disabled cahcer, disabled cache, solving problems

[+Poidawg]

I have been caching for awhile now and love it, but Im not highly experienced because of a physical disablity, which limits my funds, and mobility so when I do cache, I put alot into it.

I recently placed another cache. I thought I picked a great place, under and observation deck in my watershed. It was well received and was getting some visits. When I placed the cache I placed it under the deck of the observation platform which is about 4' off the ground, I also placed it so it could not be seen by the general public but was within easy reach (for those in a wheelchair it would make an easy grab). After the cache was visited a couple of times I went to go check on the swag - I like to keep my caches full of goodies.

It was gone. I crawled around under the deck for 10 minutes and could not find it (not an easy task with my limitations) I was amazed. So I went home and disabled the cache.

I started thinking about it and though to e mail the last cacher to ask if he knew where the cache was. I e mail that cacher who said he would go back and check to see if it was there. Indeed I got an e mail not long after - he said it was there so I thanked him and went back. Still could not find it.

I e mailed again. He said he would go out and take a photo of where it was. I thought this was a very generous offer and thanked him again. Instead he went to the disabled cache took out a geocoin and never followed through. I thought this was unfair to everyone else since the cache was actively disabled AND he never did e mail me about where he has rehidden the cache...if that is the reality. I e mailed him to let him know I thought it was uncool to take anything from a cache that was actively disabled stillhave not heard anything.

I think it is kind of greedy to be taking a coin out of a cache that is disabled and to offer to help someone then blow them off because they got something they took unfairly.

Let me know what you think...

My plan is to get my friends 10 year old kid to go out and help me find and replace the cache where it was originally placed. Hopefully I can make it clear it should be replaced in that one area to make it easy for eveyone.

[+Poidawg]

ooops sorry for the spelling issues.

[+StarBrand]

Sounds like he was using a missing cache to make a geocoin disappear as well. -- Maybe.

 

Could just be a missing cache and the guy just didn't follow through.

 

Hope you get it back up and running soon.

[+briansnat]

Not a getting started issue. Moving to the general forum

[+Ecylram]

I've got a very different take...

 

Geocachers get concerned when trackables get caught in a disabled and archived cache. It's not at all unusual for cachers to retreive trackables from disabled caches, so they don't get trapped there, and move them along. It's done out of respect for the owners of the trackables.

[mresoteric]

I've wondered what happens if a cache goes missing and I'm the last one to log a find. I think it was nice of the guy to go back and check on it. I don't understand why you would email him because he didn't send you a picture of it though. I wouldn't expect someone to do that.

[+Eartha]

It could be that he thought since the cache was disabled, the coin might get stuck there, and he wanted to move it along for the owner of the coin. A lot of people would do that to help a Trackable move, if they knew it was there, and the cache was not being enabled.

But that doesn't explain why he didn't follow through doing something he said he would do. He may have forgotten his camera too, and then it was too much to go back, and he didn't bother to explain.

I'd let the geocoin part go, and very politely ask him, once more, to describe to you where it is, if he could, and then go look.

Post a note on your cache page asking if the next person to find it could please take a photo and send it to you.

Caches do tend to move. People don't always remember the exact spot, and they will migrate. Some of mine have, over time, and I've had to re-hide them.

 

Eartha

Geocoin Forums

[+wv-yen]

This sounds like some miscommunication over the photo. The person who found this last has 8000+ finds and he didn't retrieve the 2 trackables that he placed in it when he found it. That would lead me to believe that he didn't expect it to be archived.

 

I started thinking about it and though to e mail the last cacher to ask if he knew where the cache was. I e mail that cacher who said he would go back and check to see if it was there. Indeed I got an e mail not long after - he said it was there so I thanked him and went back. Still could not find it.

I e mailed again. He said he would go out and take a photo of where it was.

As I read your post it sounds like he did go verify the location on the 12th, then you went and still didn't find it and asked him to return a third time. That was on saturday and he may not have had time to make the 3rd trip. Realizing that it is mid-week, I would give it some time.

[+Poidawg]

I am just going to have to put up a new cache container, so people who are in a wheelchair are able to access it as originally intended, it sure is disappointing but I did all I could do and Im not going to waste any more time on the cacher who unfairly played the game by removing the geocoin from the disabled cache..Thanks for you input

[cezanne]

Im not going to waste any more time on the cacher who unfairly played the game by removing the geocoin from the disabled cache..

 

He was not unfairly playing the game at all. If it were my GC, I would have been very glad about his action. Travellers are neither trading items nor rewards for finders of a cache.

I agree with you that it is unfortunate that the cache moved and I can understand your frustration, but it does not appear to me that this was the last finder's fault. He even returned to check on the cache which I regard as very nice. You should give him a fair chance to describe the hiding place to you and do not accuse him of unfair actions. He is a very experienced cacher.

 

Cezanne

Edited March 17, 2011 by cezanne

[mresoteric]

I am just going to have to put up a new cache container, so people who are in a wheelchair are able to access it as originally intended, it sure is disappointing but I did all I could do and Im not going to waste any more time on the cacher who unfairly played the game by removing the geocoin from the disabled cache..Thanks for you input

 

Why are you focusing so much anger on this guy? Do you know he moved your cache? If so, why would he go back a second time for you? It sounds to me like you are pretty unappreciative.

 

I don't mean to sound like a cad, but being disabled does not entitle you to any special treatment.

[+BlueDeuce]

Personally I would suspect the cacher probably couldn't quite give the full support needed, and that's okay. Maybe there something going on with him as well that kept him from completing the task. Every cache owner have things come up that delay prompt maintenance.

 

I would look for more permanent cache buddy who could assist you with those type of cache maintenance situations.

 

edited for clarification and removal of the editorial comment.

Edited March 17, 2011 by BlueDeuce

[mresoteric]

I don't mean to sound like a cad, but being disabled does not entitle you to any special treatment.

 

Sure it does, since he asked for help.

 

I don't follow. It's fine to ask for help. And it's great if someone helps out. But how does being disabled entitle you to anything?

 

I agree he should get a buddy to go with him to search. But a complete stranger has no obligation to do anything for him. I think he should be thankful that he confirmed the cache was still there.

[+BlueDeuce]

I decided to take that comment out since it wasn't on-topic and not that well explained.

[+Poidawg]

FYI - Im not angry, Im disappointed. Disappointed in myself that I did not explain to those visiting my cache that it is imperitive to replace the cache where they found it so those that are in a wheelchair have access. It is why I chose the spot I did.

I am not expecting any preferential treatment, Im surprised that someone who put out a hand to help me find a cache that he moved over six feet under an observation platform which would certainly have attracted attention on the well travelled path it is on, but makes it impossible for anyone with a disability or mobility issues or even claustrophia issues to retrieve the cache just go back for the geocoins in the cache.

As someone who does suffer from mobility issues (see the title of this topic)my disability is more than spelling errors. I have placed my caches so that they are accessible to those with mobility issues. They may not be readily available for a wheel chair bound person but they are within reach for those who may have a hard time crawling, climbing etc.

I did e mail the cacher who offered to help me retrieve the cache but did not respond to my e mail after he took a coin out which concerned me a bit about his intentions, his next to last e mail was that he grabbed a coin nothing else. I find it frustrating on a couple of fronts, frist Im trying to get the cache repalced in order to re-enable it and that he took the coin when it was disabled. It has not been disabled that long, and I have been in constant contact so....where does one get the idea that all of a sudden things are not going to be moving along.

I did get yet another e mail saying he wants the coins. So, now I know his priorites, good enough for me. I will have my friends kid go get the cache tomorrow and the whole issue will become a non issue.

My intent in posting was to relate my surprise at the sudden turn of events. One day, he is all okay Ill help you, here is where it is, and I will take a photo to Im grabbing coins end of sentence and to get feed back from you all here since like I wrote, even though I love caching I dont spend alot of active time like most cachers due to my mobility issues, I know alot of you cache everyday, have tons of caches out there and have more experience with things like this.

[GOF and Bacall]

Have you tried contacting a local geocaching group, like GBA, to see if someone can help out? I know that most of the folks on our local forums do not frequent the GC.com forums. I am sure there are many who would help you out if they could, but from other parts of the world there isn't much we can do.

 

Cache drift is a problem that has been around as long as caching. In this version of it someone probably thought they were helping out by making the cache less likely to be spotted by a non-cacher or harder to find for fellow cachers. About all you can do is make it clear on the cache page that it is important that the cache be returned properly and why.

[+DanOCan]

Assuming this was an activated trackable geocoin then I think he did the right thing by taking it from the cache. Disabled caches often end up getting archived and he didn't want the coin to get stuck/lost. (Actually, even if the geocoin was unactivated and there as swag I don't have a problem with him taking it, providing he traded fairly for it.)

 

As for the photo thing, without knowing his side of the story I can't judge him too harshly. I know there was a cache here where the owner had a disposable camera in it. He knew I had a cache nearby and asked if, the next time I did maintenance on my cache, if I could stop at his cache and take the camera and mail it to him so he could have it developed. I agreed but when I went up there I forgot the coordinates for his cache and didn't do it. I'll bet if he was the maintenance log on my cache he was thinking "Lousy guy said he would help me and then didn't."

 

As someone else said, maybe he just forgot a camera the second time he went back and, having verified for you that the cache is indeed there, decided a third visit to the location isn't worth it to him. After all, in the end you need to be responsible for maintaining your cache, whether because it has gone missing or has been moved.

[mresoteric]

I am not expecting any preferential treatment, Im surprised that someone who put out a hand to help me find a cache that he moved over six feet under an observation platform which would certainly have attracted attention on the well travelled path it is on, but makes it impossible for anyone with a disability or mobility issues or even claustrophia issues to retrieve the cache just go back for the geocoins in the cache.

Did he ever tell you that he is the one that moved the cache? You have not answered how you know he is the one responsible for it being moved. If he is the one that moved it, then I would agree he should move it back. But if he found it six feet away, then he has no responsibility other than to be nice to you.

 

As someone who does suffer from mobility issues (see the title of this topic)my disability is more than spelling errors.

This was understood from the beginning. That is not what I am questioning. I realize you can't physically get to where the cache has been moved. But unless the guy is the one that moved it, then you really can't expect him to do anything more than he already has.

 

I did e mail the cacher who offered to help me retrieve the cache but did not respond to my e mail after he took a coin out which concerned me a bit about his intentions, his next to last e mail was that he grabbed a coin nothing else. I find it frustrating on a couple of fronts, frist Im trying to get the cache repalced in order to re-enable it and that he took the coin when it was disabled.

I'm not sure what a geocoin is or why is it so important but you mentioned in your second post that you were going to have to go out an put a new cache so you could reach it. If did this what are the chances that anyone would ever see that geocoin again if they were finding the new cache instead of the old one?

 

I did get yet another e mail saying he wants the coins. So, now I know his priorites, good enough for me.

No you don't. He hasn't responded so you don't have a clue what his intentions are. He could just not be happy with being harrassed by someone blaming him for something he didn't do.

 

I will have my friends kid go get the cache tomorrow and the whole issue will become a non issue.

IMHO that is what you should have done instead of starting this thread. There was a thread a few days ago very similar to this one and it turned really nasty because the poster made unfounded accusations in a public forum. I think it is always best to make sure you know exactly what happened before accusing someone of something in public. Even if you do know for certain what happened I think you should still consider if it is worth the trouble. I think it is alot easier to just get a friend to go with you and fix things than to start an internet war with someone you don't know.

 

My intent in posting was to relate my surprise at the sudden turn of events.

It sounds to me like you posted to vent. You aimed your frustration at someone that you think moved your cache. You may have an admission of that, but you have'nt said. If you don't, then I think venting about the cache being moved would be ok, but not blaming someone without proof.

 

I edited and stiked thru the line that he hadn't responded. You still don't know what his priorities are.

Edited March 18, 2011 by mresoteric

[+geocat_]

Not exactly on topic, but you might be interested in this site

 

http://www.handicaching.com/