Jump to content

Etiquette? How long should you keep a TB


TheRedArmy

Recommended Posts

Someone has had my 5y old sons TB for 1month now with no movement. i contacted them, polietely and asked if they would move it along as soon as possible. no response, so i send a 2nd message 24hrs later and get a snotty response:

 

"I'm sorry that I've had your TB for longer than you'd prefer. One message about the TB was adequate. Two within 24 hours was unnecessary.

 

I'll move the TB when I find a cache large enough to place it.

 

Do not contact me again."

 

WTF???? really. it looks like they are sitting on at least 5 TB right now in their possession, from what i can see.

 

what is the time frame for these things to be hanging around someones basement, why would you grab them if you aren't going to move them.

 

when i grab one, i only grab it if i know i'm going to move it along shortly or do what the owner wants (take pics, move certain direction etc).

 

should i have just left it along or was i correct in contacting them? really, what am i supposed to tell our 5y old son when he asks "where or what is my TB doing for the last month?"

 

her reply really bothered me.

Edited by brucered
Link to comment

Snoogans' Tb Longevity Clinic

 

Snoogans' TB longevity strategy #5. If you must email a TB holder to do anything other than thank them, DO NOT give an order, or be even the slightest bit negative. Sugar coat every word. Do not transfer your standards and expectations to another person. Unless you are related, you do not really KNOW their situation.

 

These kinds of stories get talked about at events. Things like I'm gonna (X-Y-Z) that bug if I ever run across it again get said over a few beers. Makes ya think....

 

I don't even consider contacting someone for at least a good three months. Yes, it could be because that darn cacher is nothing but a lay-about.

 

Poking them with a stick does not get them to move any faster.

Edited by BlueDeuce
Link to comment

good points from both, but i did wait a month before contacting the 1st time. i should have waited a bit before sending a 2nd.

 

i can't find my initial email/PM, but it was basically "if possible, can you please move the TB along, it looks like it's been sitting in your inventory for about a month, thanks"

 

i just read some of their forum posts and they are what i expected given their answer in the email.

 

oh well, hope it all works out ok for my sons TB.

Link to comment

Alas. With TBs one should not set one's expectations too high. A month is not a long time o hold a bug. So, you should set your expectations a bit lower. "Oh, well" works for me.

As BD says: One e-mail (after three months or so) is probably all you should ever send. Annoying the TB holder is never a good thng. You might consider readjusting your attitude.

Thirdly: The use of obscenities (or acronyms thereof) is a family oriented forum is never a good idea.

On topic: I dropped a GC in a cache in Tennessee last year. Next person picked it up. Nothing for quite a while, so I suspected that it was never to be seen again. This year it was discovered at an event in Virginia. (Though the cacher who picked it up did not log the event.) I e-mailed the cacher who picked it up, and have not received a response (that was a few months ago). Oh, well. Never set your expectations too high. Just sit back, and watch what happens (if anything).

Link to comment

Alas. With TBs one should not set one's expectations too high. A month is not a long time o hold a bug. So, you should set your expectations a bit lower. "Oh, well" works for me.

As BD says: One e-mail (after three months or so) is probably all you should ever send. Annoying the TB holder is never a good thng. You might consider readjusting your attitude.

Thirdly: The use of obscenities (or acronyms thereof) is a family oriented forum is never a good idea.

On topic: I dropped a GC in a cache in Tennessee last year. Next person picked it up. Nothing for quite a while, so I suspected that it was never to be seen again. This year it was discovered at an event in Virginia. (Though the cacher who picked it up did not log the event.) I e-mailed the cacher who picked it up, and have not received a response (that was a few months ago). Oh, well. Never set your expectations too high. Just sit back, and watch what happens (if anything).

 

thanks for info and tips.

 

a month is not too long? really, i would think if you had a bug, you would move it along soon, at least that's my thinking. don't hoard them, don't have 5 in your possession, grab one, move it along, then grab another.

 

no one should hold onto a TB or GEOCOIN for 3 months, unless you suddenly become ill or bed ridden or die (which this person did not). i would periodically check to see what they were up to and they were always on the geo site and they were always caching and finding/logging caches, so why, if you aren't doing anything with it wouldn't you get rid of it?

 

if you grab one, i think you should do your best to follow the owners instructions as to what they want, and if you can't do that (ie take pics, move in certain direction etc), then the next time you go out, dump it and let another cacher have a chance too. they do no-one absolutely any good sitting in a house for 1-3mos or longer.

 

i don't think my expectations are high, i think they are realistic.

 

anyway, hopefully it all works out and it gets moved along as it should.

Edited by brucered
Link to comment

 

Thirdly: The use of obscenities (or acronyms thereof) is a family oriented forum is never a good idea.

 

 

perhaps it's time to remove SNOOGAN'S TB TIPS from the PINNED section of the TB forum then, it set's a precedent.

 

Snoogans' TB longevity strategy #6. Make it a total b1tch to remove the tag

 

and

 

WTF is wrong with that guy "from post 11 in his thead" and those are just from pg1

Edited by brucered
Link to comment

My travel bug was in the possession of someone for about a month and then passed on to some one else who now has it (but who occasionally logs on it). I was indifferent. I bought it with the knowledge that it may travel or it might just vanish off the face of the earth. So I had little emotional attachment to it.

 

Now that being said I try to get rid of travel bugs soon after I get them. But there are some barriers to discarding these things quickly. One is that I am extremely limited on when I can go out geocaching and depending on who I'm with what terrain of caches I can go after. I may get out every week or every other week geocaching for a few hours.

 

With the proliferation of micros instead of smalls and regulars and the lack of cache density where I live it can be quite the task to find a cache that meets the terrain needs of my partner and fits into the time that we have to do this. It becomes even more complicated when people insist on attaching their tags to stuffed animals or larger plastic toys which almost means I have to find a regular sized cache to stuff it in. As such sometimes I hold on to these things longer than I want to.

 

I suppose I could just toss them into a near by regular cache but I felt it would be irresponsible for me to do that as that cache tends to be a vacuum for traveling items (many new users hitting it along with muggles). If I start getting a bunch of emails from an owner I'm more likely to toss a bug into this vacuum just so I don't hear from the owner again.

 

I try to note on the bugs page that I will find an appropriate cache for their bugs as soon as possible.

 

Then I also have the weather to contend with. In early spring when I was doing this we were getting some freak snow storms limiting my ability to place a bug for a month or so. Now at the end of the season I'm looking at that same reality too.

 

Combine that with the reality that I have a life outside of geocaching and sometimes that bug might just have to wait. At least I log I took them. I have a friend who won't do that and holds on to them for 2 months or more. I don't agree with it but that's how he handles his bugs.

Link to comment

...snip... At least I log I took them. I have a friend who won't do that and holds on to them for 2 months or more. I don't agree with it but that's how he handles his bugs.

 

BINGO :D if you plan on keeping it for a month before heading to a trip overseas and dropping it off, just make a note on the log "holding for a while before dropping somewhere special" or "have this TB in my house, will move him along in a few weeks" or whatever.

Link to comment

I have a TB in a Nascar race. It has been traveling for 5 yrs. Someone in Maryland picked it up and has kept for 9 months. I didn't contact them for a long time but about a month and half ago I e-mailed them to find out if they still had it or lost it. I was OK with the possibility that they lost it or misplaced it. This travel bug was destroyed once when a tree where it was hide got chopped down. I replace it with a backup car. They never wrote back after many e-mails from me. Just to ignore my e-mails is the height of rudeness and does not exemplify the friendliness and other high values that I have seen from other geocachers.

Link to comment

I have a TB that was picked up 4 months ago. After 3 months of no movement, I emailed the cacher and requested a status update. After 4 months I sent another email. I told them that if they were unable to move it along that I am willing to send a postage paid envelope so they could return it to me.

 

Anyway, I picked up a cute TB on 29 August. I emailed the owner and asked permission to keep the TB for several months while I traveled for work and pleasure. She responded with a "yes". I'm updating the TB's location and posting photographs (as was requested in the TB writeup).

Link to comment

I have a TB that was picked up 4 months ago. After 3 months of no movement, I emailed the cacher and requested a status update. After 4 months I sent another email. I told them that if they were unable to move it along that I am willing to send a postage paid envelope so they could return it to me.

 

Anyway, I picked up a cute TB on 29 August. I emailed the owner and asked permission to keep the TB for several months while I traveled for work and pleasure. She responded with a "yes". I'm updating the TB's location and posting photographs (as was requested in the TB writeup).

 

i wish everyone would do this. very classy of you. :mmraspberry:

 

it's only courteous to email or respond when someone sends you an email and not with a snotty answer. and if you plan on keeping it like you did, ask if it's ok or let them know what your plan is.

 

i say if you are not planning on moving it within 2wks, post a note or contact the owner. no need to have a bunch of TB's in someones basement when they would be picked up by active cachers.

 

NO HOARDING please :signalviolin:

Link to comment

Someone has had my 5y old sons TB for 1month now with no movement...

 

I personally hold on to them no longer than three weeks, if circumstances require a longer time, I contact the owner.

 

One month is nothing! One of my coins was held onto for 7 months without placement and just this week started moving again, and one TB has been with a cacher for 9 months! I did send a note to the cacher of the TB after 8 months and just politely asked if my bug was still safe and sound and that I was in no hurry to have the bug placed. I have not heard a reply but at least the cacher is are still active!

Edited by MIGolfer
Link to comment

What about if you have a TB that wants to go somewhere and you will be going to that place in a while such as a month later?

 

I have one in my possession that wants to go to seattle and i'm going there in a few weeks. I have been keeping the TB in with me on other excursions and it is visiting lots of caches, so the owner knows that it isn't just sitting at home.

 

I feel bad that I'm holding on to it but I will be taking it to its final destination in short order.

 

So my question is, is it ok to hold onto a bug for a longer time if you intend to get it to its destination.

 

like a bug wants to go to another country and you happen to be travelling there in a month or two? Should I move it along anyway or hold onto it for a long time, though 'visiting' other caches with it.

Edited by ceriksson
Link to comment

What about if you have a TB that wants to go somewhere and you will be going to that place in a while such as a month later?

 

I have one in my possession that wants to go to seattle and i'm going there in a few weeks. I have been keeping the TB in with me on other excursions and it is visiting lots of caches, so the owner knows that it isn't just sitting at home.

 

I feel bad that I'm holding on to it but I will be taking it to its final destination in short order.

 

So my question is, is it ok to hold onto a bug for a longer time if you intend to get it to its destination.

 

like a bug wants to go to another country and you happen to be travelling there in a month or two? Should I move it along anyway or hold onto it for a long time, though 'visiting' other caches with it.

 

I'd say that if you know you're going to be able to drop it into its destination cache within a month - great - no problem. I personally don't start worrying about my TBs until they've been held for 6-8 weeks with no movement but as an extra courtesy you could post a note on the TB's page to let the owner know what you intend doing.

 

If it's going to be with you for "a month or two" but you're able to take it visiting in the meantime then that's good - I'd be happy with that (without any explanation being given to me by a Note or email).

 

But if someone was going to hold my TB for more than two months, with no movements at all, but they intended to move it on to its destination after that time then I'd appreciate a note to let me know that the TB was safe and what the plans were.

 

(Not that I have sleepless nights due to non-moving TBs but it's just good to know they're OK. :P )

 

MrsB

Link to comment

I pick up and move TBs while working, and try to get a few pics posted for the owners. Still, 2 weeks is normally the longest that I want to keep one (which can still add 5000 miles to it's total), and most I keep less than that. But, I am running out of truck friendly caches, and most often those in rest areas are too small or too risky to leave a TB.

Link to comment

What about if you have a TB that wants to go somewhere and you will be going to that place in a while such as a month later?

 

I have one in my possession that wants to go to seattle and i'm going there in a few weeks. I have been keeping the TB in with me on other excursions and it is visiting lots of caches, so the owner knows that it isn't just sitting at home.

 

I feel bad that I'm holding on to it but I will be taking it to its final destination in short order.

 

So my question is, is it ok to hold onto a bug for a longer time if you intend to get it to its destination.

 

like a bug wants to go to another country and you happen to be travelling there in a month or two? Should I move it along anyway or hold onto it for a long time, though 'visiting' other caches with it.

 

I'd say that if you know you're going to be able to drop it into its destination cache within a month - great - no problem. I personally don't start worrying about my TBs until they've been held for 6-8 weeks with no movement but as an extra courtesy you could post a note on the TB's page to let the owner know what you intend doing.

 

If it's going to be with you for "a month or two" but you're able to take it visiting in the meantime then that's good - I'd be happy with that (without any explanation being given to me by a Note or email).

 

But if someone was going to hold my TB for more than two months, with no movements at all, but they intended to move it on to its destination after that time then I'd appreciate a note to let me know that the TB was safe and what the plans were.

 

(Not that I have sleepless nights due to non-moving TBs but it's just good to know they're OK. :P )

 

MrsB

 

Yea I mentioned I would have it for a bit when I first logged retrieving it.

 

Since then I have logged it visiting 30 caches lol and I'll be visiting some more before I leave for its destination cache.

 

Usually if I find something I'll drop it off on the same day or next day, but if not I'll take it on a long hop and drop it off. This is the first cache I'll be holding on to for a while simply because I'll have the honor of taking it to its goal location.

Edited by ceriksson
Link to comment

We're newbies and this is nice info.

 

I'd be very happy if the person who had my TB's just logged that they were keeping them for a while (for whatever reason). Just so I know they will eventually move on! I just ordered some cute TB's for my kids and hope I get courteous Cachers who will send a note if they get delayed. But I am setting my expectations low, that's why I am sending out multiple TB's from different caches...

Link to comment

If I grab a TB or Coins and I don't move it for more then three weeks then I totally understand the owner if he sends me a reminder... Sugarcoat it with sweet words?! You know that if you grab a bug/coin that it is owned by somebody else... I had one in my posession for too long and I wrote a mail to the TB owner with my apologies. Two mails within 24 hr is a little bit too much, but asking if the person in question would pass it along, that totally normal to me... Anyway (as a relatively newbie) I really like to read the others oppinions...

Link to comment

Snoogans' TB longevity strategy #5. If you must email a TB holder to do anything other than thank them, DO NOT give an order, or be even the slightest bit negative. Sugar coat every word. Do not transfer your standards and expectations to another person. Unless you are related, you do not really KNOW their situation.

 

These kinds of stories get talked about at events. Things like I'm gonna (X-Y-Z) that bug if I ever run across it again get said over a few beers. Makes ya think.... :rolleyes:

Link to comment

As outlined above if I start getting e-mails with demands that the bug is put somewhere I will put it in the nearest, most accessible cache which happens to be a vortex where travelling items are lost just to stop the e-mails.

 

Owners might want to keep that in mind when demanding their bugs move because I know I'm not the only one who would do this. I move them when I find a good cache for them to go into otherwise.

Link to comment

I am fairly new to geocaching and found my first TB a few weeks ago. Having it in my possession made me feel an enormous sense of responsibility to the TB and its owner. I had every intention of honoring the TB’s mission as best I could but some family issues arose that took precedence over geocaching.

After two weeks of hanging on to the TB, and knowing it would be many more weeks before I could really do its mission justice, I figured I should just place it in a nearby cache and hope someone else could do better. I felt terrible doing this, but some times life comes at you fast and you just have to do the best you can.

Link to comment
thanks for info and tips.

a month is not too long? really, i would think if you had a bug, you would move it along soon, at least that's my thinking. don't hoard them, don't have 5 in your possession, grab one, move it along, then grab another.

no one should hold onto a TB or GEOCOIN for 3 months, unless you suddenly become ill or bed ridden or die (which this person did not). i would periodically check to see what they were up to and they were always on the geo site and they were always caching and finding/logging caches, so why, if you aren't doing anything with it wouldn't you get rid of it?

if you grab one, i think you should do your best to follow the owners instructions as to what they want, and if you can't do that (ie take pics, move in certain direction etc), then the next time you go out, dump it and let another cacher have a chance too. they do no-one absolutely any good sitting in a house for 1-3mos or longer.

i don't think my expectations are high, i think they are realistic.

anyway, hopefully it all works out and it gets moved along as it should.

I don't think your expectations are too high either, I agree with you. If it were me, I'd wait a month TOPS after my bug stopped & didn't move before contacting the person who has it. I surely wouldn't wait 3 months, I think that's a bit extreme. If I contact someone twice within 2-3 months politely requesting that my bug move, I think it's in poor taste if that person dumps it off in a "vortex" out of spite (which is what a couple people said they do). That's basically saying they hope it disappears knowing that particular cache is notorious for that. And I love how new cachers get the blame for that too. It's always us newbies who ruin it for the others.

 

I don't think a cacher should be holding a bug for a month unless they either contact the owner, post something on the TB page, or both. With that said, after only 6 weeks of geocaching, it didn't take long to learn that too many trackables disappear & are never seen again.

2-3 weeks ago I picked up a photocopied/laminated GC. The owner explained why he did it on the GC page, because he had lost too many to thieves. After I dropped it off at its next location, the next person complained that they didn't like photocopied GC's, but would move it along anyway. Yes it would have been nice to have the actual GC in hand (this one looked like a nice one) but I fully understand why the owner did it this way.

I had one with me for 2 weeks and felt guilty. I made it a point to drop it off on the 2nd week. Then again, some owners don't seem to care about them anymore. I had one owned by an Eagle Scout trying to get to Maine. I placed it in a cache, but after 2 weeks it didn't move. So I grabbed it again & moved it to a TB hotel near an Interstate hopefully with a lot more traffic. I had forgotten to note the tracking code the 2nd time so I emailed the owner to see if he'd give it to me. I also noted in my log that if anyone were to pick it up, could they please contact me with the code so I could log it properly. The owner never responded (still hasn't) so I assume he doesn't care anymore. I ended up driving the 30 min. to where I dropped it and got the code myself. It was the least I could do considering it was my mistake plus I wanted to make it right.

 

As far as official rules go, Groundspeak says:

 

3.1. Trackable etiquette

 

A Trackable is released so that it can travel by means of geocacher activity. Please check the mission of the Trackable so that you can help to complete the mission. If you think you can help, please take it to advance its goal. Log the Trackable promptly. If you don't know how to log it, please refer to the "Logging a Geocoin or a Travel Bug" article linked below.

 

Be considerate and don't take a Trackable if you are not planning to go geocaching in the next 2-3 weeks. The owners want them to travel and not to stay too long in one cacher's hands. Sometimes, unexpected delays occur. Simply send a note to the owner of that item and let them know the situation.

 

What about if you have a TB that wants to go somewhere and you will be going to that place in a while such as a month later?

I have one in my possession that wants to go to seattle and i'm going there in a few weeks. I have been keeping the TB in with me on other excursions and it is visiting lots of caches, so the owner knows that it isn't just sitting at home.

I feel bad that I'm holding on to it but I will be taking it to its final destination in short order.

So my question is, is it ok to hold onto a bug for a longer time if you intend to get it to its destination.

like a bug wants to go to another country and you happen to be travelling there in a month or two? Should I move it along anyway or hold onto it for a long time, though 'visiting' other caches with it.

I wouldn't feel too bad if I were you, you want to get it where the owner wants it to be. As others have said, just contact the owner to let them know that you might hold it longer than you normally would, but it means you'd get it to its destination. If I were the owner, I'd rather see it be held by the same person for a little longer and reach its goal than have it disappear or not achieve its goal at all.

Link to comment

I am having a problem with an owner of a tracking bug. My kids have a presentation to do at a monthly meeting, but it got canceled, the next one scheduled was for the next month. I explained the situation to the owner of the bug, but I got an email telling me "I didn't buy these for you to show off" and that I better move it this weekend and go buy your own. I feel bad that I haven't moved it along, but it is not lost, I absolutely do not want to keep it and as soon as I can move it I will. How do I respond to this insensitive guy?

Link to comment

I am having a problem with an owner of a tracking bug. My kids have a presentation to do at a monthly meeting, but it got canceled, the next one scheduled was for the next month. I explained the situation to the owner of the bug, but I got an email telling me "I didn't buy these for you to show off" and that I better move it this weekend and go buy your own. I feel bad that I haven't moved it along, but it is not lost, I absolutely do not want to keep it and as soon as I can move it I will. How do I respond to this insensitive guy?

Yes, that guy is "insensitive". But, he does have a point.... your kids could "show & tell" with one of your travel bugs, not hold it because of cancellations of meetings to use it later.

 

Not knowing you or your intents, he has concerns about his "property". Too, he should be aware that once he sends it out, it is pretty much out of his control.

 

I agree, he is "insensitive", but, you should move it along. It isn't yours to play with.

Link to comment

As a so called "Newbie" I have gather two travel bugs, one of which was marked Missing. I have them both sitting in front of me now. I have logged them both with my intentions of taking a road trip with them and dropping them in a cache in an adjoining state yet to be determined. Travel Bugs are made to travel are they not? If an owner messaged me and asked me to send one on its way right away, I would respond that an effort would be made to get it back into suitable cache at my earliest convenience. The family loves it, not to much could ruin it for us.

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...