More Geocaching Etiquette

[Guest bhench]

Yesterday, as we were searching for a cache, we ran into another pair of cachers also looking. After introducing ourselves and sharing our problems in locating the site (we had been there much longer) we went on searching. Later, I found the cache and, while my wife was filling in the logbook, I returned to where I had dropped my pack to get some water and found that the other couple was still searching the area. What is the correct way to handle this situation?

 

Bob

[Guest The Bees]

Hoo boy!

 

Unless they point blank ask me if I have found the cache I just keep quiet.

 

If they do ask I will say yes and maybe add in something like "It's about 20 minutes up the trail, and it took us 15 minutes to find it."

 

I have yet to give, and noone has ever asked for, directions to the exact spot when I have met fellow cachers. It spoils the hunt as far as I'm concerned .

 

Of course every situation is different. If I ever stumbled on a brand new cacher who was having trouble reading his GPS, hasn't yet developed his "cache sight", I would feel inclined to help him a little more (i.e. get him to the rough spot but show him how you get there, etc). I would rather do this than lose a neophyte to the sport who may then discourage others from trying this sport out.

 

Later

Mike B

 

The Bees

[Guest The Bees]

Hoo boy!

 

Unless they point blank ask me if I have found the cache I just keep quiet.

 

If they do ask I will say yes and maybe add in something like "It's about 20 minutes up the trail, and it took us 15 minutes to find it."

 

I have yet to give, and noone has ever asked for, directions to the exact spot when I have met fellow cachers. It spoils the hunt as far as I'm concerned .

 

Of course every situation is different. If I ever stumbled on a brand new cacher who was having trouble reading his GPS, hasn't yet developed his "cache sight", I would feel inclined to help him a little more (i.e. get him to the rough spot but show him how you get there, etc). I would rather do this than lose a neophyte to the sport who may then discourage others from trying this sport out.

 

Later

Mike B

 

The Bees

[Guest bunkerdave]

IT is not hard to tell if someone has found a cache, they are either looking at their GPS or they are headed for the car. I have come across a few in my own neighborhood who were looking for my cache, and I enjoy asking them where they think the cache is, and enjoy hearing their experience so far. Not one has ever asked me for help, and I only offered to help once, the first one, but he turned it down. These cachers are a funny bunch. Always doing things the hard way.

[Guest bunkerdave]

IT is not hard to tell if someone has found a cache, they are either looking at their GPS or they are headed for the car. I have come across a few in my own neighborhood who were looking for my cache, and I enjoy asking them where they think the cache is, and enjoy hearing their experience so far. Not one has ever asked me for help, and I only offered to help once, the first one, but he turned it down. These cachers are a funny bunch. Always doing things the hard way.

[Guest bearboy]

There are times that I would love the help.I have yet to run into another Geocacher yet.While out on the trail.I would help if they asked for it.No Problem.

[Guest poppyseed]

I ran into a situation today that struck me as poor etiquette. I had gone to a cache site and was in the right area. I was looking for it when I heard voices on the trail. When other people are around, I might discreetly look around, but I was kind of stomping around in the bushes when I heard these people approaching, and there was no way that could have looked normal. So I came back out on the trail to let them pass. If they weren't geocachers, I didn't want them curious about what I was doing in the bushes and investigating after I'd left; and if they were geocachers, I didn't want to spoil their fun by grabbing the cache right in front of them.

 

As it turns out, these people were geocachers. And though I'd tucked away my GPS thingie because I knew I was at the right spot, it was so obvious that I was a geocacher that one of the little girls in this family group said, "Hey, it's another geocacher!"

 

So I'm standing there on the trail, had obviously been looking for the cache but hadn't found it yet - and I think it was fairly obvious that I was still in the middle of a search. And yet it appeared that this family intended to go right ahead and find the cache for themselves regardless of my presence. Since I didn't want them to spoil the find for me any more than I wanted to spoil the find for them, I wandered back around a bend in the trail and waited fifteen minutes for them to finish.

 

I found it a little rude that they kind of barged in and interrupted my hunt. Or am I being too sensitive?

 

What to do if something like this happens again (as it no doubt will, with the influx of newbies - and YAY about that!)?

[Guest Ttepee]

et another geocacher then to have the thrill of the find.. the other cacher was a first find for us.

 

Ttepee

[Guest bunkerdave]

Re: Poppyseed

 

Yes, they were rude. You should ALWAYS defer to the person searching who was there before you, even if they are stumbling around like an idiot. (LOL, pointing finger)

 

Re: Ttepee

 

I hope we are not such purists that we are concerned about what "counts" as a find and what doesn't "count." Personally, I would rather meet another cacher than log a "pure" find any day. The only concern is that others may not feel the same way, but hopefully we are all friendly enough that we like to meet other players. If they are sitting there with the cache in their lap, then your hunt is basically shot. You may as well make an acquaintance while you're there.

[Guest bunkerdave]

Re: Poppyseed

 

Yes, they were rude. You should ALWAYS defer to the person searching who was there before you, even if they are stumbling around like an idiot. (LOL, pointing finger)

 

Re: Ttepee

 

I hope we are not such purists that we are concerned about what "counts" as a find and what doesn't "count." Personally, I would rather meet another cacher than log a "pure" find any day. The only concern is that others may not feel the same way, but hopefully we are all friendly enough that we like to meet other players. If they are sitting there with the cache in their lap, then your hunt is basically shot. You may as well make an acquaintance while you're there.

[Guest kbraband]

quote:

---

Originally posted by bunkerdave:

 

Personally, I would rather meet another cacher than log a "pure" find any day. The only concern is that others may not feel the same way, but hopefully we are all friendly enough that we like to meet other players. If they are sitting there with the cache in their lap, then your hunt is basically shot. You may as well make an acquaintance while you're there.

 

---

I agree with everything bunkerdave said except that the hunt is bascially shot. It was still a fine hunt if you had a good walk, met someone new, and got some outdoor exercise. I know that sounds Pollyanish, but that's how it is.

[Guest brokenwing]

quote:

---

Originally posted by poppyseed:

When other people are around, I might discreetly look around, but I was kind of stomping around in the bushes when I heard these people approaching, and there was no way that could have looked normal. So I came back out on the trail to let them pass. If they weren't geocachers, I didn't want them curious about what I was doing in the bushes and investigating after I'd left; and if they were geocachers, I didn't want to spoil their fun by grabbing the cache right in front of them.

 

As it turns out, these people were geocachers. And though I'd tucked away my GPS thingie because I knew I was at the right spot, it was so obvious that I was a geocacher that one of the little girls in this family group said, "Hey, it's another geocacher!"

 

So I'm standing there on the trail, had obviously been looking for the cache but hadn't found it yet - and I think it was fairly obvious that I was still in the middle of a search. And yet it appeared that this family intended to go right ahead and find the cache for themselves regardless of my presence. Since I didn't want them to spoil the find for me any more than I wanted to spoil the find for them, I wandered back around a bend in the trail and waited fifteen minutes for them to finish.

 

I found it a little rude that they kind of barged in and interrupted my hunt. Or am I being too sensitive?

---

 

I'd like to think no one would intentionally barge in on someone in the middle of the hunt, so I have to assume they either didn't realize you were a geocacher, or didn't realize you were still hunting. You said yourself you went out of your way to "seem normal", so maybe they just thought you were wierd.

 

As a parent, I can assure you that kids sometimes make associations that are not there, so parents don't always take at face value everything kids say. My point is that just because the little girl thought you were a geocacher, does not mean the parents paid attention to that, or even considered it.

 

As others have said, I would think the best way to handle situations like this would simply be to introduce yourself. I imagine if you had talked to the family, they would have joined you, or allowed you to pursue your hunt alone if you really wanted to.

 

I guess my point is we should never make assumptions. Communication is the key to getting what you want.

 

From my perspective, I personally think it would be really cool to meet some other geocachers. So far, I have not seen any on the hunts I've done. (I did get excited last night, though. A man and woman came walking up into the general area of a cache I was hunting for. The man had something that looked like a walkie-talkie, and the woman had something that looked like a GPS. It turns out it was just a cell phone, but I had my hopes up!)

 

Just my thoughts.

brokenwing

[Guest brokenwing]

quote:

---

Originally posted by poppyseed:

When other people are around, I might discreetly look around, but I was kind of stomping around in the bushes when I heard these people approaching, and there was no way that could have looked normal. So I came back out on the trail to let them pass. If they weren't geocachers, I didn't want them curious about what I was doing in the bushes and investigating after I'd left; and if they were geocachers, I didn't want to spoil their fun by grabbing the cache right in front of them.

 

As it turns out, these people were geocachers. And though I'd tucked away my GPS thingie because I knew I was at the right spot, it was so obvious that I was a geocacher that one of the little girls in this family group said, "Hey, it's another geocacher!"

 

So I'm standing there on the trail, had obviously been looking for the cache but hadn't found it yet - and I think it was fairly obvious that I was still in the middle of a search. And yet it appeared that this family intended to go right ahead and find the cache for themselves regardless of my presence. Since I didn't want them to spoil the find for me any more than I wanted to spoil the find for them, I wandered back around a bend in the trail and waited fifteen minutes for them to finish.

 

I found it a little rude that they kind of barged in and interrupted my hunt. Or am I being too sensitive?

---

 

I'd like to think no one would intentionally barge in on someone in the middle of the hunt, so I have to assume they either didn't realize you were a geocacher, or didn't realize you were still hunting. You said yourself you went out of your way to "seem normal", so maybe they just thought you were wierd.

 

As a parent, I can assure you that kids sometimes make associations that are not there, so parents don't always take at face value everything kids say. My point is that just because the little girl thought you were a geocacher, does not mean the parents paid attention to that, or even considered it.

 

As others have said, I would think the best way to handle situations like this would simply be to introduce yourself. I imagine if you had talked to the family, they would have joined you, or allowed you to pursue your hunt alone if you really wanted to.

 

I guess my point is we should never make assumptions. Communication is the key to getting what you want.

 

From my perspective, I personally think it would be really cool to meet some other geocachers. So far, I have not seen any on the hunts I've done. (I did get excited last night, though. A man and woman came walking up into the general area of a cache I was hunting for. The man had something that looked like a walkie-talkie, and the woman had something that looked like a GPS. It turns out it was just a cell phone, but I had my hopes up!)

 

Just my thoughts.

brokenwing

[Guest bwware]

This one time, we were headed into the cache area as some folks were coming out and they just flat out told us RIGHT WHERE IT WAS!! They looked at us and seen my GPS and said "It is right over there"! Whats up with that??

[Guest Lou C]

"and they just flat out told us RIGHT WHERE IT WAS!!"

 

Now that is downright rude. That is like coming out of a theater and telling those going in what the plot is and how it turns out. If I see anyone I even think might be a cacher, I actually do my best to hide from them. I will walk the other way, even if it is totally out of my way, to avoid them. Now don't get me wrong, I really like to meet others, especially geocachers. But I want to do my best to let them have the utmost experience and in my book, that means not even seeing others. Now if we both were wandering around and hadn't found it, I would respectfully leave the area and try again later, possibly making it more enjoyable for both of us.

[Guest bhench]

and I a few minutes to complete the log and leave the area. Since they were running late they chose to share the find. We all filled out the log together. When they logged the find on the website, they gave me credit for the finding it first. Perhaps, in the long run, this is a good way to handle the situation - move away from the location and give the other person the choice. Sharing a find is, to my way of thinking, a small price for the chance to put a face with a name. What do the rest of you think?

 

Bob

[Guest Ttepee]

"I hope we are not such purists that we are concerned about what "counts" as a find and what doesn't "count."

 

No not at all... never had a moment of guilt about it and never even thought about it like that till I was reading this thread. Hey I know we would have found the cache anyways... but we found the Bunkerdave of the NY tristate area instead... the infamous Stayfloopy. He of course was ahead of us... he'd just come from being first to hit a cache we placed the evening before. Was great to meet another cacher... made a damp dreary afternoon just a little more memorable

 

But also in keeping with the thread... it was a bit awkward assessing the situation. I can understand some bumbling going on so I think we need to keep our defenses at bay and lean toward the communication aspect of geocaching...give the competitive end a rest. If they ask for information I'd give a little and they could ask for more if they wanted to... but I don't think most would.

 

I have to learn to shut my big mouth in the Tribe. Lately when I am out with my son I've been finding more of them lately... he loves finding them... he's not going to want to geocache anymore if I keep it up.

 

Ttepee...aka Tina

 

[This message has been edited by Ttepee (edited 30 July 2001).]

[Guest Ttepee]

"I hope we are not such purists that we are concerned about what "counts" as a find and what doesn't "count."

 

No not at all... never had a moment of guilt about it and never even thought about it like that till I was reading this thread. Hey I know we would have found the cache anyways... but we found the Bunkerdave of the NY tristate area instead... the infamous Stayfloopy. He of course was ahead of us... he'd just come from being first to hit a cache we placed the evening before. Was great to meet another cacher... made a damp dreary afternoon just a little more memorable

 

But also in keeping with the thread... it was a bit awkward assessing the situation. I can understand some bumbling going on so I think we need to keep our defenses at bay and lean toward the communication aspect of geocaching...give the competitive end a rest. If they ask for information I'd give a little and they could ask for more if they wanted to... but I don't think most would.

 

I have to learn to shut my big mouth in the Tribe. Lately when I am out with my son I've been finding more of them lately... he loves finding them... he's not going to want to geocache anymore if I keep it up.

 

Ttepee...aka Tina

 

[This message has been edited by Ttepee (edited 30 July 2001).]

[Guest poppyseed]

All good points, brokenwing. I have two toddlers who come up with the most bizarre stuff sometimes, and I don't always pay attention. And maybe had I said something besides "Hi, how are you," there could have been some more positive interaction with this family. (I'm not at all averse to meeting other cachers - I love meeting new people! But I'm shy, and I have kind of a "live and let live" attitude when I'm on a trail. Must work on that...)

 

Thanks for the extra perspective, brokenwing. (And yes, I'll bet I DID look just kind of weird, standing there in the middle of the trail with my pack, a stick and lots of thorn scratches! Must work also on looking less like a deer in the headlights than some super cool trail-type person )

 

[This message has been edited by poppyseed (edited 01 August 2001).]

[Guest poppyseed]

All good points, brokenwing. I have two toddlers who come up with the most bizarre stuff sometimes, and I don't always pay attention. And maybe had I said something besides "Hi, how are you," there could have been some more positive interaction with this family. (I'm not at all averse to meeting other cachers - I love meeting new people! But I'm shy, and I have kind of a "live and let live" attitude when I'm on a trail. Must work on that...)

 

Thanks for the extra perspective, brokenwing. (And yes, I'll bet I DID look just kind of weird, standing there in the middle of the trail with my pack, a stick and lots of thorn scratches! Must work also on looking less like a deer in the headlights than some super cool trail-type person )

 

[This message has been edited by poppyseed (edited 01 August 2001).]

[Guest Show Me The Cache]

I was just wondering how you guys that search together act when you arrive near the site.

 

I normally hunt alone, but when my wife goes with me, it can get a little competitive so we get silent as we reach the waypoint. Whoever finds the cache drifts away from it, continues in the (fake) search mode for a couple minutes, then announces, "OK, I found it." That way we both find it independently (and I keep her interested!).

 

How do those of you who go in teams handle it?

[Guest HomeChicken]

quote:

---

Originally posted by poppyseed:

I ran into a situation today that struck me as poor etiquette. I had gone to a cache site and was in the right area. I was looking for it when I heard voices on the trail. When other people are around, I might discreetly look around, but I was kind of stomping around in the bushes when I heard these people approaching, and there was no way that could have looked normal. So I came back out on the trail to let them pass. If they weren't geocachers, I didn't want them curious about what I was doing in the bushes and investigating after I'd left; and if they were geocachers, I didn't want to spoil their fun by grabbing the cache right in front of them.

 

As it turns out, these people were geocachers. And though I'd tucked away my GPS thingie because I knew I was at the right spot, it was so obvious that I was a geocacher that one of the little girls in this family group said, "Hey, it's another geocacher!"

 

So I'm standing there on the trail, had obviously been looking for the cache but hadn't found it yet - and I think it was fairly obvious that I was still in the middle of a search. And yet it appeared that this family intended to go right ahead and find the cache for themselves regardless of my presence. Since I didn't want them to spoil the find for me any more than I wanted to spoil the find for them, I wandered back around a bend in the trail and waited fifteen minutes for them to finish.

 

I found it a little rude that they kind of barged in and interrupted my hunt. Or am I being too sensitive?

 

What to do if something like this happens again (as it no doubt will, with the influx of newbies - and YAY about that!)?

---

 

you know people with kids are half brain dead anyway .....so how would they have a clue without you asking if they would like to buy one? LOL