Prodding It Along...

[+Team Vibe]

I can only assume that this has been covered before, but my search came up empty (perhaps there is a flaw in my searching.)

 

We released our first travel bug two months ago (TBGKZV) and we're starting to get frustrated by the inactivity of the people who pick up the bug. From our own personal experience, we like to get bugs picked up and dropped off as soon as possible since we respect the tb owner and understand that the bug is only helped by us *moving* it and not holding onto it. The only two people who have had the bug in their posession have held onto them for nearly a month.

 

So the $5 question is this: Is there any kind of etiquette regarding contacting the tb holder and telling them to get the bug to a cache so that it can continue moving (since they're obviously not helping) ? How long should I wait? What should I tell them? How do I not offend them? Is this a common problem? Any thoughts and comments appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance for the advice,

 

Team Vibe

[+Pobre Rico]

I've contacted bug holders a couple of times. The first one forgot they had the bug and moved it on right away. With the more recent one the holder confused it with one that the owner asked him to hold until further instructions were sent. He moved it on right away, too.

 

In both cases I just sent an e-mail asking politely what was up. And in both cases they told me and got it going right away.

[+Snoogans]

My advice DON'T PROD. I will never email a holder of my bug more than once.

 

Like so:

 

Snoogans' TB longevity strategy #5. If you must email a TB holder to do anything other than thank them, DO NOT give an order, or be even the slightest bit negative. Sugar coat every word. Do not transfer your standards and expectations to another person. Unless you are related, you do not really KNOW their situation.

 

These kinds of stories get talked about at events. Things like I'm gonna (X-Y-Z) that bug if I ever run across it again get said over a few beers. Makes ya think....

 

To put it in perspective try this:

 

Step 1 - Go to the movies. (Costs more than a TB tag and most TBs.)

 

Step 2 - Save the stub.

 

Step 3 - Try to get back in the movies with that stub the very next week. (Get politely, but firmly turned away.)

 

Step 4 - Try again the very next day and see what happens.........

 

Get the picture?

 

Ask ONCE. (Can't hurt.) NEVER demand and NEVER ask again.

 

[+ZackJones]

Team Vibe: I have the same situation with one of my TB's. The guy who picked it up has held it nearly a month. Last night I sent him an email asking how the bug was doing. I told him I wanted to make sure everything was OK with the TB, etc. I did ask if he planned to place it in a cache soon so it can get moving on its way. Hopefully I'll see some activity for it soon.

 

I don't know if you're aware or not but on the My Geocache Page where it lists your inventory it identifies those TB's that you've held for more than 14 days.

 

Send off an email - hopefully your TB will start moving again soon.

 

Zack

[+woody_k]

When you send an e-mail to the holder of the bug simply ask if they had placed it in a cache and if they had forgot to log it. I say this because I don't think everyone who visits a cache logs it on the web site. My cache has 6 entries on the log but only 3 on the web site.

 

Ken

[+Go JayBee]

I usually am the one that emails the owner begging forgiveness that I have had their TB for 2 weeks. And explaining that I will find an appropriate place for it. It's tough finding caches big enough these days with all the "micros" out there. Plus, I would hate to have their TB muggled....there are some caches that you just don't feel "good" about, if you know what I mean.

 

JayBee

[+fly46]

My cache has 6 entries on the log but only 3 on the web site.

Because friends go with people to cache occationally... I go caching, but I hate going alone, so if I'm not with another cacher, I take my mom or my dad. Mom thinks caching is kinda dumb, but goes along with me anyway, at least then we can spend time together. Dad kinda likes it but can barely check his email let alone log a cache. So when we go (mom or dad and myself) I just make one log on the site, even though they'll sign the log book, and if they want anything from the cache, they take it and I put in a trade item for them as well.

 

 

As for the bug problem, I would say if they've had it more than two weeks, just send a message asking if your bug is okay. Be nice about it, and chances are you'll get a response. Most people who get bugs are pretty good about placing it quickly, or messaging you if they plan on keeping it for a couple weeks, but there are some that don't get logged. GeoWoodstockII still has 30 bugs in it that have never been logged off the page - the event was July 3, and EVERY bug was taken before the day was up. (I was actually sitting with the guy who took all the leftover bugs at the end of the day - and he logged his all already)

 

Like I said - just a nice message. "Hey, making sure you still have my bug/haven't forgotten you had it/forgotten to place it/etc."

[+Imajika]

Here is the email I have sent to cachers that have had my bugs forever. I have only had to send it twice.

 

Hi there! I am Imajika and I own the 'blah blah' trade bug. I noticed you picked him up on (date) from (cache). I was just wondering if you still had him? I know real life stuff comes up sometimes and you can't get out and cache, it's happened to me before!

 

I just wanted to make sure you still had him. If you don't I will mark the bug as 'missing'.

 

Thanks!

 

-Imajika, Team Yatta

[+Planet]

I checked your bug page and it hasn't been held that long in the grand scheme of things. They picked it up 6/29/04. not every cacher is as active as we addicts are. Some have (GASP!) Children! Soccer games! Summer vacation! Summer School, or heaven forbid....demanding jobs. Some people - poor souls can only cache but once or twice a month if they are lucky. Bugs will move. Take Snoogans advice and prod gently, don't poke. Here is an article from Today's Cacher on Travel Bug Etiquette. Be as nice as you possibly can and just ask politely.

 

I feel very, very guilty for saving a travel bug that was put underneath a huge half barrel, very heavy I might add, flower planter and it took two of us to retrieve it at risk of my limb, and we had to lift the barrel twice to get the second part of the bug. It is a Rock Lobster, and the claw broke, so I took it home, put it down, waited a couple of days, went to get the glue to fix it and for the life of me I can't find that bug anywhere. I knew I had it and oh my word as I type this I think I remember where it went!!! It's been with me for months, I'll go look now and let you know! Woo hoo!!! Thanks for asking!

[+flask]

i never leave anybody's bug in a dubious cache. sometimes that means i hold it longer. if they wanted pictures, i hold it until i get a decent picture. a good tb deserves a good placement. it deserves an interesting log.

 

as to my own bugs, what i consider 'helping" it isn't apparently what you consider help. i don't care if it gets miles. if you want to hang onto it for a while and write a good log, i much prefer that to moving it quickly and writing nothing.

 

if you send me an email about your bug staying in my iventory too long, i promptly drop it in the nearest TB hotel.

 

understand that i think TB hotels are inherently dangerous places for TB's because if a regular cache goes missing, sometimes a bug goes with it. when a TB hotel goes missing it takes several at once.

 

so i guess what i'm saying is that if you send me an email about a bug i've had less than a month, i get rid of it as quickly as i can, without regard for anything else.

 

if your TB is in a race, that's somewhat different. if i know it's racing when i pick it up, i'll only pick it up if i'm moving it quickly and in the right direction. or if i'm moving it toward a cache where it will get going better. sometimes i will drive it where it's going.

 

if i have your bug, it's going to a suitable palce for it. if i like it i take it home and log it with a good log and take some pictures of it and maybe take it to some interesting places before i let it go again.

[+Planet]

I only managed to find the glue I had taken out to fix the bug. I'm tearing my house apart now and I have company coming from England in two days!

 

Um, thanks for asking?

 

Still searching.........

[+Planet]

oh yeah.......Snoogan's advice

[+Clhudec]

I read all respones with great interest. This is a very good topic to talk about. I have just picked up my first TB. I have logged it and told the owner that I would drop it off ASAP or within a week, which ever comes first. As stated with an earlier writer, I have a few things I must do before I can drop it off. I think everyone has hit on some very good pointers on what to do. Based I what you have written and what I believe you are trying to say, I will attempt to summarized below:

 

I believe what needs to be done is to assume the worst possible senarios that can happen with you TB and plan accordingly.

 

First, the TB owner needs to make it very clear in the TB mission statement, that they want their bug to be moved quickly. For example, "please do not hold my xxxx xxxx TB for more the xzy days." Now a TB owner may say, wait a minute! TB etiquette states that you do not hold a TB for more then two weeks! Yes, the TB owner is correct, the TB owner knows it, I know it, the above writer's konw it, but does the person who is picking up your TB know it? Are you willing to take the chance that the person who picked up your TB, read Geocaching "How to use a Travel Bug" article? I believe that you have to assume that they do not know the proper etiquette in handling a TB.

 

The second thing that (I believe) needs to be done, is that you (the TB owner) must put a TB sheet with your TB. [A TB sheet has a statement about your goals, etc.] The reason for this is what was pointed out by one of the earlier writter's. They want to put the TB back into a cache as soon as they find it. So what is the worst case that can happen here? The TB finder put the TB in the next cache that they have been searching for and found ( on the same day). An hour later some other geoCacher finds the TB before the previous TB holder can properly log it. The new finder does not know know about this TB, because there was nothing stated on Geocaching.com about a TB at this location. This is why it is important for the TB owner, to put the mission/goal information with the TB. Someone who did not expect to find it can read and will know immediately that they can help the TP on its mission or will have to let it stay because they can't.

 

Finally what happens when you have done all the above and someone still holds onto your TB? I agree that you may need to sen an e-mail or two asking what is going on with your TB? Hopefully that will do it. But what if that doesn't? I would assume you would have to send more e-mails and that would accomplish your task in getting it moved. No guarantees though! I am also interested on how you would hanlde this situation, because how many e-mail is enough?

 

If you believe there is a better way, please put in your comments. The above writters came up with good/great ideas on how to handle this problem. My assessment may not be correct (I hope it is though).

 

(my thanks to the previous writers with coming up with good suggestions on how best to handle this problem - Clhudec )

[+ZackJones]

Finally what happens when you have done all the above and someone still holds onto your TB? I agree that you may need to sen an e-mail or two asking what is going on with your TB? Hopefully that will do it. But what if that doesn't?

I have a TB in this situation right now. I sent an email to the person holding it and he said he would place it in a cache soon but he hasn't done so yet. I hope he will soon, but until he does there's really nothing more I can do. I don't plan to email again because I don't want to anger the guy - he might take his anger out on my TB

 

Zack

[+fly46]

Just remember - at least you guys know where your bugs are..... I have two bugs, one is stuck in GeoWoodstock II - still not logged - and the other is stuck in an event cache in Cleveland, still not logged from about three weeks ago.

 

Kinda can't see if it's still in the cache container if there isn't one.