[iMore Question]

This is weird but I've not found an answer for it yet. Every time I try to catch a pokemon while driving around (I'm not driving, just a passenger) they seem to go poof into a ball of smoke or something and run away?

[iOS Gravity]

I think it might be the fact that you're driving and not walking because there's a GPS speed restriction that the creators set. You also need to remain in that same area where the Pokemon was found to capture it.

[metllicamilitia]

If you get too far away from the Pokémon's location on the app it will disappear, even if you are trying to capture it. It will not disappear if it's inside a pokeball though.

[Leslie Briseno]

Same question from me! I wasn't in a car though. Walking through my neighborhood and caught maybe 2/20, with an incense on and everything. I'm level 9. So mad.

[metllicamilitia]

Same question from me! I wasn't in a car though. Walking through my neighborhood and caught maybe 2/20, with an incense on and everything. I'm level 9. So mad.

If you were walking while trying to catch them then it's the same thing, getting too far away from the Pokémon. Or the Pokémon could have moved, or your gps could have updated your location to outside the area the Pokémon is in.

[Damien_Eternal]

If you were walking while trying to catch them then it's the same thing, getting too far away from the Pokémon. Or the Pokémon could have moved, or your gps could have updated your location to outside the area the Pokémon is in.

Yes, this is why I dont move until I have caught the Pokemon.

[Sherry_B]

You have to be still (stationary/not moving) until you've captured them. Otherwise they'll disappear.

[jelmo15]

This is not true for me.... Earlier today, I was driving around and found an onix. I parked my car very close to it. Threw one pokeball and it ran away. Also, I was lying in bed (obviously I'm not moving at all), and had a paras run away from me. Both of these instances I was sitting in the same spot as I was when I began the encounter as I was when the Pokémon ran away.

[metllicamilitia]

Yes, Pokémon can also run away.

[licyourface]

If you were walking while trying to catch them then it's the same thing, getting too far away from the Pokémon. Or the Pokémon could have moved, or your gps could have updated your location to outside the area the Pokémon is in.

So happy to find this discussion, I've been searching for this answer.
The game is still very glitchy, it's new. I appreciate the legit explanations you gave for different scenarios that cause this phenomenon.
It will help avoid it happening as often, however as others mentioned; some days they pull this disappearing act at an alarming rate due to no fault of the player.
Those times it must be a gps issue. I've noticed warning messages that say "gps signal not found" even though the game is functioning fine at the moment.
Also pokestops often don't open when they should or give items when you spin, due to the game not keeping up with ur gps signal.
I've caught tons in a moving car that didn't disappear, yet had many disappear when I'm standing still. I'm looking forward to updates and improvements by the game makers in the future. It's a great fun game but needs work. For example, it's stupid that there are many Pokemon that only evolve once. So you have tons of candy for said Pokemon for no reason lol it's also stupid that very high cp Pokemon often are pansy fighters in the gym because their talents are low. I also hate that powering up takes a plethora of stardust to achieve a mere 30 cp bump. Smh raspberries are total bs. Mine are actually harder to catch when u feed them, so I junk those ****s. So is incense, I've seen zero difference in hunting with or without it.
In conclusion, having the same 3 animals appear over and over and over in an area of a square mile freaking sucks too.
If I never see another rat, doduo or pidgey in my life I could die happy 😂😂😂

[Ron7624]

Yeah, I know how you feel about the darn purple rats lol, but every one you catch will get you closer to the next level. I catch and send them on.. gathering Stardust at the same time, so not all bad. But yeah, there are way too many of them.
I have caught many while riding in a slow moving car if the poke ball keeps them on the first try. But move too far away and yes, they will puff away. I do hate it when I have a rare pokemon and I am not moving, but they puff after the first attempt. But that's the game...
My biggest (and only) gripe is the little NEARBY box. I never see any of the ones on the top row that are shown in the game. Never. Ever. I have tried the trick to make them come closer, by walking north till they move away, then going back 180 degrees to the south... then going west, then east. Never ever have been able to corner one. Even if it is close, it never pops up on my screen. I would love to use that part of the game, but am not able to figure it out and make it work. I have told myself to ignore it, but I can't haha.
But, I will say it is a lot of fun and I'm really absorbed in it.
I still need 69 more pokeymon's to catch to 'catch them all' I will never find them unless I travel the US. Maybe they will hatch out because I have gotten most of the rare ones from hatching 10 km eggs.

[RescueEMT911]

When a Pokemon turns to smoke it has nothing to do with speed or distance.. All it means is the Pokemon ran when you were attempting to get it into the Pokeball.. You have a better chance of making it happy and catching it by feeding it raspberries before you toss a ball at it...

[metllicamilitia]

When a Pokemon turns to smoke it has nothing to do with speed or distance.. All it means is the Pokemon ran when you were attempting to get it into the Pokeball.. You have a better chance of making it happy and catching it by feeding it raspberries before you toss a ball at it...

Distance and speed are factors too, mostly when playing in a moving vehicle, however walking while playing can still be an issue. Let's say your arm is three foot long, you're two feet away from what you're trying to grab, but you're walking, now you're five feet away, can you still reach it? Pokémon GO takes real life and factors it into the equation.

[Oneichan Critchlow]

Yes those purple rats, and Pidgeys keep popping up. I transfer them to the professor too many of them.

[Jaskow204]

Ive tapped the pokemon while passenger in a moving car. And drove a couple blocks even before finally catching it. From my experience once you tap it and are in the capturing screen you dont have to stay in the same spot to catch it it wont run away unless its just going to flee on its own anyway

[Jaskow204]

I think it might be the fact that you're driving and not walking because there's a GPS speed restriction that the creators set. You also need to remain in that same area where the Pokemon was found to capture it.

.... this is not true once your in the capture screen its not going anywhere no matter how far you go. Unless it was going to flee on its own anyways. Ive driven a few blocks before finally capturing since it broke out a bunch of times. This is how its always been for me

[Kredo Krencak]

hahahaha me too

[Just_Me_D]

hahahaha me too

Please used the quote option when replying so that readers can know to whom you're replying. Thank you.

[MomoMilky]

It has nothing to do with speed or distance from capture location. It has everything to do with your luck. I've had many pokemon run off while I'm standing there in the exact spot it showed up. I've also caught many pokemon that were found far away (in a car getting driven away from capture location).