Should hiding caches away from home be instituted?

[+Alan2]

I thought a poll pickup from another topic might be worth while at this point. Should a distance such as 100 miles or another agreed upon distance be set? Hiders would not be able to place caches beyond that point or only under certain circumstances where they can show that maintenance will be done.

 

Should limits be set??

[+Alan2]

SOrry - I'm sure you picked that up.

 

Alan

[Dinoprophet]

I don't think hiding caches far from home in general is the best idea, but a blanket banning of it assumes a lot. For example, if someone's job has them in another part of the world for a couple of weeks every other month, I don't think it's unreasonable that they hide one there. Just an example. Hider's judgement.

 

[+JerryMonkey]

I've noticed that even caches placed by locals to an area sometimes get neglected. I can imagine how much work it would be after placing 10 or more caches if it were up to the cache hider to maintain all of the caches (and I'm not saying that people shouldn't be hiding that many caches). I believe that if the cache is a good cache, people will visit it and locals will, in a way, adopt it if it's worth having around. I would never want to inhibit people placing caches. I haven't hid a cache myself yet (I'm learning from others first so that I can hide interesting, and if possible, educating caches), but if I visit a cache that needed help and I feel that others could enjoy hunting for it I would surely offer my help in maintaining the cache if it were in my capacity. In fact, I feel that caches place by people from out of town often have a fresh perspective on a locale, and conversely caches placed by locals could sometimes prove to be very difficult for out-of-towners (the challenge is well worth it, though). Basically, I'm saying that if a cache is good, it will get taken care of. If it's not popular, it'll get archived. Nothing wrong with that.

 

Jerry Monkey

[+culpc]

Common sense should prevail (I know-like trying to legislate morality...). I helped set a cache in Mexico that is 900+ miles from where I live, however, it has been hit once in the past 7 months. My brother will check on it in December, which should be adequate for such a high traffic cache!

 

Children today are tyrants. They contradict their parents, gobble their food, and tyrannize their teachers. - Socrates

[skydiver]

quote:

---

Originally posted by dinoprophet:

I don't think hiding caches far from home in general is the best idea, but a blanket banning of it assumes a lot. For example, if someone's job has them in another part of the world for a couple of weeks every other month, I don't think it's unreasonable that they hide one there. Just an example. Hider's judgement.

 

http://www.mi-geocaching.org/

---

 

I think that's more of an excellent example of 'under certain circumstances'. I don't want to see an outright ban on placing caches far away from home ... BUT ... I don't think it would be bad if people had to jump through a couple extra hoops (like demonstrating that maintenance has been arranged) in order to do so.

 

---------------------------------------

Friends don't let friends NOT geocache.

---------------------------------------

[+EraSeek]

Why is it people always want to make more rules? Let us use our God given common sense.

 

[+OzzieSan]

it is a virtual cache? Not much requied in the way of "cache" maintenance there. No new rules needed, common sense should do it.

[kablooey]

I've placed two caches more than 1,000 miles from home. In both cases I stated clearly on the cache page that I would not be able to maintain the cache.

 

1. Paris, France. At the time I placed the cache, there was only one normal sized cache in a Paris suburb and about four microcaches in the city. The cache I placed has since been plundered and archived, but the first finder of the cache has now become an active hider of 16 caches in the area.

 

2. Waikiki, Hawaii. There are a bunch of virtual caches in Waikiki. This is the first physical cache in the area. The cache has been logged six times, and I'm having a friend check on it when she visits the area.

 

I am planning another trip to a few places which have no geocaches. I will bring some stuff to hide, if I deem it appropriate to do so. The sport grows faster if there's something for the locals to find.

 

--

I'm off in my own little world. That's okay, people know me here.

[kablooey]

I guess it's worth mentioning that I had already logged all the existing caches in the two areas above when I placed my new caches. I've also travelled recently to Las Vegas, Reno, Sacramento, and San Diego. These areas already have established geocaching communities with far more caches than I could find during my trips; so I suppose it would have been somewhat presumptuous of me to go placing a new one.

 

--

I'm off in my own little world. That's okay, people know me here.

[+briansnat]

I'm against planting caches that can't be maintianed, but I'm also against rules like this one. There are many people who frequently travel to an area on business, for pleaseure, to visit relatives, or whatever. I personally go to Vermont a lot. I spend a lot of time skiing there and some family now lives there. I'm planning on placing a cache there soon and wouldn't want an arbitary rule like this one preventing me from doing so.

 

You make allowances for someone who can "show" they will be able to maintain a distant cache.

How do you enforece that? Anybody can make up whatever they want to get around that requirement.

[magellan315]

NO

Have to agree with Brian, an out right ban is pointless. What I would rather see is some attempt to educate people about vacation caches. Unless you are going someplace that has very few caches, take the time to enjoy the caches that are already in place. I am going to Las Vegas on business this fall and wiull take a few days to go geocaching. some of the caches are placed in unique areas that only locals know about.

[+Criminal]

Oh PLEASE PLEASE let's have some more rules!

 

We're all far to stupid to just use common sense. Please push for more rules so that you aren't inconvenienced in any way. Geocaching will only be fun with more restrictions.

 

Sheesh!

 

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

What is the price of experience, do men buy it for a song,

Or wisdom for a dance in the street.................

[+Criminal]

Oh PLEASE PLEASE let's have some more rules!

 

We're all far to stupid to just use common sense. Please push for more rules so that you aren't inconvenienced in any way. Geocaching will only be fun with more restrictions.

 

Sheesh!

 

><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><

What is the price of experience, do men buy it for a song,

Or wisdom for a dance in the street.................

[+VentureForth]

is NO regulation.

 

There are enough responsible users to even care for the irresponsibility of others. Yeah, idiots put burdens on the do-rights, but most do-rights are more than happy to carry that responsibility.

 

---------------

Go! And don't be afraid to get a little wet!

[+Nurse Dave]

quote:

---

Originally posted by kablooey:

I've placed two caches more than 1,000 miles from home. In both cases I stated clearly on the cache page that I would not be able to maintain the cache.

 

1. Paris, France. At the time I placed the cache, there was only one normal sized cache in a Paris suburb and about four microcaches in the city. The cache I placed has since been plundered and archived, but the first finder of the cache has now become an active hider of 16 caches in the area.

 

2. Waikiki, Hawaii. There are a bunch of virtual caches in Waikiki. This is the first physical cache in the area. The cache has been logged six times, and I'm having a friend check on it when she visits the area.

 

I am planning another trip to a few places which have no geocaches. I will bring some stuff to hide, if I deem it appropriate to do so. The sport grows faster if there's something for the locals to find.

 

---

 

There already is a rule per geocahing.com:

Step 5 - Maintain the cache

 

Once you place the cache, it is your responsibility to maintain the cache and the area around it. You'll need to return as often as you can to ensure that your cache is not impacting the area, and ensure that the cache is in good repair. Once people have visited the cache, inquire about the cache and their opinion of the location. Does the area look disturbed? Are visitors disrupting the landscape in any way? If you have concerns about the location, feel free to move or remove it from the area.

 

 

Is this not clear enough for people?

There is no step #6: You 4 people over there are better than everybody else and can just do your own thing, ignore step #5.

 

It seems to me this whole sport is based on people following already established rules/guidelines to avoid the need of some sort of established governing body. People that are placing caches where they can not check on them if somebody writes "all the contents are wet" or "I bought this field from the city, would you please remove your cache" are deciding that the rules don't apply to them.

 

p.s. I have no problem with people placing virtuals until the cows come home.

 

---I will stand out, I am a raven in the snow.

[BassoonPilot]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nurse Dave & LKay:

 

It seems to me this whole sport is based on people following already established rules/guidelines to avoid the need of some sort of established governing body.

---

 

And how, precisely, would an official geocaching "governing body" be able to preclude anybody from hiding (or seeking) anything anywhere?

[White Rabbit]

No, there shouldn't be a limit, why not? Because more and more rules make it less and less attractive of a sport. Our cache in Victoria BC seems to be doing just fine on it's own up there. It's been hit 44 times since we placed it and has had no troubles. If there is a problem with it, I'll get in touch with someone. We placed the cache because we were going to Victoria and couldn't find a nice cache that was in the city that we'd be able to find while looking around the wharf and tourist stuff. So we placed one and it seems to be a hit to most all people who find it. I don't think there needs to be a rule. Just use common sense when placing it.

 

(http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.asp?ID=18507)

 

I am the Rabbit King, I can do anything

[Broncoholics]

Upinyachit isn't here to raise a stink; just stating our opinion.

 

From posting and reading different threads daily (hourly! LOLOLOL) no, not really! LOL Anyways, Upinyachit respects EVERY members opinion. All it does is keep us updated with the geocaching community, and it, in turn, gives us more knowledge. Candie, the kids and I enjoy the hobby very much. We all love reading the logs when a member finds our cache. We also love finding them too. Especially when the cache brings us to a new area.

 

In conclusion, use common sense when placing any type of cache anywhere. If you don't, I'm sure the geocaching police will let you know! LOL

 

Duane

Upinyachit

 

 

Our feet go where the caches are!

[Broncoholics]

Upinyachit isn't here to raise a stink; just stating our opinion.

 

From posting and reading different threads daily (hourly! LOLOLOL) no, not really! LOL Anyways, Upinyachit respects EVERY members opinion. All it does is keep us updated with the geocaching community, and it, in turn, gives us more knowledge. Candie, the kids and I enjoy the hobby very much. We all love reading the logs when a member finds our cache. We also love finding them too. Especially when the cache brings us to a new area.

 

In conclusion, use common sense when placing any type of cache anywhere. If you don't, I'm sure the geocaching police will let you know! LOL

 

Duane

Upinyachit

 

 

Our feet go where the caches are!

[+crashmore]

quote:

---

Originally posted by EraSeek:

Why is it people always want to make more rules? Let us use our God given common sense.

 

http://img.Groundspeak.com/user/4497_300.jpg

---

 

I have to agree with you on this one. Sometimes I just shake my head at the mention of addiotional rules. This is supposed to be fun. Let common sense prevail. Besides if everyone followed the already existing basic rules and a little common courtesy our caches should be pretty self sustaining out there on there own. Today I found my first cache that's contents were kinda junky.

I cleaned out the garbage left a whole bunch of new stuff and the cache is good to go for a while. A cache recharge if you will

I would like to think if one of my caches ended up that way for some reason or another I could count on a fellow cacher to do the same.

 

-------------------------------------

Hope is the destination that we seek.

Love is the road that leads to hope.

Courage is the motor that drives us.

We travel out of darkness into faith.

 

-=The Book Of Counted Sorrows=-

[+crashmore]

quote:

---

Originally posted by EraSeek:

Why is it people always want to make more rules? Let us use our God given common sense.

 

http://img.Groundspeak.com/user/4497_300.jpg

---

 

I have to agree with you on this one. Sometimes I just shake my head at the mention of addiotional rules. This is supposed to be fun. Let common sense prevail. Besides if everyone followed the already existing basic rules and a little common courtesy our caches should be pretty self sustaining out there on there own. Today I found my first cache that's contents were kinda junky.

I cleaned out the garbage left a whole bunch of new stuff and the cache is good to go for a while. A cache recharge if you will

I would like to think if one of my caches ended up that way for some reason or another I could count on a fellow cacher to do the same.

 

-------------------------------------

Hope is the destination that we seek.

Love is the road that leads to hope.

Courage is the motor that drives us.

We travel out of darkness into faith.

 

-=The Book Of Counted Sorrows=-

[+Alan2]

I know it's rather early to tally the results but since this is my poll, what the heck! Considering it's only ben one day, I've never seen so many responses to a poll so quick. What a fine day for democracy.

 

Should limits be set??

 

Results (61 votes counted so far):

 

Yes. Set a distance limit. 5/8%

 

No. As long as the hider has another cacher within the limit distance who will confirm they will maintain the cache 4/7%

 

No. Let the hider use his judgement. 52/85%

 

Tks Alan

[kablooey]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Nurse Dave & LKay:

There already is a rule per geocahing.com:

Step 5 - Maintain the cache

 

Once you place the cache, it is your responsibility to maintain the cache and the area around it. You'll need to return as often as you can to ensure that your cache is not impacting the area, and ensure that the cache is in good repair. Once people have visited the cache, inquire about the cache and their opinion of the location. Does the area look disturbed? Are visitors disrupting the landscape in any way? If you have concerns about the location, feel free to move or remove it from the area.

 

Is this not clear enough for people?

---

 

Clear enough if you wish to defer to this particular website's opinion of the rules. Of course, the website itself allows caches that don't conform to its own rules. Thankfully, otherwise, there probably still would be no caches in China or France right now. Then again, if you read the rules closer, it doesn't say that a person living thousands of miles away can't maintain a cache. Many hiders are very responsible about maintaining their remote caches via e-mail and cache page updates, without necessarily having to visit the cache physically every week.

 

--

I'm off in my own little world. That's okay, people know me here.

[+Trudy & the beast]

Trudy & I, being from Milwaukee, play a card game called Sheepshead. One of the tenants is that occasionally one must break the rules to keep the opposition guessing. There are some rules that one must never break, but rules governing strategy are fair game.

 

Given enough rules, they will all be broken. If we were to over-regulate this game, it will become ugly enough that nobody will want to get involved.

 

Let common sense prevail.

[+Trudy & the beast]

Trudy & I, being from Milwaukee, play a card game called Sheepshead. One of the tenants is that occasionally one must break the rules to keep the opposition guessing. There are some rules that one must never break, but rules governing strategy are fair game.

 

Given enough rules, they will all be broken. If we were to over-regulate this game, it will become ugly enough that nobody will want to get involved.

 

Let common sense prevail.

[+The Cheeseheads]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Trudy & The Beast:

There are some rules that one must never break, but rules governing strategy are fair game.

---

 

Urg... flashback to my wife, who thinks it's cute to throw everybody off by leading out the queen of clubs when she's playing for the opposition...

 

- - - - -

Wisconsin Geocaching Association

[Shane the Evil Twin]

quote:

---

Originally posted by skydiver:

I think that's more of an excellent example of 'under certain circumstances'. I don't want to see an outright ban on placing caches far away from home ... BUT ... I don't think it would be bad if people had to jump through a couple extra hoops (like demonstrating that maintenance has been arranged) in order to do so.

---

 

I don't think it would be good either. Now we are talking about a new set of arbitrary rules: How would one demonstrate that maintenance has been arranged? How often must maintenance be performed? What constitutes maintenance?

 

I just don't think it's in the sport's interest to restrict the hunting or placing of caches, provided they violate any laws, violate someone's privacy, or lead to destruction of habitat.

 

Golf is a game where integrity counts-you don't call an infraction on someone else, you call it on yourself. Are geocachers worse people than golfers? I think we can use our own best jusdgement here.

 

"Seek and ye shall find." - God, ????, BC