to me. I chose to let it go.

 

To answer your question;

 

I would be kewl with you deleting my log.

 

But it might take me a few minutes. B)

Posted

I occasionally cache with a friend who more or less has a "I don't sign logs" policy. For him, it's a wholesome activity that shouldn't be policed. If questioned, he is prepared to describe the container and the hiding place, but it doesn't mean his log should be deleted. He simply uses it as a list to keep track of where he's been and how many he's found.

 

While I don't play this way, I don't see anything wrong with it. It doesn't hurt anyone and he's having fun, which is really the important thing, right?

 

I didn't see this post, even though I posted after it. I'm guessing this is what the guy who bumped the thread was intending. If you're reading this, could you explain the reasons behind this guy's "I don't sign logs" policy? I'm sure he has one, and believes in it, but it's not the norm in Geocaching. And I think he's fine, as long as he doesn't openly advertise his policy in his online logs.

Posted

 

 

Secondly, maybe it's because I'm not feeling well this morning, and I'm a little cranky, but I personally think the expression, "getting your panties in a wad" is rude. I wonder what the male equivalent to that would be? Maybe "Get your jockstrap all tied up?"

 

Actually, it's getting your boxers in a bunch....but I think the term is somewhat gender neutral also

Posted

Just a thought: I don't keep count but I happen to be the FTF on a hide a while back, left a TB and signed the log book. That evening I went to log the find when somebody else had already logged it online with all the WooHoo's, FTF's, smiley faces, and a note that they grabbed a TB which was not listed so they grabbed it from the previous holder (me). I thought that was rude - no email asking what happened. Anyway, I went back to check the log book and found out that they signed the back side of the log book (or did I?) so they didn't see my name. All my stats are just for me so I said nothing to them but did state that I had left that TB in my online log. Bottom line - could your "didn't sign the logsheet" cacher have signed in a different area of the log book?

Posted

There has only been one time that I didn't sign a log at the geocache site. The cache was a micro that was too difficult to pull out of its location, and it was cold and rainy outside. We were not in a secluded area and did not want to attract attention. I did find the cache, though, and signed the online log.

Posted

There has only been one time that I didn't sign a log at the geocache site. The cache was a micro that was too difficult to pull out of its location, and it was cold and rainy outside. We were not in a secluded area and did not want to attract attention. I did find the cache, though, and signed the online log.

I wouldn't have logged a find in that case.

Because it's only a game, and the rules of the game are accepted to be that you generally log a find online after signing the log book.

 

As it's not a competition it's up to you to decide where to draw the line but I think that the majority would feel that they didn't complete the cache if they never opened the container. Whatever the circumstances; because it's just a game so a DNF doesn't matter.

If you feel the need to justify your right to a "find" then you're probably taking it a bit too seriously! Just DNF it and move on.

Posted

Not sure if this has anything to do with this topic but Ive been a member for a long time and ran into some problems with a particular cacher so did some other i knew.I emailed groundpeak and the reviewer they suggested we dont contact one another I never had a problem with it but the other party still kept logging my hides and use another sockpuppet to even log em just pure aggravation.So for awhile I didnt even log any of my finds just kept caching and now in the past month ive placed a few more hides what does he do log em.So the other day i get a email from another cacher asking me why i delete his logs i briefly explained why and he knows that he is not supposed to contact me ,,,in this certain cache you need to send me the code inside the cache.Why would it really matter if this person would just rsimply ingore my cachers since there are thousands of others in the area? To me its just aggravation when Im trying to place more caches for people to find and this other person just goes out and wants to log my hides I dont understand when it comes down to it i think you do what you want delete the log or dont delete the log if the person is about numbers maybe he will start signing the log ??? up2u

Posted
...in this certain cache you need to send me the code inside the cache.

Hi SkeeterBait, love your user name! :lol:

A bit off topic, but I saw the quoted comment and it stuck out. Is your code word cache fairly old, or did you add that requirement after it was published? I ask because these days such a requirement is frowned upon by Groundspeak. That falls under the ALR guidelines. The cacher whose log you deleted could actually appeal to Groundspeak and have his log reinstated. Groundspeak would then look at your cache page and probably require that you reword it. B)

Posted

I could care less. I don't look at the logs in mine and compare, so if you don't want to sign mine it's up to you. Its on you if you want to cheat and claim a find you never got. I could claim I could run a five minute mile but I know in my head I'm lying.

I've run upon a few caches and not had a pen, especially micros where I didn't plan to Geocache. One example - I went to a shopping mall. As I got out in the parking lot I checked for caches. I happened to park almost right next to one. No pen in the car. I logged it, but couldn't sign. I've also found a cache before and been more worried about getting muggled than signing (once at a busy cracker barrel).

I'd be upset if you deleted my log but that's up to you. I have no right to complain. I must be fortunate though because it's never happened.

Posted

Are there people who cheat and log bogus finds on cache they never even looked for? Probably. However they are very few and they either eventually tire and stop doing or they get caught and - yes - Groundspeak has banned accounts that to this....Unless some is clearly abusing the website such as by sitting at home posting thousands of found logs for caches they obviously never visited, they are not going to take action. The volunteer reviewers are even in less a position to take action. Only Groundspeak can ban an account....

 

How do you know that Groundspeak has banned accounts for this? Has this been discussed in another thread somewhere? Does anyone know how blatant this would have to be for Groundspeak to take action? Would someone rocketing to the top of a state leaderboard with multiple 500+ cache find days warrant their involvement?

Posted (edited)

Being a relative newbie to this game, it seems like signing a log isn't too much to ask and if it's a newer cache the log probably isn't damaged to where it couldn't be signed. If I find a soggy or otherwise damaged log or container, I just replace it and notify the owner ... that way i can sign it. As an owner, if u think someone is cheating contact them if no response then delete their entry. if they don't like it maybe they will contact you. C'mon this is just common sense.

 

With all the squabbling it seems like there is something to win in this game ... IT'S JUST FOR FUN PEOPLE!

Edited by runner1701
Posted

Are there people who cheat and log bogus finds on cache they never even looked for? Probably. However they are very few and they either eventually tire and stop doing or they get caught and - yes - Groundspeak has banned accounts that to this....Unless some is clearly abusing the website such as by sitting at home posting thousands of found logs for caches they obviously never visited, they are not going to take action. The volunteer reviewers are even in less a position to take action. Only Groundspeak can ban an account....

 

How do you know that Groundspeak has banned accounts for this? Has this been discussed in another thread somewhere? Does anyone know how blatant this would have to be for Groundspeak to take action? Would someone rocketing to the top of a state leaderboard with multiple 500+ cache find days warrant their involvement?

 

I seem to have forgotten the guys username, and it was about 3-4 years ago, but there was some retired guy from California who actually was traveling all over the Country, but apparently just driving within a mile or so of a cache was good enough for him to log them as finds. If you Googled his username back then, you'd find he was being talked about at multiple regional Geocaching forums. Yes, it was that obvious. He might have got up as high as 3,000-4,000 finds in a year or so, and Groundspeak wiped out the finds. This is the ONLY case I'm aware of of Groundspeak wiping out finds. Several times I've seen them ban accounts logging caches all over the world on the same day, but I'm not aware of them wiping out any of the logs, and they leave that up to the cache owner.

 

To answer the basic question, I believe there's a strong possibility of them taking action if someone is "rocketing to the top of a state leaderboard with multiple 500+ cache find days".

Posted

I sometimes forget to sign my 4yo twins' names to the physical logs, but I log them on the website for them. But they are there with me, and they have their own caching names, so I still log them. I don't ever log a cache online without having signed the log, for myself, though. If I forget a pen, and can't sign, I don't log until I go back again, to sign it.

Posted

We in Russia have long experience of this problem at our national server. First there were quite reasonable explanations. "I've been there, it was really cold, the container has stuck to its hiding place, I was afraid of breaking the box so I didn't sign the logbook, here's the photo of myself near the cache". - "OK, don't worry, it is not about numbers, you reached the spot, enjoyed views, so feel free to leave your "found it" online". Happy end.

 

This led to a completely different situation. Cache hunters see from previous posts and from their personal experience that they can mark caches as found without actually doing the job and that COs are usually tolerant. It became the widely accepted idea in Russia that geocaching is about visiting places of interest and geocaches are some formal requirements to mark the place visited at the website's map. It is the place that is really important, not the cache. Many novices used to publish these stories: "I reached the place, that old church in woods was fantasctic, had no time to search for the cache" - and attach a "found it" mark. These guys are not cheating. They believe that what they do is geocaching.

 

On the other hand, cache owners also start thinking that they may care less about choosing good hiding places. If "found it" is not really valuable, why not just put container at the ground level and cover it with old leaves? Yes, it will spend months under thick snow carpet accessible to no one, but what the difference if CO can nevertheless grant permissions to log "found it" to every cacher that visited the place?

 

I personally hate to conflict with people who are trying to cheat me online. However, IMHO it's important not to allow cheating or it may be too late.

Posted

I often don't bother signing caches because I forgot a pen or whatever. Never had an issue with a CO deleting my log over it, though it's certainly within their rights to do so if they did. Honestly, often you find a little micro or a cache with disgusting insides where my "ewww!" reaction takes over and I don't have interest in touching the log too.

 

If it's a "noteworthy" cache like my first find in a new country or a high D/T rating then I will always sign it because that's much more likely to be checked.

Posted

I often don't bother signing caches because I forgot a pen or whatever.

 

There was situation once when I forgot a pen; it was snowy winter at the town of Novgorod which I visited for the first time. It took me about half an hour to visit some local shops; finally, I managed to buy a pen at the post office and returned to the cache to sign the logbook.

 

Since then I usually have two pens with me in different pockets :)

Posted

Well F to you too! I had EVERY intention of signing a log, not that it's any of your business.

 

Wow. I just joined this site, and was going to start going out and finding but after reading how off the wall some of these over-the-top serious replies were I don't think I'm that interested anymore. If I want to find a cache and not sign the log then that's my business...

 

You could always choose the option of not logging finds online either. Then it doesn't really matter if you sign a log or not. It's a very liberating feeling.

 

If you're going to like geocachng or not should have nothing to do with this forum.

 

Well, I'd say it was a troll (first post ever, joined the day before the post) but it would be pretty hard to fake the premium member designation, which means he plonked down at least 10 bucks for a 3 month membership. Probably had no intention of ever signing any logs, searched for it in the forums, and didn't like what he saw. Perhaps it's a privacy thing for him. In which case I'd say don't log these things online, period.

 

Tough call, I mean the guy has no Geocaching experience, and was probably put off by it on the surface. But those of us who have been doing it for years know that opening these things up and signing the log is pretty much a no-brainer, and people have been known to cheat.

 

All just speculation of course, until we hear from him again. :blink:

Posted

Funniest thread I have seen all day!

 

So many questions!

 

First has this poster been a premium member all these years and not playing?

 

Second they have only logged earth caches that don't need a signature?

 

Very interesting.

Posted

Funniest thread I have seen all day!

 

So many questions!

 

First has this poster been a premium member all these years and not playing?

 

Second they have only logged earth caches that don't need a signature?

 

Very interesting.

A double-log on ONE earthcache, for the record.

Posted

I have not been around all that time and have just renewed.

I have not really done anything in all that time.

That one earth cache was the only thing that I ever looked for back then and found. It was double marked because I marked it found on my GPS and did not know that Garmin BaseCamp would mark it found in addition to me marking it as found on geocaching.com (actually through c:geo app I believe). It was also a duplicate cache from both geocaching.com AND opencache, so it was on my GPS twice as it was downloaded from both sites with different cache numbers. I updated when I became active again.

 

Funniest thread I have seen all day!

 

So many questions!

 

First has this poster been a premium member all these years and not playing?

 

Second they have only logged earth caches that don't need a signature?

 

Very interesting.

A double-log on ONE earthcache, for the record.

Posted

And if someone would like to tell me how to delete the 2015 log I would be happy to do so as it was a duplicate and it seems to be causing so much panty twisting.

 

Funniest thread I have seen all day!

 

So many questions!

 

First has this poster been a premium member all these years and not playing?

 

Second they have only logged earth caches that don't need a signature?

 

Very interesting.

A double-log on ONE earthcache, for the record.

Posted

Here we go again. I got into this question on another thread with some interesting results.

 

I speak for myself when I say, as a cache hider, a signed log is not that important to me. I don't place caches to look at the names on the log sheet and I don't spend one second matching cache logs with online logs. If a person wants to sit at his or her computer and log as many caches as humanly possible than good for them, I could care less. They are missing out on what caching is all about.

 

I guess it comes down to how much time do you want to spend worrying about the one or two people who by design or mistake aren't playing the game by the "rules."

Posted

And if someone would like to tell me how to delete the 2015 log I would be happy to do so as it was a duplicate and it seems to be causing so much panty twisting.

 

Funniest thread I have seen all day!

 

So many questions!

 

First has this poster been a premium member all these years and not playing?

 

Second they have only logged earth caches that don't need a signature?

 

Very interesting.

A double-log on ONE earthcache, for the record.

No panty-twisting here. I should have offered advice on how to delete it in my other post. Sorry for not being helpful in that way. I also thought that perhaps you had logged twice because you meant to log a nearby traditional cache instead - hence the defense over not signing the physical log.

 

Here's a link directly to your second log: http://coord.info/GLJPJWCX When you are logged into the site and are on that log page, you'll see a red trash can. That's the delete icon. :)

Posted

And if someone would like to tell me how to delete the 2015 log I would be happy to do so as it was a duplicate and it seems to be causing so much panty twisting.

 

Funniest thread I have seen all day!

 

So many questions!

 

First has this poster been a premium member all these years and not playing?

 

Second they have only logged earth caches that don't need a signature?

 

Very interesting.

A double-log on ONE earthcache, for the record.

I'm glad you've come back to ask this. It's not complicated, but it isn't obvious either.

 

1. Go to the cache's page: http://www.geocaching.com/geocache/GC36RK7_blue-hole

2. Find your log for that cache on the cache page

3. Click on the "View / Edit Log / Images" link, at the bottom right of your log's text on the cache page

4. Click on the RED TRASHCAN to delete

5. You will be asked if you want to delete...click "Yes"

 

They you're good to go!

Posted

I didn't sign a log today - it was sopping wet.

But.

I posted both a found it, and a needs maintenance log on said cache.

I have come across micro's that I haven't been able to sign because I couldn't get the log unjammed.

I bought a swiss army knife.

 

If it's a FTF, and the cache is in good cond., just delete and move on :)

Posted

We recently had a situation come up that we had never heard of, let alone thought might be acceptable. We had placed a cache, and it had been logged on the site as having been found once. When the second person found the cache, he mentioned that there was no signature on the log sheet in the cache.

 

For discussion purposes of this thread, let's forget the FTF issue. I know that Groundspeak does not get involved in that, and doesn't want to discuss it. Non-issue.

 

We, as relative newcomers to geocaching, have taken it for granted that signing the log sheet is part of the find. Heck, it's even in the little video they made to describe the game! However, I have had several back and forths with a reviewer who, if I am reading his responses correctly, make this out to be just a part of the game, and that I should just chill.

 

To back track a little, I should mention that my first email from the reviewer mentioned that this cacher had logged three other finds in the same area as our cache that same day (as if this somehow validated that he had actually been there.) Just out of curiosity, and because we are very close to the other two caches that were found by this cacher that day, we went to those caches and looked at their logs, and they were not signed by this cacher either. (And, yes, I wrote a very polite note to the cacher explaining that we didn't see his signature in the log, and could he please let us know, for the purposes of other cachers who were a little peeved by this, to let us know what happened. We have never received a response.)

 

When I brought this point up to the reviewer, his response was, "Is it OK to log online if you did not visit a cache? Probably not. Is it

something to fret over? No."

 

Probably not???! How about NOT! I just don't get this, and if I'm out in left field, I welcome a different viewpoint, but how in the world is it okay to sit at home and log finds on your computer without actually going out and finding them? And please... no comments about, well maybe he didn't have a pen with him, or you don't really know if that is what happened. THIS thread is about one question, and one question only. Is it okay for a cacher to claim a find without really finding it? A secondary question might be, is it okay for a cacher to go around making finds, and being too lazy to open the cache and sign the log? But that's really where the "chill" part comes in. I get that this is going to happen, we're dealing with the masses, etc., etc., and it's a waste of energy for me, personally, to "fret over."

 

But to not even find the cache?

 

Awhile ago, I asked a question about something I thought was equally unscrupulous, and the thread was bombarded with outraged responses. It was about COs who deliberately put out coordinates that are "off" to make the find more difficult. If all of you think that is unethical, how could it even be considered remotely okay for cachers to log finds without getting their butt out of their easy chair at home? I would really think that this crosses the line from just being unethical, to an outright violation of the guidelines/rules of the game.

 

Now I will sit back and see what everyone else thinks.

 

I think that finding a cache means finding it, opening it up (because sometimes this is intended to be tricky) and signing the log. Sometimes, however the log is missing or damaged. When this happens I may drop a slip of paper in with my signature or take a photo of the cache to prove that I found it. Anybody who routinely refuses to sign logs is likely a cheater. If I found a cache and mine was the first signature I would claim a FTF for myself even if someone had claimed to find it before me. I mean really! What kind of cacher would get there first and then neglect to sign? Deceitful behavior.

Posted

Wow. I just joined this site, and was going to start going out and finding but after reading how off the wall some of these over-the-top serious replies were I don't think I'm that interested anymore. If I want to find a cache and not sign the log then that's my business...

 

And as long as you don't log the find on-line, you're golden.

 

They are golden if they are golden in their own eyes. Geocaching is not a competition and we can't control what other people do. As a person who enjoys this non-competitive sport, I live by the rules I value and they are not the rules everyone else has. So I don't really care about what other people do. I figure a cheat will soon find geocaching boring and leave the community. As for me, I like to leave proof of my finds. I like the thought of leaving my handle somewhere own in the wilderness or in a foreign country for others to see. Geocaching is about some person doing my a great favor by leading me to a beautiful spot I may never have discovered otherwise.

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