Request permission for parking?

[+TABjuggler]

I am about to try to publish a cache where there are 3 logical parking spaces.

 

you can park in a nearby apt. complex.

you can park at a wendy's.

or you can park in what appears to be a private drive.

 

Even though the cache is fine where it is, should I try to get permission from the Wendy's to allow for someone to park there for maybe 30 minutes?

 

I'd like to say "park at wendy's" in the description, but I don't want to be actively endorsing the parking at a business you don't plan to patron. How do you all handle stuff like that?

[+brslk]

I am about to try to publish a cache where there are 3 logical parking spaces.

 

you can park in a nearby apt. complex.

you can park at a wendy's.

or you can park in what appears to be a private drive.

 

Even though the cache is fine where it is, should I try to get permission from the Wendy's to allow for someone to park there for maybe 30 minutes?

 

I'd like to say "park at wendy's" in the description, but I don't want to be actively endorsing the parking at a business you don't plan to patron. How do you all handle stuff like that?

 

My thoughts are that people can park further away and walk to the cache.

(This is coming from a person that has a hard time walking more than a block or two)

Not all caches need to be park and grabs.

[+Chokecherry]

One here on a local trail system got permission to park in one of hte local business parking lots because it's either that or people are going to park on the highway to get it. But there's literally no relatively nearby parking area to the cache if they don't park there.

 

If it's a busy area most business aren't willing to give up parking spaces to non-customers.

[+Alfiegeorge]

I don't see it as a problem, unless there is obvious signage saying "parking for customers only - unauthorised cars will be [clamped / towed / fined]" delete as applicable.

 

I mean, you wouldn't want someone to get a ticket whilst looking for your cache, would you.

 

In a similar situation for a cache of mine (now archived) I included the following in the cache description;

 

"Free public parking in the "Aubreys" across Letchworth Lane or, if you want to be a bit cheeky, park in the car-park for the Nuffield Health club - not officially public parking but its a huge car-park, plenty of comings and goings and I've never seen it more than half full."

 

The local reviewer had no issue with that at all.

[+BBWolf+3Pigs]

If there is no public parking for the location, are you sure there are no issues with placing a cache where you want to? i.e is it a public location?

[+dakboy]

If there is no public parking for the location, are you sure there are no issues with placing a cache where you want to? i.e is it a public location?

There are lots of ways one can place a cache in a 100% legal location with no 100% legal parking nearby.

[+briansnat]

For an urban or suburban cache I usually let the searchers figure out where to park. I wouldn't tell them to park in the lot of a nearby business, but if they do that's not my concern.

[+sbell111]

For an urban or suburban cache I usually let the searchers figure out where to park. I wouldn't tell them to park in the lot of a nearby business, but if they do that's not my concern.

Agreed

[+dbrierley]

Instead of the private parking areas, perhaps you could recommend a public parking area within a short walk of the cache -- especially if the parking area is convenient for people looking for other caches nearby.

[+The VanDucks]

Unless you think cachers wouldn't see the Wendy's, I'd just say "parking available nearby" and let the cachers figure it out. I don't think you'd have much luck asking the Wendy's manager for parking permission for non-customers. We have several caches located in commercial areas, and we don't give specific parking coordinates for them since the logical parking spot is pretty obvious when you get to GZ.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

For an urban or suburban cache I usually let the searchers figure out where to park. I wouldn't tell them to park in the lot of a nearby business, but if they do that's not my concern.

 

For the second cache that I placed it wasn't real obvious where the best place to park would be to access the caches, and I got a bit of a kick out of the logs from a couple of locals that didn't know that the area where I placed the cache existed, let alone the best place to park to access it. However, since there are some no tresspassing signs near a couple of potential parking areas I eventually adding parking coordinates as an additional waypoint to hopefully prevent seekers of the cache going through private property reach the cache.

[+Cuddlefish]

Finding parking should be half the fun.

 

Seriously though, what is wrong with a walk? This is an activity that should go hand in hand with an active, outdoor life wherever possible.

[+MR57]

I am about to try to publish a cache where there are 3 logical parking spaces.

 

you can park in a nearby apt. complex.

you can park at a wendy's.

or you can park in what appears to be a private drive.

 

Even though the cache is fine where it is, should I try to get permission from the Wendy's to allow for someone to park there for maybe 30 minutes?

 

I'd like to say "park at wendy's" in the description, but I don't want to be actively endorsing the parking at a business you don't plan to patron. How do you all handle stuff like that?

I never like going to a cache that doesn't have decent parking. When I plan a hide, good parking is always a consideration for me.

[+SwineFlew]

I always thought the parking issue part of the challenge of finding the cache. I been in situation were finding a place to park was harder then to find the cache. However being me, I love different types of challenges that go with geocaching. Sometime I bring a bike along to work on those type of caches where parking is a real issue.

[+Mark+Karen]

I don't let it worry me. People can get to caches in many different ways, on foot, by bicycle, by bus, by car. It's up to them to figure out how to park and to comply with any parking restrictions they may find, just the same as I don't feel I need to put "don't drive through red lights" on my cache pages.

Edited September 14, 2010 by markhewitt1978

[+TABjuggler]

Thanks for the help guys! It was really insightful.