Why do geocachers think you have to leave something in return if you take a trackable item?

[+Highpointer]

Why do so many geocachers have the misconception that you can't take a travel bug or a geocoin unless you have something to leave in return? I left a travel bug in a cache on Sunday, Sept. 6, and another geocacher visited that cache the following day, but did not take the travel bug. I sent a message to that geocacher to find out if he or she had seen the travel bug, and that person replied, "Yep - it was there. We didn't take it as we had nothing to trade...but were soooo tempted."

 

Therefore, this geocacher had the misconception that one cannot take a travel bug unless they have something to leave in return. This is totally wrong.

 

Geocachers, if you see a travel bug or geocoin in a cache, please pick it up and log it properly, and move it to another cache. Travel bugs are not regular trade items. You don't have to leave anything in return. Please not let travel bugs and geocoins languish in caches.

[+Fisher513]

Why do so many geocachers have the misconception that you can't take a travel bug or a geocoin unless you have something to leave in return? I left a travel bug in a cache on Sunday, Sept. 6, and another geocacher visited that cache the following day, but did not take the travel bug. I sent a message to that geocacher to find out if he or she had seen the travel bug, and that person replied, "Yep - it was there. We didn't take it as we had nothing to trade...but were soooo tempted."

 

Therefore, this geocacher had the misconception that one cannot take a travel bug unless they have something to leave in return. This is totally wrong.

 

Geocachers, if you see a travel bug or geocoin in a cache, please pick it up and log it properly, and move it to another cache. Travel bugs are not regular trade items. You don't have to leave anything in return. Please not let travel bugs and geocoins languish in caches.

If you take a trackable you must put something back just if you put in a trackable you can take something.

[+cerberus1]

After all these years, we still see long-time cachers who think trackables are trade items.

- Weird.

 

I think much of this has to do with TB prisons hotels that have additional logging requirement of "take one , leave one".

There's many, and unless someone complains to a Reviewer (or they notice it), those written-after-published ALRs continue.

 

Sorry Highpointer, but since around 90% of cachers never enter the forums, you're kinda preaching to the choir here.

I've seen it mentioned in the newsletter, so maybe many (most?) don't read that either...

[+Chief301]

Why do so many geocachers have the misconception that you can't take a travel bug or a geocoin unless you have something to leave in return? I left a travel bug in a cache on Sunday, Sept. 6, and another geocacher visited that cache the following day, but did not take the travel bug. I sent a message to that geocacher to find out if he or she had seen the travel bug, and that person replied, "Yep - it was there. We didn't take it as we had nothing to trade...but were soooo tempted."

 

Therefore, this geocacher had the misconception that one cannot take a travel bug unless they have something to leave in return. This is totally wrong.

 

Geocachers, if you see a travel bug or geocoin in a cache, please pick it up and log it properly, and move it to another cache. Travel bugs are not regular trade items. You don't have to leave anything in return. Please not let travel bugs and geocoins languish in caches.

If you take a trackable you must put something back just if you put in a trackable you can take something.

 

Ummm....no

[Pup Patrol]

If you take a trackable you must put something back just if you put in a trackable you can take something.

 

Wrong.

 

Trackables are not swag, and are not to be treated like swag.

 

Trackables are meant to move. Swag is meant to be traded.

 

The OP explained it pretty clearly.

 

 

B.

[+Manville Possum]

If you take a trackable you must put something back just if you put in a trackable you can take something.

 

Uh, no. That is not correct. But if you do take the trackable, please log it and move it to another cache.

[+T.D.M.22]

Why do so many geocachers have the misconception that you can't take a travel bug or a geocoin unless you have something to leave in return? I left a travel bug in a cache on Sunday, Sept. 6, and another geocacher visited that cache the following day, but did not take the travel bug. I sent a message to that geocacher to find out if he or she had seen the travel bug, and that person replied, "Yep - it was there. We didn't take it as we had nothing to trade...but were soooo tempted."

 

Therefore, this geocacher had the misconception that one cannot take a travel bug unless they have something to leave in return. This is totally wrong.

 

Geocachers, if you see a travel bug or geocoin in a cache, please pick it up and log it properly, and move it to another cache. Travel bugs are not regular trade items. You don't have to leave anything in return. Please not let travel bugs and geocoins languish in caches.

If you take a trackable you must put something back just if you put in a trackable you can take something.

 

Number one, you just basically said the same thing twice, only in a different order. Number two, that's not correct. For example of I'm going to New York and I find a trackable that wants to visit the Empire State Building, you expect me not to take it? Not to complete it's mission? We'll, I'm taking it, and I expect anyone else to take it as well.

 

Some of it us an attempt to keep trackables in the cache, rather than the cache starting out full and not seeing another trackable the rest of its life. Can't really blame the CO for trying, but you really don't have to leave a trackable.

[+irisisleuk]

 

If you take a trackable you must put something back just if you put in a trackable you can take something.

 

This is not correct, but why do you think that you have to exchange something for the trackable?

The topic starter wants to know how you (and others)come to think this although trackables aren't the same thing as swag.

[+Eartha]

You do not need to trade for trackables, they are game pieces, not trade items. If you take swag, or trade items, you are expected to trade up, trade even, or don't trade at all. But any trackable is a game piece and its object is to keep moving. Cache owners should not be making this a stipulation on their cache pages, and any such rules should be ignored.

[+kunarion]

You do not need to trade for trackables, they are game pieces, not trade items. If you take swag, or trade items, you are expected to trade up, trade even, or don't trade at all. But any trackable is a game piece and its object is to keep moving.

The error stems from the simplicity of "The Rules": https://www.geocaching.com/guide/

"1. If you take something from the geocache (or "cache"), leave something of equal or greater value."

 

On items I leave in caches (muggle card info), I have a slightly different wording. "If you take something to keep from a Geocache, put something back that's worth just as much." You may expect a rational thinking person would not take a Trackable "to keep", which has the words "Don't Keep Me" inscribed. In the case of other kinds of persons , the specific wording may have little effect anyway.

 

The nuances of Trackables seem to become complicated to many people. They get confused, and often can't seem to simply return a Trackable to a cache. But, yes, get the word out that Trackable items have owners who are watching them travel. Take it if you will move it and log it. But there's no "trade" in this case.

 

And in other cases, always trade for Swag that you take, value for value. You can typically bring just one nice thing to trade, and swap items in caches forevermore.

Edited September 9, 2015 by kunarion

[+Shop99er]

If you take a trackable you must put something back just if you put in a trackable you can take something.

 

Fail