How do I grab light post caches in a subtle manner?

[+fordam3]

Good day! I am having so much fun geocaching, but I am always hesitant to grab these ever-so-common urban hides. I am worried about attracting too much attention from muggles. That said, how do you fellow geocachers go about grabbing this type of cache without drawing in unwanted attention? Thanks much!

[+T.D.M.22]

By not worrying. When you try not to draw attention, you actually do. People look for suspicious, and nothing is more suspicious than someone who doesn't want to be seen.

 

That being said you could do it when nobody is around, or just go ahead. I mean, it's a LPC, probably a film can or something, so I'd someone sees and take sit, no big deal. I'd be more worried if it was an ammo can, LnL, or something special.

 

If you're really worried, park beside it and use your car to block the view.

[+wmpastor]

 

If you're really worried, park beside it and use your car to block the view.

 

Two cars (your friend's) is even better. Four cars might be overkill.

 

Some suggest a reflective vest (like a lamppost maintenance person), but I think that's ludicrous.

[+Calypso62]

I always wear a hi-viz vest when urban geocaching. Sometimes I carry a clipboard too. I've even worn a hard hat at times. I ignore everybody around me and begin my hunt. People will make the assumption that you are a worker going about your job of inspecting whatever it is you have to inspect and don't give you another thought. As T.D.M.22 said, the more you try to be inconspicuous, the more conspicuous you seem to become. One time I was searching in a street full of houses where there was some road works going on and a local resident came out and thanked me for the fine job "we" were doing. I thanked him and told him I'd pass on his comments to the team! Another time, somebody came up to me all apologetic for overstaying their parking time. They might have thought the GPS clipped to my belt was a device for issuing parking tickets. I just suggested they should move their car.... and they did! Nobody asked me what I was doing, they just made the assumption. If ever anybody simply asks what I'm doing (and I haven't had many of those urban geocaching while being a "worker"), I tell them I'm geocaching. Some ask what it is and after a very brief explanation, they are happy with that and off they go. Others show interest and want to know more so I spend a bit more time explaining. It's usually then I give them a laminated card explaining the fundamentals that I carry to take away with them.

Edited January 1, 2016 by Calypso62

[+The Leprechauns]

I often pretend to be on a cellphone call, like I'm waiting to meet up with someone in the parking lot. It allows me to wander away from my car, and to look around for the person I'm meeting (actually, to make sure no muggles are looking at me).

[+SageTracey]

Don't worry about being subtle with LPC - the novelty wears off soon and you'll be skipping them.

[+terratin]

Best one I ever did with two friends: We wanted to pick up a higher terrain/difficulty cache underneath a bridge next to a main road. We wore high vis gear and had tied two telescope sticks together. Couldn't get the cache down though. Thus we taped a phone on the stick and took a video, noticing this way that the cache was not there. Nobody questioned us

[+Walts Hunting]

I take no precautions. Bike up, get it, sifn it, return it, bike off. If any one sees I just look at them and say geocaching. If that perplexes them I give a one sentence explanation and they usually get it. Thi whole stealth is highly overrated and as mentioned just calls attention to you Duri

[+ecanderson]

If you're really worried, park beside it and use your car to block the view.

 

Two cars (your friend's) is even better. Four cars might be overkill.

 

Some suggest a reflective vest (like a lamppost maintenance person), but I think that's ludicrous.

So you're saying that this might be overkill?

http://www.mediafire.com/view/gkdg0ivo1fxv9yl/Cachemobile.jpg

http://www.mediafire.com/view/ibw21h83k8qm8a7/StealthOverrated2.jpg

Edited January 2, 2016 by ecanderson

[+BCandMsKitty]

If you're really worried, park beside it and use your car to block the view.

 

Two cars (your friend's) is even better. Four cars might be overkill.

 

Some suggest a reflective vest (like a lamppost maintenance person), but I think that's ludicrous.

So you're saying that this might be overkill?

http://www.mediafire.com/view/gkdg0ivo1fxv9yl/Cachemobile.jpg

http://www.mediafire.com/view/ibw21h83k8qm8a7/StealthOverrated2.jpg

 

Ah, but do you wear a reflective vest?

[+ecanderson]

Heck no. We have U.S. Survey hats and polo shirts, and fleece for when it's colder. Nothing half arsed about this operation!

 

http://www.mediafire.com/view/6vvbsc3dmq0a0qm/Shirt_and_Hat.jpg

[+hzoi]

I don't know that there is a subtle way to get a skirtlifter cache. Every time I try I get the same banshee wail of metal on metal. When I find one, I park next to it and just try to look like I am supposed to be there. Looking furtive only arouses more suspicion.

[+RosiesDaddyBear]

Heck no. We have U.S. Survey hats and polo shirts, and fleece for when it's colder. Nothing half arsed about this operation!

 

http://www.mediafire.com/view/6vvbsc3dmq0a0qm/Shirt_and_Hat.jpg

 

That is brilliant! A little harder to pull off though with a 6yr old in tow.

[+T.D.M.22]

If you're really worried, park beside it and use your car to block the view.

 

Two cars (your friend's) is even better. Four cars might be overkill.

 

Some suggest a reflective vest (like a lamppost maintenance person), but I think that's ludicrous.

So you're saying that this might be overkill?

http://www.mediafire.com/view/gkdg0ivo1fxv9yl/Cachemobile.jpg

http://www.mediafire.com/view/ibw21h83k8qm8a7/StealthOverrated2.jpg

 

All you need is a unit number on the vehicle. Perhaps it could be a TB?

[+wmpastor]

I don't know that there is a subtle way to get a skirtlifter cache. Every time I try I get the same banshee wail of metal on metal. When I find one, I park next to it and just try to look like I am supposed to be there. Looking furtive only arouses more suspicion.

 

It's not every day I get to give tips to the pros, so here goes.

 

Silicone spray lubricant quiets the banshee wails!

 

Safely lubricates metal and non-metal surfaces, better than leading competitors. It dries fast and leaves a clear, non-staining film that doesn't stick or make a mess, so it won't attract dirt.

 

$5.99 at big box home centers.

[+ecanderson]

All you need is a unit number on the vehicle. Perhaps it could be a TB?

Photo didn't show the back, sorry! Already a TB!

[+ecanderson]

Heck no. We have U.S. Survey hats and polo shirts, and fleece for when it's colder. Nothing half arsed about this operation!

 

http://www.mediafire.com/view/6vvbsc3dmq0a0qm/Shirt_and_Hat.jpg

 

That is brilliant! A little harder to pull off though with a 6yr old in tow.

Would have to check to see if the shirts come in smaller sizes

 

Our caching motto is "Stealth is Vastly Overrated".

 

0.0001% of the total population of cachers with 'Company' or similar associations? Honestly -- what % of geocachers have been trained to service dead drops? And that really isn't much different from what we're doing regularly as cachers and in very public spaces. Most cachers, the more inexperienced in particular, wind up being far more conspicuous as they attempt to remain inconspicuous. Some develop a pretty good "Yeah, just here doing a job. We belong here." behavior. Some never get it. We have found that it's even easier never to be asked than to come up with an explanation when we can see it really won't help. WE get to decide when to initiate conversation, and we do so when the timing is right and the audience receptive to information about our hobby. But we're done with little cars that roll around the mall parking lots with "SECURITY" stuck on the doors. Even they don't bother to talk to us now, so it's been well worth the effort putting a few 'visual aids' together to help shape their perception of our reality. That this perception is entirely incorrect .. well, not our problem!

[+hzoi]

I don't know that there is a subtle way to get a skirtlifter cache. Every time I try I get the same banshee wail of metal on metal. When I find one, I park next to it and just try to look like I am supposed to be there. Looking furtive only arouses more suspicion.

 

It's not every day I get to give tips to the pros, so here goes.

 

Silicone spray lubricant quiets the banshee wails!

 

Safely lubricates metal and non-metal surfaces, better than leading competitors. It dries fast and leaves a clear, non-staining film that doesn't stick or make a mess, so it won't attract dirt.

 

$5.99 at big box home centers.

 

Good tip. The next time I hide a skirtlifter (read: never) I'll spring for it. Until then, if the banshee wail is OK with the hider, then I'll count it as an essential part of the caching experience.

Edited January 25, 2016 by hzoi

[+MtnMutt-ProDuckShins]

Drive up to the pole lean out grab, sign, put back, drive away.

[+Ry Dawg]

Good day! I am having so much fun geocaching, but I am always hesitant to grab these ever-so-common urban hides. I am worried about attracting too much attention from muggles. That said, how do you fellow geocachers go about grabbing this type of cache without drawing in unwanted attention? Thanks much!

 

Just do what you got to do.. or wait until they're not around. If you try to do it overly secretly, you could end up getting police called on you in urban settings. I find it's best to wait, just do it, or cache in a small group.

 

Smoking helps, although I highly recommend not ever started that habit. When I need to wait, it's a great excuse.