I feel like a jerk...

[+Nichole1980]

There are a couple caches around my place that have about 25 DNFs on it and not a single note from the owner stating they have checked it or anything. So..being the non-researching type I go on my hunt and will spend an eternity looking high and low for a cache. I come home defeated with all intents on logging just a DNF. I check out the other logs and I find that the cache hasn't been found in over a month (sometimes a year) and there is no communication from the owner whatsoever. I suppose I might take offense to this as I just wasted an hour looking for something that was not there to begin with. So I send an archive request. I am a cache owner myself and I take some pride in checking it often and making sure everything is dry and in good shape. I always go back to the logs on the ones I do this too and I always see a log from the cache owner that they have disabled it and are going to go check on it. I feel like a jerk. Like I am some Cache Nazi or something. Should I feel like a jerk because I am practically forcing them to get off their butts to go fix their caches? Should I just leave it alone and log DNFs? What do you guys think?

[+entogeek]

1) Has anyone posted a Needs Maintenance on it yet?

2) If so, have you checked to see if the CO has been on-line over the last three months?

 

If the answers to both questions are yes, then post a Should be Archived as that will get the owner's attention if they log in. If they don't log in, chances are they will be given a one month grace period before it gets archived.

[+NeecesandNephews]

I wouldn't be so hard on yourself!! Look at it this way... the frustration you feel over not being able to find a cache that is likely missing, is going to perpetuate itself on the next seeker... and the next... and so on. Until someone takes the necessary action.

I am amazed that people log all kinds of deplorable cache conditions in their "found" logs, yet will hesitate to even log a "NM".

I feel that a cache owner who reads "DNF' after "DNF" and never checks the cache, or logs a re-assuring note to seekers that the cache is still there, or disables it if missing, is doing all of us a disservice.

I will however, check to see how often the Owner logs into the site before I just fire off a "NA". If the cacher hasn't logged in for a couple months, I will "NA" in a heartbeat. The Reviewers most always give them a specific amount of time to get it together. I have yet to see a Reviewer immediately archive a cache around our area.

I have no problem taking steps to try to compel someone to be responsible.

[+BigAl437]

You should not feel like a jerk. The CO should be out there taking care of their cache. That is all part of being a responsible CO. I check mine every so often and make sure there is enough swag in them and that they are dry and in good order. I just received an email that one of mine is now missing the log book. I will be going out either tomorrow or Sat. to replace it. All CO's should take pride in their caches and be responsible enough to maintain them. My thought too is what if something happened to the CO? Any way to check up on them?

 

Something else I do is carry extra log books. I mean how hard is it to replace a log book? I also carry extra zip lock baggies to replace them when they are needed too. This stuff is not expensive and is something good cachers should do. If we can CITO while were are caching, we can carry a little extra to help those CO's. We just need to let them know if we did replace something so they are aware of it.

[+BlueDeuce]

There are a couple caches around my place that have about 25 DNFs on it and not a single note from the owner stating they have checked it or anything. So..being the non-researching type I go on my hunt and will spend an eternity looking high and low for a cache. I come home defeated with all intents on logging just a DNF. I check out the other logs and I find that the cache hasn't been found in over a month (sometimes a year) and there is no communication from the owner whatsoever. I suppose I might take offense to this as I just wasted an hour looking for something that was not there to begin with. So I send an archive request. I am a cache owner myself and I take some pride in checking it often and making sure everything is dry and in good shape. I always go back to the logs on the ones I do this too and I always see a log from the cache owner that they have disabled it and are going to go check on it. I feel like a jerk. Like I am some Cache Nazi or something. Should I feel like a jerk because I am practically forcing them to get off their butts to go fix their caches? Should I just leave it alone and log DNFs? What do you guys think?

 

If you are not comfortable posting an NA, there is nothing wrong with privately contacting your local reviewer with the details. Let them decide.

[+LukeTrocity]

There is a cacher in my area that has a TON of micros everywhere. Honestly some of them are pretty cool, but he doesn't maintain ANY of them. I didn't want him to think I was picking on him by putting a bunch of "needs maintenance/needs archive" so I just went directly to the reviewer and let them handle it. I'm guilt free and don't have to deal with any drama.

[+luvvinbird]

There are a couple caches around my place that have about 25 DNFs on it and not a single note from the owner stating they have checked it or anything. So..being the non-researching type I go on my hunt and will spend an eternity looking high and low for a cache. I come home defeated with all intents on logging just a DNF. I check out the other logs and I find that the cache hasn't been found in over a month (sometimes a year) and there is no communication from the owner whatsoever. I suppose I might take offense to this as I just wasted an hour looking for something that was not there to begin with. So I send an archive request. I am a cache owner myself and I take some pride in checking it often and making sure everything is dry and in good shape. I always go back to the logs on the ones I do this too and I always see a log from the cache owner that they have disabled it and are going to go check on it. I feel like a jerk. Like I am some Cache Nazi or something. Should I feel like a jerk because I am practically forcing them to get off their butts to go fix their caches? Should I just leave it alone and log DNFs? What do you guys think?

You should not feel like a jerk. You are doing the right thing. Entogeek has given some good advice. I'm a cache owner too and, like every owner, I get a notification every time there's activity whether it's a "found" or a note, whatever. A conscientious and responsible cache owner should not have to wait to see a "needs maintenance" log to know there's a problem. The CO just needs to live up to their responsibility and read the logs.

Edited April 15, 2011 by luvvinbird

[+StarBrand]

If you looked for it and DNF'd it and so did the last 5 or 6 people over time - it isn't out of line to post a note asking for the status of the cache. If no response within a few weeks - post the NA log and then don't give it a second thought. Let the reviewer deal with it - you did the right thing.

[+M 5]

Kind of strange that the cache won't be found for over a year, and then a find. Was it fixed before the finds? Throwdowns that then go missing? A no find counted as a finds? A mistake? or a very hard cache that gets found every now and then? I wouldn't immediately go for a needs archived, should email the owner or a needs maint or something less severe first in my opinion, but follow up if your concerned about it.

[+DanOCan]

I only resort to the Needs Archived log in situations where it appears the cache AND the owner are missing. If the czche appears to be missing and the owner is active I'll just log a Needs Maintenance with a subtle hint like "Hmm, five straight DNFs on a low-difficulty cache that had 82 straight Finds? Might want to check on this one."

 

I avoid these situations a lot by filtering my Pocket Queries in GSAK before I download them to the GPSr. If the last three logs on a cache are all DNFs then it never makes it onto my unit.

[+L0ne.R]

There are a couple caches around my place that have about 25 DNFs on it and not a single note from the owner stating they have checked it or anything. So..being the non-researching type I go on my hunt and will spend an eternity looking high and low for a cache. I come home defeated with all intents on logging just a DNF. I check out the other logs and I find that the cache hasn't been found in over a month (sometimes a year) and there is no communication from the owner whatsoever. I suppose I might take offense to this as I just wasted an hour looking for something that was not there to begin with. So I send an archive request. I am a cache owner myself and I take some pride in checking it often and making sure everything is dry and in good shape. I always go back to the logs on the ones I do this too and I always see a log from the cache owner that they have disabled it and are going to go check on it. I feel like a jerk. Like I am some Cache Nazi or something. Should I feel like a jerk because I am practically forcing them to get off their butts to go fix their caches? Should I just leave it alone and log DNFs? What do you guys think?

 

I hear you. I also fret over posting a NA. Posting an NA came back to bite me recently. The CO not only archived the one cache I posted a NA on but he posted an angry log and committed geocide - archived all of his caches that same day. It's time for GS to soften the wording so that it doesn't insult a CO. Instead of 'Needs Archived' it would be nice if the function was renamed "Reviewer Attention Needed". Please vote for a name change in the feedback forums: http://feedback.geoc...5-needs-archive

[jholly]

There are a couple caches around my place that have about 25 DNFs on it and not a single note from the owner stating they have checked it or anything. So..being the non-researching type I go on my hunt and will spend an eternity looking high and low for a cache. I come home defeated with all intents on logging just a DNF. I check out the other logs and I find that the cache hasn't been found in over a month (sometimes a year) and there is no communication from the owner whatsoever. I suppose I might take offense to this as I just wasted an hour looking for something that was not there to begin with. So I send an archive request. I am a cache owner myself and I take some pride in checking it often and making sure everything is dry and in good shape. I always go back to the logs on the ones I do this too and I always see a log from the cache owner that they have disabled it and are going to go check on it. I feel like a jerk. Like I am some Cache Nazi or something. Should I feel like a jerk because I am practically forcing them to get off their butts to go fix their caches? Should I just leave it alone and log DNFs? What do you guys think?

 

I hear you. I also fret over posting a NA. Posting an NA came back to bite me recently. The CO not only archived the one cache I posted a NA on but he posted an angry log and committed geocide - archived all of his caches that same day. It's time for GS to soften the wording so that it doesn't insult a CO. Instead of 'Needs Archived' it would be nice if the function was renamed "Reviewer Attention Needed". Please vote for a name change in the feedback forums: http://feedback.geoc...5-needs-archive

I really don't think calling it "Reviewer Attention Needed" would change the outcome of this incident. I really think the CO would commit geocide on RAN also. Just the thought that someone is calling 911 on his caches is what set him off, NA or RAN will yield the same result.

[+briansnat]

Not really a getting started issue. Moving to general forum.

[+Sol seaker]

1) Has anyone posted a Needs Maintenance on it yet?

2) If so, have you checked to see if the CO has been on-line over the last three months?

 

If the answers to both questions are yes, then post a Should be Archived as that will get the owner's attention if they log in. If they don't log in, chances are they will be given a one month grace period before it gets archived.

 

 

 

As I see it, as a cacher, I only see each cache once.

During that one trip, I need to take my part in reporting any problems.

That cache owner may have 200 caches and count on the cachers to report problems.

I figure it's my job.

 

 

Post a "needs maintenance" first.

I always put a watch on caches that I post needs maintenance reports on.

If the owner doesn't respond over a large period of time and it keep racking up the DNF's then I will post a "Needs archiving" to get some attention.

 

The reviewer will always be the one to make the decision. Figure, that by reporting it you are just reporting a problem and the reviewer will make the decisions.

[+Nichole1980]

Thanks everyone! I feel a little better. With all of your helpful comments I will be sure to log a "Needs Maintenance" first and see what happens with it. I had not been doing that previously so I will start doing that now. Thanks again for the advice. I will also try to not take the game so seriously, which I do naturally so that will be a nice uphill battle with myself.

[+B+L]

Thanks everyone! I feel a little better. With all of your helpful comments I will be sure to log a "Needs Maintenance" first and see what happens with it. I had not been doing that previously so I will start doing that now. Thanks again for the advice. I will also try to not take the game so seriously, which I do naturally so that will be a nice uphill battle with myself.

Do what you think is right. Adding another Needs Maintenance to a cache that already has several is unlikely to change anything.

 

This is what happens when no one is willing to be the jerk:

 

[+BaylorGrad]

Think about it this way:

 

---> People you will upset by posting a Needs Archived: ONE (at most. In many cases, this will be ZERO)

 

---> People you will help by posting a Needs Archived: Every single cacher who ever visits that cache again.

[+BlueDeuce]

Do what you think is right. Adding another Needs Maintenance to a cache that already has several is unlikely to change anything.

 

This is what happens when no one is willing to be the jerk:

 

 

I disagree, and before a stare too deeply into the abyss is that photo forum family appropriate?

[+B+L]

I disagree, and before a stare too deeply into the abyss is that photo forum family appropriate?

 

Water and paper make mush. Add some mold and ignore it for years and that's what you get.

[+BlueDeuce]

I disagree, and before a stare too deeply into the abyss is that photo forum family appropriate?

 

Water and paper make mush. Add some mold and ignore it for years and that's what you get.

 

Ah.

[+GrateBear]

I find that the Statistics tab in a cacher's profile is a great resource. When I'm contemplating posting a NA, I use that to see how active the CO has been. Recently I've come across a couple that had a big flurry well over a year ago, then dropped off the face of the earth. "Last Visit" was months and months ago, no finds in over a year, etc. Odds are pretty good that they aren't going to do anything about the cache. Plus, our reviewer does a good job at posting notes about needing maintenance on a lot of them that have multiple DNFs.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Hyperbole??? You went looking for 'a couple of' caches with 'about' 25 DNFs? Outside of the cache on another thread where a group of seventeen cachers all DNFed the same cache, I've never heard of such a thing!

So, credibiliy aside, one wonders why you wasted your time?

A month is not a long time for a CO to be away. And a few DNFs is not necessarily a reason for a CO to run out anc check on a chace. Oh, that's right, you're talking about caches with 25 DNFs?

Yeah. I'd say that you have all the makings of a Cache Cop.

Try having fun!

[+Nichole1980]

Thanks everyone! I feel a little better. With all of your helpful comments I will be sure to log a "Needs Maintenance" first and see what happens with it. I had not been doing that previously so I will start doing that now. Thanks again for the advice. I will also try to not take the game so seriously, which I do naturally so that will be a nice uphill battle with myself.

Do what you think is right. Adding another Needs Maintenance to a cache that already has several is unlikely to change anything.

 

This is what happens when no one is willing to be the jerk:

 

 

 

LOL this made me happy to hear that its OK to be a jerk sometimes! Thanks.

[+Nichole1980]

Hyperbole??? You went looking for 'a couple of' caches with 'about' 25 DNFs? Outside of the cache on another thread where a group of seventeen cachers all DNFed the same cache, I've never heard of such a thing!

So, credibiliy aside, one wonders why you wasted your time?

A month is not a long time for a CO to be away. And a few DNFs is not necessarily a reason for a CO to run out anc check on a chace. Oh, that's right, you're talking about caches with 25 DNFs?

Yeah. I'd say that you have all the makings of a Cache Cop.

Try having fun!

 

#1 I said that there ARE a couple of caches where I am from that have about 25 DNFs. YES this happens. Perhaps you live in perfect geocaching land where all caches are never abandoned or forgotten. What a great place to live smarty pants. I happen to live in the woods where people come and go often and I am not surprised to find caches that have been abandoned and no one bothers to look for them anymore because of the MANY DNFs. I am very happy that you have "never heard of such a thing" because it goes to show that most cachers take care of their caches.

 

#2 Credibility aside? Who are you to call my "credibility" into question? Did you happen to research my area and perhaps FIND the two caches I was speaking of? I doubt it. I "wasted" my time because, as I said in the original post that I generally do not research before going out to check to make sure it has been found in the last few MONTHS or even DAYS. I just grab my stuff and go. I can generally find caches with ease, these are the most extreme ones that I am talking about.

 

#3 I agree that a month is not a long time for a cache owner to be away which is why I generally do NOT post an archive. I have literally posted TWO archive requests, ever. Do not ASSUME that I do this for every DNF that is out there. As always I am having fun! Even right now.

 

#4 As you are entitled to your opinion, I am entitled to mine. I very well may be a cache cop, but at least the cachers in my area will have perfect caches everytime they go now won't they?

 

#5 Thank you for your comment and I will take your concerns into consideration the next time I go caching with my badge in hand!

[+NeecesandNephews]

Hyperbole??? You went looking for 'a couple of' caches with 'about' 25 DNFs? Outside of the cache on another thread where a group of seventeen cachers all DNFed the same cache, I've never heard of such a thing!

So, credibiliy aside, one wonders why you wasted your time?

A month is not a long time for a CO to be away. And a few DNFs is not necessarily a reason for a CO to run out anc check on a chace. Oh, that's right, you're talking about caches with 25 DNFs?

Yeah. I'd say that you have all the makings of a Cache Cop.

Try having fun!

 

#1 I said that there ARE a couple of caches where I am from that have about 25 DNFs. YES this happens. Perhaps you live in perfect geocaching land where all caches are never abandoned or forgotten. What a great place to live smarty pants. I happen to live in the woods where people come and go often and I am not surprised to find caches that have been abandoned and no one bothers to look for them anymore because of the MANY DNFs. I am very happy that you have "never heard of such a thing" because it goes to show that most cachers take care of their caches.

 

#2 Credibility aside? Who are you to call my "credibility" into question? Did you happen to research my area and perhaps FIND the two caches I was speaking of? I doubt it. I "wasted" my time because, as I said in the original post that I generally do not research before going out to check to make sure it has been found in the last few MONTHS or even DAYS. I just grab my stuff and go. I can generally find caches with ease, these are the most extreme ones that I am talking about.

 

#3 I agree that a month is not a long time for a cache owner to be away which is why I generally do NOT post an archive. I have literally posted TWO archive requests, ever. Do not ASSUME that I do this for every DNF that is out there. As always I am having fun! Even right now.

 

#4 As you are entitled to your opinion, I am entitled to mine. I very well may be a cache cop, but at least the cachers in my area will have perfect caches everytime they go now won't they?

 

#5 Thank you for your comment and I will take your concerns into consideration the next time I go caching with my badge in hand!

 

:laughing: You go girl!!!

[+BlueDeuce]

Now to my disagree part. There is usually nothing about a NM or NA, right or wrong, that can't be handled by an owner who responds appropriately. Most cache owners don't get to that point or at least acknowledge that they need to do some maintenance. If they let it slide the reviewer steps in.

 

My experience has been that when an owner takes issue with a maintenance request, it means they have no intention of maintaining the cache.

[+captnemo]

There are a couple caches around my place that have about 25 DNFs on it and not a single note from the owner stating they have checked it or anything. So..being the non-researching type I go on my hunt and will spend an eternity looking high and low for a cache. I come home defeated with all intents on logging just a DNF. I check out the other logs and I find that the cache hasn't been found in over a month (sometimes a year) and there is no communication from the owner whatsoever. I suppose I might take offense to this as I just wasted an hour looking for something that was not there to begin with. So I send an archive request. I am a cache owner myself and I take some pride in checking it often and making sure everything is dry and in good shape. I always go back to the logs on the ones I do this too and I always see a log from the cache owner that they have disabled it and are going to go check on it. I feel like a jerk. Like I am some Cache Nazi or something. Should I feel like a jerk because I am practically forcing them to get off their butts to go fix their caches? Should I just leave it alone and log DNFs? What do you guys think?

Hey don't feel bad you did OK. Only thing I would have done is post a NM first, unless there were a bunch of NM logs then I would have NA it. DNF's don't always mean the cache is gone, especially if it's a hard to find. One of my caches had 8 DNF's before a FTF was posted. I did go back out between DNF's to make sure it was still there.

 

I do wish that cachers would post more then TFTC, as rely on logs to keep up on the status of my caches.

Edited April 16, 2011 by captnemo

[+mtbikernate]

I adjust my response based on the cache/owner situation.

 

There are some caches in my area by a long-departed CO. Many have been sitting for a year or more without even a DNF. Last find oftentimes YEARS previously. I will actually go out to try to find them, though, because I've stumbled across one cache that went THREE YEARS without a find before I found it, and its contents were practically pristine. So I'll at least look.

 

However, if I can't find it after an exhaustive search and there's a history of DNF's, or years since the last find, I go straight to NA. Sometimes I'll put the NM on it just as a formality, then post NA a week or so later, but usually not. What's also common in my area is that a cache will be in need of maintenance for years, but still present. People will go on logging finds, mentioning the need for maintenance in their find logs, and nothing ever happens. One I recently found was like that. I found the first found log mentioning a need for maintenance four years prior to my find. NOBODY posted NM on it. I posted a snarky NM, followed by a NA about a month later.

 

A lot of deadbeat caches have been getting cleared out of my area in the past couple of months. I've noticed that others are finally starting to log their DNF's, NM's, and NA's, and stuff is getting taken care of. It's just really frustrating, though.

 

Most of the caches that actually seem to be present are parking lot micros that I don't care to look for. A lot of the caches that involve hikes (that I prefer) are the ones that have problems.

[+JL_HSTRE]

I hear you. I also fret over posting a NA. Posting an NA came back to bite me recently. The CO not only archived the one cache I posted a NA on but he posted an angry log and committed geocide - archived all of his caches that same day.

 

That's a pretty big overreaction by the CO.

 

Think about it this way:

 

---> People you will upset by posting a Needs Archived: ONE (at most. In many cases, this will be ZERO)

 

---> People you will help by posting a Needs Archived: Every single cacher who ever visits that cache again.

 

This.

 

If the owner hasn't responded to previous NM logs for a serious issue and/or a long string of DNFs then do the geo-world a good service with a NA log. Especially if a check of the owner's profile indicates they haven't logged in for months.

[+edscott]

 

I hear you. I also fret over posting a NA. Posting an NA came back to bite me recently. The CO not only archived the one cache I posted a NA on but he posted an angry log and committed geocide - archived all of his caches that same day. It's time for GS to soften the wording so that it doesn't insult a CO. Instead of 'Needs Archived' it would be nice if the function was renamed "Reviewer Attention Needed". Please vote for a name change in the feedback forums: http://feedback.geoc...5-needs-archive

 

Anyone standing that close the edge was gonna fall anyway.. don't blame yourself for anything.

[+St.Matthew]

You think that's bad? I recently NA'd 4 local caches, all of which had 4-10 DNFs and the CO's hadn't logged on here in 8-12 months. And in 3 of the caches, I had actually confirmed the cache as gone.

 

I got two nasty grams in my email a few days later, completely soaked with hatorade.

[+jacob501]

A couple months ago I posted 3 "Needs Archived" logs in ONE DAY, simply because there were three-four DNF logs on each one and the cache owners hadn't been on the website for the past 4-12 months. I had also emailed each of the COs several times with no responses. I bet my reviewer thinks I am a jerk, but not me!

[knowschad]

It isn't always all that bad being a jerk!

 

[+M 5]

or maybe....

 

 

[+gelfling6]

Simply put, If the cache is missing, and others have also posted it as needing maintenance, missing, or multiple DNF's because, then go for the option of marking it as needing maintenance, Not needing archiving. I only had to log one as needing archiving, because the cache was truely destroyed! (muggled to death, container smashed, contents strewn, hiding place demolished. Truely vandalized!)

 

My rule of thumb is mark it as needing maintenance, so the owner, or cache reviewer can make the decision to archive, or replace it.

this way, you're not forcing the archiving issue, and the CO can opt to repair, replace or archive it themselves. If no response from the CO,

the local cache reviewer has the final option of archiving it. (and if there is any, could someone please CITO the remains?)

There was a cache I tried to rescue, but the CO decided to archive it, But left it.. I tried to adopt it, but the reviewer never responded back.

It was a fairly old one, but the sterilite (I HATE Sterilite! Sorry..) box it was in, was smashed beyond hope.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Simply put, If the cache is missing, and others have also posted it as needing maintenance, missing, or multiple DNF's because, then go for the option of marking it as needing maintenance, Not needing archiving. I only had to log one as needing archiving, because the cache was truely destroyed! (muggled to death, container smashed, contents strewn, hiding place demolished. Truely vandalized!)

 

My rule of thumb is mark it as needing maintenance, so the owner, or cache reviewer can make the decision to archive, or replace it.

this way, you're not forcing the archiving issue, and the CO can opt to repair, replace or archive it themselves. If no response from the CO,

the local cache reviewer has the final option of archiving it. (and if there is any, could someone please CITO the remains?)

There was a cache I tried to rescue, but the CO decided to archive it, But left it.. I tried to adopt it, but the reviewer never responded back.

It was a fairly old one, but the sterilite (I HATE Sterilite! Sorry..) box it was in, was smashed beyond hope.

 

A reviewer, I am told, DOES NOT receive maintenance logs, therefore, a multitude of MN logs is just a number of logs. The NA log is necessary to involve a reviewer's attention.

 

As far as the rescue/adoption -- to adopt, one needs the blessing of the CO, not the reviewer. Aside from that, it was archived, why not place a cache there (one that is not Sterilite!)? Once archived, the territory is open!

[+J the Goat]

Simply put, If the cache is missing, and others have also posted it as needing maintenance, missing, or multiple DNF's because, then go for the option of marking it as needing maintenance, Not needing archiving. I only had to log one as needing archiving, because the cache was truely destroyed! (muggled to death, container smashed, contents strewn, hiding place demolished. Truely vandalized!)

 

My rule of thumb is mark it as needing maintenance, so the owner, or cache reviewer can make the decision to archive, or replace it.

this way, you're not forcing the archiving issue, and the CO can opt to repair, replace or archive it themselves. If no response from the CO,

the local cache reviewer has the final option of archiving it. (and if there is any, could someone please CITO the remains?)

There was a cache I tried to rescue, but the CO decided to archive it, But left it.. I tried to adopt it, but the reviewer never responded back.

It was a fairly old one, but the sterilite (I HATE Sterilite! Sorry..) box it was in, was smashed beyond hope.

 

Bolding is mine. That's still the case with a NA log, if they CO can get the problem fixed, then there are no issues and the cache stays alive. The NA log alerts the reviewer, where the NM log does not. Only real difference minus the name AFAIK.

[+chachi44089]

I had the same question once, and wasnt sure what to do. So I asked. I got good advise from several people. And insulted by Harry Dolphin. He called me the "cache police", or something similar to what he called you, and offered no helpful advise. That is one of the big reasons I am not on these forums much. For a "family friendly" game I am often surprised at the rude, indifferent, snide comments posted by a few of the members. Just ignore the useless remarks and focus on those who are willing to help without criticizing you for having doubts from being new to the game. This is the tread I am refering to.. http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=248247&st=0&p=4315731&fromsearch=1entry4315731

Ny issue was resolved, with help from a few good members and some patience. I did not feel like a jerk for long as both the caches in question were indeed gone. One has recently been restored. And I did it all without any help from a harry dolphin.

[+jsdad]

I wouldn't be so hard on yourself!! Look at it this way... the frustration you feel over not being able to find a cache that is likely missing, is going to perpetuate itself on the next seeker... and the next... and so on. Until someone takes the necessary action.

I am amazed that people log all kinds of deplorable cache conditions in their "found" logs, yet will hesitate to even log a "NM".

I feel that a cache owner who reads "DNF' after "DNF" and never checks the cache, or logs a re-assuring note to seekers that the cache is still there, or disables it if missing, is doing all of us a disservice.

I will however, check to see how often the Owner logs into the site before I just fire off a "NA". If the cacher hasn't logged in for a couple months, I will "NA" in a heartbeat. The Reviewers most always give them a specific amount of time to get it together. I have yet to see a Reviewer immediately archive a cache around our area.

I have no problem taking steps to try to compel someone to be responsible.

 

+1

 

That is one of my pet-peeves. People need to realize there is some responsibility to "owning a cache" If your not willing to read the logs, check on it and maintain it, don't even bother placeing a cache. I'd rather find 5 well maintained caches, than 50 soggy log caches from a cacher that can't maintain them.

Edited April 17, 2011 by jsdad

[+J the Goat]

I had the same question once, and wasnt sure what to do. So I asked. I got good advise from several people. And insulted by Harry Dolphin. He called me the "cache police", or something similar to what he called you, and offered no helpful advise. That is one of the big reasons I am not on these forums much. For a "family friendly" game I am often surprised at the rude, indifferent, snide comments posted by a few of the members. Just ignore the useless remarks and focus on those who are willing to help without criticizing you for having doubts from being new to the game. This is the tread I am refering to.. http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=248247&st=0&p=4315731&fromsearch=1entry4315731

Ny issue was resolved, with help from a few good members and some patience. I did not feel like a jerk for long as both the caches in question were indeed gone. One has recently been restored. And I did it all without any help from a harry dolphin.

 

Unneccessary and clearly bitter. While the tone might come across as "insulting", there's good information in the post.

[+chachi44089]

I had the same question once, and wasnt sure what to do. So I asked. I got good advise from several people. And insulted by Harry Dolphin. He called me the "cache police", or something similar to what he called you, and offered no helpful advise. That is one of the big reasons I am not on these forums much. For a "family friendly" game I am often surprised at the rude, indifferent, snide comments posted by a few of the members. Just ignore the useless remarks and focus on those who are willing to help without criticizing you for having doubts from being new to the game. This is the tread I am refering to.. http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=248247&st=0&p=4315731&fromsearch=1entry4315731

Ny issue was resolved, with help from a few good members and some patience. I did not feel like a jerk for long as both the caches in question were indeed gone. One has recently been restored. And I did it all without any help from a harry dolphin.

 

Unneccessary and clearly bitter. While the tone might come across as "insulting", there's good information in the post.

Yes, his comments to Nichole1980 and I were unnecessary and bitter. Proof by our responce.. Good info can be given without so much "tone".

[AZcachemeister]

@ OP

I know what you mean.

Hopefully you will never be completely comfortable in this situation.

Sometimes someone just needs to have the gonads to step up and say what needs to be said.

20-30 cachers posted logs, and suddenly I am the first to notice the 'NO TRESPASSING' sign?

[knowschad]

@ OP

I know what you mean.

Hopefully you will never be completely comfortable in this situation.

Sometimes someone just needs to have the gonads to step up and say what needs to be said.

20-30 cachers posted logs, and suddenly I am the first to notice the 'NO TRESPASSING' sign?

Umm. Nicole may never quite fit that description, no matter how hard she tries.

[+mtbikernate]

I had the same question once, and wasnt sure what to do. So I asked. I got good advise from several people. And insulted by Harry Dolphin. He called me the "cache police", or something similar to what he called you, and offered no helpful advise. That is one of the big reasons I am not on these forums much. For a "family friendly" game I am often surprised at the rude, indifferent, snide comments posted by a few of the members. Just ignore the useless remarks and focus on those who are willing to help without criticizing you for having doubts from being new to the game. This is the tread I am refering to.. http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=248247&st=0&p=4315731&fromsearch=1entry4315731

Ny issue was resolved, with help from a few good members and some patience. I did not feel like a jerk for long as both the caches in question were indeed gone. One has recently been restored. And I did it all without any help from a harry dolphin.

 

Unneccessary and clearly bitter. While the tone might come across as "insulting", there's good information in the post.

Yes, his comments to Nichole1980 and I were unnecessary and bitter. Proof by our responce.. Good info can be given without so much "tone".

 

You're the one who's posting unnecessary bitter comments.

 

My local area has a certifiable "cache cop" who posts on caches he's obviously never looked for. Many of them are indeed gone because the cache owners are no longer playing the game. BUT, I have seen him post on a good number of them that are still there, too...simply because nobody has posted ANY kind of log on them for a year or more. Not a lot of cachers here. I found a puzzle recently that hadn't been found in 3yrs. Not because there was a problem with it...but because all the locals found it years ago and tourists don't often do the puzzles here. The local cache cop has proven to be annoying. He hasn't gone after any of mine yet, but I have a difficult multi that doesn't get found often that I could see him asking to be archived if it gets a string of DNF's.

 

I only post anything on caches if I've ACTUALLY looked for them, and I can see how Harry Dolphin could have suspected the OP in this thread may not have searched. The post was kinda vague on the details.

 

Your post you linked to...meh. It's an internet forum. You need thick skin to post anything on internet forums because sometimes others post things you don't like. Brush it off and move on. Don't get butthurt and hold a grudge because it really isn't worth it.

[+cimawr]

@ OP

I know what you mean.

Hopefully you will never be completely comfortable in this situation.

Sometimes someone just needs to have the gonads to step up and say what needs to be said.

20-30 cachers posted logs, and suddenly I am the first to notice the 'NO TRESPASSING' sign?

Umm. Nicole may never quite fit that description, no matter how hard she tries.

 

Erm... both males and females have gonads, yanno.

 

More seriously, I wholeheartedly agree. I've been geocaching for around 5 years now, and I'm still surprised by how afraid people are to say something when there's an issue.

For that matter, I'm frequently surprised at the lengths people will go to just to add to their numbers - parking in the middle of a 4-lane, 50-mph highway; climbing trees on the side of a busy road, right next to a bus stop; ignoring "no trespassing" signs; ignoring the fact that a cache location is actually someone's private fence or the back of someone's private residential property; walking through the middle of a large homeless encampment .... and so forth.

 

Editing to add: re the climbing trees, it's not the climbing... it's the utter conspicuousness of the location.

Edited April 18, 2011 by cimawr

[+chachi44089]

I had the same question once, and wasnt sure what to do. So I asked. I got good advise from several people. And insulted by Harry Dolphin. He called me the "cache police", or something similar to what he called you, and offered no helpful advise. That is one of the big reasons I am not on these forums much. For a "family friendly" game I am often surprised at the rude, indifferent, snide comments posted by a few of the members. Just ignore the useless remarks and focus on those who are willing to help without criticizing you for having doubts from being new to the game. This is the tread I am refering to.. http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=248247&st=0&p=4315731&fromsearch=1entry4315731

Ny issue was resolved, with help from a few good members and some patience. I did not feel like a jerk for long as both the caches in question were indeed gone. One has recently been restored. And I did it all without any help from a harry dolphin.

 

Unneccessary and clearly bitter. While the tone might come across as "insulting", there's good information in the post.

Yes, his comments to Nichole1980 and I were unnecessary and bitter. Proof by our responce.. Good info can be given without so much "tone".

 

You're the one who's posting unnecessary bitter comments.

 

My local area has a certifiable "cache cop" who posts on caches he's obviously never looked for. Many of them are indeed gone because the cache owners are no longer playing the game. BUT, I have seen him post on a good number of them that are still there, too...simply because nobody has posted ANY kind of log on them for a year or more. Not a lot of cachers here. I found a puzzle recently that hadn't been found in 3yrs. Not because there was a problem with it...but because all the locals found it years ago and tourists don't often do the puzzles here. The local cache cop has proven to be annoying. He hasn't gone after any of mine yet, but I have a difficult multi that doesn't get found often that I could see him asking to be archived if it gets a string of DNF's.

 

I only post anything on caches if I've ACTUALLY looked for them, and I can see how Harry Dolphin could have suspected the OP in this thread may not have searched. The post was kinda vague on the details.

 

Your post you linked to...meh. It's an internet forum. You need thick skin to post anything on internet forums because sometimes others post things you don't like. Brush it off and move on. Don't get butthurt and hold a grudge because it really isn't worth it.

 

Yes my post was a bit bitter. And yes you need thick skin on this forum. But the point was that a person asked a legit question looking for an answer. Most were helpful, one was rude. Calling people names such as "cache cop" is not right. The OP had done nothing like you describe as a "cache cop". So they didnt deserve the title. If it was "kinda vague", he could have asked a question to clear it up. Neither the OP nor I have ever acted like a "cache cop" by simply asking for help from more experienced members. New members dont know they need thick skin on this forum, actually I was quite surprised when I joined just how thick skinned you must be in here considering this is just a game. As a member of many other forums, this one can be the most harsh by far. Especially to noobs.

[+cimawr]

 

A reviewer, I am told, DOES NOT receive maintenance logs, therefore, a multitude of MN logs is just a number of logs. The NA log is necessary to

 

As I understand it, reviewers do NOT receive notifications for "Needs Maintenance" logs; the only logs they get notifications for are "Needs Archived".

Reviewers can also, as I understand it, pull up lists of caches which are disabled, and a reviewer who's doing his or her job correctly will periodically do a check for those, and archive them if the owner has had the cache disabled for too long. Our local review is good about that - when a cache has been left disabled for too long, s/he archives it with a public note saying something to the effect of "Since this cache has been disabled for so long, I'm archiving it to keep it from showing up in searches. If the owner wishes to correct the situation, please contact me."

 

S/he is also really fair with "Needs Archived" requests due to lack of maintenance or too many DNFs - usually what happens is the reviewer disables it, and gives the CO 30 days to replace or fix it. If the CO doesn't take care of it, then it gets archived.

 

My rule of thumb is usually if the cache needs maintenance, and there are no prior NM logs, then I post a NM and put the cache on my watchlist. If I see that another cacher (not the CO) has fixed things, or that I was mistaken, I delete my NM log. If it doesn't get fixed, but the cache is still findable, I either don't do anything more, or (if the cache is close enough to me and accessible enough) I may take care of the issue myself (replace a logbook or pencil, that sort of thing).

 

If the NM issue was that the cache is supposed to be easy but suddenly started getting a lot of DNFs, and/or it's verifiably missing, and the CO has been on the site within, say, the past year, then I post a NM, wait a month or so to see if they respond... if they don't, THEN I'll post a NA.

 

I won't don't a NA as my first action unless:

1) the cache appears to be missing, or has some other "fatal" issue, and CO hasn't been on the site for a couple of years - especially if s/he has other caches that have been archived due to non-responsiveness

2)the cache appears to be missing and there's a previous NM log that's been ignored for a month or more

3) the cache is placed in violation of a Groundspeak rule (for example, on the grounds of a school).

[+The Blorenges]

Yet another topic which indicates to me that there would be a bit less angst in Geocaching Life if only the "Needs Archive" log name was change changed to something less confrontational...

 

Hmmm...

 

Like "Needs Reviewer's Attention", perhaps?

 

Please vote/comment: Feedback Forum - Change the name of "Needs Archive"

 

 

MrsB

[+Chokecherry]

I think the people who get mad about the NA logs would get just as mad about NRA logs as those same people to get a little testy about NM logs as well. There are just some people who are going to be touchy about their cache being singled out.

[+J the Goat]

 

My rule of thumb is usually if the cache needs maintenance, and there are no prior NM logs, then I post a NM and put the cache on my watchlist. If I see that another cacher (not the CO) has fixed things, or that I was mistaken, I delete my NM log. If it doesn't get fixed, but the cache is still findable, I either don't do anything more, or (if the cache is close enough to me and accessible enough) I may take care of the issue myself (replace a logbook or pencil, that sort of thing).

 

 

I'm curious (honestly, no snark) as to why. Once you hit send on a NM log, the owner gets the notification and the attribute is assigned to the cache until the CO removes it. I wasn't of the impression that deleting your NM log removes the little red and white cross from the cache page. Is there another reason to delete the NM log after the fact?