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Adopting Out White Jeeps


WH

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I mentioned this in another thread so I decided to spin this off into it's own topic.

 

As we are all aware, the Yellow Jeep TB's of last year started to quickly disappear soon after they were released. I beleive that this was due in part to the fact that there really wasnt anyone keeping track of them.

 

In an attempt to at least slow down the disappearing process, perhaps the White Jeeps can be adopted out to individual cachers. Perhaps this way, the new owners can send out friendly emails to those that hold them too long and people will be less likely to muggle them.

 

Thoughts?

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What is to keep the person from getting it and saying they logged it somewhere else? Then we don't know if they did put it somewhere else and someone took it.

 

I like where you are going with this, due to the fact people take the Jeep TB and don't even log them out.

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Isn't the Jeep corporation the actual ownerof the Jeep Travelbugs?

Yes but all the jeeps are tied to a single account and I highly doubt anyone will be keeping track of the individual jeeps.

 

The contest can still run exactly the same if the jeeps are adopted out to cachers. This gives us all ownership in the jeeps and would hopefully reduce the disappearing.[/u][/b]

Edited by WH
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Im just trying to help.

 

I figured that maybe if the jeeps were tied to the accounts of individual users rather than 1 big account that noone monitors, it may help their longevity.

 

This may not work at all but it was worth at least suggesting.

Edited by WH
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Doesn't matter one bit. People have used the lame excuse that they arent't actually owned since the "person" owning them doesnt have one find or this or that. Its a corporation owning them not an individual. Anything they can say to make it OK to steal a gamepiece for their own personal pleasure. It will happen again this time around and again will be ashame that some people will find it near impossible to find one because someone else thought it was OK to keep it. We have the yellow ones missing left and right around here. People still are going and grabbing them from caches and never logging the cache. Now how sad is that. If they were adoptable as you put it, these same people would just explain further that you really don't own it and blah blah blah. Sadly there is about nothing you can do. Can't penalize the people holding them forever since all they will do is say they dropped in cache X to get out of it. All i know i can do is try to find one sooner than later and try to help them keep moving. I pray i am wrong and the people who did these things and had these excuses have become better about playing the game with other finders in mind, but time will only tell. By the way the Yellow's are still being hoarded, i think it wil be the same as last year.

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As we are all aware, the Yellow Jeep TB's of last year started to quickly disappear soon after they were released. I beleive that this was due in part to the fact that there really wasnt anyone keeping track of them.

What's Jeep's position on this matter? Since they are the owner, shouldn't they be the ones to weigh in on this?

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Jeep's site says they are to be logged and continue moving from cache to cache. They do not need to keep saying this over and over like some people want any more than i need to tell each person who picks up my TB. Until they change their position and let everyone know, they are to keep moving. So as long as the site says keep moving, thats their position.

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Ok their are going to be pros and cons for all jeeps past and present

 

The new 2005 white jeep is a lot bigger then the yellow ones so they containers they are going to be able to go in is not going to be as high so this could lead to most people just up and keeping them.

 

Also, unlike last year, there are NO numbers for the jeeps, they all have names, mine is Rolland so it will be funny to read log "spotted that Rolland was in the cache but is now missing"

 

Well I have a white jeep (with a TB tag) and I have done the right thing and logged it into an up-coming local event just so people can see it. It will NOT be in my hands though at the end of the meeting.

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Ok their are going to be pros and cons for all jeeps past and present

 

The new 2005 white jeep is a lot bigger then the yellow ones so they containers they are going to be able to go in is not going to be as high so this could lead to most people just up and keeping them.

 

Also, unlike last year, there are NO numbers for the jeeps, they all have names, mine is Rolland so it will be funny to read log "spotted that Rolland was in the cache but is now missing"

 

Well I have a white jeep (with a TB tag) and I have done the right thing and logged it into an up-coming local event just so people can see it. It will NOT be in my hands though at the end of the meeting.

How were you able to edit the name of the WJTB without being the owner of it?

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Jeep's site says they are to be logged and continue moving from cache to cache. They do not need to keep saying this over and over like some people want any more than i need to tell each person who picks up my TB. Until they change their position and let everyone know, they are to keep moving. So as long as the site says keep moving, thats their position.

Please provide a link. I can't find anything on their web site about travel bugs. Thanks!

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I've seen just one of those yellow jeeps...they are so cute that people keep them, I guess. The white ones are bigger, you say? Well that might help them along the way. The problem is, this sport has been getting more and more people that tend to do that sort of thing...it's not just jeep TB's any cute one has potential to go AWOL ;) So you can beat the topic to death, but as long as there are those who don't care about the next guy's enjoyment of the sport, it'll be this way...sorry but that's the way of the world! :o

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Please provide a link. I can't find anything on their web site about travel bugs. Thanks!

They have updated their page for the 2005 TB's, but the page as of last month was stating to go out and find them, log them, and watch them continue moving. I would take this as they wanted to watch them move not stall out in someone's collection.

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page.on this page it said:

 

"If you find a Jeep 4x4 Travel Bug, you’ll be able to track its adventure using a code you find on the tag. Follow your Jeep 4x4 Travel Bug as it goes from cache to cache and from person to person on an exclusive web "

 

And the goal for all the YJTB was "Move me to another cache so I can meet another geocacher."

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I think adopting out the White Jeeps is a great idea. It implicitly assigns responsibility to the person who has become the "parent". The next cachers who encounter the WJTB will realize that he or she is handling someone else's precious baby and will feel guilt if the WJTB's movement is stalled in some way.

 

This also makes it easier to identify the cold-hearted types who want to just take them. Not a fool-proof plan, but I think it will improve the chances of WJTB lasting longer.

 

For the cynics who won't believe this will work at all, well.... then there's a bigger problem to deal with, which is the breakdown of the sense of community in society :lol:

 

Geocachers of the Bay Area (GBA) have already discussed this topic and we have taken action on this. After a month or two, we'll see if applying the adoptation idea has worked or not.

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I have put several WJTB's on my watchlist and I will send out email reminders if any of them should stop moving for an extended period of time.

Let me tell ya something. I find THAT disturbing. :)

 

I have moved 660+ bugs and in that time, I've dealt with about a half dozen OWNERS that were so rude that I'll NEVER touch another of their bugs, or seek their caches.

 

In that time, I have also gotten emails from about a dozen interested parties about bugs I've moved. Most were pleasant, but 5 were what I call TB ZEALOTS. Frankly, they're creepy and further investigation (BSing at events) reveals a long list of folks who have told them off AND THEY STILL DON'T GET IT! These are sad, sad, narrow minded, freaks.

 

So I encourage ANYONE who gets one of your little prompts to reply thusly:

 

:ph34r:IT'S NOT YOUR FREAKIN' BUG!!!!! GET OVER IT AND YOURSELF..... :D

 

If *I* get ANY email about a bug (read WJTB in this case) it had dadgum well better be from the owner, (Jeep 4x4) or I'm going to report it to geocaching.com admins as harassment and I suggest everyone else do the same. B)

 

B)B)B):(:D

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Isn't the Jeep corporation the actual ownerof the Jeep Travelbugs?

Yes but all the jeeps are tied to a single account and I highly doubt anyone will be keeping track of the individual jeeps.

 

Ummmm, so. What's it to ya?

 

 

The contest can still run exactly the same

 

That's awfully strong language.

 

Question: Are YOU running the contest?

 

if the jeeps are adopted out to cachers. This gives us all ownership in the jeeps and would hopefully reduce the disappearing.

 

What makes you assume Jeep 4X4 even WANTS this?

 

Personally, I think jeeps disappear on par with most OTHER travel bugs. It's just that the totality of bug disappearance isn't as apparent spread across the entire geocaching community.

 

I think it would be nice to see Jeep 4X4 (or maybe Jeremy/Hydee) weigh in on your little plan to "help." :ph34r:

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I think I understand Snoogans' issue here. He has been *HOARDING* this yellow jeep travel bug since last year. He is the only geocacher who has ever done such a despicable thing. Snoogans' account should be TERMINATED with EXTREME PREJUDICE.

 

Now, where is the secret password I need in order to enter the section of the website where I can ban accounts? Hmmmmm.... I know I wrote it down somewhere.... Ahhh, yes... it's over there in that stack of papers, underneath the Yellow Jeep.

 

Errrr, ummmm, never mind.

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:DIT'S NOT YOUR FREAKIN' BUG!!!!! GET OVER IT AND YOURSELF..... :D

 

If *I* get ANY email about a bug (read WJTB in this case) it had dadgum well better be from the owner, (Jeep 4x4) or I'm going to report it to geocaching.com admins as harassment and I suggest everyone else do the same. :o

 

Does this apply to everything (caches, cars in public places, house fires, etc), or just Travel Bugs?

 

(I wouldn't want to be haressed either, but a simple 'hey do you know what happened to X?' doesn't seem that bad.)

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It is "normal" human behavior to incorporate more into our "protected space" than we should. Some people are on "space steroids." That being said, I hope they learn and grow.......... and for those of us who don't have a big dollop of that particular characteristic, we can learn and grow in our dealings with others who aren't like we (are). A little understanding ......... or a little "ignoral." (Well, what would you say? "ignoricity?")

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Wouldn't it be nice if everyone who cached read the forums (or perhaps that would be a little scary!). Most cachers don't come into the forums, and just have no idea what goes on in here. I doubt that any kind of adoption policy would work any better than the way it is now. People just take them. Period. Doesn't matter who owns it. It happens to all travel bugs all the time. I kind of agree with Snoogans though, if it's not your bug, I'd lay off the emails to other players.

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In all seriousness, if people are going to take and keep TBs, they're going to do so whether you send them emails or not. All you're likely to accomplish in the end is getting yourselves turned into admin for harassment.

Actually, some of these individuals ENJOY upsetting the TB's original owners. Angry emails just serve to reinforce their behavior, and therefore just makes it worse. Childish behavior is rarely modified or improved by an equally childish response.

When all is said and done, they're BUGS for heaven's sake. Life's too short. Isn't it better to just concentrate on enjoying the hobby? I just spent my lunch hour driving 3 TB's to the I-80 TB motel. Nice drive. Pretty day. Quiet time. It's all good.

 

Tagamet

 

PS Yes, one of the TB's was a YJTB (that I forgot in the car when caching last night).

PPS Maybe, we ought to be sending NICE emails to those people who move the bugs along in a reasonable time frame (instead of ignoring it). That would (hopefully) "reward" appropriate behavior on their part.

PPS And yes, I'm a shrink. The couches will be full when the WJTB's hit Pennsylvania (lol)

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:PIT'S NOT YOUR FREAKIN' BUG!!!!! GET OVER IT AND YOURSELF..... :D

 

If *I* get ANY email about a bug (read WJTB in this case) it had dadgum well better be from the owner, (Jeep 4x4) or I'm going to report it to geocaching.com admins as harassment and I suggest everyone else do the same. :D

 

:DB)B):D:D

First of all let me say I agree with trying to keep them moving so everyone has a chance at them, that being said, I got a "reminder" email from a cacher who had "adopted" one I had picked up about 5 days before hand about the fact I hadn't yet dropped it off again, so I dropped it off and who do you think picked it up ? :D

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oooo scared to write in such a volatile forum.... :P but I have 2 thoughts after reading this...

 

first: so many TBs just disappear - as if people don't realize they're special and let the kids or dogs just have them, w/o regard to the TB's purpose. Perhaps a BRIGHTLY colored special tag to go w/them that briefly explains "this TB belongs to a family like yours. They have sent it on a journey and as it needs to keep traveling, please replace in a cache asap. Thanks for respecting their TBs and enjoying the sport w/us all" kind of tag..... yes, many have the sheets, but somehow, something BIG, more instantly visibly CATCHY...

 

second: the jeeps - oooo i would love to find one, take some pics, then send it back on its way. (maybe on the hood of my v6 honda waaay out in the woods where few hondas go??) Yes, i bet the temptation to keep them as a collectable is strong. Perhaps Jeep could make a smaller replica of the TB Jeep, and if people sent pic of themselves w/the TB (well, actually that's how to enter the contest!!), and there were logs to show it was moving on, they could be sent the 'replica'. Jeep would know how many people actually had interacted w/their TBs and be sending little permanent reminders of their "jeep" w/the replicas..... after all, the TBs are a marketing tool, and even sending replicas would become a hands-on marketing tool.....

 

yes, i'm a relative newbie still, only 37 finds, and no GPS yet!!! But I really enjoy the TBs, have fun taking pics of their journey thru my world, and write to the people when I have stalled their TB for some reason. (like not finding that complicated cache to put it in!!)

 

just my several-cents and a few-woofs worth! Silverwolfe

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http://jeep.geocaching.com/

 

(after they talk about geocaching and to look at geocaching how to get started on gc.com...... they talk about the jeepTBs):

 

What is a Jeep Travel Bug?

 

It’s a white die-cast Jeep Wrangler Rubicon with an official metal tag attached. We’ve hidden approximately 5,000 Jeep Travel Bugs in caches located in the lower 48 states. When you find a Jeep 4x4 Travel Bug, enter the unique tracking number into the Jeep Geocaching site at http://jeep.geocaching.com to log its movements in the real world. You can then move it to the next cache you find so others can help it on its journey.

 

What is a Jeep 4x4 Geocaching Challenge?

 

When you find a white Jeep 4x4 Travel Bug you have the opportunity to sign up for the Jeep 4x4 Geocaching Challenge. Each month you will be provided with three goals for the white Jeep 4x4 Travel Bugs. You can enter the contest by completing one of the three goals each month - by taking a photo with the Jeep 4x4 Travel Bug and the goal in the same photo. (If you do not find a Travel Bug see the note on the contest page.) Each month, we’re awarding three Garmin eTrex Legend C GPS units to the first prize contest winners!

 

But make sure to move the Jeep 4x4 Travel Bug to another cache for others to enjoy.

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Perhaps Jeep could make a smaller replica of the TB Jeep, and if people sent pic of themselves w/the TB (well, actually that's how to enter the contest!!), and there were logs to show it was moving on, they could be sent the 'replica'.

I don't think that would ever happen, but I like that idea. Perhaps if they included a tag with a non-functioning number on it people would be happy to keep a replica and not an original. The Jeep's not what's unique, it's the tag. I'm sure Jeep could afford to do that.

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I noticed quite a few white jeeps in this cache

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...88-b4bce29578bd

This cache is in the front yard of a leader in the local geocaching organization. He is passing out the jeeps to other cachers for subsequent placement in challenging caches. I am writing to clarify this just in case someone reads here and goes to the cache in the hope of finding lots of jeeps. They aren't actually *in* the cache container. The jeeps have been spoken for by geocachers spread across Northwest PA, who will sprinkle them evenly around that region.

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I noticed quite a few white jeeps in this cache

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...88-b4bce29578bd

This cache is in the front yard of a leader in the local geocaching organization. He is passing out the jeeps to other cachers for subsequent placement in challenging caches. I am writing to clarify this just in case someone reads here and goes to the cache in the hope of finding lots of jeeps. They aren't actually *in* the cache container. The jeeps have been spoken for by geocachers spread across Northwest PA, who will sprinkle them evenly around that region.

It's interesting to see how local organizations have come up with different ways to distribute the WJTBs.

 

For people looking for a one-all solution to everything... just a reminder that in the "real world," we have local and state governments and agencies to handle stuff that federal government can't or shouldn't. (whether they are doing their job is another matter, however :lol: )

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send out friendly emails to those that hold them too long

Define too long...

 

I picked one up last Friday, have not gotten rid of it yet, will be dropped off tomorrow. Some would say that is too long. Your idea of too long and my idea of too long may differ. This is my hobby, not a career, as such, does not get the same priority as the wife/kids/mortgage. Next time I cache, or maybe the time after that, I will deposit it

:lol:

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i am new to this sport and found my first yjtb last month...i was nervous at first about taking it but was able to figure the protocol out fairly easily.

when i moved the tb to another site...with pictures....it was taken and not logged....i still feel guilty about this, but know that i did everything right.

 

i am now holding a white jeep travel bug that i picked up last week....will be moving along this week when i find a good site to move it to....i am printing out the "this is no ordinary geocaching trading item! " sheet and will place it in a baggie when i place it....hope this will keep things moving but now that i am reading about the dissapearing jeeps, i'm getting bummed out...well, hope to have better luck with this one...

 

mike

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If they want to keep people from keeping the jeeps for themselves, they ought to announce that after the contest is over they will put ANOTHER 5000(or as many as it takes) up for SALE. That way nobody will have any interest in thinking they are "collectibles" as long as there are some available. I would duplicate all 5000 names(but with different ID tags) and ship the jeeps out to the buyers with the jeep corp as the owner - but give the buyers an option to change the name and ownership, or keep it the same. That way people could keep them if they wanted to, or send them off with their own name attached. Adopting them would be a good idea if it was after the contest and you had one(of the original 5000) in your possession, you could pay Groundspeak for a "title" and then choose to keep it, or continue to have it travel as a TB. If many people chose to keep them, there would still be many identical ones available for sale and in circulation.

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