Langy Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Hello Everyone I started of a trackable (just dog tags) last year and seem to be getting a lot of log entries on it from the same user ID. Hopefully this link will take you to the page Travel Bug Dog Tags but the reference for this is TB55PBV. Now as much as I want it to travel all around the English Counties it seems that one person is holding it and logging it at every cache. Perhaps someone can take a look at the log for the trackable and give some advice please. Paul Quote Link to comment
+Malpas Wanderer Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Contact the person and ask that they deposit in a cache as is the intended purpose of a traveller. Quote Link to comment
Langy Posted May 31, 2013 Author Share Posted May 31, 2013 Looking at the log it seems that people pick them up, keep hold of the trackable and just post it as visiting a cache everytime they visit one. I suppose that's one way of increasing your trackable count. My way of thinking is that the only logs on a trackable should show one person picking it up and dropping it off at another cache allowing the next person to pick it up and drop it at another cache again. Quote Link to comment
+kunarion Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 Contact the person and ask that they deposit in a cache as is the intended purpose of a traveller. A nice letter might be worth a try: “Dear [cache name], The most recent log on my TB is very close to [random sizeable cache that's handy]. It's the one cache that my [6 year old daughter Emily or whatever] especially wishes my TB be placed in. Please take a picture with yourselves at the cache, leave the TB in there, and log that. [Emily or whatever] will be thrilled! Thanks!” Quote Link to comment
+mellers Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 It's not uncommon for a trackable to be carried from cache to cache like this and unless you've specified on the TB page that you don't want cachers to do this, I'm not sure it's fair to be cross with anyone for dipping it in to a series of caches. I you do contact them and ask them to leave it in a cache (which is fine to do by the way) make sure you thank them for being part of its journey so far. Quote Link to comment
+sparklefingers Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 I would do a nice email (as others have said above) and change the TB page to say that you would like it to keep moving from cacher to cacher so please don't hold onto it longer then 2 weeks unless you email me to let me know. (I've added this bit as it gives them chance to take it somewhere special) Quote Link to comment
+stijnhommes Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 I currently have a trackable that was supposed to stay in the Netherlands, so I mailed the owner to let him know I'd be heading to Venice and if it would be okay to have it travel around there for a while before moving back home. I always log every move I make in caching whether it's finding or not finding a cache or moving, a trackable. If you don't want your trackable to be logged along the way, you should post a note to that effect on the TB page and for people who don't read that, attach a note to the same effect to the actual travel bug). Just send the cacher a friendly note asking them to drop it as soon as possible. Quote Link to comment
+kunarion Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 (edited) If you don't want your trackable to be logged along the way, you should post a note to that effect on the TB page and for people who don't read that, attach a note to the same effect to the actual travel bug). I have several paragraphs of TB etiquette on some of my TBs. It does no good. Edited May 31, 2013 by kunarion Quote Link to comment
Langy Posted May 31, 2013 Author Share Posted May 31, 2013 OK I didn't realise that this was how it worked. I've read posts in the past where someone was using the reference for trackables to log as many as possible. I guess that they only get the one entry as finding the trackable but giving a history of where they have gone with it. Just thought that the point was to pick one up and then drop it at another location. Quote Link to comment
+kunarion Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 OK I didn't realise that this was how it worked. I've read posts in the past where someone was using the reference for trackables to log as many as possible. I guess that they only get the one entry as finding the trackable but giving a history of where they have gone with it. Just thought that the point was to pick one up and then drop it at another location. In case there's any confusion, the TB has imprinted huge letters, "Don't Keep Me". Quote Link to comment
+redsox_mark Posted May 31, 2013 Share Posted May 31, 2013 The current holders have only had it for a week. Yes they have found lots of caches in that week, and "visited" the TB at each one... which makes the TB page of logs longer. If they hold onto it for several weeks I would send them a polite note. Quote Link to comment
team tisri Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 If you don't want your trackable to be logged along the way, you should post a note to that effect on the TB page and for people who don't read that, attach a note to the same effect to the actual travel bug). I have several paragraphs of TB etiquette on some of my TBs. It does no good. Not really surprising, since many people can't read the page until they get home and log the TB. Once you've got home it's too late to decide not to pick it up after all. It's good practise not to keep a TB for too long but when more and more caches are too small to take a TB there's no point getting worried if people keep it for a few weeks. With the best will in the world a lot of folks don't go caching every single week and even if they do it's hard to drop a TB off when all you're finding is film pots and keysafes. A note attached to the travel bug should be more effective, assuming it stays attached to the travel bug and the bug isn't picked up by someone who doesn't understand the language of your notice. Quote Link to comment
+kunarion Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 (edited) If you don't want your trackable to be logged along the way, you should post a note to that effect on the TB page and for people who don't read that, attach a note to the same effect to the actual travel bug). I have several paragraphs of TB etiquette on some of my TBs. It does no good. Not really surprising, since many people can't read the page until they get home and log the TB. Once you've got home it's too late to decide not to pick it up after all. They evidently also don't have the time to read "Don't Keep Me" on the TB dogtag. Edited June 1, 2013 by kunarion Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted June 1, 2013 Share Posted June 1, 2013 (edited) You know what I like best about travel bugs? I'm connecting with another cacher who might be thousands miles away, by sharing the adventure of the bug they released. Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, Visit, ...is not connecting. Take pictures, tell stories, have fun. edit: added missing visit. Edited June 1, 2013 by BlueDeuce Quote Link to comment
+Drew-and-Kaz Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 This thread has just been brought to our attention. First of all an apology to the owner of the tag, sorry. Had you contacted us to ask us to stop the tag from visiting each cache we have found we would have stopped immediately. Of the 100+ tags we have found this is the first instance we are aware of which visiting caches has caused any problems with the owner. The Tag was dropped off last week and was picked up by someone we knew who was going to be travelling to the South of England. We normally keep a tag for a couple of weeks and try to fulfil any tasks they have been set. We have set free a few travel bugs and have asked that they are visited to each cache the finder of the TB finds. Again we are sorry to have caused any problems. Drew and Kaz Quote Link to comment
+Drew-and-Kaz Posted June 8, 2013 Share Posted June 8, 2013 We had that TB for 9 days, we took it to 180 caches (could have been more if the weather was kinder) we took it to at least 4 different counties which was it's aim, we didn't keep it, yes we could have placed it in the very next cache we found but that would have moved it less than half a mile and it would have been in the same county. At no point during our guardianship did we think we were doing anything wrong and at no point did we have any communication with it's owner saying they were not happy with the TB 'visiting' caches. We would have stopped any 'visits' if we had. We do read a TB's mission when we log them and do try to fulfil the mission or at least help it on it's way. Yes we are guilty of not taking photos but we don't take many photos of anything anyway and that isn't likely to change. At the end of the day the TB has a few hundred miles added to the clock,a bit like my car, it visited at least 4 new counties/regions and most importantly it was passed onto an experienced reliable team of cachers to continue it's journey and not left in a dodgy cache in a high muggle area. Again we apologies if the owner has been inconvenienced by our actions. We would suggest in future if the TB owner has any issues with what the current holder of the TB is doing a polite email outlining the issues should be sent rather than discussing the issues without the holder being aware of there being a problem, not everyone registered on the website reads the forums. We rarely do, we glean our info from Faceache and we have only ever posted 3 posts, this being #3. Drew and Kaz Quote Link to comment
Langy Posted June 9, 2013 Author Share Posted June 9, 2013 Firstly apologies to Drew and Kaz, I didn't mean any offence by the original post. However as the original post went was that I had noticed the tag gong to several caches with the same catcher. I simply asked for people to look at the logs and give some advice. It was explained what was happening and I was happy with the advice. As far as I was concerned the matter was resolved, no need to contact anyone, especially when I see that no one had held on to the tag for long. Again apologies if this has caused anyone any harm, I was simply after advice which is what I thought the forums were for. Langy Quote Link to comment
+BlueDeuce Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 We would suggest in future if the TB owner has any issues with what the current holder of the TB is doing a polite email outlining the issues should be sent rather than discussing the issues without the holder being aware of there being a problem. I appreciate that you responded, honestly, not many people would. I consider logging TBs as part of sharing the caching experience. You agree with that, right? Quote Link to comment
+Drew-and-Kaz Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 No offence taken. We have taken your concerns on board and will now try to only visit any TB into 1 or 2 caches we do on a specific day unless the aim of the TB is to travel as far as possible. Today we have placed all the TB's we had in our care and now only have 2 which are not ours (which we have picked up one on Friday and the other today) and we intend to be more selective in the future, we did take the camera with us today with the intention of taking some photos but it didn't come out of the rucksack as is the norm. Quote Link to comment
+redsox_mark Posted June 9, 2013 Share Posted June 9, 2013 I don't think there is a general consensus on the etiquette of the "visit" log. Most would agree it is fine to hold on to a TB for a couple of weeks, or more. I might find a TB which wants to visit a certain country, and I'm going there in 3 weeks. So I hold onto it until then. But in that 3 weeks I find 100 local caches. Should I "visit" the cache at each one? Some TB owners might like it; others may think it just makes the TB page very long. What I tend to do is visit a TB once per "area". So if like today I do a walk and find 18 caches, I'll only "visit" one of them with the TB, to show it came to the area. But I'm not saying that is the right answer; that's just what I do. Quote Link to comment
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