A motto to follow when placing caches

[lemmykc]

I recently thought about following a particular motto for every single cache I place. I asked some people what they thought about it and some said it was a brilliant idea where others were a bit more iffy. So the motto goes like this:

When placing a cache, if you wouldn't give it a favourite point, don't place it.

On the one hand, this would ensure a much higher quality of all caches. But on the other hand it is a bit unpractical to make great caches all of the time and it would probably slow down the number of caches published. I have followed this law for the last few of my caches. My first ones were $#!+ but my new ones that I have made following this motto have been great.

I am interested in all opinions.

BTW, please don't make a full point about being a normal member meaning you can't give out favourite points. It is not about that, it is about making great caches.

[caughtatwork]

Everyone learns as they go.
Your suggestion would stop people from placing rubbish and learning.
You got that opportunity, don't try to suppress others.

[lemmykc]

I was talking more about if you personally would follow that motto...... but you make a good point.

[Richary]

One point that came up a while ago when hiding a cache was to ask yourself if would it be one you would want to find? Much the same thing really.

[MtnLioness]

I agree,
the first handful of my own caches were crap and within a month or two, half had been muggled and some archived, it's only now, a few years, yes years, later, that I recognise the standard of quality I personally love finding and the lack thereof I hate finding.
There are a few of us in Adelaide who are becoming self admitted cache snobs (and a few of those who wouldn't admit it, ) and between ourselves we have discussed raising the standards because quite frankly we are tired of crap caches.
We figured that the noobs only reproduce what they see, if they see a crap container thrown in a bush, that's what we'll see more of.
If they see fake bricks, fake taps, fake bolts and the like, they will likely attempt to attain those high standard style caches themselves.

I have archived my crap older caches and from now on only put out brilliant caches, well... I think so anyway.

I think this motto can be utilized and incorporated into the 'older' cachers styles and help improve the quality that goes out!
Especially in Urban settings!

[chillibutts]

Nicely said MTL

[Zalgariath]

My first cache series was nice... but except for one cache nothing special. I began upgrading it before I left (then the upgraded one got muggled ...Richary provided a temp replacement kindly! ) but will re-upgrade again once Im home. There was nothing wrong much with them and the locations are nice so I want to keep them active, but now a few years on I have discovered ways to make them much more interesting

[fluffyfish]

I agree,
the first handful of my own caches were crap and within a month or two, half had been muggled and some archived, it's only now, a few years, yes years, later, that I recognise the standard of quality I personally love finding and the lack thereof I hate finding.
There are a few of us in Adelaide who are becoming self admitted cache snobs (and a few of those who wouldn't admit it, ) and between ourselves we have discussed raising the standards because quite frankly we are tired of crap caches.
We figured that the noobs only reproduce what they see, if they see a crap container thrown in a bush, that's what we'll see more of.
If they see fake bricks, fake taps, fake bolts and the like, they will likely attempt to attain those high standard style caches themselves.

I have archived my crap older caches and from now on only put out brilliant caches, well... I think so anyway.

I think this motto can be utilized and incorporated into the 'older' cachers styles and help improve the quality that goes out!
Especially in Urban settings!

I like the above thoughts. I too think new cachers copy the style they see so I'm trying for regular size caches only unless there is a good reason not too.

[Lucy]

When placing caches: Hide the kind you'd like to find

[chillibutts]

so I'm trying for regular size caches only unless there is a good reason not too.

Like your work!

[ian-and-penny]

I would be really interested to hear the views of the cachers who voted NO in the poll.

[Papa Bear_Left]

I didn't vote, but I'd probably vote "Not always" if that was an option!

I like puzzles and long hikes, but I realise that not everyone does. So, when I come across a nice spot that's worth sharing, I sometimes resist the urge to make it the GZ of a long multi or a devious puzzle and just place a simple Trad there. (Not a micro, mind you; I do have SOME minimum standards!)

I'm relatively unlikely to Fave a simple, accessible Trad unless the location was especially wonderful, but they're still pleasant to find and make up many of our "just passing" finds.

There's two measures that I think work better:

The "Journalist Test": If you were being interviewed by a local paper, would you use your new cache as an example of what geocaching is about? If that would make you uncomfortable, why are you placing it?

briansnat's (from the GC guidelines): "When you go to hide a geocache, think of the reason you are bringing people to that spot. If the only reason is for the geocache, then find a better spot."

[PesceVerde]

No. I agree with the sentiment, but 'also-rans' make the good ones good, and sometimes I just want to go for a drive or cycle or walk or whatever, and find some caches. If it's about protecting against rubbish type caches, there are already guidelines on every listing and slightly-geocaching-related site to ignore. If it's about attempting to raise the average standard of caches, half would still be below average. Again I agree with the sentiment, but ...

Keep on cachin'.

Edit: *There's

[Tuena]

When placing a cache, if you wouldn't give it a favourite point, don't place it.

I voted No. Allocation of favourites can be highly subjective. I have allocated some based on the cache container, others on the location, others on the journey.

As an example I allocated a favourite based on the journey. I was really impressed despite the cache just being a leaky ice cream container with mushy contents. The next finders were very unimpressed.

Meeting your criterion doesn't necessarily mean that I would be placing a cache that you would like to find.

I tend to hide caches based on location, with some exceptions.

[covert]

No way. Look at it this way. I have 196 Fav points in total, 109 of those I have given to a cache. If I had only found those 109 geocaches in the time I have been caching, geocaching would not be a hobby of mine but something I did for a for a total of a few weeks in the last 2 years.

Besides Favorite points are given out 1 in every 10 caches you log. Effectively giving the favorite point a value of 1/10. If all geocaches you ever found where favorite point worthy you could only give one 10th of them a favorite point effectively raising the scale of what a favorite point means to a level where 90% of the cache's you have found are not favorite point worthy. This scenario is known as a causality dilemma.