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Travel Bugs Are Not For Trading

Gary & Jane

By Gary & Jane
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BassoonPilot

BassoonPilot

Posted
Posted
Please can a note be added in the Travel Bug FAQ to indicate that travel bugs shouldn't be used as trade items as they're not for keeping. We've seen many cases of people swopping travel bugs for normal trade items.

 

Gary & Jane

But in the other thread you said that trade items get moved from cache-to-cache like travel bugs. So if people don't keep the items they trade for, why would we have to worry about them keeping travel bugs? ;)

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Gary & Jane

+Gary & Jane

Posted
  • Author
Posted
But in the other thread you said that trade items get moved from cache-to-cache like travel bugs.  So if people don't keep the items they trade for, why would we have to worry about them keeping travel bugs?

Sorry if we confused you. People who take travel bugs and keep them not realising that they're travel bugs is another problem, but that's not what we're referring to here. We're referring to the problem of people taking a normal trade item and leaving a travel bug in exchange.

 

Gary & Jane

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LazyK

+LazyK

Posted
Posted

Travel bugs should be traded for like normal trade items. It's when TBs are taken with nothing is left in their place that a cache degenerates.

 

Is it wrong if I leave a TB and take a pocket dictionary or a 'Hot Wheel'? The pocket dictionary may be kept while the 'Hot Wheel' may be traded again (like a TB).

 

LazyK - Dan

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BlueDeuce

+BlueDeuce

Posted
Posted
Is it wrong if I leave a TB and take a pocket dictionary or a 'Hot Wheel'?

Yes. Travel Bugs are not trade items.

 

They are a "game within a game" and their objective is to move around according the bugs goals. Considering that the majority of people do not trade for travel bugs, the fact you took something without leaving a trade item is causing the cache to degenerate.

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LazyK

+LazyK

Posted
Posted (edited)

You're saying it's ok to take something from a cache and leave nothing in return? ;)

 

Considering that the majority of people do not trade for travel bugs, the fact you took something without leaving a trade item is causing the cache to degenerate.

 

Exactly my point and that's why TBs NEED to be traded for. Otherwise, "the cache will degenerate and entropy will be achieved"*.

 

When it comes to taking something out of a cache, it doesn't matter if it has a little tag attached or not. If you take something out, you should put something back in.

 

Taking an item and also leaving an item AND a TB would be ideal. But we all know how often that happens.

 

As far as inbound TBs, you're right. They shouldn't be traded for. Outbound TBs, though, most definitely need to be traded for.

 

LazyK - Dan

 

(*Quote courtesy Team Tierra Buena)

Edited by LazyK
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Stunod

+Stunod

Posted
Posted
As far as inbound TBs, you're right.  They shouldn't be traded for.  Outbound TBs, though, most definitely need to be traded for.

So, put something in without taking anything out.

But don't take anything out without putting something back in...

 

Caches will be overflowing with swag! ;)

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BassoonPilot

BassoonPilot

Posted
Posted
When it comes to taking something out of a cache, it doesn't matter if it has a little tag attached or not. If you take something out, you should put something back in.

 

Taking an item and also leaving an item AND a TB would be ideal. But we all know how often that happens.

 

As far as inbound TBs, you're right. They shouldn't be traded for. Outbound TBs, though, most definitely need to be traded for.

Que? If travel bugs are not "trade items," then there is no obligation to trade for travel bugs. The obligation is to move them on.

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BassoonPilot

BassoonPilot

Posted
Posted (edited)
We're referring to the problem of people taking a normal trade item and leaving a travel bug in exchange.

As you stated in the other thread, this is not a problem, because whoever left the travel bug and took a trade item will, in your words, quickly leave that item in the next cache they visit.

Edited by BassoonPilot
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bamageek

+bamageek

Posted
Posted

I have always treated Travel Bugs like trade items. If I take one I always leave something in return. If I leave one I may or may not take something. I never take anything without leaving something, which I think is how it should be. So far as I have seen the majoritity of the people around here do the same thing...

 

Dave

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AuntieWeasel

+AuntieWeasel

Posted
Posted

I never think of a TB as a trade item. Ummm...who said "game within a game" above? That's exactly the way I look at it. A Travel Bug is a game, and the bug owner makes up the rules. If I think I'd like to play that game, I take the bug. The cache is just a convenient delivery system.

 

However, I always leave stuff (at least a sig item, more if the cache looks empty and shabby), so it's as if I trade for it.

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Gary & Jane

+Gary & Jane

Posted
  • Author
Posted
We're referring to the problem of people taking a normal trade item and leaving a travel bug in exchange.

As you stated in the other thread, this is not a problem, because whoever left the travel bug and took a trade item will, in your words, quickly leave that item in the next cache they visit.

This IS a problem because the original cache now has one item less.

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Anonymous'

+Anonymous'

Posted
Posted
We're referring to the problem of people taking a normal trade item and leaving a travel bug in exchange.

As you stated in the other thread, this is not a problem, because whoever left the travel bug and took a trade item will, in your words, quickly leave that item in the next cache they visit.

This IS a problem because the original cache now has one item less.

Don't you mean one less item?

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Marky

+Marky

Posted
Posted (edited)
Travel bugs should be traded for like normal trade items.  It's when TBs are taken with nothing is left in their place that a cache degenerates.

 

Is it wrong if I leave a TB and  take a pocket dictionary or a 'Hot Wheel'?  The pocket dictionary may be kept while the 'Hot Wheel' may be traded again (like a TB).

 

LazyK - Dan

I agree with the original poster. Travel Bugs aren't normal trade items. It is a travel bug's wish to travel, and you shouldn't need to leave something if you take a travel bug to help move it along (although it is kinda nice to leave another travel bug, but certainly not manditory).

 

I don't think you should take something and leave a travel bug in its place. That is not considered trading even, or up. That is trading way down (the equivilent to leaving nothing in trade, basically). It wouldn't hurt to clarify the difference in the FAQ.

 

--Marky

Edited by Marky
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BlueDeuce

+BlueDeuce

Posted
Posted

Yikes, after scanning 15 pages of the Tb trade debate mixed in with bug-for-bug trades, I gave up.

 

Well, this is how I look at it. Travel bugs are supposed to stay in circulation so I just can't put them on the same level as normal trade items. GC.com may have technical control over some things but everything else is either community understanding or is at the mercy of the individual.

I would like for gc.com to clarify that TBs are not exchangeable for non TB items.

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Markwell

+Markwell

Posted
Posted

This post concerns regular caches, not Travel Bug hotels.

 

The way I look at it TBs are COMPLETELY separate from other items in the cache.

 

If there's a TB that I want to help out, I'll grab it from the cache.

 

If there's non-TB items I want to trade from the cache, I'll trade.

 

If TBs are separate from trade items, I shouldn't be required to add a deck of cards because I'm taking out a TB.

 

THAT BEING SAID, I normally add extra items to a cache without taking anything out. So - I add items to caches when I take a TB out, but not because I'm trading.

 

That's how *I* do things, but I wouldn't want to add something like that to an FAQ. It would just seem like one more "rule" in a game riddled with too many rules as it is.

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CoyoteRed

CoyoteRed

Posted
Posted

Personally, I think TBs are different from normal trade items because they are an "owned" item little different than a cache. The TB owner still has a bit of control over the item and generally that idea is for the TB to move. Therefore, a TB shouldn't be tied to the "take something, leave something" mantra that is the core of geocaching.

 

It's also my opinion that normal trade items are meant for the finder to keep and do with it what ever they want--even if it is to put it in a different cache. The finder doesn't own the TB--the TB owner does. He can't do with it whatever he wants. The finder is obligated to further the stated goal of the TB as per the owner's wishs.

 

Therefore, by putting in a TB and taking a normal trade item is like taking something for yourself, but leaving something that is not yours.

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