So I have been called Geocache Police, Geocache Cop, and, a few unmentionable names. Do I care? Nope!!
Society has rules and laws. Without them then society would fall apart. Mass chaos and confusion. Everyone would just do as they want with no regard to anyone else or their surroundings.
Oh wait some geocachers already do that!..
Groundspeak has a set of guidelines that every geocaching member who wants to use their website must follow. It is simple and basic. Their guidelines have evolved through trial and error. The guidelines cover the whole world not just our little section of it. Within these guidelines are local guidelines that must be followed. Just like a flowchart.
The guidelines were created to minimize environmental damage, minimize impact on their surroundings, minimize the mass hysteria regarding bombs, etc...
Now there are always someone who feels that these guidelines were not made for them, that they are above all that. BUT!! and that's a big BUT.. If you choose to use Groundspeaks website to partake in this little hobby then you must follow their guidelines! Right? Well for some....nope!!
So when someone like me who sees blatant disregard for the guidelines, safety issues, environmental damage, etc and happens to mention it in passing, then the phrase "geocache police" or something similar gets used.
My question is why? What makes you so special that you can just do whatever you want? Why do you not see that we all play this game and it only takes one issue by you to destroy it?
I should just turn a blind eye and keep my mouth shut? Like you do? Writing nasties on cache pages, spreading lies to anyone who will listen?
So while you are reading all this, and I know you do. See the counter at the top left of the page? Why don't you take the time to reflect on what impact you are having? What you are teaching other geocachers? What legacy you are leaving?
I will leave you with this.. For every lie, for every nasty, for every broken rule, for every blatant disregard for safety, for every bad environmental impact, I will speak up. It is compounding...and I will not go away..
Saturday 31 May 2014
Wednesday 21 May 2014
Cut and Paste - why we do it...
Ah the "Cut and paste" logs..
We love to hate these type of logs. Why? Because they are monotonous? They are boring? They don't tell us anything about your find? Because they are lazy? Because you think you earned it?
There is an ongoing discussion in the Groundspeak forums about Cut and Paste Logs and what cachers should put in their found it logs. As far as Groundspeak is concerned, it is not necessary to write anything in the online found it log. Some cache owners feel "entitled" to some detailed comments in logs since they went to the trouble and expense of creating the cache.
So really none of us have the right to expect anything in the online log. We seem to have a sense of entitlement that if we went to the trouble of hiding it then the finder should go to the trouble of gushing all over it.
But really, some caches are not very "gushable" now are they? Powertrails and cache saturation's of areas with bison tubes, film canisters, logging slashes, highways, parking lots, no redeeming features? Yes, I went for a drive, got out of the house, interacted with my friend, got away from the internet, the household chores, my daily routine. I suppose I could mention all that..Oh right, I do mention it, but I choose to "cut and paste" it into every online log...
When there is a view or another redeeming feature one sure wishes for a nice big cache like an ammocan so that the kids can trade, so we can take our time digging through it, gushing online about our adventure and how we got there. When you take me to an unique spot, a view, a long hike, a mountain top, a historical site, etc, then YES, I will personalize the cache log. It made an impact on me and therefore rates something other than a C&P or a TFTH comment on the cache page. Was it particularly tough? Was it a hide that I can leave a clue for the next finder however discreet? There are lots of reasons for personalizing a cache log.
If I like the cache I will tell them, I will give it a favorite point if I feel it deserves it. If it just another C&P cache then it will get a C&P log.
With the increased used of programs such as GSAK to log caches, series like the ET Hwy get just these type of logs. I am sure that no-one who logs 100-1000+ caches over a few days goes back and personalizes each and every cache.
Everyone has an opinion about C&P's. I personally feel that a C&P is somewhat better than a Smiley, a TFTH, Thnx a SL. At least a C&P creates some sort of detail. The thing is not to take it personally. I don't and welcome C&P's.
We love to hate these type of logs. Why? Because they are monotonous? They are boring? They don't tell us anything about your find? Because they are lazy? Because you think you earned it?
There is an ongoing discussion in the Groundspeak forums about Cut and Paste Logs and what cachers should put in their found it logs. As far as Groundspeak is concerned, it is not necessary to write anything in the online found it log. Some cache owners feel "entitled" to some detailed comments in logs since they went to the trouble and expense of creating the cache.
So really none of us have the right to expect anything in the online log. We seem to have a sense of entitlement that if we went to the trouble of hiding it then the finder should go to the trouble of gushing all over it.
But really, some caches are not very "gushable" now are they? Powertrails and cache saturation's of areas with bison tubes, film canisters, logging slashes, highways, parking lots, no redeeming features? Yes, I went for a drive, got out of the house, interacted with my friend, got away from the internet, the household chores, my daily routine. I suppose I could mention all that..Oh right, I do mention it, but I choose to "cut and paste" it into every online log...
When there is a view or another redeeming feature one sure wishes for a nice big cache like an ammocan so that the kids can trade, so we can take our time digging through it, gushing online about our adventure and how we got there. When you take me to an unique spot, a view, a long hike, a mountain top, a historical site, etc, then YES, I will personalize the cache log. It made an impact on me and therefore rates something other than a C&P or a TFTH comment on the cache page. Was it particularly tough? Was it a hide that I can leave a clue for the next finder however discreet? There are lots of reasons for personalizing a cache log.
If I like the cache I will tell them, I will give it a favorite point if I feel it deserves it. If it just another C&P cache then it will get a C&P log.
With the increased used of programs such as GSAK to log caches, series like the ET Hwy get just these type of logs. I am sure that no-one who logs 100-1000+ caches over a few days goes back and personalizes each and every cache.
Everyone has an opinion about C&P's. I personally feel that a C&P is somewhat better than a Smiley, a TFTH, Thnx a SL. At least a C&P creates some sort of detail. The thing is not to take it personally. I don't and welcome C&P's.
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