Banning geocaches on children's playground equipment

[+The_Incredibles_]

Now, people are so nervous of bad perceptions that they won't even approach a 6ish-year-old girl who is wandering around a busy park crying about having lost her mommy.

 

True. I lost my son at a shopping mall and later found him outside. When I saw him I started running. There was a man talking to him and as soon as he saw me, he looked scared and took off. I'm pretty sure he was just trying to be helpful, but I could see how he might have been afraid of how it looked.

[+The_Incredibles_]

Not everyone has own children or children in the closer family. If a parent asked me why I watch their children, I would readily be willing to provide

an explanation. I cannot see anything bad about what I'm doing. In fact, it's not even really the children that I'm watching, it's their activities on the playground. I would not follow them

to any other location and would not watch them elsewhere.

 

Yes, I know you're not really doing anything wrong. It still makes me uncomfortable, though. Not that I think you're a pedophile or whatever, but more that I don't want to feel like we're on display. I'm an introvert. I don't really like attention of any kind. Also, maybe I'm a bit over-sensitive about this as my in-laws do this at home and I can't stand them. I don't mind other parents watching my kids, though, as they have a reason to be there and I'm watching their kids too.

[Selrahc_Llednura]

I think as long it's not in the park it's alright, I have a cache listing that is on a sign outside of a park and the reviewer in my area is VERY strict on placing them near schools or in playgrounds. Maybe Groundspeak could send out a mass email to all reviewers telling them to toughen up on them being placed in playgrounds.

[+dprovan]

And if questioned by another parent or the police, be up front honest what you are doing.

As I already mentioned, it makes more sense to me to be up front and honest before you even get questioned. Since any parent there is known to frequent that playground, it could result in the cache being saved when some kid eventually does find it it by accident. The worst case, although exceedingly unlikely, is that the parent will be outraged and demand the geocache be removed, in which case it shouldn't be there, anyway.

[cezanne]

Yes, I know you're not really doing anything wrong. It still makes me uncomfortable, though. Not that I think you're a pedophile or whatever, but more that I don't want to feel like we're on display. I'm an introvert. I don't really like attention of any kind. Also, maybe I'm a bit over-sensitive about this as my in-laws do this at home and I can't stand them. I don't mind other parents watching my kids, though, as they have a reason to be there and I'm watching their kids too.

 

To start with, I'm an introvert, too. I certainly do not watch children like on a display and I do not pay any attention how the parents treat their children and I never ever would make a comment about what they are doing. For example, I just might watch how a child climbs up a tree or how they manage to balance over something where I do not even manage a single step.

 

I find it a bit strange that you do not have an issue with other parents watching your kids and that you find it ok that you watch other kids, but feel uncomfortable if elderly people and childless people watch your kids - you cannot even know whether the elderly people you wrote about have kids. I do not know the situation in your region. In my area playgrounds are often in park areas which are visited by people from all age groups and it is not even necessary to really enter a playground to watch children playing there. In fact in many cases it would mean that adults who are not accompanied by kids are not allowed to sit down on benches in many locations in my area. Often the benches are facing playground equipment it will not be easy not to take notice of the playing children.

 

Cezanne

[+The A-Team]

Playgrounds are in public parks, open to the public. In my opinion, parents don't have the right to expect "privacy". If you don't like people hanging around, stay in your backyard.

 

Sorry, but this gets my dander up. And I'm saying this as a mother of two.

Okay, as a mother of two, and assuming you knew nothing about geocaching, would you have any concerns if a strange, middle-aged man with a smartphone was digging around in bushes beside a playground where your children were playing? Based on your post, can I assume you wouldn't have any problem with it? I'm not trying to be argumentative or anything, just trying to determine how people perceive strangers around playgrounds.

You come across as someone who is a bit paranoid. Of course i, or my wife, would make note of someone digging around in the bushes at a public park. However, neither of us would become overly concerned unless that person ended up getting too close to our child. I'd definitely watch more closely and probably intervene if that ever happened.

You're right, I guess I am a bit paranoid, but probably not in the way you think. Not being a parent, I'm not paranoid about the strangers at the playground. I'm paranoid about being one of the strangers at the playground. I've personally been called out for creepy, suspicious behaviour while caching (on one of The_Incredibles_'s caches, actually!), and that wasn't even near a playground. That was a very uncomfortable situation to be in, and not one that could have been expected and planned-for ahead of time like with a playground cache. I guess that experience has maybe just heightened my sensitivity toward potentially suspicious behaviour while caching.

 

I really need to get one of those high-visibility vests and a hard-hat to blend in better!

[+The_Incredibles_]

Either a hard hat or a long blond wig and heels.

 

Seriously, it's just harder for guys. I've been questioned while caching and have been asked if I'm looking for mushrooms or bugs or whether I've lost something. If you're a guy caching alone people are so much quicker to assume criminal intent.

[cezanne]

Seriously, it's just harder for guys. I've been questioned while caching and have been asked if I'm looking for mushrooms or bugs or whether I've lost something. If you're a guy caching alone people are so much quicker to assume criminal intent.

 

Maybe it's true in connection with sexual abuse, but I do not think that it's true in general. Most unpleasant experiences happen however in an urban or semiurban setting where the assumption that someone looks for mushrooms or bugs does not apply and where one of the concerns is that someone explores the area for a potential burglary.

I have experienced unpleasant situations of that type myself and ironically it happened at one of the few caches in my area where indeed explicit permission has been obtained, but that does not help to calm down the people living nearby.

 

Cezanne

[+The_Incredibles_]

I dunno, I have never had a negative experience, but maybe I will have to cache a few more years and get back to you.

 

The incident the A-Team mentioned, my guess is if was women and children showing up, the irate neighbor in question wouldn't have been so irate. Hard to say. I never did get the opportunity to talk to her.

[DannyCaffeine]

Now, people are so nervous of bad perceptions that they won't even approach a 6ish-year-old girl who is wandering around a busy park crying about having lost her mommy.

 

That bugs me too. As a college aged male I felt nervous asking a kid at the mall where her parents were when I was exiting a store and saw her all by herself. They were just around the corner but I was worried that people would think but the kid's safety came first. The parents thanked me for my concern and it was no biggie but it made me feel really uncomfortable.

[+CanadianRockies]

Now, people are so nervous of bad perceptions that they won't even approach a 6ish-year-old girl who is wandering around a busy park crying about having lost her mommy.

That bugs me too. As a college aged male I felt nervous asking a kid at the mall where her parents were when I was exiting a store and saw her all by herself. They were just around the corner but I was worried that people would think but the kid's safety came first. The parents thanked me for my concern and it was no biggie but it made me feel really uncomfortable.

In my case, the 6-year-old's mother did show up, quickly took the kid in hand, basically ignored me, and left. She wasn't thankful. But she wasn't hostile either, for which I probably should be thankful.

[+Trucker Lee]

Or we could just ban all stupid cachers?

 

Look, I'm a 50something man who often caches alone. If I see that GZ is in a playground and that playground is being used for its primary purpose I will walk away and find another cache. But if it's empty of tots and moms there's no reason why I cannot find it.

Same thought process goes for a cemetery or any other public space. If there are mourners present I will skip it and return another time.

But I will admit to not caring if anyone sees me in a parking lot.

Hear! Hear!

 

I find myself caching all over the country solo, a decent sized fellow. As a rule, I will not cache any playground when children are present, never in an area where children are without adult supervision, never in a cemetery if mourners are present. I don't go digging through the landscaping, just passed a cache yesterday because several branches were broken on bushes near ground zero and I don't wish cachers to be blamed. Hiders need to think and get permissions, seekers need to use common sense and be respectful.

[+Mudfrog]

I think as long it's not in the park it's alright, I have a cache listing that is on a sign outside of a park and the reviewer in my area is VERY strict on placing them near schools or in playgrounds. Maybe Groundspeak could send out a mass email to all reviewers telling them to toughen up on them being placed in playgrounds.

 

I don't agree with this at all. I'm paying my taxes, i get to use my local parks for geocaching. That is, if my city has no objections to caches being placed in it's parks.

 

This just takes common sense is all. Kids present, skip it and come back later or,, talk to the parents, let then know what you're doing, and depending on their reaction, walk away or proceed to find the cache.

No kids present, go for it.

 

I find myself caching all over the country solo, a decent sized fellow. As a rule, I will not cache any playground when children are present, never in an area where children are without adult supervision, never in a cemetery if mourners are present. I don't go digging through the landscaping, just passed a cache yesterday because several branches were broken on bushes near ground zero and I don't wish cachers to be blamed. Hiders need to think and get permissions, seekers need to use common sense and be respectful.

 

Yes,, Here's some common sense now!

[+biggles1024]

The only time I go near a playground is when I'm out with my caching partner on our regular Friday night/Saturday morning caching runs and that means we're there sometime between 10:00pm and 4:00am. We don't have any trouble because there is absolutely no-one around. We can search quickly and quietly and then we leave to find the next cache.

[vagabond]

I used to do most of my caching on Sundays, map out an area any parks I'd hit early, like shortly after daybreak.

Many mornings I'd leave the house at 4 or 5AM to hit the parks at the crack of dawn, never had a problem

[+Roman!]

Two things I really hate and if I come across I'll just keep driving:

 

1) Caches in another cachers front yard.

2) Caches in playgrounds when there are people about.

 

If it's #1 odds are I will never return, if it's #2 I may pop by another time before sun up if I'm in the area.

[team tisri]

Two things I really hate and if I come across I'll just keep driving:

 

1) Caches in another cachers front yard.

2) Caches in playgrounds when there are people about.

 

If it's #1 odds are I will never return, if it's #2 I may pop by another time before sun up if I'm in the area.

 

Caches in a front yard irritate me as well, especially in urban areas where the GPS inaccuracy could easily see a seeker looking in the wrong front yard.

 

Depending on just what was meant by "playground" I'd either look for it anyway or let it go. I ignored one that was in an area marked as "no adults without children", but if it was in a public park that happened to include a few swings and roundabouts and stuff I'd decide what to do based on circumstances just like with any other cache. It's really no different to finding a cache attached to a bench - if the bench is free you can use it and look for the cache but it would be a very foolish man who insisted on poking around a bench if there was a young woman sitting at the bench.

[+Roman!]

Two things I really hate and if I come across I'll just keep driving:

 

1) Caches in another cachers front yard.

2) Caches in playgrounds when there are people about.

 

If it's #1 odds are I will never return, if it's #2 I may pop by another time before sun up if I'm in the area.

 

Caches in a front yard irritate me as well, especially in urban areas where the GPS inaccuracy could easily see a seeker looking in the wrong front yard.

 

Depending on just what was meant by "playground" I'd either look for it anyway or let it go. I ignored one that was in an area marked as "no adults without children", but if it was in a public park that happened to include a few swings and roundabouts and stuff I'd decide what to do based on circumstances just like with any other cache. It's really no different to finding a cache attached to a bench - if the bench is free you can use it and look for the cache but it would be a very foolish man who insisted on poking around a bench if there was a young woman sitting at the bench.

 

Ha, that's how I met my wife, by poking around where I shouldn't.

[+GopherGreg]

The only geocaches near playgrounds/schools for me were actually placed by the school students.

 

However there was a bomb scare about a geocache at a school, just a week or two back.

 

Check it out.

[+Cableguy]

Well, a CO just deleted my found log, because I was a little critical of his playground cache. Time to re-log.

[+narcissa]

Well, a CO just deleted my found log, because I was a little critical of his playground cache. Time to re-log.

 

Or get Groundspeak to restore your legitimate log.

[+The_Incredibles_]

Well, a CO just deleted my found log, because I was a little critical of his playground cache. Time to re-log.

 

Care to share what you wrote?

[+eightwednesday]

I typically cache with my husband but if the cache is on playground equipment and the place doesn't appear to be completely deserted, I'll hunt and he'll hang back in the car. Or I will return on my own later on. When you're a 27-year-old female, even if you're not there with a kid, it seems generally assumed you're checking the place out. Paranoid, safety conscious parents n'at.

[+Mn-treker]

As this activity grows there will be modifications to the rules. Some cities are now requiring registration of geocache placement. Blaine, Mn also as part of geocache placement ordinance forbids placement on child playgrounds. There are some still on playgrounds due to grandfathering. No new ones are allowed.

What is the cause of all this? The Grizzly Bear phenomenon! Adult males will kill the young.

Too many parents look at lone adult males like this, a major threat to the kids.

The argument of I pay taxes so I can hide a cache here. Rings hollow, there are many state lands

posted no trespass.