You approached each situation with respect, so it's hard to fault your actions! I'm curious why a highway weigh station was used, and not a rest area, but what do I know? There may not be one! Planters should take the situations into account, but who knows beforehand how popular an area may become? Don't beat yourself up about it. And thanks for the concern to ask - it speaks well of yourself and our community of friends and other loonies that we do worry about the etiquette!

Dave
the von der Insels

----- Original Message -----
From: Lisa
To: letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2004 2:43 PM
Subject: [LbNA] Etiquette Question


I am relatively new to letterboxing and came across two fairly common
concerns this past weekend and was wondering what you would do in these
situations.

The first one involved not being able to replace a letterbox because the area
was suddenly overrun with people! I knew I would be returning to the area in
2 days and I couldn't sit in my car and wait for hours with my screaming
toddler, so i decided to take the box with me, and did replace it 2 days later. I
felt bad for the kidnapping but I didn't want to jeaopardize the box and the
great hiding spot!

The second incident happened the same day and involved my being
questioned by someone in an official capacity as to what I was doing roaming
around the woods in a highway weigh station. Rather than explain the whole
history of letterboxing to the guy I said I had to pee! He scowled and let me go
but it made me think about how when Bush wants everyone to be "vigilent"
and letterboxing is essentially a sneak around and and be sly "sport" how do
we deal with folks who think we are up to no good?

Thanks!

Lisa


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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Lisa" wrote:
> I am relatively new to letterboxing and came across two fairly common
> concerns this past weekend and was wondering what you would do in these
> situations.


Honestly in most cases, I would rather pass up the box and/or replacement until a
better time than be obvious and give away the hiding spot. It isn't worth going to
the trouble to explain the endeavour to official type folks. I try to avoid that
altogether.

When in doubt, consider the location and whether or not you can just come back
another time. There are many of my boxes that would not be advisable to look for
on certain times of the day and especially when you're with a young child. Just be
warned that letterbox placers are devoid of most responsibility in that regard.

The letterboxing north america site as well as other personal web pages usually
post a disclaimer statement regarding this liability. I find that common sense
usually also comes in handy. Good luck!

I would have to agree that it is better to pass up the find or
replacement rather than risk compromising the hiding spot if the
area is too busy or has suddenly become busy. That being said...
if you have the box in hand, have carried it away a bit to stamp in
only to return and find that you are not safely able to access the
hiding spot, there are a few things to consider before you take the
box home with you. Most importantly -- how will you get the box
back and when? If you personally are not able to come back to
rehide the box, who can? Does the placer live in the area (you may
or may not know this)? Would you be able to mail the box to the
placer or another letterboxer in the area so that it could be
returned to the hiding spot?

In any event, if it is absoletely necessary for you to take a box
home, you should at the very least let the placer know that you have
done so, the reason why and what the arrangements are for getting it
back in place. The placer may or may not want to make a note on the
clues or post to the list that the box is out of commission for a
few days.

When we were in NYC, we encountered a situation in a very busy, high
security area where we waited a couple of hours to be able to return
a box to its hiding place because a young mother and two screaming
toddlers had taken up temporary residence at the hiding spot. But
being from out-of-town and knowing the placer also did not live
nearby, we were reluctant to leave with the box.

I also know of a situation where a 'boxer took a letterbox home (to
another state) because the area became too busy, and then walked
around with it in their backpack for several days (weeks?). As the
box had been part of a series and they had stamped into the logs of
the other boxes, somebody happened to contact them asking if
the "missing" box had been in place at the time they were there, and
come to find out, it had been walking around at the bottom of their
backpack!

Common sense and courtesy...

SpringChick


--- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Phyto" wrote:
> --- In letterbox-usa@yahoogroups.com, "Lisa" wrote:
> > I am relatively new to letterboxing and came across two fairly
common
> > concerns this past weekend and was wondering what you would do
in these
> > situations.
>
>
> Honestly in most cases, I would rather pass up the box and/or
replacement until a
> better time than be obvious and give away the hiding spot. It
isn't worth going to
> the trouble to explain the endeavour to official type folks. I try
to avoid that
> altogether.
>
> When in doubt, consider the location and whether or not you can
just come back
> another time. There are many of my boxes that would not be
advisable to look for
> on certain times of the day and especially when you're with a
young child. Just be
> warned that letterbox placers are devoid of most responsibility in
that regard.
>
> The letterboxing north america site as well as other personal web
pages usually
> post a disclaimer statement regarding this liability. I find that
common sense
> usually also comes in handy. Good luck!