People Not moving Travelbugs/geocoins

[+nodrog24]

Hi Everyone,

 

I have places a few travelbugs & geocoins in the past 6 months, 2 that had 'missions' and were really meaningful to me.

A few people have been holding on to since August/September. I have emailed them over and over with out a response, asking them to please move the items along or email me if they no longer have them.

 

It frustrates me to no end that people would ignore the emails and hold on to the items.

 

Any suggestions at to what I can do about this or is emailing the Cachers the only thing I can do about it?

 

 

Like I said, some are 'meaningful' like the one linked below....

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!!

 

 

Sharing a Mom's Memory-WI #2

http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=3633448

[+St.Matthew]

Nothing really other than what you have done already. A ton of trackables go missing or get held on to indefinitely. I think someone estimated that in their first year only one in eight trackables survive. It is a gamble to be sure.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Hi Everyone,

 

I have places a few travelbugs & geocoins in the past 6 months, 2 that had 'missions' and were really meaningful to me.

A few people have been holding on to since August/September. I have emailed them over and over with out a response, asking them to please move the items along or email me if they no longer have them.

 

It frustrates me to no end that people would ignore the emails and hold on to the items.

 

Any suggestions at to what I can do about this or is emailing the Cachers the only thing I can do about it?

 

 

Like I said, some are 'meaningful' like the one linked below....

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!!!

 

 

Sharing a Mom's Memory-WI #2

http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=3633448

Prepare to be moved...

 

...In the meantime:

 

Once you send a TB or GC out, you relinquish ALL control. Get used to that 1^st and realize that for what it means.

 

Frustration of others' action or lack of action is commonplace for many that send out trackables. Don't let it control you, though!

Most learn to simply be happy if their trackable is moved or placed every few months. Sooner would be nicer, but there is (very) little that you can do about it.

 

Emailing them is one thing, emailing them "over and over" is another. Too many emails could very well result in your trackables placed... in the nearest trash bin. Aside from that, any unsolicited request "to do something" really must be tactfully worded, so as to not offend. Too many emails that offend, constitute harassment and could result in sanctions. Just so you know.

 

What can you do about it? Truly, you have done just about all that you can -- except for just waiting it out.

 

Wishing you and your trackables well, lots of distance and speed as well.

 

EDIT for extra info: The emails that you send may very well fall on deaf ears if you do not have your settings correct. In your account details page, you may wish to ensure that your email address is provided to other users, such as below:

E-Mail Preferences

 

Show my email address to other users. ←

Inform me of helpful tips, new features and changes to the web site.

I want to receive the Groundspeak weekly newsletter.

Send emails from Groundspeak in HTML format when available.

Many times without this selected, your email goes directly to a spam filter because of it being read as spam. When that happens, you never get a reply, 'cuz they never get the email. You only think they aren't responding. True, they aren't, but they never get the email, why would they respond? Catch-22

Edited January 14, 2012 by Gitchee-Gummee

[+nodrog24]

Thanks for the replies. I should re-word that "over and over" part. I have emailed them once but the one I have emailed twice. Its frustrating. Dont take them if you arent going to move them along. UGH! They are actively geocaching still so would you think they know the 'rules' of travelbugs and such but what ya gonna do

 

Thank you for the added info on the settings. I will go there and check it out right away!

Edited January 14, 2012 by nodrog24

[+Cache on Wheels]

Hi there, sometimes people can hold on to TB as sometimes I do but ONLY WITH THE OWNERS PERMISSION and for a specific reason like when we were going on holiday to France a month after we got one and it linked with it's mission. Other ones I have at mo, I have contacted Tge owners to request that I hold onto them for a couple of weeks for eg BUT, I make sure they click up earth miles whilst I have them.

If it was me, I would contact the reviewer in your area and ask their advice or if they would be prepared to contact them for you.

Have you asked if Tgere is a reason why they have not moved them on? Have you looked at their profile to see if they have been GC since having them?

I aak as I had a long period of in activity before I branched out on my own acc. This was due to severe illness and disability.

I really hope you can find a way for them to move your TB on.

Good luck

[Keystone]

If it was me, I would contact the reviewer in your area and ask their advice or if they would be prepared to contact them for you.

Please do not contact your area's volunteer cache reviewer. They review caches, not trackables, and have no authority over a person holding onto a travel bug for too long.

 

Also, I'm moving this thread from the Geocaching Topics forum to the Travel Bug forum.

[+t4e]

Thanks for the replies. I should re-word that "over and over" part. I have emailed them once but the one I have emailed twice. Its frustrating. Dont take them if you arent going to move them along. UGH! They are actively geocaching still so would you think they know the 'rules' of travelbugs and such but what ya gonna do

 

Thank you for the added info on the settings. I will go there and check it out right away!

 

the people that got your TB's haven't cached since september and october respectively

 

they haven't even logged in to their accounts in at least the past 2 months

Edited January 14, 2012 by t4e

[+23Hunter]

Send him another E-Mail.

If he doesnt answer rename the Tb to : Stolen by (Name of the Cacher)

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Send him another E-Mail.

If he doesnt answer rename the Tb to : Stolen by (Name of the Cacher)

I do hope this was posted in jest.

[+t4e]

Send him another E-Mail.

If he doesnt answer rename the Tb to : Stolen by (Name of the Cacher)

I do hope this was posted in jest.

 

the lack of any smilies indicates otherwise, sadly

Edited January 15, 2012 by t4e

[+nodrog24]

ty everyone for the suggestions

Edited January 15, 2012 by nodrog24

[+nodrog24]

Thanks for the replies. I should re-word that "over and over" part. I have emailed them once but the one I have emailed twice. Its frustrating. Dont take them if you arent going to move them along. UGH! They are actively geocaching still so would you think they know the 'rules' of travelbugs and such but what ya gonna do

 

Thank you for the added info on the settings. I will go there and check it out right away!

 

the people that got your TB's haven't cached since september and october respectively

 

they haven't even logged in to their accounts in at least the past 2 months

 

Actually that is incorrect....

 

The one I am specifically concerned about was a geocoin in my moms honor,

the current person holding it last cached 12/16/2011 but have had my coin since August!

Edited January 15, 2012 by nodrog24

[+The Blorenges]

If one of my trackables is stuck, and if it's one I'm particularly fond of, my last ditch attempt is to send an email saying something like "If you are no longer interested in geocaching, or there's another reason why you're unable to place it into a local cache, I will happily send a pre-paid envelope to you so that the item can be mailed back to me..."

 

I've managed to get a couple back that way.

 

 

MrsB

[+a2n]

If one of my trackables is stuck, and if it's one I'm particularly fond of, my last ditch attempt is to send an email saying something like "If you are no longer interested in geocaching, or there's another reason why you're unable to place it into a local cache, I will happily send a pre-paid envelope to you so that the item can be mailed back to me..."

 

I've managed to get a couple back that way.

 

 

MrsB

 

That's where I am with one of mine. For 6 months it has been in the hands of someone who has logged a total of 8 caches and has not logged into the site since July. First email was sent to them at 3 moths requesting that they please place the TB in another cache as soon as possible. I included links to some helpful info on TBs. I sent the 2nd polite email this week offering to pay postage to have it returned. Still no response, so I'll just have to count it as a loss. It is what it is.

Don't want to harrass anyone, but at the same time, want to make an effort.

Edited January 15, 2012 by a2n

[+t4e]

Thanks for the replies. I should re-word that "over and over" part. I have emailed them once but the one I have emailed twice. Its frustrating. Dont take them if you arent going to move them along. UGH! They are actively geocaching still so would you think they know the 'rules' of travelbugs and such but what ya gonna do

 

Thank you for the added info on the settings. I will go there and check it out right away!

 

the people that got your TB's haven't cached since september and october respectively

 

they haven't even logged in to their accounts in at least the past 2 months

 

Actually that is incorrect....

 

The one I am specifically concerned about was a geocoin in my moms honor,

the current person holding it last cached 12/16/2011 but have had my coin since August!

 

well i took TB's literally, in that case you got quite a few stuck

 

give it time and don't loose hope, some of mine showed up after a year

[+NanCycle]

If one of my trackables is stuck, and if it's one I'm particularly fond of, my last ditch attempt is to send an email saying something like "If you are no longer interested in geocaching, or there's another reason why you're unable to place it into a local cache, I will happily send a pre-paid envelope to you so that the item can be mailed back to me..."

 

I've managed to get a couple back that way.

 

 

MrsB

 

Thanks for this idea, MrsB; I think I'll give it a try on a few of mine that have been held 8 months or more. I have aready offered to reimburse postage on some; the cachers responded that they were going to place them in a cache, but there's been no activity for months since that correspondence.

[Narcosynthesis]

Firstly and most importantly, I think it is well worth remembering that once in a wild a trackable is essentially gone - it may travel, it may be lost or forgotten about by uncaring geocachers, or it may be muggled and lost for good. So I would only ever send out something you can afford to lose, and *never* anything of value (sentimental or monetary). I really assume that once placed I will never see a trackable again, and every time it moved it is a bonus for me. Not really an idea way to have to think, but a realistic one unfortunately.

 

Unfortunately emailing the current holder is the only way to get in touch, so make sure you have all your settings correct to be sure they can reply, and see what they say - remember to be very nice and positive about it, and ask nicely if they would be able to place it soon or perhaps (as mentioned above) allow you to send them a prepaid envelope or something to return it. I think there are a to of people out there who enjoy geocaching and pick up TB's with good intentions, but then get caught up in real life and cannot return them to the wild - technical issues, family issues and so on - it might be worth checking out their profile to see what caching they have actually done recently to give you an idea of how active they are.

Unfortunately though, if they don't get the emails, or ignore them, then you are left back at point #1...

Edited January 18, 2012 by Narcosynthesis

[Thonibulletti]

I´m having the same problem with a coin of mine. I tried all those things for my coin (TB2MNZ2) and will see what happens. Good Luck to you.

[+Drstevo]

FOR what it is worth...

I received 2 e-mails from the original owner of a TB (within 10 days) and responded twice, that I was having problems finding the next suitable cache home in which to place their precious TB... I finally found the one I had been searching for (it was a PUZZLE type) but once again the size of the cache holder was TOO SMALL. SO, I placed it in a very large EASY to find cache, only to discover that they had reported the TB "missing" (not 2 days since my last e-mail to them) At first I thought it was going to be impossible to post the wherabouts of the TB and frankly I was pissed off that they were so petty to do such a thing... I am assuming they will claim to have not heard from me, but I have the "SENT" files from AOL showing every e-mail from them and my every responce.

 

Owners, be patient with those of us, who are merely trying to make the journey of your TB enjoyable. (and check your spam folder)

I agree with the words of the first responder to this line of discussion . . .

 

"Once you send a TB or GC out, you relinquish ALL control. Get used to that 1st and realize that for what it means."

 

and wish to add, harassment will get your precious GC or TB trashed quicker than anything

Edited January 24, 2012 by Drstevo

[+BlueDeuce]

I agree with the words of the first responder to this line of discussion . . .

 

"Once you send a TB or GC out, you relinquish ALL control. Get used to that 1st and realize that for what it means."

 

and wish to add, harassment will get your precious GC or TB trashed quicker than anything

 

Having been around TBs for a while now, no I don't agree that you relinquish all control, that is nothing more than an excuse for people who don't want to make the effort.

 

Yes, with TB's you haft to have lowered expectations but that doesn't give anyone the right to do whatever they want, or never expect to hear from the owner,

 

"Once you release the bug there is nothing you can do..." is a cop-out.

 

Harassing people is however a very good way to get your tb tossed in the trash.

Edited January 25, 2012 by BlueDeuce

[+Walts Hunting]

Even if it is marked add missing you can grab it back. although since it was only a couple of days I would be tempted to drop it on the next cache I found