Jump to content

What to say when you get caught.


Recommended Posts

Correction on post title: What to say when you get caught by muggles. (sorry, my iPhone auto corrects muggle to muffle)

 

Ok, so you're in an urban area and you're looking for that hidden micro. You're doing what you can to look inconspicuous ie: holding your gps up to your ear acting like you're on the phone and casually walking and looking around. :ph34r: But someone catches onto you and asks "what are you doing?" :surprise:

 

How do you respond? :blink:

 

And we're off... (Who's got the best response). I usually tell the truth by explaining geocaching but I know others can do better. :grin:

 

UPDATE: Who's got the most funny or creative line?

Edited by LuckyPlan
Link to comment

Ok, so you're in an urban area and you're looking for that hidden micro. You're doing what you can to look inconspicuous ie: holding your gps up to your ear acting like you're on the phone and casually walking and looking around. But someone catches onto you and asks "what are you doing?"

 

How do you respond?

 

And we're off... (Who's got the best response). I usually tell the truth by explaining geocaching but I know others can do better.

 

He-he. I know f is next to g on the keyboard, but you typed muffle. :anicute: I got a lot of mileage out of it when a local geo-pal typed muffle in a log once.

 

Anyhow, yes, if ever "caught", I will explain what I'm doing. Sorry, no creative stories here.

Link to comment

Ok, so you're in an urban area and you're looking for that hidden micro. You're doing what you can to look inconspicuous ie: holding your gps up to your ear acting like you're on the phone and casually walking and looking around. But someone catches onto you and asks "what are you doing?"

 

How do you respond?

 

And we're off... (Who's got the best response). I usually tell the truth by explaining geocaching but I know others can do better.

 

He-he. I know f is next to g on the keyboard, but you typed muffle. :anicute: I got a lot of mileage out of it when a local geo-pal typed muffle in a log once.

 

Anyhow, yes, if ever "caught", I will explain what I'm doing. Sorry, no creative stories here.

 

Yeah, I noticed muffle after I posted. My iPhone automatically changes muggle to muffle and I didn't catch it.

Link to comment

Correction on post title: What to say when you get caught by muggles. (sorry, my iPhone auto corrects muggle to muffle)

 

Ok, so you're in an urban area and you're looking for that hidden micro. You're doing what you can to look inconspicuous ie: holding your gps up to your ear acting like you're on the phone and casually walking and looking around. :ph34r: But someone catches onto you and asks "what are you doing?" :surprise:

 

How do you respond? :blink:

 

And we're off... (Who's got the best response). I usually tell the truth by explaining geocaching but I know others can do better. :grin:

 

I'd generally go with an explanation about geocaching (especially if I was caught by a leo) but it depends on who is asking.

 

While looking for a cache near a small stream I once told a kid I was looking for fish because trout season opened up in a week.

 

Several years ago I was in Rome (Italy, not New York) attending a conference. I skipped on a session after lunch so was able to get out for about two hours to try and find a cache about a mile from the conference that was big enough to hold a few TBs I had brought with me. Since I was speaking at the conference I was wearing a button shirt and tie, dress shoes, and was was carrying my laptop in a backpack. Now, for this cache the CO had mentioned several times in the listing that there was a metal fence near the cache that some geocachers had been climbing over (and damaging) to approach GZ and strongly suggested approaching it from below. I complied with the request which meant scrambling up a very steep hill through dense brush and was covered with very slippery leaves. I found the cache, made a few trades, and just as I replaced I heard someone about 15 feet away ask me something in Italian (I don't speak Italian). Then he said, "you can get back to the trail if you climb over this fence", then held it down with his foot so I could climb over. He never did ask me what I was doing but I suspect he was certainly wondering what someone dressed in a shirt and tie was doing in the bushes.

Link to comment
You're doing what you can to look inconspicuous ie: holding your gps up to your ear acting like you're on the phone and casually walking and looking around. :ph34r: But someone catches onto you and asks "what are you doing?" :surprise:

 

How do you respond? :blink:

 

First, you proceed from a false assumption -- I never engage in that sort of behavior. If a cacher hides something in a high-visibility location that's their problem, not mine.

 

As for a story? My favorite was looking for a micro in a tree when I was approached by a man walking his dog. I quickly flipped open my wallet as if showing him an ID badge and said "Tree inspector for the city." He nodded and walked off.

Link to comment

Correction on post title: What to say when you get caught by muggles. (sorry, my iPhone auto corrects muggle to muffle)

 

 

so they're not so smart after all eh? :laughing:

 

as for reply, i really liked what someone said once "i lost my contact lenses, want to help?" :lol:

Edited by t4e
Link to comment

It all depends on the day and on the muggle.

 

The very worst muggle to be caught by is a young male. Well, more than one boy is exponentially worse than one boy. I try to never get caught by them.

 

I have explained, to reactions varying from "Hmh!" to a roll of the eyes and walking away shaking their head, to "Can I help?"

 

When it was clear the muggle was just going to walk by anyway, and I was in a playful mood, I have commented that we were looking for a contact lens. Once told a young boy that we were looking for a body, hoping that would run him off screaming, but no... he thought that was cool, and wanted to help. Very recently, while with friends, looking all over an old RR trestle on a bike trail, was asked if we were looking for a dog. I thought too late that I should have answered, "Yes... he likes to hide in trestles".

 

 

PS: I'm guessing that all you need to do is to add "muggle" to your iPhone's dictionary. Alas, I fear that iPhones may permanently change that term for us if we let it slide. I've already emailed Steve Jobs about the problem.

Link to comment

My daughter and I had just found a micro hanging by a string under a storm grate when a nice looking lady muggle walked by and said "Uh oh, what did you drop down there?". I just replied "Geocache". She sort of smiled, nodded and walked away without another word. I think she thought I was just making a nonsense word to get rid of her :)

Link to comment

My daughter and I had just found a micro hanging by a string under a storm grate when a nice looking lady muggle walked by and said "Uh oh, what did you drop down there?". I just replied "Geocache". She sort of smiled, nodded and walked away without another word. I think she thought I was just making a nonsense word to get rid of her :)

More likely, she was muttering something about "Danged foreigners" under her breath. :D

Link to comment

Correction on post title: What to say when you get caught by muggles. (sorry, my iPhone auto corrects muggle to muffle)

 

Ok, so you're in an urban area and you're looking for that hidden micro. You're doing what you can to look inconspicuous ie: holding your gps up to your ear acting like you're on the phone and casually walking and looking around. :ph34r: But someone catches onto you and asks "what are you doing?" :surprise:

 

How do you respond? :blink:

 

And we're off... (Who's got the best response). I usually tell the truth by explaining geocaching but I know others can do better. :grin:

Link to comment

So far my most creative was on a security muggle, We had checked this spot a few times and even gotten caught by a different shift of the same type folks... Well, I popped off that we're ham radio operators and our dog is a great escape artist, so we placed a gps tracking collar on him and a Beacon. Well, he got away the other day and we finally got a good fix on him but we haven't seen him. So we are checking this location to see if the collar or maybe the beacon had fallen off. Have you seen a mumble mumble dog around here recently?

 

He asked if that is why we had been out here so many times, and since it fit easily into the cover story I said yes. Apparently someone had been keeping notes... He then informed me that the exact area I happened to be in was private property and if I didn't find anything in the next few minutes that I wound have to abandon the equipment I may have lost and vamoose, adding that if I talked to the maintenance super I could get permission to search longer since that stuff sounded expensive.

 

SO the story worked but I'm thinking the truth is alot easier to keep up with. :unsure:

Link to comment

For sometime now I explain exactly what I'm doing. For years I simply said I'm learning to use my GPS.....looking for spiders/snakes was always good too.

Yes. It's best to just say "we're Geocaching", which usually is enough to get rid of the questioner (sometimes they've seen other Geocachers, and may even offer an idea of where to look). But depending on the person, and depending on how many times you've been asked at that spot today, you my just say "There's a huge colorful snake! It was right where you're standing."

Edited by kunarion
Link to comment
You're doing what you can to look inconspicuous ie: holding your gps up to your ear acting like you're on the phone and casually walking and looking around. :ph34r: But someone catches onto you and asks "what are you doing?" :surprise:

 

How do you respond? :blink:

 

First, you proceed from a false assumption -- I never engage in that sort of behavior. If a cacher hides something in a high-visibility location that's their problem, not mine.

 

As for a story? My favorite was looking for a micro in a tree when I was approached by a man walking his dog. I quickly flipped open my wallet as if showing him an ID badge and said "Tree inspector for the city." He nodded and walked off.

 

How is flipping open your wallet and saying "Tree inspector for the city." different than pretending your on a cell phone? Other then one is before your are approached and the other is after. :huh:

Link to comment

At night I tell them I am Snipe hunting. During the day I walk around mumbling " I lost my marbles, have you seen my marbles, can you help me find my marbles?"

 

A wooden plaque with "toodles" hung around your neck would sell that bit much better :laughing:

Edited by TeamDadcubed
Link to comment

Depends on who spots us and opts to talk with us.

 

Teens we just ignore.

Most adults just ignore us.

Some ask us and we make a judgement call- most we explain it to. Most just leave it alone, we've had someone opt to walk the 1/4 mile with us to the cache.

Most think we are just crazy.

LEOs we haven't encountered while caching. We'd give them the short version "High tech hide and seek game".

Link to comment

Usually the truth, unless it is a a youngster or two. Then we bend the truth - just a bit - to protect the cache.

Clambering down from a wooded area to the road recently, in the middle of nowhere, we came upon a muggle out for a walk. "Checking for yew trees?" she asked. "Geocaching" we replied, ready to give the explanation. Not needed as her sister is a cacher!

Link to comment

It depends on who is asking:

LEO (police, sheriff, etc), ALWAYS tell the truth..they can smell a lie a mile away in their sleep.

 

Responsible-looking adults, I usually tell them the truth, and offer a description of the game. If they appear interested, I elaborate.

 

Teens and irresponsible-looking adults, I'm looking for rattle-snakes, Black Widow spiders, (whatever) and I move away from the actual (as far as I can tell) cache location in my search until they become uninterested or I decide to come back later.

 

Typically nobody cares what I'm doing since I look like a maintenance person.

Link to comment

Ok, so you're in an urban area and you're looking for that hidden micro. You're doing what you can to look inconspicuous ie: holding your gps up to your ear acting like you're on the phone and casually walking and looking around. But someone catches onto you and asks "what are you doing?"

 

How do you respond?

 

And we're off... (Who's got the best response). I usually tell the truth by explaining geocaching but I know others can do better.

 

He-he. I know f is next to g on the keyboard, but you typed muffle. :anicute: I got a lot of mileage out of it when a local geo-pal typed muffle in a log once.

 

Anyhow, yes, if ever "caught", I will explain what I'm doing. Sorry, no creative stories here.

 

Yeah, I noticed muffle after I posted. My iPhone automatically changes muggle to muffle and I didn't catch it.

 

Well, the person I know didn't type it from an Iphone. But that makes sense with the auto correct. Muffle is a word, Muggle, I suppose not. Apologies to Harry Potter and stuff.

Link to comment

Only been asked once, and just told them I was looking for something. Then they asked if they could help. Thanked them, and said I was good. I'm thinking if I get asked again soon, might say that the BronxZoosCobra has escaped again and I'm looking for her. So what if I'm in Idaho--who knows how fast a cobra can slither :o

Link to comment

I arrived at GZ for a cache this afternoon and saw a women standing in the brush about 20' off the path. I wasn't sure where the cache was so I asked her if she was caching. She said no, she was collecting stinging nettles. This is the time of year when they really start growing here and they make good tea, or so I am told. She went back to her nettle hunt and I searched for the cache within 50' of her. She didn't care what I was doing as long as I didn't bother her. I found the cache and headed back down the path while the nettle lady continued her search. As I was walking I pulled out my phone and was reading the descriptions of other nearby caches. A nice lady walking in the other direction asked ME if I was geocaching. She was just a local walking the path. I told her I was indeed caching. She asked me if I had found the cache I was walking away from and a couple of others in the area.

 

This was a first for me. Asking someone else if they were caching and five minutes later being asked the same question while walking along a path. :P

Link to comment

I arrived at GZ for a cache this afternoon and saw a women standing in the brush about 20' off the path. I wasn't sure where the cache was so I asked her if she was caching. She said no, she was collecting stinging nettles. This is the time of year when they really start growing here and they make good tea, or so I am told. She went back to her nettle hunt and I searched for the cache within 50' of her. She didn't care what I was doing as long as I didn't bother her. I found the cache and headed back down the path while the nettle lady continued her search. As I was walking I pulled out my phone and was reading the descriptions of other nearby caches. A nice lady walking in the other direction asked ME if I was geocaching. She was just a local walking the path. I told her I was indeed caching. She asked me if I had found the cache I was walking away from and a couple of others in the area.

 

This was a first for me. Asking someone else if they were caching and five minutes later being asked the same question while walking along a path. :P

And you didn't tell her that you were picking nettles? :blink:
Link to comment

I arrived at GZ for a cache this afternoon and saw a women standing in the brush about 20' off the path. I wasn't sure where the cache was so I asked her if she was caching. She said no, she was collecting stinging nettles. This is the time of year when they really start growing here and they make good tea, or so I am told. She went back to her nettle hunt and I searched for the cache within 50' of her. She didn't care what I was doing as long as I didn't bother her. I found the cache and headed back down the path while the nettle lady continued her search. As I was walking I pulled out my phone and was reading the descriptions of other nearby caches. A nice lady walking in the other direction asked ME if I was geocaching. She was just a local walking the path. I told her I was indeed caching. She asked me if I had found the cache I was walking away from and a couple of others in the area.

 

This was a first for me. Asking someone else if they were caching and five minutes later being asked the same question while walking along a path. :P

And you didn't tell her that you were picking nettles? :blink:

Uh, no. I did see the nettle lady back near the parking lot. She was picking Dandelions.

Link to comment

I arrived at GZ for a cache this afternoon and saw a women standing in the brush about 20' off the path. I wasn't sure where the cache was so I asked her if she was caching. She said no, she was collecting stinging nettles. This is the time of year when they really start growing here and they make good tea, or so I am told. She went back to her nettle hunt and I searched for the cache within 50' of her. She didn't care what I was doing as long as I didn't bother her. I found the cache and headed back down the path while the nettle lady continued her search. As I was walking I pulled out my phone and was reading the descriptions of other nearby caches. A nice lady walking in the other direction asked ME if I was geocaching. She was just a local walking the path. I told her I was indeed caching. She asked me if I had found the cache I was walking away from and a couple of others in the area.

 

This was a first for me. Asking someone else if they were caching and five minutes later being asked the same question while walking along a path. :P

And you didn't tell her that you were picking nettles? :blink:

Uh, no. I did see the nettle lady back near the parking lot. She was picking Dandelions.

Ah, she likes a spot of wine with her tea.

Link to comment

I arrived at GZ for a cache this afternoon and saw a women standing in the brush about 20' off the path. I wasn't sure where the cache was so I asked her if she was caching. She said no, she was collecting stinging nettles. This is the time of year when they really start growing here and they make good tea, or so I am told. She went back to her nettle hunt and I searched for the cache within 50' of her. She didn't care what I was doing as long as I didn't bother her. I found the cache and headed back down the path while the nettle lady continued her search. As I was walking I pulled out my phone and was reading the descriptions of other nearby caches. A nice lady walking in the other direction asked ME if I was geocaching. She was just a local walking the path. I told her I was indeed caching. She asked me if I had found the cache I was walking away from and a couple of others in the area.

 

This was a first for me. Asking someone else if they were caching and five minutes later being asked the same question while walking along a path. :P

And you didn't tell her that you were picking nettles? :blink:

Uh, no. I did see the nettle lady back near the parking lot. She was picking Dandelions.

Way OT, but last year I, for my first time, cooked nettles up as a green. Tasted much like spinach or kale. Supposed to be very nutritious. I'll probably to it again when they start coming up around here. Its the same time as the morels, fiddleheads, and ramps.

Link to comment

Usually I explain geocaching to the muggle, which generally translates into a 20 minute conversation. Most muggle I have encountered think the game is pretty cool. I did run into a situation where it was easier to weave tale of deceit, but that was due to the muggle. I was looking for magnetic container in a free, local weekly newspaper box. The container had been disturbed and was at the bottom of the box. In retrieving it, I dumped all the papers into the bottom of the box. After signing the log and replacing the container, I quickly restacked the papers. I thought I was ok because I didn't see anyone. As I stood up, some guy with a big smile on his face approached from the rear. He excitedly said, "I get to be your first customer of the day!". Clearly, he thinks I am the guy who stocks the box. I decided to roll with it. I stood aside and said "Be my guest.". As he grabbed a paper, I said " we really appreciate you patronage and support". He thanked me and I excused myself, after all, I had more papers to deliver. I certainly would not have lied had he not crafted the story for me. It was easier (and funnier) just to go along.

Link to comment

Being creative, can be all well and fun, but begging for BIG trouble! Be honest, and tell them you're looking for a Geocache, and explain what geocaching is. If you give them some kind of made-up story, You're asking them to check the story, and when it doesn't pan out, they'll be back to see if they can find what you were doing, or worse, Bring the authorities! (read BOMB SQUAD!) BombSquad.jpg

 

Then, it's really gonna raise havoc.. To say nothing of a bill a local cacher has, for a call from the squad, for his cache. (since is email address was in the log book, which somehow survived the disarming.)

Link to comment
How is flipping open your wallet and saying "Tree inspector for the city." different than pretending your on a cell phone? Other then one is before your are approached and the other is after. :huh:

 

I use a 60CSx -- there is no way in 2011 I'm going to pretend to be using a cell phone that still has an antenna sticking out of it. :laughing:

Link to comment
How is flipping open your wallet and saying "Tree inspector for the city." different than pretending your on a cell phone? Other then one is before your are approached and the other is after. :huh:

 

I use a 60CSx -- there is no way in 2011 I'm going to pretend to be using a cell phone that still has an antenna sticking out of it. :laughing:

What's wrong with having a satellite telephone?

 

satellite-phone.jpg

Link to comment

Being creative, can be all well and fun, but begging for BIG trouble! Be honest, and tell them you're looking for a Geocache, and explain what geocaching is. If you give them some kind of made-up story, You're asking them to check the story, and when it doesn't pan out, they'll be back to see if they can find what you were doing, or worse, Bring the authorities! (read BOMB SQUAD!) BombSquad.jpg

 

Then, it's really gonna raise havoc.. To say nothing of a bill a local cacher has, for a call from the squad, for his cache. (since is email address was in the log book, which somehow survived the disarming.)

 

So you're saying I should stop dressing like that while hunting caches?

Link to comment

Being creative, can be all well and fun, but begging for BIG trouble! Be honest, and tell them you're looking for a Geocache, and explain what geocaching is. If you give them some kind of made-up story, You're asking them to check the story, and when it doesn't pan out, they'll be back to see if they can find what you were doing, or worse, Bring the authorities! (read BOMB SQUAD!) BombSquad.jpg

 

Then, it's really gonna raise havoc.. To say nothing of a bill a local cacher has, for a call from the squad, for his cache. (since is email address was in the log book, which somehow survived the disarming.)

 

Yes this may be true but this is all hypothetical for laughs. True, you will nearly always tell the truth. This is just for fun but i guess everyone thinks I'm asking for real suggestions. I just want to hear some clever hypothetical responses.

Link to comment

Honestly I think the last time I was caught by a non-cacher he startled me as much as I startled him. The first words out of my mouth were some expletives and I crashed on my behind where I was squatting. He said something. I explained I was geocaching. He didn't get it. I showed him the cache and he kind of got it. He was obviously kind of a hermity fella and not used to interacting with people. He was content with my answer and let me go along the way. Probably didn't help that my blaze orange cap had some innuendo on it that was no appropriate for children either.

 

But typically I greet non-cachers with a smile and "hi." People where I am are so scared of interacting with strangers much of the time that the "hi" will drive them away easily.

Link to comment

The other night we were on the side of the road looking for a cache with flashlight. A truck stops and asks if we need help, I thanked him. said we're good, just looking for a mud flap I saw rolling off our car. My daughter bit her tongue, trying not to laugh, on how a mud flap "rolls" off a car. Now I've got a couple of better lines to use.

Link to comment

Being creative, can be all well and fun, but begging for BIG trouble! Be honest, and tell them you're looking for a Geocache, and explain what geocaching is. If you give them some kind of made-up story, You're asking them to check the story, and when it doesn't pan out, they'll be back to see if they can find what you were doing, or worse, Bring the authorities! (read BOMB SQUAD!) BombSquad.jpg

 

Then, it's really gonna raise havoc.. To say nothing of a bill a local cacher has, for a call from the squad, for his cache. (since is email address was in the log book, which somehow survived the disarming.)

 

Yes this may be true but this is all hypothetical for laughs. True, you will nearly always tell the truth. This is just for fun but i guess everyone thinks I'm asking for real suggestions. I just want to hear some clever hypothetical responses.

 

Oh! Then I suggest that you dress up in full Star Trek costume, stare intently at your gpsr, and mutter about "unusual tricorder readings" and "rifts in the space/time continuum" whenever someone is in earshot. You won't have to answer any questions--everybody will stay WELL away from you! :laughing:

Link to comment

Just remembered a second time I was asked what I was doing? It actually came out as "Are you setting trap lines?" Guy was a hunter and had to make sure there were no traps around that his dog might step on. Told him I was caching, and we had a nice discussion about that and local hunting.

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...