Jump to content

Geocaching While Black


Recommended Posts

8 minutes ago, G0ldNugget said:

I came across this article about an African American geocacher. He has been stopped by the police while geocaching seven times in the last six months.

https://www.npr.org/2021/07/11/1009560739/geocaching-while-black-outdoor-pastime-reveals-racism-and-bias

There was a blog post about this last year.

https://www.geocaching.com/blog/2020/12/adventures-in-geocaching-and-writing-interview-with-marcellus-cadd-of-geocaching-while-black/

Link to comment

His issue is more with the general public and police than with other geocachers. 

In 18 years and 6K plus geocachers, we've met maybe two dozen other geocachers. 

I have been questioned by people and police when out geocaching, I have been wary of those encounters too but not because of my race fortunately. 

As for the Confederate Memorial geocache mentioned in the story, he may have been offended but he found it anyway. 

He has impressive statistics too, like finding a geocache in all 254 Texas counties. 

 

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
On 7/17/2021 at 1:49 AM, brodiebunch said:

His issue is more with the general public and police than with other geocachers. 

In 18 years and 6K plus geocachers, we've met maybe two dozen other geocachers. 

 

I've heard from a lot of geocachers - if you are male and caching on your own - people regard you with suspicion, and want to know why you're near their house, or parked on the side of the road etc.... and forget about playgrounds..... a proportion of his encounters may well be gender related.

I've always got 1-2 young kids with me, so have never been questioned once (4600 finds, 6 years).....

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
3 minutes ago, lee737 said:

I've always got 1-2 young kids with me, so have never been questioned once (4600 finds, 6 years)....

 

I don't have kids, or even a dog I can be walking, but the only time I've been questioned was when a woman came up to me wanting to know if I was hunting Pokemons. But then most of my caching is done in bushland away from curious onlookers.

Link to comment

Awkward encounters between geocachers and the public or the police isn't uncommon. Poking around on busy corners, neighborhoods or industrial parks always feels like suspicious eyes are on me. I would encourage prospective COs to choose cache locations wisely. Give players time and space to find your hide by selecting spots that offer a bit of privacy, cars not whizzing by just feet from GZ and no caches in residential neighborhoods.

 

Dozens of new caches have popped up around here in the last few months by the same CO. Every single one is along a busy road, behind an HVAC unit in an industrial park or in a residential neighborhood. The CO went to some trouble to create and publish all these, many of the containers are decorated and generally well done. But they are in the most awful locations and I generally avoid them. Just because you can hide one there, doesn't mean you should hide one there.

  • Upvote 6
  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
11 minutes ago, G0ldNugget said:

Dozens of new caches have popped up around here in the last few months by the same CO. Every single one is along a busy road, behind an HVAC unit in an industrial park or in a residential neighborhood. The CO went to some trouble to create and publish all these, many of the containers are decorated and generally well done. But they are in the most awful locations and I generally avoid them.

 

Just because you can hide one there, doesn't mean you should hide one there.

 

Yep.  We were on vacation, and in another state we stopped at a park n ride that was attributed to be open 24/7.

Ten minutes in, a state police officer had parked behind me, and calling me out by my name over the speaker.

Luckily the other 2/3rds had it on her sorta-smart phone when we existed the woods, and showed the officer that it did say we'd be fine (at 0200).

The officer walked back with us, found the gladware "cache", and told us to leave after we did whatever we had to do.  We did.   :D

 

Another time, in another state nearby, my name was again called by speaker, to find a string of cars with lights still flashing.   :o

Turns out a new homeowner didn't know about the woods trail nearby, saw "some bearded guy in camo and a girl" go in the woods, and they didn't want that stuff happening , when they have kids in the yard. 

Again the sorta-smart phone, and the fact that it was an established trail in the development, but property was held by a trust for walking.

The police not only apologized to us, but told the "accuser" that they should have been aware of something that's been in use for years just outside their property.    None of those officers knew that at the time though, as well...

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment

 I'm just pre-senior (64).I used to do environmental due diligence. When a commercial property is to be sold, the environmental history  of it needs to be researched; Part of it is taking photos of  all parts of the property and adjoining properties. In the US, there is nothing illegal about taking photos from public land (street and sidewalks and adjoining properties. If a daycare was anywhere nearby I went there first showed them my card and offered to  review all the photos I took with them. I was careful to not include kids and if I got adults and/or license plates in the photos, I would blur them out.  Doing this, I did not have a single problem.

Link to comment

I haven't been stopped yet. One time a police was literally watching me from far away lol.

 

Of course I try to stay away from neighborhoods and playgrounds where people might think its weird.

 

One time I was at the cemetery in the dead of night (I got lost for a bit) and a pickup truck went through the dirt road at full speed and I didn't know if I should hide behind a grave or just stand there.

 

But one time I was stopped by a security guard because it was a busy area. I try to show him what geocaching was and he was having none of it so I obliged and took off.

 

Another time I must have looked sus because I was driving around trying to find the entrance to a parking garage where the cache was but there were pillars closing the entrance and I spotted a security guard on top of the garage watching me. I parked on the business next to the garage and just walked there and the security guard was gone by the time I got there. 

 

 

Link to comment

I've been stopped many times usually at Welcome To signs small and large. I always cooperated with law enforcement and explain our activity. Most know about geocaching and a few want to try themselves. After learning everything is okay they'll say have fun or have a nice day.

 

Law enforcement is just doing their job and I'm thankful we have them. Remember our activity is a legal one and you shouldn't be afraid to have fun doing it.

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment

I was hunting for a cache in Cental Park, NYC with two other cachers.  One had already found it,  and gave me hints.  I was laying on my back under a picnic table.  Two park workers came by and asked if I was all right.  They were told "Oh.  He's just a drunk dolphin.  He's okay."  

  • Upvote 1
  • Funny 5
Link to comment
17 minutes ago, Harry Dolphin said:

I was hunting for a cache in Cental Park, NYC with two other cachers.  One had already found it,  and gave me hints.  I was laying on my back under a picnic table.  Two park workers came by and asked if I was all right.  They were told "Oh.  He's just a drunk dolphin.  He's okay."  

Yeah, I've had a number of rangers ask whether I was okay. I explained that I was fine and that I was geocaching. Sometimes I then had to explain what geocaching is.

Link to comment

I've been questioned a few times over the years. Three of these occasions were in small towns in various parts of Texas - maybe some of the same towns as the subject of the story. In some towns, anyone searching around or looking out of place is subject to being questioned by LEO, regardless of skin color. I've been questioned by Federal Game Wardens while out in the wild, but I've never been questioned in a large city.

Link to comment
On 7/17/2021 at 5:39 PM, lee737 said:

I've heard from a lot of geocachers - if you are male and caching on your own - people regard you with suspicion, and want to know why you're near their house, or parked on the side of the road etc.... and forget about playgrounds..... a proportion of his encounters may well be gender related.

I've always got 1-2 young kids with me, so have never been questioned once (4600 finds, 6 years).....

As a dude that only does solo caching, I give playgrounds and schools a wide birth.

  • Upvote 2
  • Funny 1
Link to comment

Before I exit the Geomobile to do a visual scan of the area. Where are people coming from? Where are they going to?  Are there cameras in the area? And, most importantly I have an answer ready to the question " What are you doing?"  I remember that this is a published cache and by definition, I presume to have permission by the land owner to be here. Merely remembering that gives me the confidence to do the usual business with confidence.  I dont open the geomobile door until I am satisfied. People don't examine each individual in their visual sphere in detail. They scan looking for amanomolies. I don't stand out, I blend in. 

  • Upvote 2
  • Funny 1
  • Surprised 1
Link to comment
33 minutes ago, ras_oscar said:

Before I exit the Geomobile to do a visual scan of the area. Where are people coming from? Where are they going to?  Are there cameras in the area? And, most importantly I have an answer ready to the question " What are you doing?"  I remember that this is a published cache and by definition, I presume to have permission by the land owner to be here. Merely remembering that gives me the confidence to do the usual business with confidence.  I dont open the geomobile door until I am satisfied. People don't examine each individual in their visual sphere in detail. They scan looking for amanomolies. I don't stand out, I blend in. 

 

I would think this goes without saying.  But I offer one counter-example.  There was a cache in a cemetery along a Texas road.  Not a highway but also not one of those roads only used by folks living on it, either.  The cemetery is set a few hundred feet from the road and mostly visible but some trees here and there.  The parking is just a dirt area between the road and cemetery fence.  I park and already see from my car about where the cache would be - through the gate, turn right, some clump of trees near the fence.  I start to get out but then I realize I hadn't put on sunscreen, yet.  Not that I'm concerned with this find but I had a day planned being on the trails and this was just a stop along the way.  If figure I better do it now or I will forget.  In the short time it takes to put some sunscreen on, a woman parks right next to me, gets out and goes in the cemetery and makes a bee-line to GZ while looking at her device.  Transparently a geocacher.  She had no idea I was one.  She had Tennessee plates, to boot.  She just carried on like she was unaware of anything else around her.  If I saw someone parked at a site like this I wouldn't even stop.  

Edited by SamLowrey
Link to comment
On 7/18/2021 at 10:54 PM, ScribblyBear said:

As a dude that only does solo caching, I give playgrounds and schools a wide birth.

:laughing:

The one playground I went to was in a state park, and no one around.  It turned out to be a magnetic altoids tin under the front of the slide.

Moms with jogging kid-carriers are the worst, and I even hear the angsty talk on phones on rails to trails, and small local parks by moms...  

Sheesh...

 - I could imagine what it'd be like if santa in camo was found on his back under the slide by one...

  • Upvote 2
Link to comment
2 hours ago, ras_oscar said:

Before I exit the Geomobile to do a visual scan of the area. Where are people coming from? Where are they going to?  Are there cameras in the area? And, most importantly I have an answer ready to the question " What are you doing?"  I remember that this is a published cache and by definition, I presume to have permission by the land owner to be here. Merely remembering that gives me the confidence to do the usual business with confidence.  I dont open the geomobile door until I am satisfied. People don't examine each individual in their visual sphere in detail. They scan looking for amanomolies. I don't stand out, I blend in. 

If there are muggles about, part of our leaving the car checklist might include a peep at the hint, to speed up the search, so we can look less like we're looking for something.....

Link to comment
On 7/17/2021 at 5:39 PM, lee737 said:

I've heard from a lot of geocachers - if you are male and caching on your own - people regard you with suspicion, and want to know why you're near their house, or parked on the side of the road etc.... and forget about playgrounds..... a proportion of his encounters may well be gender related.

I've always got 1-2 young kids with me, so have never been questioned once (4600 finds, 6 years).....

One thing I discovered early on - an adult male lurking in the bushes near a playground full of little kids arouses suspicion. An adult male WITH A DOG lurking in the bushes near a playground full of kids does not. I even got my dog a basic account of her own. 

 

  • Upvote 4
  • Love 1
Link to comment
On 7/17/2021 at 3:39 PM, lee737 said:

I've heard from a lot of geocachers - if you are male and caching on your own - people regard you with suspicion, and want to know why you're near their house, or parked on the side of the road etc.... and forget about playgrounds..... a proportion of his encounters may well be gender related.

I've always got 1-2 young kids with me, so have never been questioned once (4600 finds, 6 years).....

Thats why I save park with playground for a rainy day.  Some of the best caching I done are on rainy days because nobody is paying attention to me.  

  • Upvote 1
  • Surprised 2
  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
1 hour ago, SwineFlew said:

Thats why I save park with playground for a rainy day.  Some of the best caching I done are on rainy days because nobody is paying attention to me.  

I know geocachers who save urban/suburban geocaches for Super Bowl Sunday.

Link to comment
8 hours ago, mustakorppi said:

Funny how a thread with this title is full of stories of geocaching while white.

 

That's an unusual assumption...

I believe the idea is this isn't something that's only happening to any specific race.  Lighten up Francis... 

  • Upvote 3
  • Love 1
Link to comment
10 hours ago, mustakorppi said:

Funny how a thread with this title is full of stories of geocaching while white.

 

Why is it funny? If there is no one here to offer legitimate non-white experiences then others have filled the void with their own stories. Your baiting isn't necessary.

  • Upvote 6
  • Helpful 2
Link to comment
11 hours ago, mustakorppi said:

Funny how a thread with this title is full of stories of geocaching while white.

Try geocaching while Deaf!   Yes, it can be really dangerous for me at night when the cops think my GPS is a gun and I didn't hear him/her say drop it.  Yes, deaf people get killed by cops!  One of my mother biggest fear!  

  • Upvote 1
  • Surprised 1
  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
18 hours ago, cerberus1 said:

 

That's an unusual assumption...

I believe the idea is this isn't something that's only happening to any specific race.  Lighten up Francis... 

 

4 hours ago, dprovan said:

Just friends commiserating by discussing their similar experiences.

 

16 hours ago, bflentje said:

 

Why is it funny? If there is no one here to offer legitimate non-white experiences then others have filled the void with their own stories. Your baiting isn't necessary.

 

So I don't really want to single out any specific commenter here because the problem isn't any single comment. But consider that on the subject of police interactions a black geocacher says:
 

"As a Black person, Cadd said those encounters can be terrifying."

 

And this thread is full of comments like:

 

"After learning everything is okay they'll say have fun or have a nice day."

 

So I cannot help but feel that you're missing the point if you think you're talking about the same thing.

  • Upvote 6
  • Funny 1
  • Helpful 1
  • Love 1
Link to comment
5 hours ago, mustakorppi said:

 

 

 

So I don't really want to single out any specific commenter here because the problem isn't any single comment. But consider that on the subject of police interactions a black geocacher says:
 

"As a Black person, Cadd said those encounters can be terrifying."

 

And this thread is full of comments like:

 

"After learning everything is okay they'll say have fun or have a nice day."

 

So I cannot help but feel that you're missing the point if you think you're talking about the same thing.

 

Agreed.

 

Most of the postings have been about WHERE or WHEN an encounter occurred - playgrounds (especially when children are present), cemeteries and park-n-rides (especially at night), etc.  There have been dozens of threads about police encounters, where similar stories abound.

 

The OP seemingly wanted postings showing that only WHO the cacher was determined the encounter.

 

  • Funny 1
Link to comment
5 hours ago, mustakorppi said:

So I cannot help but feel that you're missing the point if you think you're talking about the same thing.

Perhaps you're missing the point that we *are* talking about the same thing. But you'd never be able to see that.

  • Upvote 1
  • Surprised 1
  • Helpful 1
  • Love 1
Link to comment
14 hours ago, Keystone said:

The thread title is “geocaching while black,” which is a fundamentally different experience than “geocaching while white” when it comes to law enforcement encounters.

That assumption, that geocaching while black is fundamentally different do to external forces, is what's being questioned. Do people react to black geocachers differently than other geocachers, or do black geocachers perceive the same adversity differently than other geocachers? Is it really off topic to say, "Yeah, that happens to me, too," or is that just shouting down a view that's not to be considered?

  • Upvote 6
  • Surprised 3
Link to comment
On 8/4/2021 at 8:53 AM, dprovan said:

Just friends commiserating by discussing their similar experiences.

 

1 hour ago, dprovan said:

That assumption, that geocaching while black is fundamentally different do to external forces, is what's being questioned.

 

With friends like these...

  • Upvote 1
  • Love 1
Link to comment
3 hours ago, dprovan said:

That assumption, that geocaching while black is fundamentally different do to external forces, is what's being questioned. Do people react to black geocachers differently than other geocachers, or do black geocachers perceive the same adversity differently than other geocachers? Is it really off topic to say, "Yeah, that happens to me, too," or is that just shouting down a view that's not to be considered?

 

When I was in Utah I went to find an Earthcache on the edge of a village overlooking a river. When I was done I was approached by a policeman. We had a lovely chat about the nice views and the geology. A day later, back in a nearby national park I met a guy who did the same cache a few days earlier. Turns out he was approached by the same policeman, but there was no friendly chat. The policeman was actually acting quite threateningly. Now imagine there's a black cacher doing the same. How do you think the policeman will react? Like he did with me, a superwhite woman? Like the guy, another white dude? Differently?

  • Upvote 2
  • Funny 1
Link to comment
26 minutes ago, terratin said:

Now imagine there's a black cacher doing the same. How do you think the policeman will react? Like he did with me, a superwhite woman? Like the guy, another white dude? Differently?

In Australia I would fully expect him to react exactly the same, regardless of who was there, if they were acting the same way of course. 

  • Upvote 1
  • Funny 1
  • Helpful 1
Link to comment
14 minutes ago, lee737 said:

In Australia I would fully expect him to react exactly the same, regardless of who was there, if they were acting the same way of course. 

 

I would expect this to be true here in the Netherlands as well. But it isn't. Ethnic profiling or 'just' subconscious bias by government organizations, police, schools and universities, shops, hiring companies is totally a thing. There's a huge difference between what we think should be the ideal and what is the status quo. This is the summary of a survey done here a while ago. Use an online translator for it: https://eenvandaag.avrotros.nl/panels/opiniepanel/alle-uitslagen/item/geen-uitnodiging-voor-sollicitaties-en-een-lager-schooladvies-institutioneel-racisme-ook-in-nederla/

 

  • Upvote 1
  • Funny 2
Link to comment
9 hours ago, terratin said:

 

When I was in Utah I went to find an Earthcache on the edge of a village overlooking a river. When I was done I was approached by a policeman. We had a lovely chat about the nice views and the geology. A day later, back in a nearby national park I met a guy who did the same cache a few days earlier. Turns out he was approached by the same policeman, but there was no friendly chat. The policeman was actually acting quite threateningly. Now imagine there's a black cacher doing the same. How do you think the policeman will react? Like he did with me, a superwhite woman? Like the guy, another white dude? Differently?

There is no way to tell.  There are so many factors that lead to the meeting.  Did the cop have a good breakfast?  Did he have a fight with his wife?  Did the white dude respond the same way as you did?  Act the same?  Will the black cacher act/respond the same?  The frame of mind (on either side), posture, tone of voice, facial expression all can affect the interaction - heck, even the day of the week may contribute (how many here don't like Monday's?).  No way to predict.

  • Upvote 1
  • Surprised 1
Link to comment
On 8/2/2021 at 11:01 PM, mustakorppi said:

Funny how a thread with this title is full of stories of geocaching while white.

Funny how you assume every story on here is about white people.  This started as a discussion about an article with the same/similar title about one particular cacher who is black.  If it is to be restricted, then only that guy and the article can be discussed, not "black" caching in general, or police interactions with cachers.

  • Surprised 1
Link to comment
Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.
×
×
  • Create New...