Holding a coin/bug too long

[+escomag]

I would like an opinion. Several of the geocoins I have had in my possession have stayed with their finders over 6 months. I like to watch previously handled trackables, to see where they go. Am I wrong to try and contact these people, and ask them to place the trackable as soon as possible? I have read some comments that some cachers don't like to be contacted by previous holders. I am not the owner on any of the items in question.

 

Thanks for your input

Escomag

[+ElliPirelli]

I wouldn't contact Cachers on behalf of a not by me owned coin... What business is it of yours?

 

To hold a coin for a longer period can have several reasons.

Not gone caching for a while.

Only micros which are to small to place a TB in.

Not a save location.

 

I like to drop trackables in caches, which I consider muggle resistant. I would feel really bad, if I had placed a trackable within a few days, but a week later that trackable is missing, cause the box was muggled.

I'd rather see my trackable in someones caching bag, than in a cache, I must admit...

[+Manville Possum]

I would like an opinion. Several of the geocoins I have had in my possession have stayed with their finders over 6 months. I like to watch previously handled trackables, to see where they go. Am I wrong to try and contact these people, and ask them to place the trackable as soon as possible? I have read some comments that some cachers don't like to be contacted by previous holders. I am not the owner on any of the items in question.

 

Thanks for your input

Escomag

I understand what you mean, but even as much as I would like to, and trust me , I REALLY would like to, but unless it is one of my TB's I would not contact another user in this matter. I have trackables on my watchlist too that are "stuck" in another users cache bag like trophys, never to move again.

[+Fiery Searcher]

I'll agree with the previous posters here. If it is your coin/TB, there wouldn't be a problem. If it is coin/TB owned by someone else, well...all owners are different! I, too, will visit trackables I've found before, just to see where they've been and if any photos have been taken.

 

While I am guilty of holding on to a trackable for more than two weeks (including a couple at the moment!), it is usually because I am going to leave on a trip or know I can help move a trackable further towards its goal. I have had geocachers contact me in advance to ask me if they could hold onto my coin/TB for a bit, just so they could help it out. This is communication that is only privy to the owner and the geocacher who has the coin/TB. It may look as though a geocacher is irresponsible and inconsiderate, but the reality could be much different.

 

IN short, I think it best to lead by example. If you like things to move quickly, move them quickly. You can say how happy you are to have moved the trackable quickly in your logs, and perhaps others who read your logs will agree and try to do the same.

[+rogerw3]

I have on occasion held onto TB for longer than a couple weeks, but I always let the owner know what is going on.

I would not ask about a TB unless it was mine, it is up to the owner to inquire if he wishes.

[+the family bu]

I picked up a tb about a year ago from an ammo can - thinking that I would move it on as soon as i could. Unfortunately due to a mixture of illness and not being able to find a cache big enough to put it in. I emailed the owner to let him know that I had it and that I was willing to post it back to him so that he could release it again. He replied back saying not to worry and that he was happy for me to hang on to it as long as need be. A couple of months ago I got a rather unpleasant email from someone asking me why I had held onto the tb for so long and berating me for treating TB's incorrectly - he also had emailed the owner asking him to email me to tell me to release it. Luckily the owner emailed me to tell me not to worry about the other email and to ignore the man behaviour. I have just found somewhere large enough to release the TB. I will never again take a TB that is not big enough to fit into a small cache - I have had my fingers burnt, and while I realise I shouldn't have had the TB for so long - but the owner knew the reason why and I did offer to post it back to him - 3 weeks after I had picked it up. I suppose as karma - I have a TB that has been in someones possession for over a year and has ignored my emails to kindly move it on. I have even offered to pay postage for them to post it back to me - the annoying thing is they live less than 90 miles from me.

[+Frank AZ]

If I am going to be holding on to a trackable for an extended period, I will always let the owner know, and also post something on the trackable itself.

 

Of course..... I've got a couple that have been sitting in some bags for a few months now (and one I'm slightly worried about)

 

As far as size goes - as long as its not a 5 gallon bucket, I have a couple of nearby "safe" caches where they can be placed without much worry.

[+GeocoinGuy]

I picked up a tb about a year ago from an ammo can - thinking that I would move it on as soon as i could. Unfortunately due to a mixture of illness and not being able to find a cache big enough to put it in. I emailed the owner to let him know that I had it and that I was willing to post it back to him so that he could release it again. He replied back saying not to worry and that he was happy for me to hang on to it as long as need be. A couple of months ago I got a rather unpleasant email from someone asking me why I had held onto the tb for so long and berating me for treating TB's incorrectly - he also had emailed the owner asking him to email me to tell me to release it. Luckily the owner emailed me to tell me not to worry about the other email and to ignore the man behaviour. I have just found somewhere large enough to release the TB. I will never again take a TB that is not big enough to fit into a small cache - I have had my fingers burnt, and while I realise I shouldn't have had the TB for so long - but the owner knew the reason why and I did offer to post it back to him - 3 weeks after I had picked it up. I suppose as karma - I have a TB that has been in someones possession for over a year and has ignored my emails to kindly move it on. I have even offered to pay postage for them to post it back to me - the annoying thing is they live less than 90 miles from me.

That is the "PERFECT" example not to tamper into the business of coins or bugs that do not belong to you. PLEASE re-read this post thoroughly and decide for yourself if it is a good idea to give input on a bug you don't own.

 

~J

[+pastor_b]

my suggestion echoes the rest: contact is only appropriate if they are your trackables...and then with grace and kindness thanking them for moving it along

 

[+Droo]

I wouldn't contact Cachers on behalf of a not by me owned coin... What business is it of yours?

 

...

I disagree. We are a community and as a community we train and educate others on the protocols of the game. Gently and kindly nudging a fellow cacher to release an incarcerated bug or coin may be an uncomfortable reminder for the holder but one that might be called for. If a disabled person is having a tough time getting across the street what business is it of yours? but you make it yours as a member of the community.

 

Edit to add: Of course if the person already notified the owner then it's a lesson to the "good samaritan" in being tactful, kind and light handed.

Edited August 3, 2010 by Droo

[+BlueDeuce]

I wouldn't contact Cachers on behalf of a not by me owned coin... What business is it of yours?

 

...

I disagree. We are a community and as a community we train and educate others on the protocols of the game. Gently and kindly nudging a fellow cacher to release an incarcerated bug or coin may be an uncomfortable reminder for the holder but one that might be called for. If a disabled person is having a tough time getting across the street what business is it of yours? but you make it yours as a member of the community.

 

Edit to add: Of course if the person already notified the owner then it's a lesson to the "good samaritan" in being tactful, kind and light handed.

 

The only time I would contact a cacher holding someone else's traveler is if the owner requested my assistance. I deal with a lot of missing bugs and would never cold contact someone and tell them to move it along.

[+ElliPirelli]

I wouldn't contact Cachers on behalf of a not by me owned coin... What business is it of yours?

 

...

I disagree. We are a community and as a community we train and educate others on the protocols of the game. Gently and kindly nudging a fellow cacher to release an incarcerated bug or coin may be an uncomfortable reminder for the holder but one that might be called for. If a disabled person is having a tough time getting across the street what business is it of yours? but you make it yours as a member of the community.

 

Edit to add: Of course if the person already notified the owner then it's a lesson to the "good samaritan" in being tactful, kind and light handed.

In my opinion there's a huge difference between a disabled person trying to cross the street and a TB sitting in someones caching bag.

 

The person I can ask if they really want to cross the street, in case I misinterpret the intensions of standing close to the edge of the road.

 

The previous email contact between a cacher and a TB owner is unknownst to me, so I kindly keep my mouth shut.

If someone really thinks a traveller should be moved, one can always contact the owner of said trackable to get him to write a reminder email, in case they wish to do so...

I don't see myself as a police.

[+the family bu]

IMHO a TB is your responsibility while you have it. Other than that I think it is not really appropriate to get involved in the whereabouts of someone elses TB - unless you have been asked to ofcourse. I was actually quite upset by the email I received 'telling' me to move on the TB and scolding me for not adhering to the rules of protocol of TB's. What i urge people to think about is that written words, however well meant, can be interpretted in the wrong way. I now get quite stressed with the whole travel bug thing and will not take one unless I know I can move it on within a week. But as stated at the beginning this is only my opinion and not meant to enrage.

[+escomag]

Thank you for everyone's advice. In a strange twist of fate, the coin holder whom I wished to contact, dropped the coin in another cache yesterday, with out logging it properly, and now has been found in a different cache than I expected.

 

See Ya

Escomag

[+DrStan43]

I wouldn't contact Cachers on behalf of a not by me owned coin... What business is it of yours?

 

To hold a coin for a longer period can have several reasons.

Not gone caching for a while.

Only micros which are to small to place a TB in.

Not a save location.

 

I like to drop trackables in caches, which I consider muggle resistant. I would feel really bad, if I had placed a trackable within a few days, but a week later that trackable is missing, cause the box was muggled.

I'd rather see my trackable in someones caching bag, than in a cache, I must admit...

[+DrStan43]

I wouldn't contact Cachers on behalf of a not by me owned coin... What business is it of yours?

 

To hold a coin for a longer period can have several reasons.

Not gone caching for a while.

Only micros which are to small to place a TB in.

Not a save location.

 

I like to drop trackables in caches, which I consider muggle resistant. I would feel really bad, if I had placed a trackable within a few days, but a week later that trackable is missing, cause the box was muggled.

I'd rather see my trackable in someones caching bag, than in a cache, I must admit...

[+DrStan43]

I wouldn't contact Cachers on behalf of a not by me owned coin... What business is it of yours?

 

To hold a coin for a longer period can have several reasons.

Not gone caching for a while.

Only micros which are to small to place a TB in.

Not a save location.

 

I like to drop trackables in caches, which I consider muggle resistant. I would feel really bad, if I had placed a trackable within a few days, but a week later that trackable is missing, cause the box was muggled.

I'd rather see my trackable in someones caching bag, than in a cache, I must admit...

 

I agree with ElliPirelli; however, it is OK if you do own the geocoin. One problem is that some geocachers pick up geocoins and keep them as if they were the new owners. Then when the owner contacts them, they do not respond. This seems to be a problem with several of mine that I have placed in the US. All of the geocoins I've placed in Europe have moved in a reasonable amount of time. Maybe we Americans can learn a little bit of geocaching etiquette from European cachers.

[+ElliPirelli]

I wouldn't contact Cachers on behalf of a not by me owned coin... What business is it of yours?

 

To hold a coin for a longer period can have several reasons.

Not gone caching for a while.

Only micros which are to small to place a TB in.

Not a save location.

 

I like to drop trackables in caches, which I consider muggle resistant. I would feel really bad, if I had placed a trackable within a few days, but a week later that trackable is missing, cause the box was muggled.

I'd rather see my trackable in someones caching bag, than in a cache, I must admit...

 

 

I agree with ElliPirelli; however, it is OK if you do own the geocoin. One problem is that some geocachers pick up geocoins and keep them as if they were the new owners. Then when the owner contacts them, they do not respond. This seems to be a problem with several of mine that I have placed in the US. All of the geocoins I've placed in Europe have moved in a reasonable amount of time. Maybe we Americans can learn a little bit of geocaching etiquette from European cachers.

Sure it's okay to contact the cacher if it is my coin, they're keeping.

But not, if it's someone elses' coin.

 

I guess, with all those new cachers who aren't brought into the sport through friends, we will have much more people confusing travellers with swag.

I got to know about geocaching through a friend of mine. She answered all my questions and made sure, that my mistakes and mishaps stayed minor. Nowadays we have lots of new cachers through the media.

 

This whole story about 'take something - leave something' makes people think all stuff inside a cachebox is swag. Especially, when English isn't their native tongue.

So the best idea to keep a traveller travelling is to attach it to a note of some kind. Giving goal information is great, so I can see at the cache location, if I can help this particular traveller to reach it's goal.