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Dirty Geocachers.....


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After being introduced to geocaching a while ago, Upinyachit has met quit a few cachers, but I wonder just how many are squeaky clean.

 

I've had to do a lot of cache maintenance, so that makes me believe that some cachers are DIRTY. If you trade a golf ball for a calculator, THAT'S DIRTY. If you take a pocket knife and leave your pocket change, THAT'S DIRTY. If you don't put the cache back as placed, THAT'S DIRTY. If there is a group of geocachers that make disgruntled posts all day long, THAT'S DIRTY I can also bet that a lot of cachers post on these forums everday, but they know in their heart and soul that they made an unfair trade. Then they have the adasity to say they are an asset to geocaching. I guess that's just the way the world is, DIRTY

 

D

:D<_<

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I can honestly say that I believe all of the trades I have made were fair. There was one trade where I took some bootleg software out of a cache, and left a .50 dud round I took from a different cache (no powder or primer in the case, drilled through and totaly safe), but the files on the disk were corrupt anyway. I rarely ever trade anymore, so it doesn't really apply to me.

As for other "unethical" practices, I let a cache go for over a month without checking on it after a no-find. Turns out it was still there the whole time, right where we left it. :D

I guess that makes me dirty, or dingy, or tarnished. <_< Perhaps it just makes me human. :D Still, I never claimed to be the patron saint of geocaching either. :D

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I must admit that as a new cacher I was really disappointed to see what some people had traded for. I am currently spending a small fortune on bits and bobs for setting up cahces and also for swaps. But thoroughly enjoying it!

 

I see that here in OZ there are a number of seasoned cachers that place business cards outlining the need to trade fair.

One would think it should not be necessary. Sad really.

 

The other noticeable happening is that a lot of people just do the find and do no swaps. I suppose it means you can go lighter?!

 

Just to add another question - what are your thoughts on those that trade condoms with other items.

 

I have more concerns with the safety aspects as with the extreme weather conditions the may not last the testing grounds! <_<

 

I have seen some logs where parents have been a bit embarressed to explain to their kids what a franger is.

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Well, its been awhile, but I would like to think I have been a proffesional cacher. I used to trade up with some really good trinkets, but anymore there isnt any thing worth trading for. Geocaching is still # 1 in my book, but now it's strictly for the search, the find, and the area it takes me too!! Seeker BP

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I'm a "slightly soiled" cacher. The other day I replaced a cache maybe about six inches away from where it was originally, but hidden in the same manner as it was originally. once i grabbed the cache and went to sign it under cover, I had forgotten in exactly which hole it had been placed before. so I had to guess. <_< I don't trade, though, so I never "trade dirty".

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After being introduced to geocaching a while ago, Upinyachit has met quit a few cachers, but I wonder just how many are squeaky clean.

 

I've had to do a lot of cache maintenance, so that makes me believe that some cachers are DIRTY. If you trade a golf ball for a calculator, THAT'S DIRTY. If you take a pocket knife and leave your pocket change, THAT'S DIRTY. If you don't put the cache back as placed, THAT'S DIRTY. If there is a group of geocachers that make disgruntled posts all day long, THAT'S DIRTY I can also bet that a lot of cachers post on these forums everday, but they know in their heart and soul that they made an unfair trade. Then they have the adasity to say they are an asset to geocaching. I guess that's just the way the world is, DIRTY

 

D

:D<_<

um.....................just how much pocket change are we talking here????

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When I first started caching, I would take good quality stuff and leave bascially junk in return. This wasnt done maliciously, I was inexperienced.

 

Now having been caching for a few months, most of the time I log a TNLN unless theres something in the cache I REALLY want, and in those cases, I try my hardest to trade up.

Edited by Wavehopper
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Once I made an unfair trade. I took something nice that was purchased at Save The Children, still in the box. I forget what I left, but it wasn't fair. I felt guilty as soon as I got home, but I didn't have something nicer to trade. So I went to Save The Children and spent $94 on cache trade items. I feel better now. So maybe once I was dirty, but I'm squeaky clean now! ;)

 

squueeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeak!

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Im clean so far, I have took money out of my wallet, because I ran out of stuff. I usuall leave something, and take nothing. But the area im in needs all the help it can get. If your close by drop in and find a few. I placed my first multi a couple days ago waiting for approval. But I have several traditional here- 42501

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So I am new to this and have found only one cache. And, for reasons of my own, I don't expect to find many traditional caches.

 

With all the talk about unfair trades, I went to the trouble of putting 2 $10 LCBO gift certificates in a cache. (For anyone outside of Ontario, LCBO is our government run liquor store. So really, if you are in the habit of buying liquor or wine, it is as good as cash.)

 

I also took nothing.

 

The cache owner has never placed another cache and has no finds and someone else had to replace the container a while ago so I took it on myself to upgrade the contents.

 

So what happens? Three days after I put in the gift certificates someone comes and takes both (they could have taken just one and left the other $10 for someone else) and leaves a pretty marginal item.

 

To top it off, the person who got the $20 had visited the cache before. (Draw your own conclusions.)

 

Now to me this looks like "dirty caching" and I am a little disappointed. I guess there is no point in putting any good swag in any future finds just so some guy can take advantage of my good will.

 

Les.

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So I am new to this and have found only one cache. And, for reasons of my own, I don't expect to find many traditional caches.

 

With all the talk about unfair trades, I went to the trouble of putting 2 $10 LCBO gift certificates in a cache. (For anyone outside of Ontario, LCBO is our government run liquor store. So really, if you are in the habit of buying liquor or wine, it is as good as cash.)

 

I also took nothing.

 

The cache owner has never placed another cache and has no finds and someone else had to replace the container a while ago so I took it on myself to upgrade the contents.

 

So what happens? Three days after I put in the gift certificates someone comes and takes both (they could have taken just one and left the other $10 for someone else) and leaves a pretty marginal item.

 

To top it off, the person who got the $20 had visited the cache before. (Draw your own conclusions.)

 

Now to me this looks like "dirty caching" and I am a little disappointed. I guess there is no point in putting any good swag in any future finds just so some guy can take advantage of my good will.

 

Les.

Glad to see you finally got to find a cache, Les! Yeah, I agree, that was a low blow. I think it's wrong to revisit a cache just to snag a good item like that. It may be different if you go back for a TB, or if there's a sig item you absolutely want (even then I'd wait for one to appear in an unfound cache), but to revisit a cache just to snag a nice find like you left is wrong!

 

EDIT: typed this while Les was typing his correction, but the message stays the same....

Edited by Sparky-Watts
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Thanks Sparky.

 

The fact that the cacher had not been there before does not change the fact that the trade was unfair in the extreeme.

 

Those gift certificates cost me $20 and for that the cache has another dollar store tinket in it.

 

I clearly put on my post what I put in the cache. I had hoped that people would read that and provide some better swag.

 

Lesson learned.

 

Les.

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I'm a newbie, and I would certainly try to put something nice in if I take something nice out.

 

However, a few things to consider, before condemning others:

why should you always trade-up (your basically supporting bums)

who considers what is an even trade (I took a DVD, left a nice knickknack once)

If you put something in the cache, expect it to be taken (you're certainly not going to get whatever was traded for it)

 

Some people have misconceptions about what it means to put something in a cache. By putting something in, you are abandoning it. Whatever happens to it, happens. I've heard some people had the same mental hang-ups with travel bugs. You can't control what happens once it goes into a cache, therefore you should only put things you don't mind losing in the cache.

 

This basic rule applies to gambling and loaning money to friends. Once you do it, its gone. If you maintain an attachment to it, your just going to get hurt.

 

Now I would certainly agree that all cachers should do their best to preserve caches, whether its theirs or not. And I would appreciate finding caches that don't have junk in them. However, economics tells us people will make a trade that is in their best interest (trading down). Thus, the quality of a cache will decay until it reaches a level where nothing in it has any value, and thus nobody will trade down. Basically, if you stopped putting $20 gift cards in the cache, you wouldn't have people taking the card and leaving a golf ball. Instead, if you started a cache full of golf balls, you won't be disappointed.

 

Janx

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here's a thing that's often not considered: sometimes a cacher will leave a REALLY NICE THING in a cache and you just KNOW that nobody is going to be prepared to trade even or up. i figure these things to be generous gifts, and i leave the best thing i have in trade.

 

sometimes i'm the one who leaves the really nice thing. i do not expect anyone will be prepared to trade even or up.

 

i hope this does not make me dirty. i've actually seen cases where somebody was hesitant to leave a nice thing because they were afraid people wouldn't be able to trade for it. oy.

 

do the best you can at the time. share nicely. always make up for your cheap trades. be generous sometimes.

 

and you never know what people will like. what looks really good to me might be cheap crap to you.

 

but NOBODY wants a used, rusty barette or a crumpled, moist kleenex. at least nobody should. i love to see a good collection of clean mctoys because i know that's one more cache that somebody is going to be happy their daddy dragged them to.

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here's a thing that's often not considered: sometimes a cacher will leave a REALLY NICE THING in a cache and you just KNOW that nobody is going to be prepared to trade even or up. i figure these things to be generous gifts, and i leave the best thing i have in trade.

 

sometimes i'm the one who leaves the really nice thing. i do not expect anyone will be prepared to trade even or up.

 

i hope this does not make me dirty...

I think it makes you a realist. If I choose to leave a nice thing that is a cut above the average it's my gift.

 

As soon as I get my new PDA keyboard I've got a Targus Stowaway keyboard that will go out there.

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