Talk:Thumbs Up Geohash

Just to protect this achievement from extinction, I once hitchhiked partway to the geohash, but didn't get to the point, so couldn't claim this ribbon, and have twice hitchhiked back. I'll earn it some day, I promise! -Robyn 04:06, 15 May 2009 (UTC)

Honourable mentions?

People who hitchhiked while on an expedition, but didn't meet all the requirements: Robyn (link?), thepiguy (his first hitchhiking experience ever!), Danatar (his first hitchhiking experience ever!)

What about modifying the Achievement? I don't see any need to have to Hitchhike the entire way. It's just as fun/interesting/exciting/strange/internets to hitchhike part way. Thepiguy 11:25, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

It already says: "most or all of the way to the hashpoint". I also think you qualify for a honorable mention, though. Hitchhiking isn't that strange or difficult, so I would like to keep the ribbon for someone actually achieving to hitch a significant part of the way to the hash. -- relet 12:57, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

I hitchhiked again recently, and reached the point, but none of my hitchhiking was "most" of the way. -Robyn 15:04, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

I would support opening a discussion about modifying this achievement, especially since we are finding that most occurences of thumbing a ride are spur of the moment decisions. --Meghan 15:20, 17 July 2009 (UTC) Okay then ...

Discussion of modifying this achievement

Does anyone object to modifying it on principle?

I don't object to modifying - Danatar 16:09, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

Should there be a minimum distance/proportion of route hitchhiked?

What if the person giving the ride is misguided, or you give them poor directions and you later realize that you are in the wrong place or the ride has otherwise not helped you get closer to your destination?

Yes to minimum distance/proportion (>50%) for the full achievement (= no change to the current achievement). New: No minimum (and hitchhiking might even be on the way back) for the honourable mention. Wrong directions: Might count for honourable mention if unintentionally - Danatar 16:09, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

Bad luck. :P Also, I would consider "most or all" to be significantly more than half of the distance. -- relet 16:36, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

I think it should be "most or all" of the way. I understand this achievement in parallel with the other transportation achievements. We should add an honourable mention for hitchhiking only part of the way. Hitchhiking (part of) the way back would qualify you for honourable mention, too, imho. -- lyx 18:51, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

Does it still count if you don't get there?

Robyn thinks it must be coordinates reached.

No hard opinion, getting very near might be enough (but then: how far is "very near"?) - Danatar 16:09, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

Only coordinates reached. I can't see a good reason why this one should be different. -- relet 16:36, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

Does it count if you know the person you hitched with?

Robyn says oppose to this point.

Oppose firmly - Danatar 16:09, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

oppose - that's the bum a ride part, no? -- relet 16:36, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

Any other issues?

What exactly are you planning to modify anyway? :D Looks like clarifications to me. -- relet 16:36, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

The question is whether to modify it so that you don't have to get "most of the way" by hitchhiking. A geohasher is going to have a plan to get to the geohash, and usually will resort to hitchhiking because that transportation failed, or to bridge a gap between buses in different cities or the like. So most hitchhiking is less than half the distance. For a geohasher to hitchhike most of the distance, they would pretty much have to have a plan that went, "walk to road. hitchhike to geohash." Is that what this achievement was intended to mean? Or should we change it to accept "a ride of at least 5 km or half the total distance to the geohash, whichever is greater." The other change being suggested is to add the honourable mention for whatever falls below the cutoff requirement for the achievement. -Robyn 16:55, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

You described exactly what I feel this achievement means (i.e. having a plan to hitchhike to the geohash; see also my answer to question nr 2). "Happening" to hitchhike I'd regard as honourable. -- lyx 18:51, 17 July 2009 (UTC)

To me, hitchhiking is a mode of transport achievement like public transport, walking or cycling. I do not consider it as a replacement for another failed option. You wouldn't say the same of bicycling, would you? ;) Therefore, I would suggest similar rules as for public transport: You may walk, (or cycle) for a short distance to the next best spot to catch a ride, or from the ride to the geohash. But the major part of the expedition should involve you catching a ride, or several. Hitchhiking is fun, it's easier than most people think, and one of the quickest ways to travel cheap, if you're well prepared. I was really hoping that this achievement encourages people to experience that. :) -- relet 19:43, 17 July 2009 (UTC)