Death in the National Park

[cdholden]

I think they have their own awards for idiots. After growing up in wyoming I thought it was common sense to - not walk up to a 2000 pound animal that had horns, and cant see so good. But every year it happens. I was even more shocked to see the huge sign going into yellowstone " do not molest the animals"

When I lived in south Florida, I saw, more than once, signs that read "do not molest the alligators." Despite the fact that it usually gets several laughs and comments by tourists, it's sage advice however you look at it.
Chris

[Ed Sukach]

Working in high-rise construction, besides the OSHA rules, we try to live by the rules of:
NEVER step backwards...

I can add one, although a little off-topic... especially valuable for those working in zoos:

NEVER "moon" a rhinoceros!!

[leeturner]

At a lion park near where I used to live in Jo'burg there are signs all the way around the entrance and inside the lion enclosure warning you to keep your windows closed and not to get out of the vehicle.

A few years ago a bunch of tourists left their vehicle to get a better photo of a pride of lions. One ex tourist. The crazy thing was that some people demanded that the lions be shot because of this. Thankfully the owners ignored this.

[Aggie]

On a private tour in Venezuela's Llanos region our guide in the middle of the night along with the boatman did something incredibly stupid. We were on the Apure river which is the third largest in So. America, in a dug out canoe thankfully with a motor. The guide and boatman stopped us on a large sandbar in the middle of the river. They got out barefooted and started chasing Cayman (crocodiles) with flashlights. What they wanted to do was catch about a 3 footer (baby) to bring back to the boat so we could all play with it. While these idiots were out there in the dark, I kept thinking of what could happen. None of us knew where the small town was that we were staying in. None of us knew how to run the boat. It was about 11 PM in the middle of a river the width of the Mississippi. None of us were about to get out of that boat to go help if anything happened to the idiots. We were lucky and nothing did happen. The next day I was sent off with a driver and two body guards with rifles to photograph while everyone else went horse back riding. I saw some of those Caymen up close and personal. That is with a nice telephoto lens. Some of those suckers were a lot longer than the Toyota 4x4 we were in. I watched on yawn then eat a huge heron as if it were a small snack in one bite. There is no way in hell that I would get close enough to molest one of them. Fear is a good thing!

[anyte]

I hate driving because people have no respect for their own lives let alone the lives of others. People just want to get from point A to point B as quickly as possible. People think freedom means enjoyment 24/7 - which means not respecting the rights and the lives of anyone.

You wouldn't believe how many people have given me stupid advice about geting shots that I would like to get. I ask, "what lens do I need" and they say to just go out there and get it without the long expensive lens. Are you freaking nuts? I don't hang off cliffs. I don't even stand on the edge of cliffs. Hell, I don't even get near the edge of the cliff. I'm not about to piss off any animals by invading their territory. If I can't see the ground then I'm not about to leave the trail. I don't know what snakes and critters are hiding in the four foot high grass and I'm not about to risk finding out the hard way. I may miss many opportunities but I can live with that. I'd rather play it safe, it helps me to sleep better at night.

[DBP]

I'm starting to think that somewhere in the metro DC area there is a secret Asshole Training Academy.

I'm beginning to think the graduation test requires them to go to a shopping center, hit a nice car, and drive away. Mine has just been on the receiving end of its third hit and run while parked in seven years, in addition to getting sidewiped and rear-ended with me aboard. I'm starting to feel cursed. One more reason to shop by internet.

[jd callow]

I'm starting to think that somewhere in the metro DC area there is a secret Asshole Training Academy.

When it comes to drivers there is a not so secret breeding area in the metro detroit area. It is called West Bloomfield and the right of passage is held on a road called Orchard Lake Road.

[Bruce Appel]

Is it not anti Darwinian to try and protect every idiot from self harm?

[Aggie]

Is it not anti Darwinian to try and protect every idiot from self harm?

Survival of the fittest, and higher synaptic natural selection applies here.

[BruceN]

Now that I put more thought into it I'm not so sure they're idiots. It takes a fair amount of thought, creativity and ingenuity to get past all the warning signs, safety barricades, etc., and still manage to kill yourself in a (supposedly) newsworthy manner. Maybe they're attention-craving suicidal geniuses.

If it's truly a natural selection thing, then it's certainly a shame that so many of them wait until after they've reproduced to complete the process.

Maybe that was mean of me - It's early, must have coffee...

Bruce