all gosport geocachers

[+theoddball]

got my cach archived today as told i quote:

 

Gosport Borough Council have decided that geocaching will not be allowed on land the council own or manage and have asked for all caches currently there to be removed physically and from the geocaching.com website. No more caches may be placed on council land.

This cache has been identified as being on their land so I am archiving it and would ask the cache owner to go and remove the container at the earliest opportunity and if there are any trackables in the cache to move them on to another cache as well.

 

Thank you

 

Chris

Graculus

 

HERE IS THE FUNNY PART......

 

This cach is not even on GBC land!!!!!!!!

P.S. Is geocaching not all about getting into the grate outdoors? GBC is trying to get more people to come to this dying town to spend money and use the local shops/museums/atractions etc.

 

WELL take geocaching away from the area that will help!!!!!!!

[+Legochugglers]

got my cach archived today as told i quote:

 

Gosport Borough Council have decided that geocaching will not be allowed on land the council own or manage and have asked for all caches currently there to be removed physically and from the geocaching.com website. No more caches may be placed on council land.

This cache has been identified as being on their land so I am archiving it and would ask the cache owner to go and remove the container at the earliest opportunity and if there are any trackables in the cache to move them on to another cache as well.

 

Thank you

 

Chris

Graculus

 

HERE IS THE FUNNY PART......

 

This cach is not even on GBC land!!!!!!!!

P.S. Is geocaching not all about getting into the grate outdoors? GBC is trying to get more people to come to this dying town to spend money and use the local shops/museums/atractions etc.

 

WELL take geocaching away from the area that will help!!!!!!!

 

Firstly, it would appear that you have placed a popular cache so i am not surprised you are upset by this decision.

 

Have you contacted graculus to 'discuss' the situation and point out that you feel that the land is now owned by a trust from which you have specific permission. Like most vocations in life sometimes we have to proactively challenge decisions in a positive and constructive manner and on the face of it you would appear to have a good case.

I hope you are successful and no doubt you will keep us appraised on this thread.

[+Legochugglers]

got my cach archived today as told i quote:

 

Gosport Borough Council have decided that geocaching will not be allowed on land the council own or manage and have asked for all caches currently there to be removed physically and from the geocaching.com website. No more caches may be placed on council land.

This cache has been identified as being on their land so I am archiving it and would ask the cache owner to go and remove the container at the earliest opportunity and if there are any trackables in the cache to move them on to another cache as well.

 

Thank you

 

Chris

Graculus

 

HERE IS THE FUNNY PART......

 

This cach is not even on GBC land!!!!!!!!

P.S. Is geocaching not all about getting into the grate outdoors? GBC is trying to get more people to come to this dying town to spend money and use the local shops/museums/atractions etc.

 

WELL take geocaching away from the area that will help!!!!!!!

On a secondary but probably more pertinent note I have often been concerned that the growth of geocaching and the greater awareness and saturation of areas could cause certain local councils to overreact to certain isolated issues and ban Geocaching. This could easily spread to other councils and would severely affect geocaching as we currently know it.

It would be interesting to understand the reason beind this particular council making this decision.

[+claptrap]

I was dismayed to see all of these caches disappear today. I work in Gospit and commute in every day and like to grab a cache on the way home if I have time. It will be interesting to hear what sparked the reaction on this one. I did try searching Google and the GBC website for references to a geocaching ban but didn't find anything in any minutes or policies.

 

I did however find a reference to them banning WELCOME mats on peoples doorsteps a while ago which made me chuckle. So that's the kind of people we're dealing with here is it?

 

In protest maybe we could organise a COTI event? Just like a CITO but in reverse

Edited June 1, 2012 by claptrap

[+MartyBartfast]

... It will be interesting to hear what sparked the reaction on this one. I did try searching Google and the GBC website for references to a geocaching ban but didn't find anything in any minutes or policies.

 

 

Reasons given here on the GAGB forums

[+claptrap]

We have come across a few sites on our caching outings where ivy has been pulled away from walls and posts or loose bricks were removed and left strewn across a path. Almost certainly done by some tool hunting for a cache. Not only is it unnecessary but it ruins the hunt for any cachers that come along later. Mindless actions like that create reactions like this one from GBC.

[+drsolly]

 

P.S. Is geocaching not all about getting into the grate outdoors? GBC is trying to get more people to come to this dying town to spend money and use the local shops/museums/atractions etc.

 

WELL take geocaching away from the area that will help!!!!!!!

 

I've been to Gosport a few times on caching missions, and incidentally doing a tiny amount to boost the local economy.

 

Oh well.

 

There's lots of other places I can go.

[+theoddball]

I have had some very long chats with GBC and the reason geocaching has been banned is because it is there belive that if someone has an accident on GBC land while trying to get a cach then that person is able to sue!!!! I cant see it myself but acording to GBC's vast legal team this is the case however i have got EXPLOSION back as they have confirmed there mistake and are sorting out there maps to find out what is and is not GBC land these will be sent to be as soon as they are ready (dont hold your breath it is GBC) however long this takes i will be starting a new line of geocahes called NOT ON GBC LAND as soon as i can and would love help getting them out

 

ps many thanks to all who have taken note of this

[+MartyBartfast]

it is there belive that if someone has an accident on GBC land while trying to get a cach then that person is able to sue!!!! I cant see it myself but acording to GBC's vast legal team this is the case

 

I expect they're right, though over reacting. If you're on publicly accessible GBC land doing anything and have an accident and they're found to be negligent they could be sued, so if that's what they're worried about they better stop everyone playing footie, walking the dog, having picnics,... in their parks.

 

You might also point out to them that many councils positively welcome Geocaching, indeed Hampshire County Council does :- http://www3.hants.gov.uk/countryside/countryside-service/geocaching.htm

Edited June 14, 2012 by MartyBartfast

[+theoddball]

I have started an online petition go to

 

http://petitions.web...itionIndex.aspx

 

it could take up to 10 days to activate but when it does please support it!

 

Many thanks TheOddBall

[+Gushoneybun]

Can you let us know on this thread when the petition is active. This is because I will forget

[+Happy Humphrey]

Can someone start a list of excuses used for banning geocaching? It should make an amusing read, and could be handy for any other officious bodies that want to come up with spurious reasons when challenged. Worried about being sued? Pull the other one. But lying sets a bad example; I suspect Gosport's excuses are 2nd or 3rd most popular of the usual fibs that are put forward, and none of them looks big or clever to me.

Why don't they just be honest and say that they want revenge for some minor damage that they can (unusually) pin on someone who will actually admit to it?

 

Incidentally, someone should point out to them that they are only banning Groundspeak geocaches as there appears to be no effective control over the others.

[Deceangi]

Can someone start a list of excuses used for banning geocaching? It should make an amusing read, and could be handy for any other officious bodies that want to come up with spurious reasons when challenged. Worried about being sued? Pull the other one. But lying sets a bad example; I suspect Gosport's excuses are 2nd or 3rd most popular of the usual fibs that are put forward, and none of them looks big or clever to me.

Why don't they just be honest and say that they want revenge for some minor damage that they can (unusually) pin on someone who will actually admit to it?

 

Incidentally, someone should point out to them that they are only banning Groundspeak geocaches as there appears to be no effective control over the others.

 

Having personally as a Member and not a Reviewer, dealt with a Permission issue with a CC, about a cache at one of their premises, a CC who is very supportive of Geocaching. Only to face the same issue, the Councils Legal Department were queried. And a refusal ensued for Legal reasons only.

 

Please remember for the most cases of caches on Council Property, it is usually the Countryside Services Department or Recreational Services Department which is involved in giving Permission. As soon as a Councils Legal Department gets involved, the situation changes. Because they only look at the request, from a Legal Risk point of view. In all cases they always take the "Worst Case Scenario" point of view.

 

Because of this, I'm aware of County and Local Councils, who will not enter into a Geocache Placement Agreement, despite them being very supportive of Geocaching and usually giving Permission if asked. Because if a Agreement is made, their Legal Department will have to be involved.

 

Please don't make claims about decisions made by a Landowner, that you were not involved in the making of, because there are Landowners who read these forums.

 

Deci

[+mickyz]

I popped over a couple of days ago to grab some Mun...'s , just in case they were on GCC land

and get removed.

 

Got out of the place pretty quick too, just in case I was trespassing on their land.

[+Happy Humphrey]

Please don't make claims about decisions made by a Landowner, that you were not involved in the making of, because there are Landowners who read these forums.

I hope that other local councils do read these forums in an official capacity and see how ridiculous these excuses make them look. It's not the first spurious-looking reason for a ban. Interesting that they don't cite any actual cases where a geocacher has succeeded in suing, or any cases (for that matter) where someone strolling in a park has succeeded in suing. Why not close these parks if it's such a major problem? Worst-case scenario? Joke-case scenario.

I guess you're right behind their decision to ban Welcome mats as well.

[Deceangi]

I guess you're right behind their decision to ban Welcome mats as well.

 

Sorry but I find that comment, extremely offensive! Especially as both Groundspeak and my colleague both tried working with the council to try and get the ban removed. No Ban is good for the Hobby, And before you try quoting examples to support that statement, there is a huge difference between putting into place, a requirement for Proof of Permission, to help protect the hobby. And a Total Ban.

 

Deci

[+Happy Humphrey]

All I can say is that you must offend easily! Your post clearly attempts to justify the Gosport ban and so it follows that you are likely to end up supporting other similar nonsense. I'm sure you don't mean to, but you're taking their word for things that should be treated with great suspicion.

 

We've been told that the council appear to have "said no and that was already final". If their mind was made up before they started citing "health and safety issues" it confirms my suspicion that they made up excuses to justify their ban. AKA lying to cover their real agenda. I was just intrigued by the ever-growing list of similar excuses.

 

I have no problem with Groundspeak's well-meant efforts (along with Graculus) to enlighten said officials, well tried; but the Local Council response appears to come out of the same box in which we find "Welcome Mat bans" and quite likely a load of other nonsense, including Bournemouth's geocache ban "because of digging".

[+t.a.folk]

Joke-case scenario.

I guess you're right behind their decision to ban Welcome mats as well.

 

So off topic,but we are if our front door opened straight out onto a pavement.

[+theoddball]

Hi all here is the link to the petition on GBC website

 

http://petitions.web-labs.co.uk/Gosport/public//Allow-Geocaching-in-Gosport

 

PLEASE PLEASE tell everyone to get involved

Edited June 18, 2012 by theoddball