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Gay Cruising Areas


ka3mgh

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Would you post a note on a cache about it being located in a published gay cruising area?

 

My question stems from looking for a cache that turned out to be in a park known for gay cruising but not by us until after we noticed some strange behavior in the parking lot and along the trail.

 

The parking lot had 5-6 cars all backed into spots with a man sitting in each car by himself. Along the trails to the cache area we passed several men dressed quite well for hiking in a park and reaking of cologne. We also noticed several spray painted signs with not so kind remarks about this behavior.

 

Having read some geocaching forum articles about similiar rest stop behavior, we came home and did an internet search on this topic and found this particular park listed on several sites. I also talked to a friend who grew up near the park and was told this particular park was the subject of several sting operations to try and stop this behavior.

 

I am not asking this quesiton to debate this particular behavior but asking if the knowledge of this behavior in a cache area would prompt you to post a note to a cache or email the cache owner to see if they are aware of your findings?

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This knowledge wouldn't stop me from going to find the cache, but it isn't a bad idea to mention it in your log, note or find. Some folks might fell strongly enough about this activity that they won't want to be here. An email to the cache owner isn't wrong either as long as your intent is informative and not judgemental (which is what I read from your post.)

PS just to keep this from becoming another one of those threads I thought I would point out the possibility of this quote being taken out of context

My question stems from looking for a cache that turned out to be in a park known for gay cruising but not by us

Um do you mean that you didn't posses this knowledge, or that you don't cruise in this park? :anitongue:B)

Not that there's anything wrong with that. :P

Edited by wimseyguy
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Hmmmm how to make this sound right. I tend to do a lot of caching at night since I tend to hun a large amount of Urban Micros. Yes it would be most helpful to post suspected areas or parks with suspicious activity. Not only gay but drugs and prostitution as well. Paintfiction and myself walked up to a cache in the Tampa area one night to see a cigarette boat being idling in the canal near the cache. Needless to say we got out of the area as quickly as possible.

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Would you post a note on a cache about it being located in a published gay cruising area?

 

Absolutely ... if I knew that kind of activity was prevalent, then I would not take my kids with me and would probably avoid the cache all together.

 

I had a similiar experience as yours ... I was on a trail near a parking lot when two guys came out of nowhere. They looked very embarassed as they tried to get their clothes back on. Also, the area was littered with condoms. Needless to say, it was disgusting.

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Heh. I noticed you were from PA and at first thought I may know exactly the park you were talking about. But alas, you're on the wrong side of the state for me.

 

But you should call the police if you spot anything illegal actually happeniing, but other than that, there's really nothing you can do. With the guys just sitting in there cars in the parking lot, they could technically be loitering but if brought to trial they could use ignorance as a defense since it's not posted and they'd probably get off...

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The parking lot had 5-6 cars all backed into spots with a man sitting in each car by himself. Along the trails to the cache area we passed several men dressed quite well for hiking in a park and reaking of cologne.

 

Like, they were on display?

Welcome to the gay man retail shop. How we help you today? :anitongue:

Bad joke sorry.

 

I would probably just crack a joke about it in my log. Unless it effected my cache experience in some way I wouldn't go out of my way to write a note. Are these people dangerous or just gay?

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The parking lot had 5-6 cars all backed into spots with a man sitting in each car by himself.

 

This would be an excellent time to get out the video camera & tripod. Never point it at any particular place but make sure everyone notices you fumbling around with it.

Parking lot will be clear in a matter of seconds! :anitongue:

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Well I can only speak for myself but I know I would VERY MUCH appreciate knowing those kinds of things in advance! That way I can either a) avoid the cache altogether or :anitongue: make plans to be there with someone else. Of course, in the panhandle of TX there aren't that many tree covered areas! lol I don't think they would want to get in the mesquite bushes! lol But parking areas, parks, etc... yes, I would really appreciate knowing anything to look out for in advance!

 

pam :P

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The parking lot had 5-6 cars all backed into spots with a man sitting in each car by himself.

 

This would be an excellent time to get out the video camera & tripod. Never point it at any particular place but make sure everyone notices you fumbling around with it.

Parking lot will be clear in a matter of seconds! :anitongue:

Yep

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I would post a note. Geocaching is supposed to be family friendly

activity through this site.

 

I wanted to place a cache at rest stop along the Interstate in my area.

While I was looking for a suitable hiding place there one night, a truck pulled beside me (and I was at the FAR end of the rest stop...no other cars/people

around.) This particular rest stop has had a reputation in the past as being

a gay hook-up spot, but I thought those days were over. Maybe not.

 

The whole situation made me nervous & uncomfortable and I decided against

placing a cache there. Didn't want the same weird thing to happen

to any cachers. :anitongue:

Edited by bodolad
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Yes it would be most helpful to post suspected areas or parks with suspicious activity. Not only gay but drugs and prostitution as well. Paintfiction and myself walked up to a cache in the Tampa area one night to see a cigarette boat being idling in the canal near the cache. Needless to say we got out of the area as quickly as possible.

What's suspicious about gay cruising?

 

But yes, I too would post a note saying that the area is not recommended for caching with children after dark. No need to specify, lack of relevance.

 

The other examples you mention are entirely different. If an area is used for illegal activities, then by all means, mention THAT, to avoid a situation in which innocent unknowing cachers might get implicated.

Edited by Shunra
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Would be the considerate thing to do. Any area where law enforcement are known to sweep in and stop two consenting adults from commiting a "crime" could potentially cause problems for a cacher.

 

Me: But honest officer, I was just looking for a cache!

Cop: Oh, so that's what you guys are calling it these days.

:(

 

On a more serious note, if it could potentially be a violent crime area, like illegal drugs or gang hangouts, I'd probably avoid it.

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Would you post a note on a cache about it being located in a published gay cruising area?

 

I am not asking this quesiton to debate this particular behavior but asking if the knowledge of this behavior in a cache area would prompt you to post a note to a cache or email the cache owner to see if they are aware of your findings?

Actually, I posted a note on the page of a local geocache when I'd seen (on two different news channels) that there were several arrests in that particular park for male-on-male public booty calls. :( I even included a link to the news articles in the cache log, however I'm not sure if the person that placed the cache left the logs on the page or not. I'll have to see if I can remember which one it was and post here...

 

But, if there were no incidents of inappropriate behavior, I don't see any harm in placing or seeking a cache in an area where gay folks gather. *shrug* If I mind my business while I seek the cache, and they mind their business while they are seeking ... whatever... well, so be it. :D

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To those who don't seem disturbed by this: Would you remove pornography or drug paraphernalia from a cache, or pass it off with a live-and-let-live shrug?

We ought not to tolerate our public parks degrading into open-air bath-houses. The phrase "consenting adults" cuts both ways: the majority of adults in our society have never consented to permitting carnal acts in broad daylight on our streets and in our parks.

If you don't consent to this lewd public behavior, then yes you should post a note.

Get a room, funboys!

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I'll have to see if I can remember which one it was and post here...

Here's the cache I commented on.

This is the case with almost every park in almost any city that has woods, though. Since the cameras were installed, there have been no incidents at this park, making it one of the safer in the city.

 

On the other hand, I recently heard about an advanced cacher being persued through a park (not even in Ohio) resulting in an altercation. The cacher survived. However, I think we should all be cautious at any place we go.

 

After all, running into consenting adults in the woods is probably the least risky thing in our parks. In the last year, we've had Highway Shooters and lions. We almost had a collision of Presidential candidates yesterday. Ohio's just not your typical adventure state.

 

To Steal a Common Cache Quote: Not all who wander are looking for the cache .12 miles away.

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Bjorn74, perhaps you are referring to me as an advanced cacher (which is laughable, in and of itself.... I had two DNF's just yesterday and will probably DNF in my attempt today at cache #1,000). If so, the incident did indeed occur in the Buckeye State. It rather changed my attitude on this subject.

 

Being annoyed at strange behavior in a parking lot, or seeing two consenting adults doing something that I myself would not consider doing, is one thing. Being stalked through the woods, actively chased, and grabbed out of a hiding place is entirely different. I won that battle, thanks to a good left uppercut, but the perverts won the war, as the responsible cache owner has moved the cache in question to a different park.

 

Should geocachers actively bring park pervert behavior (regardless of gender or preference) to the attention of authorities? I am beginning to feel radically empowered to do so.

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What's suspicious about gay cruising?

 

But yes, I too would post a note saying that the area is not recommended for caching with children after dark. No need to specify, lack of relevance.

 

The other examples you mention are entirely different. If an area is used for illegal activities, then by all means, mention THAT, to avoid a situation in which innocent unknowing cachers might get implicated.

Um, one in most public parks, I would imagine sexual activity of any kind is illegal. 2) the "cruisers" don't just come out at night, and don't always "keep their hand to themselves" so yes, definately post notice on a cache page. BE SPECIFIC, it's need to know info just like drugs or gangs......

 

Oh, and we're talking about gays, not pedophiles, so you're probably "safer" if you're there with children as opposed to a guy by himself, they're likely to leave you alone.

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I archived one of our caches when I heard about the night activity being a night cacher myself. Made a couple site visits at dusk and young men on the prowl kept following me. Creepy.

 

But it is geocachers here that display out of the ordinary behavior. That guy had no idea what I was up to but seeing my strange behavior (crawling through the bushes and under a bridge) must have led him to believe that I might be looking for the same thing he was. Thought it best to eliminate the confusion here and keep the two activities separate.

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To those who don't seem disturbed by this: Would you remove pornography or drug paraphernalia from a cache, or pass it off with a live-and-let-live shrug?

We ought not to tolerate our public parks degrading into open-air bath-houses. The phrase "consenting adults" cuts both ways: the majority of adults in our society have never consented to permitting carnal acts in broad daylight on our streets and in our parks.

If you don't consent to this lewd public behavior, then yes you should post a note.

Get a room, funboys!

I'm right with you. My problem is with other messages that might be included with your warning.

 

Saying that the place is not suitable for caching at certain hours because of substance abuse, criminal activity, or the likelyhood of disturbing and/or being disturbed by people having sex in the bushes sounds like a fairwarning to me.

Even specifically pointing out that the place is a gay meeting area is OK, as long as it is phrased as a neutral statement. You can say that some people might find it disturbing, without linkging it with criminality (especially when there is nothing criminal about it), or even wrong.

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You can say that some people might find it disturbing, without linkging it with criminality (especially when there is nothing criminal about it), or even wrong.

Actually, yes it is criminal in many/most public areas. What they do behind closed doors is their own business, but in public parks/rest areas/etc is another story. In addition to posting a note on cache pages, a call to local law enforcement would probably be a good idea, too.

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<<SNIP>>

(especially when there is nothing criminal about it), or even wrong.

Actually in the United States it is illegal.

 

Back on topic:

There is a website dedicated to this activity. If you are going to place a cache in an area you think may be a gay cruising area check the site.

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Start a " Take back the parks " event in your area. You figure out how and the rules. I don't have a problem with someone being gay/bi or whatever. But why the parks and nature trails? Without being blunt and offending someone...it's not even about being gay/bi it seems to be more about getting " it " with what ever with whoever and whenever. Whatever " it " is.

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I always appreciate a note advising me of any activity I may want to avoid - REGARDLESS of what that activity may be.

 

A simple, "I don't recommend doing this one after dark" or "Do not attempt this one at night" is good enough to keep me away from danger. It could be drugs, prostitutes, panhandlers, or anything that the owner feels could present a problem.

 

I'd make a comment in a log if I felt it necessary.

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Oh, and we're talking about gays, not pedophiles, so you're probably "safer" if you're there with children as opposed to a guy by himself, they're likely to leave you alone.

I was doin' pretty well until you added that last line. Never risk a child

Other than that, I'm stayin' out of this one. I read Romans 1 & 2.

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If so, the incident did indeed occur in the Buckeye State.

That's news. Maybe Ohio is cursed, then.

 

My only point really being that singling out one cache doesn't really help when taken out of context. Strongbadia (formerly Tuppercache) was disabled until the authorities installed cameras and started patrolling the area more. Since then, there's really only been complaints about tires and the park closing at dark. The fact is that the activity has moved.

 

I've noticed about 30% of the city parks I've been to on weekday afternoons have the same "park weirdos". I've never been persued, but in one case we got some looks in March when five male cachers headed toward a cache well after sundown in such a park. Lots of cars and trucks pulled closer, but drove away when we emerged minutes later with flashlights and "cameras".

 

Just be safe everyone.

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Oh, and we're talking about gays, not pedophiles, so you're probably "safer" if you're there with children as opposed to a guy by himself, they're likely to leave you alone.

I was doin' pretty well until you added that last line. Never risk a child

Other than that, I'm stayin' out of this one. I read Romans 1 & 2.

Good on ya. :(

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To those who don't seem disturbed by this: Would you remove pornography or drug paraphernalia from a cache, or pass it off with a live-and-let-live shrug?

We ought not to tolerate our public parks degrading into open-air bath-houses.  The phrase "consenting adults" cuts both ways: the majority of adults in our society have never consented to permitting carnal acts in broad daylight on our streets and in our parks.

If you don't consent to this lewd public behavior, then yes you should post a note.

Get a room, funboys!

I'm right with you. My problem is with other messages that might be included with your warning.

 

Saying that the place is not suitable for caching at certain hours because of substance abuse, criminal activity, or the likelyhood of disturbing and/or being disturbed by people having sex in the bushes sounds like a fairwarning to me.

Even specifically pointing out that the place is a gay meeting area is OK, as long as it is phrased as a neutral statement. You can say that some people might find it disturbing, without linkging it with criminality (especially when there is nothing criminal about it), or even wrong.

Sorry, but I'm not going to make a "neutral statement" in the interest of political correctness. A gay guy assaulted me. Assault and battery is a crime. So is public lewdness. He should have been arrested. It sucks that they've taken over so many parks.

 

Was that clear enough?

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To those who don't seem disturbed by this: Would you remove pornography or drug paraphernalia from a cache, or pass it off with a live-and-let-live shrug?

We ought not to tolerate our public parks degrading into open-air bath-houses.  The phrase "consenting adults" cuts both ways: the majority of adults in our society have never consented to permitting carnal acts in broad daylight on our streets and in our parks.

If you don't consent to this lewd public behavior, then yes you should post a note.

Get a room, funboys!

I'm right with you. My problem is with other messages that might be included with your warning.

 

Saying that the place is not suitable for caching at certain hours because of substance abuse, criminal activity, or the likelyhood of disturbing and/or being disturbed by people having sex in the bushes sounds like a fairwarning to me.

Even specifically pointing out that the place is a gay meeting area is OK, as long as it is phrased as a neutral statement. You can say that some people might find it disturbing, without linkging it with criminality (especially when there is nothing criminal about it), or even wrong.

Sorry, but I'm not going to make a "neutral statement" in the interest of political correctness. A gay guy assaulted me. Assault and battery is a crime. So is public lewdness. He should have been arrested. It sucks that they've taken over so many parks.

 

Was that clear enough?

Hi Lep,

 

No, actually, you're not clear at all. Why is his being gay relevant to his assaulting you?

As you say, assault and battery are crimes. You're right.

You say take back our parks. I'm with ya, 100%

But his being gay is as irrelevant as his being male, or his being white (or black), or whatever.

 

Now - I'm as un-PC as you can get, if PC means using fashionable labels in order to avoid stepping on toes, and I can't stand the gay pride culture just any more than the next straight guy. This doesn't mean that I would warn people about 'gay cruising', when I just ought to be warning them about public lewdness.

 

And yes, where public lewdness is a crime, by all means, get law enforcement involved, regardless of whether the lews behavir is committed by gay or straight people. Don't mix up the issues.

 

Glad you got out of there safely!

Edited by Shunra
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I think that lep was saying that the reason the guy attacked him was because he was gay and wanted to sexually assault him.

 

I don't have very much tolerence for this kind of thing, either. One of my very good male friends was sexually assaulted by another male, and when he tried to defend himself, the guy beat him to death with a baseball bat.

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Would you post a note on a cache about it being located in a published gay cruising area?

 

ONLY if it was part of my experience while finding the cache. NOT to point the fact out to others.

 

Ask yourself this:

 

Would you post a note if the cache was in a lesbian cruising area?

Would you post a note if the cache was near an "inspiration point"?

Would you post a note if the cache was in a minority neighborhood?

 

I highly doubt it.

 

If you're a homophobe or intolerant, then I'm sure you'll find a reason to mention it, or take pictures, or write down license plate numbers.....

 

Here's a cache in a known gay cruising area: In The Ramble

 

It doesn't appear to be a problem to the 200+ cachers that have visited it.

Edited by splicingdan
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Would you post a note on a cache about it being located in a published gay cruising area?

 

ONLY if it was part of my experience while finding the cache. NOT to point the fact out to others.

 

Ask yourself this:

 

Would you post a note if the cache was in a lesbian cruising area?

Would you post a note if the cache was near an "inspiration point"?

Would you post a note if the cache was in a minority neighborhood?

 

I highly doubt it.

 

If you're a homophobe or intolerant, then I'm sure you'll find a reason to mention it, or take pictures, or write down license plate numbers.....

 

Here's a cache in a known gay cruising area: In The Ramble

 

It doesn't appear to be a problem to the 200+ cachers that have visited it.

if i was in a minority neighborhood that i felt uncomfortable in, yes i would post a note. i live near a large town in michigan where i cannot walk safely through some minority areas, yet the minority people who walk past my house everyday can do it without fear.

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Here's a cache in a known gay cruising area: In The Ramble

 

It doesn't appear to be a problem to the 200+ cachers that have visited it.

Reeeeaaaally? :( See now I didn't know that. When I found that cache I was alone. I don't remember getting any "friendly" looks. What's up with that? I guess I wasn't wearing enough cologne or something. Maybe I sweat too much, gotta work on that. :D

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Last year, as I was doing research for the first Pittsburgh cache of the Magellan Treasure Hunt, I spend a few mornings in the park (not mentioning which park, in case it's situation has changed, or I am totally off base) that the cache was in, and there were what I considered to be a large number of single guys, sitting in cars, reading newspapers and generally "watching" the other people in the park. I traveled all over that park and there were guys all over the park as well. On more than one occasion I had a guy get out of a car and follow me into the woods as I researched. Like has been mentioned above numerous times, this type of activity takes place at all hours of the day and night and in parks all over. I saw at least two different jurisdiction's police cruisers go through the park while I was there, but I guess the men that were watching and waiting in the park were unaffected. Just keep your eyes open and pay attention to what you are doing out there. And listen to your gut. If something makes you uneasy, get out of there.

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Here's a cache in a known gay cruising area: In The Ramble

 

It doesn't appear to be a problem to the 200+ cachers that have visited it.

Reeeeaaaally? :( See now I didn't know that. When I found that cache I was alone. I don't remember getting any "friendly" looks. What's up with that? I guess I wasn't wearing enough cologne or something. Maybe I sweat too much, gotta work on that. :D

That explains it. When I went to look for that one I saw some guy in panties having a picnic on a rock near where the GPS was pointing me. Since I had my kids with me, I just led them in the other direction and went to go meet dboggny and family near the zoo.

 

I never posted a DNF since I didn't get close enough to look for it, but it didn't occur to me that it was a cruising zone. I was told to expect to see anything in Central Park so I just figured it was the norm.

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