Death in the National Park

BrianShaw · Jun 19, 2006

Aggie said:
As one who has just lost 160 pounds I think this remark is totally uncalled for. Too many people with fat between the ears make these kinds of remarks.

Not to worry Aggie... I think he had me in mind when he wrote that. I'm sucking down a Co-Cola right now wondering if it means anything that my right arm is going numb. ;-)

BrianShaw · Jun 19, 2006

Aggie said:
As one who has just lost 160 pounds ...

Oh... and congratulations. That is quite an accomplishement!!

JBrunner · Jun 19, 2006

Unfortunately the womans death was not preventable, unless we want to be photographing and viewing scenic places through chain link, and barbed wire.

A sign, I suppose, can be missed. On the other hand, something you have to climb over? That should be plenty.

It is very sad. But how far can you go to protect people from themselves?
I'd like to think that this person was not the lowest common denominator, and instead suffered some kind of temporary, but fatal insanity. Nobody wants to tell the family, "Sorry, but your dead loved one was an idiot."

This is a generalized statement. I wasn't there.

Dave Parker · Jun 19, 2006

These types of death are preventable, if people use common sense and read the materials that are given to them when they enter the park, the lowest denominator here is the common sense that this person should have had, she was not an uneducated child with wild glee and excitment in her eyes, the rock wall is there for a reason, Like I said, I have photographed at this exact spot many times over the last 15 years and it is obvious why the wall is there and what can happen if you step out of bounds, I am sorry for the family but still feel it could have been prevented by herself or her husband telling her NOT to go beyond the wall!

R.

BruceN · Jun 19, 2006

kswatapug said:
and the current looks deceivingly tame (as do Yellowstone bison, BTW).

You hit the nail on the head there. Falling off a cliff is stupid enough, but the idiots who come up here and try to get wildlife closeups with wide lenses really take the cake. Someone is always getting hurt for not respecting the personal space of the critters that live here. I remember one moron suing the park because he lured a bear cub into his car with food so he could get "cute" photos of it behind the wheel. Of course it tore up the whole interior of the car, and of course he decided it was the park's fault. Morons (and I don't use the term lightly) like that are a dime a dozen up here every summer. We actually consider it a form of entertainment, though it usually only causes head shaking. Signs, railings, etc. don't do any good when people won't heed them. Compounding the problem is the fact that people are no longer expected to take personal responsibility for their own actions - it's always someone else's fault. Oh well. Just my 2 lux worth.

Bruce

DBP · Jun 19, 2006

Pinholemaster said:
Similar to the drivers of Washington DC. If a street sign reads "No right turn on red" they do it anyway. Usually while talking on a cellular phone. I believe 80% of DC drivers don't know what the word "Stop" means on street signs. Not that they actually stop before making a right on red.

I was hit from behind about 18 months ago by a DC area driver who had not expected me to yield to the traffic in the circle, as I was required to do by both signage and common sense (said traffic was going about 40mph). Did $6K worth of damage to the car, plus a sprained wrists and two months worth of physical therapy for whiplash for me. (At least I used a small portion of the settlement to buy an ARAX 88 ).

Also got sideswiped by a guy who, from a standing start, pulled into the lane I was in. The insurance adjustor and I had a good laugh about his excuse, which was that I must having been speeding because when he looked back "fifteen seconds before" there was no one there.

And I have gotten passed on ramps (no, my car is not slow to accelerate), and honked at for stopping at red lights or stopping short of an entrance marked with a "Do Not Block Intersection" sign. In the latter case, the guy pulled around me, shouted obscenities, and pulled in front of me into the intersection, in order to block it while he continued to wait for the light to change at the next intersection.

Where do we get these people?

roteague · Jun 19, 2006

DBP said:
Where do we get these people?

You forget, the rules apply to everyone else. It is the American way.

TheFlyingCamera · Jun 19, 2006

I'm starting to think that somewhere in the metro DC area there is a secret Asshole Training Academy. I think they recruit heavily from the population of Metro riders, in addition to rich suburbanites in SUVs. Tourists are allowed a little slack since some of them come from places where there is no public transit, and Metro is little short of miraculous to them. However, folks who are part of the daily commute, who do things like stand on the left while riding the escalator, stop dead as soon as they get off the escalator, walk through the doors to the train and stop dead in the middle of the doorway, ram up behind you while you are waiting in line to get on the next train and then shove past you to get their space, or most obnoxiously, clump up by the door to the train and not move to the middle of the car so you can't get on and have to wait for the next train, all deserve to be pushed onto the tracks in front of an incoming train, whilst they lie in a puddle of water and grab the 3rd rail. (For those unfamiliar with Metro systems, the 3rd rail is the electrified one - 800 Volts at around 40 amps - aka insta-barbecue).

Wigwam Jones · Jun 19, 2006

Brings to mind my travelin' days. Seldom did an elevator in a big high-rise open up on the ground floor crowd that the ingress did not attempt to take place before the egress. Anyone can understand enough math to know that you can't get on a full elevator before you let someone else off - but try to explain that to morons in suits who took too long at lunch and now are in a hurry to get back. More than once, I missed my exit and had to ride up again. I finally learned that sharp elbows and small outrages committed upon the person of a stuffed suit in your way works wonders.

Likewise, whoever decided that the poles in the subway car were for leaning upon? When ten or more people have to hold on to them to keep from falling down, there is always one lout who thinks it is his personal scratchin' pole. Again, violence in small ways became my friend. A hand wrapped around the pole regardless of the lout's proximity with my knuckles and a sharp twist of same often elicited a gasp and a rapid re-establishment of diplomatic relations.

And the parking garage. Don't get me started on the parking garage. Suffice to say - when it is one lane up and one lane down - racing and tailgating will not get you there any faster, no one will steal your spot while you're angrily honking at the car in front of you.

Gerald Koch · Jun 19, 2006

I live in Florida and each winter the accident rate goes way up with the influx of people from up north. Many of these people drive like lunatics. I used to wonder how they managed to get to Florida in the first place until I realized that we are dealing with only the survivers. Like the idiot who stopped on US 1 to watch a shuttle launch. ;-)

Wigwam Jones · Jun 19, 2006

DBP said:
And I have gotten passed on ramps (no, my car is not slow to accelerate), and honked at for stopping at red lights or stopping short of an entrance marked with a "Do Not Block Intersection" sign. In the latter case, the guy pulled around me, shouted obscenities, and pulled in front of me into the intersection, in order to block it while he continued to wait for the light to change at the next intersection.

Good one, and yes, I've experienced it too. Another fond memory, but this one got his due. Guy got into the left turn lane next to me at the light - but there was no left turn lane, he was in the oncoming lane. I rolled down my window and tried to tell him. He ignored me and then finally rolled down his passenger window and shouted "What's your problem, a-hole?"

Before I could answer, the state trooper behind me hit his bullhown (neither of us had seen him drive up) and said "He doesn't have a problem sir. You do. Please pull over."

Oh, that felt good.

Where do we get these people?

As Pogo said, "We have met the enemy, and he is us."

BruceN · Jun 19, 2006

Gerald Koch said:
Like the idiot who stopped on US 1 to watch a shuttle launch. ;-)

As much as I dislike idiots on the road and have to work to control my temper, I'm afraid you've picked the one offense that I would probably commit myself - If I didn't have a spot to pull over that is... I've lusted to see a shuttle launch since the first one, perhaps one day I will.

Bruce

Gerald Koch · Jun 19, 2006

BruceN said:
I've lusted to see a shuttle launch since the first one, perhaps one day I will.
Bruce

What you see on TV is far better than what you can see from most viewing sites unless you are a KSC employee and can get very near the launch pad. I know I used to work there.

blansky · Jun 19, 2006

Wigwam Jones said:
Before I could answer, the state trooper behind me hit his bullhown (neither of us had seen him drive up) and said "He doesn't have a problem sir. You do. Please pull over."

Ain't instant karma grand.

Michael

kswatapug · Jun 19, 2006

Yosemite, it seems, with its abundance of visitors, has an equally abundant number of questionable decisions made each year. One such example took place my first summer in the park and has just been recounted in the book, "Shattered Air." It details the brilliant idea of some hikers to climb Half Dome during a thunderstorm.

A second book, that has been around for quite some time, explores the notion of how wild places should be managed. That one, "Mountains Without Handrails" by Joseph Sax is a quick read with lasting impact.

And, since bears were mentioned, my favorite, "It is not my fault" story was one where a fellow left food in his car. Bear broke into the car, tore it apart. Man sued NPS and the government. The case went to trial and the judge brought it to a quick conclusion. He asked the plaintiff if he was a US citizen. "Yes" Did he pay his taxes? "Yes" "Well then," the judge replied, "The bear is yours. Case dismissed."

Dave Parker · Jun 19, 2006

Gerald Koch said:
I live in Florida and each winter the accident rate goes way up with the influx of people from up north. Many of these people drive like lunatics. I used to wonder how they managed to get to Florida in the first place until I realized that we are dealing with only the survivers. Like the idiot who stopped on US 1 to watch a shuttle launch. ;-)

Of course Gerald,

When you guys from down south visit us up north here, we wonder how you guys make it! Geeze you got to stop and look at every single squirrel that runs across the road, and watch out if it is a Moose or a, Bear, were talking 20 car pile up!!!!

LOL

R.

Roger Hicks · Jun 19, 2006

Gerald Koch said:
I live in Florida and each winter the accident rate goes way up with the influx of people from up north. Many of these people drive like lunatics. I used to wonder how they managed to get to Florida in the first place until I realized that we are dealing with only the survivers. Like the idiot who stopped on US 1 to watch a shuttle launch. ;-)

Dear Gerald,

Then there's Daytona Cycle week. There are 100,000 motorcycles there -- and maybe 20,000 people who know how to ride them.

Cheers,

Roger

Flotsam · Jun 19, 2006

This is why I always have my subject stand at the edge of the canyon and tell him "I can't get you all in the frame. Back up a little... that's it, just one more step"
It is just common photographer's safety sense. If somebody is going over the edge, it should be the one who isn't holding the expensive camera.

Aggie · Jun 19, 2006

Mt. Lemon outside of Tucson Az. posts warning signs about not kicking the bears to get them to pose for photographs. Personally I just wait for the idiot to kick a bear, and then take the picture of the bear and the idiot.

Markok765 · Jun 19, 2006

Wouldnt you get hurt if you kick the bear?

TheFlyingCamera · Jun 19, 2006

so much for subtlety

Robert Hall · Jun 19, 2006

My wife tells me she is having shirts made for us that say, "If I make it off the ledge, prints of this may be seen at www.RobertHall.com".

Robert Hall · Jun 19, 2006

Aggie said:
Mt. Lemon outside of Tucson Az. posts warning signs about not kicking the bears to get them to pose for photographs. Personally I just wait for the idiot to kick a bear, and then take the picture of the bear and the idiot.

Mmmm... Tastes like chicken!

Wigwam Jones · Jun 19, 2006

Flotsam said:
If somebody is going over the edge, it should be the one who isn't holding the expensive camera.

Ya know, I just thought of this, but you have to believe that somewhere there is a Nikonista who is wondering if the camera at the bottom was a Nikon, and preparing to crow triumphantly if it in fact still works.

They're kinda funny that way.

BruceN · Jun 19, 2006

Good one, Aggie. I was watching some would-be wildlife photographers close in on a small herd of buffalo near the Old-Faithful complex when a nearby tourist lady asked me "How come you're taking pictures of those people taking pictures of the buffalo?" She just gave me a disbelieving, dirty type look when I replied "It's for their obituaries."

Death in the National Park

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