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How do I file a complaint?


Team Triggerfinger

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We've been discussing misuse of "took it to" logs. I would like to file a complaint of someone who has abused this to the maximum.

 

This person has over 18,000....yes...eighteen thousand trackables logged.

 

Having my trackable for nine months while totally ignoring it's mission, I decided to see how many trackables he was logging. I went to "past trackables" for one of the caches he visited.

 

Get this.....He logged over 500 different trackables at that cache alone.....and no....they are not all his own trackables. He is basically grabbing every trackable he comes across, and holding them indefinitely. It doesn't seem right that he can do this.

 

Any thoughts?

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Before we get into the details have you sent an email to this person?

That would be a good idea. A carefully worded PM asking if the TB may be dropped into a convenient cache soon. That's worth a shot, right? You'll need to be pretty specific about what the Trackable looks like if it's... you know... in a box-full. Some people don't check email, and some don't have email set up very well, so don't be shocked if there's no reply. It may just be a setting.

 

But I've read where Groundspeak has interceded in special cases. One guy was holding thousands of Trackables, and it turns out he wanted to photograph and catalog each one and then drop them in caches, but sorta got overwhelmed. I don't know how cases such as that ever turned out, but if you've already tried the usual avenues, maybe ask Groundspeak.

Edited by kunarion
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Yes, I've emailed him numerous times. For whatever reason, I think he believes he's doing everyone a service by posting pages and pages of "took it to" logs.....yes....for all 500+ trackables he's holding.

 

I the latest response I received from him, he said he'd turn it loose in a few days if he can find it in his collection.

 

Here's a direct quote from his latest response:

"Logging my trip is taking far longer than I had expected. That's life. You can complain all you

like, but in general people will do what they feel like doing, not what you tell them to do. Once

you put a Trackable out into the world, it will move in whatever direction the next cacher sees

fit to move it."

 

Obviously, he has no care for the mission of anybody's trackable. At this point, a "carefully worded" email is no longer in order as I figure I'll never get the thing released anyway. He deserves to get a piece of mind from every person who's trackable he's holding hostage. Just my .02 worth.

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Yes, I've emailed him numerous times. For whatever reason, I think he believes he's doing everyone a service by posting pages and pages of "took it to" logs.....yes....for all 500+ trackables he's holding.

 

I the latest response I received from him, he said he'd turn it loose in a few days if he can find it in his collection.

If you're at the point of giving up on your trackable, you could mark it "Missing" and suggest to other owners to do the same. Then he'd have to look through his collection, if it indeed exists, to retrieve the codes.

 

Not a very productive solution, I admit, but maybe fun nonetheless. rolleyes.gif

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I've noticed that every trackable this guy owns has ended up missing. Perhaps he is enacting some sort of revenge on the rest of the geocaching community by being irresponsible with other peoples trackables? I would just create a proxy and send it out. Then I would leave a note on the TB page saying "Stolen by Mr A." Who knows when this guy will ever release it...

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Thank you Eartha. I'll send a complaint. They've had issues with this guy in the past from what I'm hearing.

 

I'm marking it as missing, but adding a note that it is in the collection of NBJPoppa. By marking it missing, I can avoid all the "took it to" logs.

 

I've emailed him of my plans to do this. Hopefully he is not offended and releases the trackable ASAP.

 

Although I must say again......a toggle for cachers to disable "took it to" logs on their trackables would sure help solve some of this hoarding.

Edited by Team Triggerfinger
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Yes, I've emailed him numerous times. For whatever reason, I think he believes he's doing everyone a service by posting pages and pages of "took it to" logs.....yes....for all 500+ trackables he's holding.

 

I the latest response I received from him, he said he'd turn it loose in a few days if he can find it in his collection.

If you're at the point of giving up on your trackable, you could mark it "Missing" and suggest to other owners to do the same. Then he'd have to look through his collection, if it indeed exists, to retrieve the codes.

 

Not a very productive solution, I admit, but maybe fun nonetheless. rolleyes.gif

+1

Seems like an interesting idea, once you can get many of the other Trackable Owners of the trackables he holds riled up and do the same

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I am new to this hobby, but I have unfortunately seen/heard some disappointing things. This makes me wonder... what is wrong with people! It seems too often some cachers pick up trackables and essentially put them in THEIR collection, and then justify the behavior by making "visited" entries or supposed "visited" entries, when the items simply sit in their collection. Very sad. I am preparing to release some trackables and will cross my fingers, but I have come to realize I may be disappointed. So far I have only picked up a couple of trackables and will help them on their mission as quickly as I can. While in my possession I plan to dip them into a cache on occasion (when they are actually with me at the cache site), but NOT into every single cache I visit, only when a cache is interesting or relevant etc. or to let an owner know all is well with their trackable. I will make every attempt not to overdo dipping. I guess this is somewhat subjective though. I plan to also photograph the trackables when I can so the owner can enjoy their travels too; I am actually surprised at how few photos I see in trackable logs. Maybe Karma will catch up to some of these "hi-jackers", which is too kind a word to use for them in my opinion.

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I will make every attempt not to overdo dipping. I guess this is somewhat subjective though. I plan to also photograph the trackables when I can so the owner can enjoy their travels too; I am actually surprised at how few photos I see in trackable logs.

The key is communication. Ask the Trackable Owner what they'd prefer, and then clarify your plan right there in the TB log. Read the TB's page (does it have specifics?). Some people love 15 pages of plain "took it to" logs. In the event of no reply, you can safely assume that you should place the TB into a cache within 2 weeks, and make the appropriate logs.

 

People keeping TBs beyond all reason are not doing the TO any favors (despite those around here who insist it's wonderful). Don't be those guys. :anicute:

Edited by kunarion
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I will make every attempt not to overdo dipping. I guess this is somewhat subjective though. I plan to also photograph the trackables when I can so the owner can enjoy their travels too; I am actually surprised at how few photos I see in trackable logs.

The key is communication. Ask the Trackable Owner what they'd prefer, and then clarify your plan right there in the TB log. Read the TB's page (does it have specifics?). Some people love 15 pages of plain "took it to" logs. In the event of no reply, you can safely assume that you should place the TB into a cache within 2 weeks, and make the appropriate logs.

 

People keeping TBs beyond all reason are not doing the TO any favors (despite those around here who insist it's wonderful). Don't be those guys. :anicute:

 

Thanks, I do read the TB pages and logs. For both TBs I have, I think they are a bit off mission; hopefully I can get them back on track. I do not plan to abuse the time I keep them, which in my mind is not more than a couple of weeks... unless I have a specific plan for a TB or there is an issue, in which case I would contact the TB owner. I personally think TBs are for MANY people to enjoy, and not just for one person to grab and "travel" all over the place leaving a trail of "took it to" logs. I also get the impression many TBs were never really taken anywhere and simply sit on someone's shelf. I know people have different views. To me, for a TB it is not the miles, but the journey!

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I personally think TBs are for MANY people to enjoy, and not just for one person to grab and "travel" all over the place leaving a trail of "took it to" logs.

+1 :P

 

Found a TB in NJ that wanted to vist as many states as possible. So I took it on our geocacing trip, and it visited Maine, NH, Quebec, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. TB owner loved it! Unfortunately, it sat in the cache in PA until spring. But it's on the move gain. So, some TB owners enjoy it. Time frame? Less than a month. Some enjoy it. Others may not. But it worked here.

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Found a TB in NJ that wanted to vist as many states as possible. So I took it on our geocacing trip, and it visited Maine, NH, Quebec, Vermont, Massachusetts, New York and Pennsylvania. TB owner loved it!

So you say following a TB's mission is appreciated? I'll make a note of that. :anicute:

 

If you instead held the TB for 9 months, off-mission, and garnered 15 pages of plain took-it-to logs, I'll politely thank you for all the "visits" once you eventually drop it off. There will be a nice congratulations PM & log note from me, although I shall in no way have "loved it".

Edited by kunarion
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Is this the cacher who recently had a mention on podcacher podcast?

 

We`re not sure exactly which episode, but there was a mention of somebody collecting trackables in order to break some kind of "record" - fellow cachers collected and passed them on in order to increase numbers.

 

Each to their own we suppose.

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same issue here. This person has found 8 times as many TBs as caches? Seems odd. Though I marked my TB as missing, they were able to just go back in and grab it. now its "in their hands again". They then messaged me about how I should'nt mark my TB as missing because they are busy logging all the places they have taken it to. I doubt they have ever actually laid eyes on my TB. It's been gone for years. Is there a way to delete it completly?

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same issue here. This person has found 8 times as many TBs as caches? Seems odd. Though I marked my TB as missing, they were able to just go back in and grab it. now its "in their hands again". They then messaged me about how I should'nt mark my TB as missing because they are busy logging all the places they have taken it to. I doubt they have ever actually laid eyes on my TB. It's been gone for years. Is there a way to delete it completly?

 

No, there's no way to delete the TB completely. It's been activated, it's travelled, it's been logged, therefore it exists.

 

The cacher who's holding your Pink Ribbon Duck #1 has been mentioned on these forums before. He's known as a cacher who has amassed a huge number of trackables but he seems unable or unwilling to release them all back into caches to continue traveling. Many trackables seem to have got stuck with him. We can only hope that one day he sees the light, realises how many cachers have had their fun curtailed by his actions, and does a mass release of trackables. Fingers crossed!

 

MrsB

Edited by The Blorenges
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Is the cacher local, or has the tb traveled a bit before it ended up in his possession? If he's local or somewhat local, see if he attends events. If he does, see if you maybe able to attend an event that he may attend. That may be an opportunity to confront him in person, and have other cachers there to help you "educate" him on proper TB etiquette.

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same issue here. This person has found 8 times as many TBs as caches? Seems odd. Though I marked my TB as missing, they were able to just go back in and grab it. now its "in their hands again". They then messaged me about how I should'nt mark my TB as missing because they are busy logging all the places they have taken it to. I doubt they have ever actually laid eyes on my TB. It's been gone for years. Is there a way to delete it completly?

 

No, there's no way to delete the TB completely. It's been activated, it's travelled, it's been logged, therefore it exists.

 

The cacher who's holding your Pink Ribbon Duck #1 has been mentioned on these forums before. He's known as a cacher who has amassed a huge number of trackables but he seems unable or unwilling to release them all back into caches to continue traveling. Many trackables seem to have got stuck with him. We can only hope that one day he sees the light, realises how many cachers have had their fun curtailed by his actions, and does a mass release of trackables. Fingers crossed!

 

MrsB

If he decides to mass release them, I hope he mass releases them in my area! :laughing:

 


"It has always been my private conviction that any man who pits his intelligence against a fish and loses has it coming."

~ John Steinbeck

"Three-fourths of the Earth's surface is water, and one-fourth is land. It is quite clear that the good Lord intended us to spend triple the amount of time fishing as taking care of the lawn."

~ Chuck Clark

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. I doubt they have ever actually laid eyes on my TB. It's been gone for years.

I'd bet my life he actually has it. Alongs with probably hundreds of others...

]

 

. He's known as a cacher who has amassed a huge number of trackables but he seems unable or unwilling to release them all back into caches to continue traveling. Many trackables seem to have got stuck with him. We can only hope that one day he sees the light, realises how many cachers have had their fun curtailed by his actions, and does a mass release of trackables. Fingers crossed!

 

yup.

Is the cacher local, or has the tb traveled a bit before it ended up in his possession? If he's local or somewhat local, see if he attends events. If he does, see if you maybe able to attend an event that he may attend. That may be an opportunity to confront him in person, and have other cachers there to help you "educate" him on proper TB etiquette.

 

Nope. That won't work. Some people are able to work with him and get some bugs released. Confrontation won't work.

 

It's a tough situation that won't be made any easier by 'confrontations' or education unfortunately... Be Patient.

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I have this problem on my travel bug dog tag "Lonely Dog" but the person has not held on to it as long. It's been three weeks. I've emailed and asked for it to please be moved along soon, but they never reply. At lease they don't rack up the visited logs. The really bad part is, it hasn't moved anywhere. I published a cache then activated the trackable and placed it in. The person was FTF and took the trackable and has been holding on to it ever since without sending me any curtacy emails or even a single log except the pick up log which stated "cool coin... Will keep it moving." which they clearly are not. It's frustrating.

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Three weeks is short. Lower your expectations. If it starts heading for months, then you can start to worry. We can't all spend every waking moment caching. Some have lives to get on with, bills to pays, jobs to do, laundry, cooking, cleaning, lawnmowing,soccer, little league, dance class, doctor appointments........etc......

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Sadly, this same notorious collector managed to nab one of mine, too: http://www.geocaching.com/track/details.aspx?id=3465909

 

She was winning the race and everything! Really unfortunate, as the dog whose traveler this was, Flame, passed away and we were hoping her coin could make its way (eventually) back to us, where I would put it with the box containing her ashes. I also wouldn't have minded if it had just traveled on and on. But for it to end up this way...*sigh.*

 

Still, the whole law of travelers is not to get too attached to them. Right now, the other three racers of my Geo-dog coins are *all* being held by various cachers, and only one of them seems to still be on the move. That's just life with travelers, and I'm not sweating it too much. Just melancholy at such an ignominious end, and hopeful that Flame just might be one of the rare escapees from the hoard someday.

 

--Q

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