Waiting to log FTFs

What are your thoughts?  One of my biggest pet peeves is going out on an extended FTF run only to open the cache and see the log was signed hours ago.  Why do people do this?  I think it should be a common courtesy to promptly log an FTF.  On multiple occasions I have driven out an hour each way only to be thwarted.  I dont get upset that someone beat me to the cache, only that they allowed me to think I had a legit chance at FTF.  If you need time to write a decent log, you can easily write a note that says, "FTF, more later" as a place holder.  Maybe this isnt an issue for anyone else but I thought I would leave this here and get the Geocaching Etiquette page started. 

-Carrot Killer

I have developed a terrible habit about not being able to log a cache in less than 200 words, so I tend to write almost all of my logs on the computer at home. 

But on an FTF, I make it a habit to get something down.  Lately, I've settled on a "Note" proclaiming my FTF.  This lets others know it's been found, puts a little pressure on me to make sure I log it correctly (vs. a "More Later" that never gets more), and also will generate the notification to the CO when I do log the find (vs. editing the log, which does NOT notify the CO).  

There are many that will argue that there are reasons not to log right away, but I know when I'm looking for an FTF, I really appreciate seeing when someone else has found it, so I try to return the favor...

Years ago, when we were FTF hounds, it was common practice to withhold logging the FTF until later (sometimes much later). Of course, this was before smart phones and logging online required a return to the desktop computer. It was also back in the day when geocachers had a little tighter bond and a whole lot bigger sense of humor. We haven't FTF'd a cache for quite some time now but, if we did, we wouldn't be in a rush to log the find. We have enjoyed many finds where it turned out we were a close second, third or later. If the FTF were immediately logged, I wonder how many times we might say to ourselves, "Why bother?" and not go out on the hunt. Even when we were beaten to the FTF, there was nothing quite like that thrill of grabbing our boots and walking sticks and dashing out the door in anticipation of being the first to find. I can't remember any time where we wished we hadn't bothered.

Jim

I enjoyed reading the Waysiders post, about the way it use to be.  I guess I was first to find on more than two hunderd caches.

Talk about out of the house, the fire department was slower than me. But, (I haven't counted) I bet that I didn't log half of them online.

short story

After I stopped logging any caches I found altogether, ( I still find find quite a few) I seen one pop up and decided to go see who would be the ftf.  A few minutes after I park near by, a cacher drove up, seen me and drove on by. In another ten minutes another came and didn't look around, just got out with gps in hand found it, signed it, and went home log it ftf.  I bet the other one never look at it again.

I have mixed feelings about this...I can agree that it can be frustrating when you think you are the first to arrive to the cache and you realize someone signed the log a few hours ago with no log online. But...I can agree with the Waysiders...back in the day people couldn't log it immediately and no one seemed to vent about it like they do now with the accessibility of smart phones. We were not caching in those times but the whole point of geocaching is not to be the FTF...but to enjoy the adventure when you go out to find the cache.

I don't use my phone to cache, your gonna have to wait until I get home.