Etiquette for somebody holding TB

[CacheMonkeez]

A guy named Sooperdug69 is holding one of my TBs and won't/can't respond to my emails. What should I do?

 

[+Dave_W6DPS]

Has this person logged any event caches or is there anyone that they have gone group caching with? You might be able ot contact some of their known associates for help.

 

One of my bugs was among several rescued by a geocaching friend of a geocacher who picked them up and then went inactive.

 

Just a thought.

 

Dave_W6DPS

 

My two cents worth, refunds available on request. (US funds only)

[CacheMonkeez]

Not a bad idea. I checked his stats. He has just a handful of finds and no event caches. I checked his logs to see if he cached with anybody else. No such luck.

 

I guess we'll just hope for the best, but we're not optimistic.

 

[+scoobydooers]

Not a bad idea. I checked his stats. He has just a handful of finds and no event caches. I checked his logs to see if he cached with anybody else. No such luck.<BR><BR>I guess we'll just hope for the best, but we're not optimistic.<BR><BR>http://www.keenpeople.com/stats/' target='_blank'>

We JUST got our TB back into circulation this morning.

a guy had it since MAY. and he didnt bother to log that

he had it until AUGUST. it took him until NOV to finally stick

it in a nearby cache. the funny thing is that the guy never even

logged it back out, he just put it in a cache and walked away.

the next finder logged that he found the TB in a cache that didnt

list a TB being there. so I dont get the miles

His excuse... it was a wet summer

I dont think the guy that had it all this time deserves to be able

to keep the log as a find, so I deleted his entry.

[+beejay&esskay]

I dont think the guy that had it all this time deserves to be able

to keep the log as a find, so I deleted his entry.

But he did find it, didn't he?

 

While I can understand your anger that your TB did move for so long, punishing him by removing his log seems extreme.

[+Ed & Julie]

Welcom to Big Boss Man's hell.

 

Was picked up by maverikb

on Friday, August 29, 2003, and he still has it.

 

The guy had not logged a single cache since, and his email is inactive (emails all bounce back).

 

Ed

[+Webfoot]

I can relate to that one.

 

Rusty Spike was picked up by Oyama on May 31st, 2003. His last visit to geocaching was June 1st, 2003. One cache found, and unfortunately, one travel bug (mine ) found. Has never responded to any of the emails I've sent. It's very frustrating to say the least.

[+ChrisCindy]

Try useing a hammer. I found it jogs peoples memories and motivates most people.

[+TheEdge]

My Tbug, Butch Cassidy & Sundance Kid, was picked up back in March and is still being held by the same guy. The guy has stats of 22 caches and 22 Tbugs. I'm not sure if he is holding onto all 22 or just mine. According to his profile page he is still active as of 12/13/03. I have emailed him several times to no avail. This is not the first Tbug of mine to go missing or inactive, and it can be frustrating, but that's life and there's no accounting for knucleheads.

It's unfortunate because Butch and Sundance are one half of a pair of Tbugs. The other half is TBug "Joe Lefors Posse Leader" who was chasing them. I'd like to put a new Butch and Sundance bug out using the "Copy" tag but it would seem that as long as this guy has the number he could still mess with the copy. The only solution I can think of is to put them out with an entirely new Tbug tag. Any other suggestions?

[+WalruZ]

1. look through all his cache logs and see if he ever mentions visiting caches with anyone else. try emailing those people with your plea - they'll understand.

 

2. the 'active' date don' mean nuthin. I believe the site updates this date every time it sends an email to anyone, even automatically. there is no other explaination for how people can go without finding a cache for months yet be shown as having visited today almost every time you check.

[+TheEdge]

1. look through all his cache logs and see if he ever mentions visiting caches with anyone else. try emailing those people with your plea - they'll understand.

 

2. the 'active' date don' mean nuthin. I believe the site updates this date every time it sends an email to anyone, even automatically. there is no other explaination for how people can go without finding a cache for months yet be shown as having visited today almost every time you check.

Thanks for the info Walruz. It looks like this guy is a loner. As for the 'active date,' I mistakingly thought it referred to the last time the person 'logged in.' Maybe you, or someone else, can answer this question as well...Do, or can, 'the powers that be' do anything about these bugnappers?

[+bons]

The more people start talking about enforcing travel bug rules against all who dare touch them the less I'm inclined to ever move one. If picking one up and failing to move it on time and in the right direction in accordance with the owner's wishes is simply going to cause me grief then the owner can be happy with the bug remaining in the cache for the rest of eternity.

 

What I do with a TB I do out of the kindness of my heart. But I'm really starting to get the feeling that many TB owners feel that I'm obligated to help them and obey their every whim. I feel they're willing to make me miserable if I don't do their bidding to their satisfaction but they never bother to thank anyone for helping their bug along a journey.

 

Here's the revised entry on my racing TB after hearing everyone complain about what's been done to theirs:

Feel free to bag him, unbag him, add sig items or cheap keychains, mark off visited states on his goal tag with a sharpie marker, replace the goal tag after he gets attacked by a rabid squirrel, etc. etc. It's about the journey, after all, and when it's about that, the journey changes you.

 

I thank those who move him, who send him reeling in all directions, leaving him lost and stranded in Jamica. I thank those who didn't let him take that left turn at Albuquerque and had him wandering the wasteland that is Utah instead of ending up in Florida.

 

And if something goes wrong, something goes wrong. That's part of life.

Edited December 16, 2003 by bons

[+JeeperDad]

I've had several owners thank me for helping their bugs along... even if it wasn't to their ultimate objective. I've also seen a lot of bugs lately that just want to wander around from cache to cache.

 

I think there are a lot of people just happy to see them move.

 

Travelbugs get lost, caches get plundered, its all part of dealing with the forces of chaos.

[+WalruZ]

The more people start talking about enforcing travel bug rules against all who dare touch them

 

The TB in question has been held since July 27th. This isn't about rules, the poor fellow just wants his TB released if at all possible. Can you really blame him?

[+WalruZ]

btw, cachemonkey. the holder has 2 hides (look at his profile page / stats) try logging notes in his caches and see if he responds to them. it is possible that GC emails are eaten by spam filters and that he would see the logs if he's still active.

[+droosa]

I mistakingly thought it referred to the last time the person 'logged in.' Maybe you, or someone else, can answer this question as well...

Last visit is exactly what it means, last time they visited the site.

[+TheEdge]

We're not talking about holding a bug for a month or two. One of mine has been held since last MARCH. I've emailed the guy who picked him up and haven't even gotten the curtesy of a reply. Meanwhile he is still active logging caches and picking up other TBugs.

As for 'enforcing travel bug rules,' I don't think that's what we're asking here. Most people realize that TBugs are put out to travel, and to visit many caches, or have a particular goal. The vast number of cachers are happy to help these bugs along and do so in a timely manner and if possible in accordance with the owners wishes.

It's the knuckleheads who purposely hold onto a bug for no apparent reason for months, who take it home and throw it in a draw and, for reasons known only to them say screw it and let it languish for 9-10 months, or 'for eternity.'.

As for 'obeying the every whim of the tb owner,' that's not really what we're talking about either. Many TBugs have a goal. I would think it common curtesy that if you pick one up that has a goal, you attempt to help it towards that end. Doesn't sound too demanding to me.

And Bons ...as for leaving a TBug in a cache 'for eternity.' If your the kinda of guy who is going to pick up a bug 'out of the goodness of your heart,' yet hold onto it 'for eternity,' then do me a favor and if you come across one of mine just leave it in the cache. It has a better chance of getting moved along there then sitting in a draw at your house.

[+droosa]

What I do with a TB I do out of the kindness of my heart. But I'm really starting to get the feeling that many TB owners feel that I'm obligated to help them and obey their every whim.

 

Bons,

Your obligation to a TB and the owner only comes into play IF you take the bug. You are not required to take a bug from the cache. If you feel that being cavalier with it's goal is ok, then by all means leave it be.

 

Good manners and respect for the game should guide anyones behavior with a TB. There are many reasons that someone can hold a bug for several months, just have the courtesy to inform the owner.

 

I have two that have been grabbed since May and July. Every couple of months I email the cacher and ask if they intend to drop the bug anytime soon. One answered and the other has ignored my inquiry. Both have not cached since picking up the bug. Who knows???

 

I am with TheEdge, take a pass if you run across our bugs. I don't want anyone obligated to help my bugs.

[+bons]

"As for 'enforcing travel bug rules,' I don't think that's what we're asking here."

 

I'm sorry, what part of "Do, or can, 'the powers that be' do anything about these bugnappers?" am I not understanding?

 

And yes, I will do as you ask and leave your bugs in the cache, because it's obvious that for those bugs, it's not about the journey, it's about making sure the bug owner approves of everything you do.

 

I haven't held a bug for more than two weeks (markwell's guideline) but I'm really tempted to never pick another one up without explicit permission from the bug owner.

[+TheEdge]

"As for 'enforcing travel bug rules,' I don't think that's what we're asking here."

 

I'm sorry, what part of "Do, or can, 'the powers that be' do anything about these bugnappers?" am I not understanding?

 

And yes, I will do as you ask and leave your bugs in the cache, because it's obvious that for those bugs, it's not about the journey, it's about making sure the bug owner approves of everything you do.

 

I haven't held a bug for more than two weeks (markwell's guideline) but I'm really tempted to never pick another one up without explicit permission from the bug owner.

I'm sorry you feel that way Bons. Although I think you're overreacting, I hate to see you deprive yourself of one of, IMHO, the most enjoyable aspects of caching. But I guess you're right....if the pressure of handling someone elses creative idea, in the form of a TBug, and their wishes regarding that idea, is going to cause you angst then they are best left alone.

Happy Holidays and Happy Caching .... in what ever form you enjoy both.

T

H

EDGE

[+bons]

Since the results of having not met the travel bug owner's desires in a timely fashion now include public name-calling and complaint mail and the possibility of being reported to TPTB, I'm not sure I'm overreacting. I think the people who place a mc-toy with a dog tag in an unattended box and expect everything to happen perfectly are seriously kidding themselves.

 

And if the mail these people are sending is like the majority of the mail I've gotten from geocachers, I feel for the receivers. Heck, given some of the mail I've gotten, I wouldn't be surprised if some cacher roasted the TB in question over a BBQ after having read the insults and flames.

 

With geocoins it's got to be worse. There is absolutely no way the casual geocacher is going to recognise these things as travel bugs. Sure, they can be tracked, but if I ran across them during one of my first 10 caches I would have been shocked to discover that I could enter the # on the bottom of the coin on the travel bug page. I would have just throught it was a serial number, not a tracking device.

 

Once you place it, it's on it's own. If things don't work out as planned, it's because it's out of your control. The fact that it's out of your control is part of the fun. It's risk, it's surprise, and somedays, it's failure. But that's part of the game in the real world. If you can't take things going wrong, play a game with a reset button.