Dealing with Improperly-Logged Trackables

[+ccurzio]

Hello everyone.

 

While out caching yesterday, I stumbled across a GeoCoin that I snagged from a cache. Unfortunately, when I loaded the GeoCoin's page I discovered that the person who had it last didn't bother logging that they dropped it off in a cache, so the coin is still registering as being "in the hands" of the person who last had it. As a result, when I try to log that I now have the trackable, the only option I have for logging it is that I retrieved it from the other cacher and NOT from the cache itself.

 

For the benefit of the coin owner, I want to make sure it's logged properly as A) being present in the cache from which I grabbed it, and logged that I retrieved it from the cache rather than the "hands" of the previous cacher. How can I do this?

Edited October 30, 2013 by ccurzio

[+Traditional Bill]

Hello everyone.

 

While out caching yesterday, I stumbled across a GeoCoin that I snagged from a cache. Unfortunately, when I loaded the GeoCoin's page I discovered that the person who had it last didn't bother logging that they dropped it off in a cache, so the coin is still registering as being "in the hands" of the person who last had it. As a result, when I try to log that I now have the trackable, the only option I have for logging it is that I retrieved it from the other cacher and NOT from the cache itself.

 

For the benefit of the coin owner, I want to make sure it's logged properly as A) being present in the cache from which I grabbed it, and logged that I retrieved it from the cache rather than the "hands" of the previous cacher. How can I do this?

I suggest that you go ahead and "retrieve from hands of" whichever cacher did not properly log the coin. If it's a mileage concern on the trackable, you can simply drop the trackable into the cache you had found it in by logging a note and dropping that particular trackable. If you plan to move that trackable, then after "dropping" it, simply "retrieve" the trackable again and all will be right with the world :-)

[+J Grouchy]

Yeah...I think you "grab" it from a person and "retrieve" it from a cache. "Discover" just means you saw it but left it wherever you found it instead of taking it.

Edited October 30, 2013 by J Grouchy

[+ccurzio]

I went ahead and "grabbed" it from the other cacher, and then logged a "visit" for the trackable at the cache where I found it. Both are noted with a full explanation of the details.

 

Thanks guys.

[+dprovan]

I went ahead and "grabbed" it from the other cacher, and then logged a "visit" for the trackable at the cache where I found it. Both are noted with a full explanation of the details.

Perfect. I normally mention such anomalies in the cache's log, too, but that's extra credit.

[+niraD]

While out caching yesterday, I stumbled across a GeoCoin that I snagged from a cache. Unfortunately, when I loaded the GeoCoin's page I discovered that the person who had it last didn't bother logging that they dropped it off in a cache,

FWIW, the last time this happened to me, I noticed that the person with the geocoin in his inventory hadn't logged the cache yet either. (Logging delays happen when people go on vacations.) So I put the cache and the geocoin on my watchlist, and sent the person with the geocoin in his inventory email explaining that I had retrieved the geocoin, but that I was waiting for him to drop it into the cache first.

 

A few days later, he logged the drop and I logged the retrieval.

[+Don_J]

While out caching yesterday, I stumbled across a GeoCoin that I snagged from a cache. Unfortunately, when I loaded the GeoCoin's page I discovered that the person who had it last didn't bother logging that they dropped it off in a cache,

FWIW, the last time this happened to me, I noticed that the person with the geocoin in his inventory hadn't logged the cache yet either. (Logging delays happen when people go on vacations.) So I put the cache and the geocoin on my watchlist, and sent the person with the geocoin in his inventory email explaining that I had retrieved the geocoin, but that I was waiting for him to drop it into the cache first.

 

A few days later, he logged the drop and I logged the retrieval.

 

Which, in my opinion, is the proper way to handle these situations. If they don't respond in a reasonable time, then do the "grab from user", drop and retrieve in the cache.

 

I've had people grab a TB out of my inventory 20 minutes after I placed it in a cache. Not everyone has instant access to the Internet, and when I'm traveling/caching, I have no access until I return home.

[+Walts Hunting]

And of course their is "The other side of the page." If I have the traveler I grab it and dip it where it was found. I usually get rid of them within a day or two and see no reason to wait especially given the ubiquitous availability of the internet.

[+Don_J]

And of course their is "The other side of the page." If I have the traveler I grab it and dip it where it was found. I usually get rid of them within a day or two and see no reason to wait especially given the ubiquitous availability of the internet.

 

I don't have a smartphone, don't need one. I don't have a laptop, don't need one. I have no desire to walk into a strange town's library and give them all of my personal info, just so I can use one of their PC's, so I guess I'll just have to wait until I'm done wandering the desert and return home to log those trackables. I do log them as soon as possible once I am at home, even if I'm not ready to log my cache finds.

 

I understand the issues and usually won't take a trackable unless it appears to be stranded. I'll then put in a more popular cache along the way. In the old days when most trackables were in a baggy with a mission statement, I would add a note to it explaining that it would be logged in on the date that I was expected to be home, and people would respect that.

 

At any rate, all I was really trying to say is that I think it's best to do a little research if you find a trackable that is listed in the hands of someone else and not just impulsively grab it.

[+Shinook & White Juan]

What we do when we retrieve a bug or coin from a cache that is still in the hands of someone, we do wait a few days, if no log is completed, then we will grab it from the cacher who it is said to be in the hands of then we dip it in the cache that we found it in and move it along to another cache. Not sure if this is proper etiquette, but at least the trackable gets it's mileage.

[+BCandMsKitty]

Email whoever has the bug in their hands, and give them the chance to log it.

I recently came across this situation ... emailed the cacher ... they thought they HAD logged it. Said they would do that and it turns out they had logged it into an entirely different cache than I got it from. I simply retrieved it from said cache, dipped it into the cache I got it from and all was well.

[+basscat5]

I found this one in a Cache....It was still shown in Mayhems hands a year and a half ago....With the rich history in travels that this Cache had I just grabbed it and sent it on its way....I didn't want it to sit lost...

Farmall

[+Walts Hunting]

And of course their is "The other side of the page." If I have the traveler I grab it and dip it where it was found. I usually get rid of them within a day or two and see no reason to wait especially given the ubiquitous availability of the internet.

 

I don't have a smartphone, don't need one. I don't have a laptop, don't need one. I have no desire to walk into a strange town's library and give them all of my personal info, just so I can use one of their PC's, so I guess I'll just have to wait until I'm done wandering the desert and return home to log those trackables. I do log them as soon as possible once I am at home, even if I'm not ready to log my cache finds.

 

I understand the issues and usually won't take a trackable unless it appears to be stranded. I'll then put in a more popular cache along the way. In the old days when most trackables were in a baggy with a mission statement, I would add a note to it explaining that it would be logged in on the date that I was expected to be home, and people would respect that.

 

At any rate, all I was really trying to say is that I think it's best to do a little research if you find a trackable that is listed in the hands of someone else and not just impulsively grab it.

You are free to handle them as you see fit. If you choose to hold them until you get back that is fine. I am just pointing out that there are alternative opinions about how to handle it.

 

I imagine occasionally you have someone grab it from you and that is acceptable to you. You used the word impulsively. There is nothing impulsive about what I do. It is a well thought and definitive course of action taken in every case.

[+Harry Dolphin]

While out caching yesterday, I stumbled across a GeoCoin that I snagged from a cache. Unfortunately, when I loaded the GeoCoin's page I discovered that the person who had it last didn't bother logging that they dropped it off in a cache,

FWIW, the last time this happened to me, I noticed that the person with the geocoin in his inventory hadn't logged the cache yet either. (Logging delays happen when people go on vacations.) So I put the cache and the geocoin on my watchlist, and sent the person with the geocoin in his inventory email explaining that I had retrieved the geocoin, but that I was waiting for him to drop it into the cache first.

 

A few days later, he logged the drop and I logged the retrieval.

 

Which, in my opinion, is the proper way to handle these situations. If they don't respond in a reasonable time, then do the "grab from user", drop and retrieve in the cache.

 

I've had people grab a TB out of my inventory 20 minutes after I placed it in a cache. Not everyone has instant access to the Internet, and when I'm traveling/caching, I have no access until I return home.

 

Yes. This is a matter of courtesy versus entitlement.

Give the current holder the opportunity to log the TB into the cache. That is called courtesy! Yes. I've had TBs grabbed before I got to drive home and log the cache. That is 'entitlement'. And we're seeing a lot of that in this thread!

I wait two weeks to enable the TB holder to log the TB into the cache. That is called being courteous to other geocachers. There does not seem to be a lot of courtesy these days.

[+TriciaG]

Log the TB into the cache you've dropped it in, so that (1) the TB's history is correct for the owner, and (2) so the next person to take the TB will find it logged into the cache. This is courtesy.

 

I agree that grabbing it right away is not courteous, but if you're putting it in another cache right away (or within a day or two), it's best (IMHO) to grab it and put it in the correct cache. Sometimes accurate records trump politeness.

 

If you're not dropping the TB, then by all means wait.

Edited November 11, 2013 by TriciaG

[+dprovan]

I wait two weeks to enable the TB holder to log the TB into the cache. That is called being courteous to other geocachers.

I call that, "Holding on to a TB for too long."

[+SirDonB]

I got to be FTF on a cache and there was a TB in it that was not properly logged. I had searched for where it was logged in last, emailed the cache owner about it, and since he could not remember where he got it from, I went ahead and retrieved it from said cache, then dipped it into the cache I found it in, then properly logged it when I dropped it off. Due to the fast pace of today's society, I will make a quick log from my phone, then if there is anything interesting to add or expand on, I will log into the site from a PC and edit the log entry. I hate typing long messages from the phone... to me its a PITA