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question about hazards at a cache site


Da Beast

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i was wandering if i could get some options of a hazard at a cache site? OK the site is in town in a wooded area, there are these remnants of a house and some kinda pit, this pit has a manhole on top and is full of water. So my concern is that if someone was to fall in,(if they were looking at there GPSr and not really watching were they were going) they would have a very hard time getting out if they were to be alone. SO i was wandering if i used the skull and cross bones attribute and mentioned it in the description would that be enough? PS I am not planning on hiding the cache near the pit but maybe 100 or so meters away but one would walk through the area

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Hi Beast!!! Good to see ya here :) I would make note in the cache description at the beginning and hope that we read it! I'd also use an icon to hopefully make folks aware that they need to keep their eyes open for the pit thingy.

However, if you think that there is a chance that youngsters may be going along to this cache - make the warning big and bold. Might be wise to say not to hunt at night too. I am thinking of the FTFers...

I'll keep an eye out for this cache being published...but if you keep having nagging doubts about it, maybe another location. If it's a go, we'll give you some feedback if it's on a cache run.

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(if they were looking at there GPSr and not really watching were they were going)
Certainly you should include the co-ordinates of the dangerous location so it can be avoided.

Wouldn't you want to encourage people to watch where they were going instead of encouraging them to watch their GPSes?

Watching where they walk is their responsibility, not mine.

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Hi Beast!!! Good to see ya here :) I would make note in the cache description at the beginning and hope that we read it! I'd also use an icon to hopefully make folks aware that they need to keep their eyes open for the pit thingy.

However, if you think that there is a chance that youngsters may be going along to this cache - make the warning big and bold. Might be wise to say not to hunt at night too. I am thinking of the FTFers...

I'll keep an eye out for this cache being published...but if you keep having nagging doubts about it, maybe another location. If it's a go, we'll give you some feedback if it's on a cache run.

 

This is good advice.

 

As for FTF's going out at night, you can take care of that by telling your reviewer NOT to publish your cache until daylight. I did that on one of my hides and the reviewer was very accomodating.

 

Despite what others may think, it IS our responsibility to warn of known dangers associated with cache hides. It would make me sick to my stomach if someone got killed or seriously injured because of something that I failed to mention. I shudder to think of what would happen to a child falling into a watery pit because someone thought "none of my business where they walk".

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Going around spray-painting things is vandalism in this context.

Certainly you should include the co-ordinates of the dangerous location so it can be avoided.

 

Since spray-painting is out, maybe you could get some fluorescent tape and tape across the manhole. (when you say "manhole" I'm assuming you mean "Manhole cover" and that the hole is not completely uncovered.) Depending on the ground around the hole, maybe you could put some stakes around it and tape around the stakes. Just ideas, I'm sure you can think of something that would work. Of course tape would not be permanent, but you could replace it periodically.

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Wouldn't you want to encourage people to watch where they were going instead of encouraging them to watch their GPSes?

Watching where they walk is their responsibility, not mine.

Of course not. No one can hold each individual seeker's hand and guide them to the cache, telling them to watch their step, look out for that branch etc. But if the CO knows there's a hazard nearby, and they know cachers have to --or likely will--walk past it on their way to GZ, I would say they have a responsibility to write something about it in the description.

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Wouldn't you want to encourage people to watch where they were going instead of encouraging them to watch their GPSes?

Watching where they walk is their responsibility, not mine.

Of course not. No one can hold each individual seeker's hand and guide them to the cache, telling them to watch their step, look out for that branch etc. But if the CO knows there's a hazard nearby, and they know cachers have to --or likely will--walk past it on their way to GZ, I would say they have a responsibility to write something about it in the description.

 

Sort of like this....Hazards :D

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Wouldn't you want to encourage people to watch where they were going instead of encouraging them to watch their GPSes?

Watching where they walk is their responsibility, not mine.

Of course not. No one can hold each individual seeker's hand and guide them to the cache, telling them to watch their step, look out for that branch etc. But if the CO knows there's a hazard nearby, and they know cachers have to --or likely will--walk past it on their way to GZ, I would say they have a responsibility to write something about it in the description.

 

We didn't have bike helmets when I was your age. I guess we see things differently as a result.

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so to be a bit more clear on this pit, i don't know what it is. at first i thought that it was the septic tank from the house that was there (from whats left of the house(or shack) there wouldn't be any waste left in there. it has a cement top (not to sure if its all cement) and two manhole openings at the top that are about 3 feet apart it about 10 feet deep and the water level is at about the 6 foot level.

 

ya I think ill still hide it, ill just make sure to mention it in the description plus ill put a few branches in the holes and rap some flagging tape around them i think that should be enough. Thanks for all the options

Edited by Da Beast
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If it is 100m away I think it should be fair enough to assume that not everyone will be walking straight through it, and if it is connected with a tumbledown building I would very much hope that people would be watching their step.

 

Having said that, it does no harm to give some form of warning if you feel it dangerous to people - a bold note at the top or bottom of the description, and perhaps a waypoint warning of it to make sure everyone knows exactly where to watch out.

 

Marking it with paint or similar is obviously illegal (though I doubt many would object), and if anything I would try and avoid putting branches across the hole (so as not to hide it) and definitely don't put anything in it - if someone should ever fall in, they don't want to find anything that could snag clothing, get in the way or otherwise cause a problem.

Edited by Narcosynthesis
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I've got a cache that's about 100m from a busy Interstate Highway. Its kinda hard to miss, and I'm not going to worry about someone who doesn't have the sense to take the next exit and come back on the correct side to get to the right rest area, and it's not mentioned in the description. Sorry if this sounds a little terse, but the folks at the Lilly Pad have made great efforts to alert all cache finders that they are responsible for their own safety while hunting caches.

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so to be a bit more clear on this pit, i don't know what it is. at first i thought that it was the septic tank from the house that was there (from whats left of the house(or shack) there wouldn't be any waste left in there. it has a cement top (not to sure if its all cement) and two manhole openings at the top that are about 3 feet apart it about 10 feet deep and the water level is at about the 6 foot level.

 

ya I think ill still hide it, ill just make sure to mention it in the description plus ill put a few branches in the holes and rap some flagging tape around them i think that should be enough. Thanks for all the options

 

Sounds like a septic tank alright.

 

The CAUTION tape idea sounds like a good one. You can get it at Home Depot (I wish they sold the POLICE LINE-DO NOT CROSS tape, but that's another issue).

 

I would still suggest adding a DON'T GO HERE waypoint to the cache listing.

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The thing that bothers me about this is the question of permission. Who owns the property? Do they want to assume liability for people wandering around on it? If you have permission consult with the owner or manager about the hazard. If you don't have permission, ask for it.

 

+1.

 

It's funny how many issues in this forum are not issues at all if the permission requirement is met. I must admit I was trying to engage this discussion a couple of posts above, but Da Beast would not take the bait. :)

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I've got a cache that's about 100m from a busy Interstate Highway. Its kinda hard to miss, and I'm not going to worry about someone who doesn't have the sense to take the next exit and come back on the correct side to get to the right rest area, and it's not mentioned in the description. Sorry if this sounds a little terse, but the folks at the Lilly Pad have made great efforts to alert all cache finders that they are responsible for their own safety while hunting caches.

 

That's apples and oranges. What you are talking about is an obvious hazard. The OP is talking about a hazard that someone could very well accidentally stumble upon that is NOT obvious. :rolleyes:

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so to be a bit more clear on this pit, i don't know what it is. at first i thought that it was the septic tank from the house that was there (from whats left of the house(or shack) there wouldn't be any waste left in there. it has a cement top (not to sure if its all cement) and two manhole openings at the top that are about 3 feet apart it about 10 feet deep and the water level is at about the 6 foot level.

 

ya I think ill still hide it, ill just make sure to mention it in the description plus ill put a few branches in the holes and rap some flagging tape around them i think that should be enough. Thanks for all the options

 

I was trying to imagine what you were describing. Does it look like this? Septic Tanks

 

If I'm understanding correctly, the holes are open and exposed? If the holes are fairly flush with the ground, this is a big hazard. I guess there are no rocks or boards around big enough to cover the holes?

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I was trying to imagine what you were describing. Does it look like this? Septic Tanks

 

If I'm understanding correctly, the holes are open and exposed? If the holes are fairly flush with the ground, this is a big hazard. I guess there are no rocks or boards around big enough to cover the holes?

 

yep thats it with two holes and no covers. i dont think it would be good to just cover it up as the wood would eventually rot and break if someone were to stand on it

 

theres nothing left of the house/shack but the cement foundation and a three foot high wall that's in a square approx 20x15with two openings

 

im pretty sure its on public land theres no buildings or keep out type signs

 

so i think im going to post a warning on the cache page and stand a bunch in the holes and rap some spooky caution tape from the dollar store

Edited by Da Beast
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so i think im going to post a warning on the cache page and stand a bunch in the holes and rap some spooky caution tape from the dollar store

You'll want to make sure that's actual caution tape and not the "Enter if You Dare" tape for Halloween displays.

 

"Enter if you dare" would be perfect considering were talking bout bringing a open septic tank to light

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