Should caches be placed inside working newspaper vending machines?

1.2k · February 25, 2003

I will just sit back and see what geocachers think of this.

As a secondary question related to this topic, if you feel they should not be placed inside the vending machines, do you feel that any existing caches of that type should be archived?

I've never been lost. Fearsome confused sometimes, but never lost.

February 25, 2003

I don't think there's anything wrong with any type of cache, as long as it says something about it in the description.

This whole virtual cache fast food restaurant approval whatever is kind of bull****. I don't see why it needs to be so stringently filtered.

6.5k · February 25, 2003

Never seen a cache of this type, so im not not sure.

What If the machine was inside a burger joint?

February 25, 2003

quote:
I don't think there's anything wrong with any type of cache, as long as it says something about it in the description.

This whole virtual cache fast food restaurant approval whatever is kind of bull****. I don't see why it needs to be so stringently filtered.

Eli, I realize you are quite new to the game. Let me point out that without any filtering of geocaches, there would be a huge amount of spam-like submissions from businesses and others who don't care about geocaching. Right now, the "signal to noise" ratio is reasonable. Without guidelines and restrictions, geocaching would not survive.

To stay on-topic, I would not necessairily have a problem with a cache hidden in a newspaper box. The commercial nature is rather benign. If a cache required you to visit a store, I feel that is a bit too much. Generally, I'm against the caches of a commercial nature because of the slippery slope that might be created if some are allowed.

2.5k · February 25, 2003

I have found four hidden this way. Two were micros and the other two were larger tupperwares that fit in the bottom of the newspaper box, under the shelf where the newspapers lay.

The first one I found was since archived, but by the name of it I had it figured out before I got there. I was suprised when the coordinates took me to an area with a half dozen newspaper boxes. I scratched my head and had to resort to using the clue to figure out which one it was in, since I was short on pocket change.

The other three that I found were in free boxes. The very first one was enjoyable since this was a new hiding style I had not encountered before. The other three were not as much of a suprise, but still enjoyable since signing in required stealth.

The micros contained coins for trading and were small and unobtrusive. I see no reason why they should be archived. And if found by the box owner, the coins inside should more than cover the rent for the small amount of space being used.

February 25, 2003

Two answers to this.

Permission granted by the vending machine owner and you dont have to expend any funds to open the machine I say yes.

No permission or you have pay to open the machine then I say no.

February 25, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Team 5-oh!:
Two answers to this.

Permission granted by the vending machine owner and you dont have to expend any funds to open the machine I say yes.

No permission or you have pay to open the machine then I say no.

I agree.

February 25, 2003

we found a micro that was in a newspaper dispenser around here. The owner had permission to place the cache. It didn't tell you in the description that you would have to pay for anything but I think that would have ruined the hunt. I can see where some people might have a problem with it because of the possible commercial side of the cache but we thought that cache was allot of fun.

February 25, 2003

Done a bunch of them and think they are great.

_________________________________________________________

On the other hand, you have different fingers.

February 25, 2003

I thought that one of the 'free' papers machines would make a good spot, but I doubt it's longevity. People rifiling through machines. People see you. Permission. Go on Ad-Nauseum.

But still a good start of a debate RS.

2.4k · February 25, 2003

quote:
Originally posted by Team 5-oh!:
Two answers to this.

Permission granted by the vending machine owner and you dont have to expend any funds to open the machine I say yes.

No permission or you have pay to open the machine then I say no.

not sure how i feel about the free machine, but definately agree if i gotta give $$$ (even if it is only a small amount) to a FOR PROFIT organization, then I feel it's not an appropriate location for a cache....and YES I DO include THEME PARKS as locations I feel are not appropriate cache locations....

I'm lost. I've gone to find myself. If I should happen to get back before I return, please ask me to wait.

February 25, 2003

i like the idea, whether or not i have to pay to get into the machine. i think its just neat

SR and dboggny.

February 25, 2003

We recently found a micro (magnetic hide-a-key) fastened to the bottom of a newspaper vending machine.

Alchemist2000

5.2k · February 25, 2003

Having found a few like this (including some in Ron's stomping grounds), I have no problem with it. I have my local newspaper delivered to my home everyday, and when travelling I often buy a local-to-that-area paper. If I plan carefully, I can get a cache AND a newspaper at the same time

Lil Devil

20.7k · February 26, 2003

I don't have a problem with it. In fact, I've considered hiding one in this manner for my Praetorian Guard series of micros.

February 26, 2003

I've got sort-of mixed feelings:

Free: great.

Pay, but is something unique, like the newspaper for Mackinaw Island, MI ("The cheapest souvineer on the Island except the one you take home on your shoes"): acceptable.

Pay, regular paper: *really* grey area. One or two in a region might be ok, but I'd hate to see them start popping up everywhere around where I live- I already get a daily paper. And once you get a few of those, you start to get the 'but there's the other cache like this that was approved' whine....

I walk the Maze of Moments, but everywhere I turn to, begins a new beginning, but never finds a finish... -Enya, Anywhere Is

3k · February 26, 2003

It's not something I would go look for. If I had to pay forget it. It might get stolen. And oh gee what a view! Not only that, you might get bad news! There's a lot of that these days. Not my kind of cache, but there has to be something for everyone. I just don't do urban caches (yet anyway). As long as you don't have to pay to play. It's just a weird idea IMHO.

Cache you later,

Planet

I feel much more like I do now than when I first got here.

February 26, 2003

There is one here in Hollywood from LarsThorwald, and I like it a lot for two reasons.

First, it is in a FREE machine, one of those 'working world' or some other free periodical which I forget. I make it a rule to never pay for parking and I certainly would be miffed if I had to shell out $1.25 for a paper that I am not going to read.

Second, it is the only one in the whole area. If this caught on and there were a hide-a-key on every street corner in every machine, it would take away from the unique charm that this one has. One per area is novel; every corner would be boring.

Ever notice that anyone that caches less than you do is a moron, while anyone that caches more than you do is a maniac? -Dru Morgan

1.2k · March 5, 2003

....what I expected. Proving once again that there is something for everyone in geocaching, and that there are MANY opinions about a given topic.

The fact is that geocaching's *rules* are broken on a regular basis by any number of people.

A true *purist* would seek permission for almost all caches placed. In my opinion, MOST, repeat MOST, people don't. If YOU seek permission, more power to you.

Newspaper vending machines, soft-drink machines (and their enclosures), pay-phones, electrical, phone, plumbing enclosures...all provide spots for placing magnetic caches in my neck of the woods...central California...and I'm sure in other parts of the world too. The likelihood is that 99% of these caches are placed without permission. Aside from the newspaper vending machines, I have placed some of these myself.

Enough about that. Now *off topic*. If you don't want to follow the link below, DON'T.

***********

I took a reporter on a geocache hunt earlier this week. Here is an accounting of that search Hide and Seek Goes High Tech. Though the reporter gave away a bit too much, this hopefully will spur some new cachers to join our *sport*.

Please, until you hunt these caches, don't be judgemental.

Ron

I've never been lost. Fearsome confused sometimes, but never lost.

March 5, 2003

I found a cache in downtown Chicago called "In the Mag Mile News" (GC659C), now archived, which was sponsored by a local paper. It got a lot of hits until it became noticed.

"All of us are standing in the mud, but some of us are looking at the stars." Oscar Wilde

1.4k · March 5, 2003

I did the mag mile news cache also and it was one of my most memorable. I fully support these kind of caches. The fees, if any, are negligble when compared to park entrance fees paid for other caches. There's something thrilling about being in a populated area and being the only one who knows the secret about this box.

Permission is good for placing, but I also think for these it's fairly critical to survival. An uninformed delivery person will not think twice about tossing an unexpected container and as sensitive as things are these days - it could result in any level of reaction from casual disregard to a bomb threat that shuts down a city street. Just be sensitive to the times and try to obtain permission for these.

The Mag Mile people had permission I know and the cache was one of the most interesting and unique I'd ever done. I'd be happy to see more like it.

--------

trippy1976 - Team KKF2A

Saving geocaches - one golf ball at a time.

1.5k · March 5, 2003

Chandler Mini

Here's the one (and only afaik) in the Phoenix Metro area, and I thought it was a neat cache. Granted, as others have stated, I wouldn't go searching out a hundred of these types of caches, but it's unique and a challenge if you don't look outside 'the box'.

Brian

Team A.I.

2.7k · March 6, 2003

No. It requires money to put the cache in...no. This makes it commercial. Now, if you put the coords in a FREE newspaper/add bin, that's a total different ballgame. Go for that. I've done a couple caches that used those FREE ones.

1.4k · March 6, 2003

what's your viewpoint on park entrance fees? Those are a lot higher most of the time than a newspaper.

--------

trippy1976 - Team KKF2A

Saving geocaches - one golf ball at a time.

1.2k · March 6, 2003

....

The thrust of the news rack thread here was that these were private property, commercial ventures that some cachers use for cache placement....not the fact that one might need to spend a $1 or so to find a cache.

The thread was started because another cacher challenged one of my virtuals which required a cacher to go inside a commercial establishment to get answers to cache questions. I was trying to make the analogy that the newsracks presented a similar situation...i.e. a commercial venture...which in the case of the news racks required a purchase. My virtual required no purchase.

As far as fees for parks go...I am willing to pay them most of the time, but I sometimes suggest to a ticket taker that I left a hat inside yesterday and would like to go in and find it. They usually will give you a free half-hour to do that. Obviously, if you are going to go on a multi-mile hike, that would not work. A few bucks helps support the trails and hopefully keep the restrooms clean.

Ron

I've never been lost. Fearsome confused sometimes, but never lost.

24.7k · March 6, 2003

Rule 1) Amateur geocachers can place a viable cache anywhere including commercial places.

Rule 2) Commercial entities can't place any caches at all.

Rule 3) Both the above rules have exceptions. That's why we have admins.

That's my take. So the newspaper can't do it, but you could (with the newspapers permission) but since there is a fee involved you should tell about the 'fee' in the cache description as has become common courtesy.

And no they shouldn't be archived. Call them grandfathered.

Wherever you go there you are.

March 7, 2003

Even if it is a pay box you still have the right to take a paper, and reading is good for the mind. I doubt there are any paper boxes that the cost of the paper is more than the value of the content, an di live in a town with a 6 page news paper.

Eeyore

I'm one sat short of triangulation.

Should caches be placed inside working newspaper vending machines?

Recommended Posts

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Link to comment

Join the conversation