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Travel Bug Ethical Dilemma

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Uncopyrighted

+Uncopyrighted

Posted
Posted

So a fellow cacher (new to Geocaching) asked me a question, and it seems to be a little ethical dilemma. Just wondering what you would do. So here's the story.

 

This cacher picked up a travel bug from a cache and got it home to find out that its mission was to go to that cache that it was sitting in. The cache belongs to the TB owner. It seemed pretty straightforward to me, just bring the TB back to the cache. But after doing a little research on the situation, I'm not so sure anymore. The cacher emailed the cache/TB owner, but didn't get a reply (2 weeks have passed). Prior to the cacher picking up the TB, it had been sitting in its mission destination cache for 2 weeks. It turns out, the cache/TB owner had some kind of dispute with Groundspeak back in 2009 and they said on their profile page that because of this, they no longer Geocache. Why they've continued to pay 3 years of premium dues is beyond me. I also emailed the TB/cache owner a few weeks ago asking if I could adopt some of their caches. No reply. Of the 80 or so caches placed by the CO, only about 12 remain since they are slowly getting muggled and archived. If the cacher that found the TB returned it to its mission destination cache then it would stand a greater chance of getting lost or muggled, or someone else would pick it up and move it without reading the mission. If he moves it along then more people can enjoy the TB. Should the cacher just put the TB in whatever cache he feels like for others to enjoy, or should he leave it in the mission destination cache?

 

Thanks for your input!

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Mr.Yuck

Mr.Yuck

Posted
Posted

So a fellow cacher (new to Geocaching) asked me a question, and it seems to be a little ethical dilemma. Just wondering what you would do. So here's the story.

 

This cacher picked up a travel bug from a cache and got it home to find out that its mission was to go to that cache that it was sitting in. The cache belongs to the TB owner. It seemed pretty straightforward to me, just bring the TB back to the cache. But after doing a little research on the situation, I'm not so sure anymore. The cacher emailed the cache/TB owner, but didn't get a reply (2 weeks have passed). Prior to the cacher picking up the TB, it had been sitting in its mission destination cache for 2 weeks. It turns out, the cache/TB owner had some kind of dispute with Groundspeak back in 2009 and they said on their profile page that because of this, they no longer Geocache. Why they've continued to pay 3 years of premium dues is beyond me. I also emailed the TB/cache owner a few weeks ago asking if I could adopt some of their caches. No reply. Of the 80 or so caches placed by the CO, only about 12 remain since they are slowly getting muggled and archived. If the cacher that found the TB returned it to its mission destination cache then it would stand a greater chance of getting lost or muggled, or someone else would pick it up and move it without reading the mission. If he moves it along then more people can enjoy the TB. Should the cacher just put the TB in whatever cache he feels like for others to enjoy, or should he leave it in the mission destination cache?

 

Thanks for your input!

 

When people have disputes with Groundspeak and/or other cachers, and leave the game, we call that Geocide. :laughing:

 

Eh, they probably have pay pal or a credit care set up, and don't even notice the $30 a year being charged. Oh gosh, what to do here? I vote for putting it back in the cache that was it's final goal. Do these people still log into the website, or is their last log in really 2009? If they have logged in more recently, I'd say they only feigned their Geocide, and can't stay away. :blink:

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Sagefox

+Sagefox

Posted
Posted

...The cacher emailed the cache/TB owner, but didn't get a reply (2 weeks have passed). Prior to the cacher picking up the TB, it had been sitting in its mission destination cache for 2 weeks.

 

Not much to worry about here. People lose interest or go inactive for different reasons but the game goes on. The tb holder has done enough and they should move the tb on as they please.

 

You can't expect a travel bug to sit around in a cache with out someone moving it. Until the tb owner edits the bug's page or posts a note with some instructions this bug is free to move about free form.

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BlueDeuce

+BlueDeuce

Posted
Posted

Without judgement or other consideration - remember that the TB belongs to the owner not the community. Do your best to fulfill the mission as stated and leave it at that. Make good faith efforts to communicate with the owner. Nothing more to do.

+1

+2

 

You know that I am hardcore about bugs as just about anyone. Tell me what service is done by leaving a bug in a cache for months on end, having people to question what to do, as to opposed to letting it continue the journey. Sad as it may be.

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StarBrand

+StarBrand

Posted
Posted

Without judgement or other consideration - remember that the TB belongs to the owner not the community. Do your best to fulfill the mission as stated and leave it at that. Make good faith efforts to communicate with the owner. Nothing more to do.

+1

+2

 

You know that I am hardcore about bugs as just about anyone. Tell me what service is done by leaving a bug in a cache for months on end, having people to question what to do, as to opposed to letting it continue the journey. Sad as it may be.

 

I just do not want to send the message on any level that it is OK to pass some sort of judgement upon a TB owner (or their actions) and alter the mission or goal of any TB.

 

Yes that leaves this particular TB in a very sad state of uncertainty but it preserves the general principle that TBs have owners and many have goals and we as the community should primarily respect those things above all else.

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kunarion

+kunarion

Posted
Posted (edited)

Without judgement or other consideration - remember that the TB belongs to the owner not the community. Do your best to fulfill the mission as stated and leave it at that. Make good faith efforts to communicate with the owner. Nothing more to do.

+1

+2

 

You know that I am hardcore about bugs as just about anyone. Tell me what service is done by leaving a bug in a cache for months on end, having people to question what to do, as to opposed to letting it continue the journey. Sad as it may be.

I did not know that TB missions being too strictly followed has become such a huge problem.

Edited by kunarion
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BlueDeuce

+BlueDeuce

Posted
Posted (edited)

 

I just do not want to send the message on any level that it is OK to pass some sort of judgement upon a TB owner (or their actions) and alter the mission or goal of any TB.

 

Yes that leaves this particular TB in a very sad state of uncertainty but it preserves the general principle that TBs have owners and many have goals and we as the community should primarily respect those things above all else.

 

I did not know that TB missions being too strictly followed has become such a huge problem.

 

 

Really, is that what you say to people? Don't even tell me there's some magic lost by re-doing the goal of an orphaned bug.

 

Edited for angst

 

bd

Edited by BlueDeuce
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