Need Anti-Muggle Tips

[+BootsNMoccasins]

What's your best advice for Newbies on how to avoid muggles?

 

I went on my first hunt yesterday, and had a blast. Found one cache before it got dark and had to go home. But I noticed I was very wary of muggles and was nervous that they would ask what I was doing or think I look suspicious.

 

So how does one search for caches without looking like a creepy stalker? What do you tell people if they ask what you're doing/looking for? I'm in the city, so there's naturally more people around.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Fairly easy. Go about what you are doing with intent and deliberate function.

 

If you try and be sneaky, you are going to stick out like a sore thumb! Looking over you shoulder all the time is noticeable and does itself attract attention.

 

If you locate the cache and others are really close-by, just keep on going as you had been. Return after they have moved off. If they don't move off, come back tomorrow.

[+randco]

When we are in a muggle prone area, we carry a small clipboard with some blank paper on it. It looks as if we are there on a professional level. I looks like we are taking notes or doing some type of planning. The small clipboard also comes in handy when signing those tiny logs of a nano cache.

 

Best thing to do... Just have fun!

[+roziecakes]

The more confident you look, the less you will stand out. If you act suspicious, people will be suspicious of you. We've done things like pretending we are studying stuff and writing notes on paper, pretending our GPS was a cell phone, pretending that we dropped something that we are looking for, etc.

 

My husband says that he just doesn't do stealth (6'2" biker with tattoos), so he just tries to not let muggles see what he's taking out and putting back.

[+Team Cotati]

Don't search for micro size caches in areas of high muggle activity.

[BCProspectors]

This question gets asked a lot, so I've put the answer in my signature.

[+Chuy!]

Being bold and confident may not bring attention to you but it will bring attention to your activity. Teenagers, especially, will go check out what you were doing after you leave the area - especially if they spot you with the container. Tthere are people inside buildings and cars that you may not notice but they will notice you because of the reflective nature of glass.

 

A couple of things that have worked for me on urban hides:

Go with another cacher.

Go early morning or late evening. On a workday, I may get up at 6a or even 5a to have a few hours of uninterrupted caching. I start with the unfound caches and work my way to the evil urban ones.

Take your kids.

Walk your dog.

Ride a bike.

Create a disturbance across the street. I'm kidding.

[+Anti_Podean]

In a previous life as a security consultant, social engineering was an occasional part of the job. The common theme to all aspects of it was confidence (something I don't have too much of when there's not a Get Out Of Jail Free card already pre-signed ), and most of the time Plan A worked first time. I've used similar techniques in the few caches I've found in highly-trafficked areas. Already it's clear that carrying a mobile phone is a free pass to being anywhere without a second thought.

 

"Why's that guy just standing there when I come around the corner?" becomes "Oh, that guy's on his mobile..." A GPSr like an eTrex looks enough like a mobile that you can get away with it, providing you don't try to put it up to your ear when they're close enough to see it's a GPSr.

[Joey.Beetle]

Haha, that's the good thing about not being adult. When I go geocaching with my brother people just think we're playing or something.

[+Ike 13]

Remember this: the other people are going about there own business. 90% of the time they will never notice you unless you draw attention to yourself. If you are noticed just say you dropped something, or tell them about Geocaching. Another method is the tie your shoe. It lets you get low without looking too suspicious.

[+Ecylram]

Just started, but this is what we've found so far...

 

As others mentioned...people 'notice' nervous people. Act like you belong there and you won't stick out.

 

Early weekend mornings are great for high muggle areas.

 

Patience can be important. Be willing to wait for the right moment.

 

Some things we did to cover our activities when muggles were around:

 

Carry a camera, pretend to take a picture (or really take one)

On a cache & grab, park in front of the suspected area in a way to block the view.

Have one person stand to block the view.

Appear to be on the phone (as mentioned). It's a great way to fake it until while you wait for someone to leave.

 

I've pulled up to a lamp post hide and lifted the hood of the car as if I was checking the oil. It blocked the view of many of the muggles and explained my parking there.

 

If you get attention, start gathering trash. People will quickly look away so they don't feel the obligation to help.

[+grandma lou lou]

What's your best advice for Newbies on how to avoid muggles?

 

I went on my first hunt yesterday, and had a blast. Found one cache before it got dark and had to go home. But I noticed I was very wary of muggles and was nervous that they would ask what I was doing or think I look suspicious.

 

So how does one search for caches without looking like a creepy stalker? What do you tell people if they ask what you're doing/looking for? I'm in the city, so there's naturally more people around.

 

My husband and I went on one in a public park with people around and it was a magnetic one stuck underneath a train car. I started taking pictures with my phone while we were looking and on young man thought that we were just tourists taking pictures so he was very "helpful" and giving us more places to visit,,lol

[+niraD]

If you get attention, start gathering trash. People will quickly look away so they don't feel the obligation to help.

I do this regularly. If the cache is in a park or some other public place with people around, I take out a trash bag and start collecting litter. When I find the cache, I toss it into the bag and keep picking up litter. Then I take a break on a nearby bench, sign the log, and go back to picking up litter. I return the cache, pick up a little more litter, and then throw the bag of trash in a trash can as I leave.

 

No one pays any attention to people picking up litter.

[+Mark+Karen]

It helps sometimes that I cache using my iPhone, hold it to my ear it just looks like I'm talking on the phone.

[+jamey1]

wear a football helmet and talk to yourself or a roadsign really loud. That tends to keep people away from me.

[BlueRajah]

If you were working, you would not look around, or be sneaky. The deliberate idea is good. Just go and look.

 

In appropriate situations, I have my camera with me and pretend to take photos.

Edited July 20, 2010 by BlueRajah

[+geodarts]

Most people are too concerned about their lives to notice you. But if anybody asks, I tell me them what I am doing. I found a cache a few days ago outside a fire station, where the CO advised visitors not to tell about caching if asked -- I don't think I would have done that. Fortunately, I was not asked. But as one person once said to me, "People look less strange when you know what they are doing."

 

If the cache has "adequate permission," you have every right to be there. If the cache does not have "adequate permission," then its not my job to cover for that. But in any case, an owner takes certain risks if he or she places a cache in a high traffic area.

 

I will try not to draw attention to myself. I will read the cache description beforehand. look at past logs, or read the hint so that I can be more confident about my search. I will try to time things to minimize the risk to the cache. But if the cache is placed in a squeaky lamp skit of a flag pole that is in the middle of a circular planting area surrounded by benches that seem to be occupied 24/7, there is only so much that I can do.

 

The sneakiest I get is to look at my phone or check messages while I am looking for a cache, if I need a reason to be in the area. Some people like to carry clipboards or dress like workers, but it would never work for me. And I have never liked costumes. Others pretend to talk into the gpsr like a phone, but I wonder about all the kids who might ask their parents, "Why is that old guy talking into his gpsr?"

 

If there are people who I think might take a cache, even if it is there with permission, I will come back another time or go on to something else -- there is always another smiley. Some people seem to have more time than I, so if it looks like they are there for the duration, there is no reason for me to stay.

 

If it is a cache that I have spent awhile to do -- after completing a Wherigo, a multi, or a puzzle -- I might tell them what I am doing and ask if they would mind if I looked around where they are sitting. But it depends on who is there and what they are doing.

 

If a cache is right in front of somebody's house with no indication about permission, attached to natural gas lines behind a business, in a busy playground, or in any area where I would be concerned if I saw someone poking around -- I see no reason to look for that particular one.

 

Should you really want privacy, carry a roll of yellow tape and put up a sign that says, "Geocache Search in Progress. Do Not Disturb." Or act crazy so that no one will look at you. Or ask people passing by for spare change. But I find it easier just to look for the cache. Of course my daughter sometimes gets embarrassed and walks down the street a bit.

 

In short, there is no one answer unless you avoid high traffic areas altogether. It depends on your comfort level, the kind of location, and whether you are having fun. If you are not comfortable searching in a particular location, for whatever reason, don't do it.

Edited July 20, 2010 by mulvaney

[+crash719]

I am in the military and have been deployed 4 times. The things I do to find a cache(I'm a newbie) would get me shot over there, no questions asked. But the whole super vigilant IED eyes are a little helpful.

[+Manville Possum]

I have a K9 cacher that caches with me. For those real stealthy hides we act like one or both are just "taking a walk". Works great for guardrail hides and ones in bushes. I have used the act like my GPS is a phone trick a time or too.

[+Manville Possum]

When we are in a muggle prone area, we carry a small clipboard with some blank paper on it. It looks as if we are there on a professional level. I looks like we are taking notes or doing some type of planning. The small clipboard also comes in handy when signing those tiny logs of a nano cache.

 

Best thing to do... Just have fun!

This works, I used the same thing for years with my job. I have a property owner that saw me parked on a roadside stop and ask me what kind of work I was doing when he saw me signing the log book on my clipboard with a GPS unit and camera on the hood.

[+bootsycat]

I often cache with my children in a pushchair. I can park it right by the suspected location, then bend down and appear to be talking to one of them. Gets me down low, with cover. Probably not worth getting some just for caching though

[+squirtchy]

One thing i tend to do is pretend I am on the phone, 1) it means people wont come up and ask you what you are doing 2) people dont want to seem rude and intrude you. 3) if it looks like your going to get caught you can quickly just walk away talking to yourself

[+Tigrin]

Most people are too concerned about their lives to notice you. But if anybody asks, I tell me them what I am doing. I found a cache a few days ago outside a fire station, where the CO advised visitors not to tell about caching if asked -- I don't think I would have done that. Fortunately, I was not asked. But as one person once said to me, "People look less strange when you know what they are doing."

 

If the cache has "adequate permission," you have every right to be there. If the cache does not have "adequate permission," then its not my job to cover for that. But in any case, an owner takes certain risks if he or she places a cache in a high traffic area.

 

I will try not to draw attention to myself. I will read the cache description beforehand. look at past logs, or read the hint so that I can be more confident about my search. I will try to time things to minimize the risk to the cache. But if the cache is placed in a squeaky lamp skit of a flag pole that is in the middle of a circular planting area surrounded by benches that seem to be occupied 24/7, there is only so much that I can do.

 

The sneakiest I get is to look at my phone or check messages while I am looking for a cache, if I need a reason to be in the area. Some people like to carry clipboards or dress like workers, but it would never work for me. And I have never liked costumes. Others pretend to talk into the gpsr like a phone, but I wonder about all the kids who might ask their parents, "Why is that old guy talking into his gpsr?"

 

If there are people who I think might take a cache, even if it is there with permission, I will come back another time or go on to something else -- there is always another smiley. Some people seem to have more time than I, so if it looks like they are there for the duration, there is no reason for me to stay.

 

If it is a cache that I have spent awhile to do -- after completing a Wherigo, a multi, or a puzzle -- I might tell them what I am doing and ask if they would mind if I looked around where they are sitting. But it depends on who is there and what they are doing.

 

If a cache is right in front of somebody's house with no indication about permission, attached to natural gas lines behind a business, in a busy playground, or in any area where I would be concerned if I saw someone poking around -- I see no reason to look for that particular one.

 

Should you really want privacy, carry a roll of yellow tape and put up a sign that says, "Geocache Search in Progress. Do Not Disturb." Or act crazy so that no one will look at you. Or ask people passing by for spare change. But I find it easier just to look for the cache. Of course my daughter sometimes gets embarrassed and walks down the street a bit.

 

In short, there is no one answer unless you avoid high traffic areas altogether. It depends on your comfort level, the kind of location, and whether you are having fun. If you are not comfortable searching in a particular location, for whatever reason, don't do it.

 

Well said.

 

If you're worried about muggles, just know exactly what you are doing and people won't even notice you.

[+NatureGuy360]

Getting caught by a "muggle" is not what concerns me. I have been caught several times! What concerns me is the fear of exposing the location of geocache, and for someone who was watching me to come in behind me, and vandalize the geocache.

 

So far such an event has been a rarity, but it is always on the back of my mind. Of course, if the geocache owner would not place a magnetic key holder next to a McDonald's drive thru window that would not be such an issue.

Edited July 22, 2010 by heyjonathan101

[+squirtchy]

Getting caught by a "muggle" is not what concerns me. I have been caught several times! What concerns me is the fear of exposing the location of geocache, and for someone who was watching me to come in behind me, and vandalize the geocache.

 

So far such an event has been a rarity, but it is always on the back of my mind. Of course, if the geocache owner would not place a magnetic key holder next to a McDonald's drive thru window that would not be such an issue.

 

LOL yeah, its a bit like them bloody lamp post caches anyone can see them. I supose people may do them next to "mcdonalds drive thru's" and big supermarkets knowing that lots of people go there, so they will get lots of finds, but its not so good for the cache finder who has to look like a wally when trying to discretely find it

[blue163]

"What are you doing?"

"Looking for something."

"You lost something in the bushes?...."

"Oh, I didn't say I LOST anything."

"okay...... *walks away*"

 

Worked so far

 

Generally I avoid the high muggle ones, such as micros hidden on a bridge in the middle of a park. I leave those for weekday mornings/evenings so that the park isn't full of 500 people walking their dogs and playing with their kids. I don't think there is any way to avoid drawing attention to yourself in such a situation.