Lighters in Caches

[BSA534]

I seem to be finding a lot of cigarette lighters in caches. I'm not sure why anyone thinks that seems like something to leave in a cache. I've always considered lighters to be one of the things *NOT* to be left in a cache. With the potential of kids finding them if I find a lighter in a cache I take it. I bet I've got 5 of them in my car now.

Anyone else?

[jclaudii]

I think it depends on where you find them?

According to the geocaching site, what we place in a cache is a guideline not a rule. With that said I find it okay for some "survival" stuff to be in caches that are off the beaten path (like in the middle of the NFS). I don't think things like matches, knives, and fishing lures need to be in city caches that are in no way associated to the uses of such items.

have fun caching

[flannelman]

I agree about them not being in urban caches. You could use one in the woods if you were stuck out there. Of course you should have one in your outback bag anyway along with other first aid and survival items. I always take them out of urban caches though.

[BSA534]

I guess I should have said in urban caches. That's where I've found them. The odd thing is some of them don't work. I just think sometimes cachers find something they want in the cache so they just go through their car and try to find something to leave. Maybe a lighter, broken or not, is what they can find. Who knows.

[OldRiverRunner]

According to the geocaching site, what we place in a cache is a guideline not a rule. With that said I find it okay for some "survival" stuff to be in caches that are off the beaten path (like in the middle of the NFS). I don't think things like matches, knives, and fishing lures need to be in city caches that are in no way associated to the uses of such items.

I think you need to be careful here. I checked the guidelines/requirements and they state that the reviewer may disable a cache if a knife, lighter, etc. are listed as being in the cache, until the cache owner removes them. I used to put small knives AND lighters in my caches when I first placed them (never in urban caches though), but after someone pointed out the guideline, I stopped doing it. Now, whenever I check a cache and find one of these items, I will remove them. Even if the cache is “in the middle of the NF”!

I guess I should have said in urban caches. That's where I've found them. The odd thing is some of them don't work. I just think sometimes cachers find something they want in the cache so they just go through their car and try to find something to leave. Maybe a lighter, broken or not, is what they can find. Who knows.

Caches have a way of accumulating what I call “geo-trash” over time. This includes: broken lighters (as stated above); business cards; food items (like chewing gum); political and religious tracts (sorry, but my cache is not a platform for someone’s expression of “free speech” – do it elsewhere! ); broken ink pens; playing cards (not full decks, just individual cards); junky toys; rocks; broken jewelry; golf balls; etc. Basically, this is stuff that people leave, but no one will take. So whenever I visit one of my caches to check on its condition, I take along some new trade items and I clean out the geo-trash, so the cache is restored to a “new” condition.

The bottom line is that we have no control over what others leave in our geocaches. But we do control what we initially place in them and we have the responsibility to check the caches occasionally and remove any objectionable items. Of course, what is "objectionable" is like art - it's in the eye of the beholder! – ORR

[BSA534]

That reminds me once I found an ammo box in a remote park in Texarkana and someone had left 2 cans of carbonated soda in July "as a refreshing treat for the next finder". The problem was, I was the next finder in November and it was around 35 degrees! Luckily I got them out before they froze and burst. That would have been one messy cache!

[Gaddiel]

Caches have a way of accumulating what I call “geo-trash” over time. This includes: (...) junky toys; rocks; broken jewelry; golf balls...

Now hold on there. I was with you until you got to "golf balls". I'll take all of those you want to get rid of.