Buddy List

[+nothingface]

has anyone ever thought of putting a type of "buddy" list of geocachers cell#'s together. now, ive seen numerous times of people talking about giving soandso a call on their cell for a hint or a heads up on a cache, and was wondering if everyone would be willing to do somthing like this.

ill start it off

 

nothingface: Rob=905-923-9816 (cell)

 

if you like the idea, feel free to add. if not tell me its dumb.

[+GreyingJay]

A neat idea, but I don't know that I'd use it. As a relatively new geocacher, if I got stuck on a puzzle, would I really pick up the phone and call a complete stranger to ask for help? Hmm.. probably not. If you're not a stranger to me, then I probably already have your number. Also, you won't be any help to me unless you've done the cache that I'm trying to do; in order to find that out, I'd need to investigate online, and if I'm doing that, wouldn't I just send you an email?

 

Perhaps more practical would be to post MSN, AIM contacts, etc.

 

But you were probably thinking about "in the field" incidents. I still don't know that I'd call someone I didn't know, just to ask for hints.

[+The Blue Quasar]

Yes.

 

It is something that the OGA web site is hoping to have, along with generating a list of potential caches based on 'not founds'

 

It will take a while for us to set it up and won't be available till at least 2005.

 

That is if we are able to provide that at all.

 

www.ontgeocaching.com

 

[8D] The Blue Quasar

[+Olar]

A "Buddy List" could serve another purpose that hopefully would never be required but you just never know. Quite a few of us cache alone and can get into some very remote areas. The possibility of an accident causing personal injury where help is required unfortunately does exist. Of course a call to "911" would be first but followed up by a call to a Buddy may help rescuers get to the accident site faster.

The other scenerio is the cacher that is way, way past his expected time to return home. A worried wife, knowing which caches her husband planned to hunt, could get help from a Buddy to explain to "911" where GCxxxx is and the recommended parking/trailhead.

 

Olar

[Prairie Jeepin]

Likewise, I don't think I'd be calling anyone for caching help, it would be just too weird. Nor would I list my info here out of security issues, however; Olar makes some very good and valid points in his post w/ regard to emergency services.

 

PJ

Edited October 13, 2004 by Prairie Jeepin

[+Couparangus]

I'm not -nearly- as old as Olar but I worry about this kinda thing too!

 

Bwahahaha!!!

 

I find there's oftemtimes no cellular coverage in many Geocaching areas though. Perhaps the answer is a web-based dumping ground for information on where people are going that day? That way if someone doesn't show up, we'll all know where they went and head out to find them.

 

I'll have to get into the habit of letting people know where I'm going when I'm out. I don't know that I can rely on my 3 year old to hike a mile through dense bush to find help because her daft father fell down an old well.

 

Cheers!

Coupar Angus

[+Olar]

I'm not -nearly- as old as Olar but I worry about this kinda thing too!

 

Bwahahaha!!!

 

An excerpt from the first issue of "Cache-On", the official newsletter of the Ontario Geocaching Association:

 

"'Deer Bait' might have been the first successful geocache in Ontario, and I don't need to turn the spotlight very far to find the next story of interest. In the next issue I am going to try and talk with the geocacher I refer to as 'The Grandfather of Ontario Geocaching' - Coupar Angus!"

 

I may be older but I'm not as yet called "Grandfather"!

 

Yuk! Yuk!

 

Olar

[+Couparangus]

Doh!!! I guess I walked right into that one!

 

Cheers!

C-A