what's with the rash of bad judgement at natural attractions?

[luvthatduke]

I still remember my English teacher waayyyy back in 9th grade,
let's just say it was *cough* 70's *cough*.
We must have been reading something to do with Yellowstone,
because she shared that one of the summers before
she and her family witnessed a young child falling into one of the
Emerald Pools (if memory serves).
The child literally boiled in front of all of them on the walkway.
I've been to Yellowstone several times and I cannot believe
the number of people who think it's ok to walk on the delicate crust.

To add to the Grand Canyon items:
Yes, it's true that MUCH of the Canyon rim is NOT guarded at all.
If you walk too close you WILL slip, as the edges are grainy with sandy dirt.

 

[Rora]

Yeah, it's sad.

It's not uncommon here to hear about someone falling to their death after climbing over the railing at Snoqualmie Falls to get a better look. I don't get it. I'm one of those people that stands a few feet back because I don't even like standing next to the railing.

Me too.

I'm so sad for the girl and her family. How tragic.

Was it a super un-safe thing to do? Yes. But, nevertheless, it is still sad.

 

[Snoopymom]

In Panama City Beach, there is a flag system for the gulf waters. Green flag is Low Hazard (calm condition, exercise caution); Yellow flag is Medium Hazard (moderate surf and/or strong currents); Red flag is High surf and/or strong currents); Two Red flags is Water Closed to Public; Blue flag is Dangerous Marine Life.

It is unbeliveable the number of people that will go into the water when there are two red flags flying. Not only are they risking their lives, but the lives of the people that end up having to go into the water to rescue them when something happens.

Love the name Tourons. Will have to start using that when I see people that are obviously tourists who have been out in the sun too long etc.

2 years ago in October, Atlanta area schools had a 4 day weekend and we joined the caravan headed to PCB. There are many billboards on the way, the radio stations announced the red flags, the condo we were staying at had a huge sign out and there were flyers taped everywhere, and yet there were so many people in the water.

They had several helicopters hovering and dipping down with rescue guys hanging out yelling on bullhorns, and someone still drowned...what the heck, I mean it wasn't even so hot that you had to be in the water, plus every condo has at least 2 pools.

I know it sounds cold and selfish, but seeing all the emergency vehicles race down the beach, having that sick feeling in your stomach, keeping my young nieces from hearing about it...kind of ruins the trip.

If you think it will never happen to you, fine, follow the LAW anyway!

 

[LuvsDragonflies]

While I admire her curiosity and courage to try such a thing, the railings are clearly there for a reason.

See, I don't admire her courage and curiosity, I wonder at her stupidity and lack of common sense. It's not courageous to climb over a railing put there for your safety, it's stupid.

Let's please not mix up the two.

Any young person reading, PLEASE, if there's a railing don't go over it. Do your family a favor and don't put them thru what this young woman's family is going thru.

 

[tlbwriter]

People do the same in the Grand Canyon as well. Do people think they're immortal or something? The warnings are there for a reason!

No, it's just that the rails are there for normal people. Not totally awesome people like me.

Background: my mother was an ER nurse and whenever she'd see a motorcyclist without a helmet, she'd mutter, "Organ donor".

And their bikes are called "donorcycles."

In Panama City Beach, there is a flag system for the gulf waters. Green flag is Low Hazard (calm condition, exercise caution); Yellow flag is Medium Hazard (moderate surf and/or strong currents); Red flag is High surf and/or strong currents); Two Red flags is Water Closed to Public; Blue flag is Dangerous Marine Life.

It is unbeliveable the number of people that will go into the water when there are two red flags flying. Not only are they risking their lives, but the lives of the people that end up having to go into the water to rescue them when something happens.

2 years ago in October, Atlanta area schools had a 4 day weekend and we joined the caravan headed to PCB. There are many billboards on the way, the radio stations announced the red flags, the condo we were staying at had a huge sign out and there were flyers taped everywhere, and yet there were so many people in the water.

You know, when I was in PCB in 2008, I had a hard time finding out what the flags meant. Our condo had no signage, and I didn't notice any billboards or flyers. I wonder if all of the publicity is something new? Or was I just unobservant?

 

[AprilShowers]

Not a natural attraction, but my DD works as a lifeguard at an indoor waterpark. Depending on which attraction she's working at, she could be pulling someone out of the water 4 or 5 times a day!
One particular slide requires that you be a strong swimmer as the water is very deep at the bottom and lots more water is pouring down on you as you come up.
Many many times, a parent needs to be rescued (by my 17 year old DD) and then they inform her to "watch out" cause their small child will be coming down next & "they don't swim so good"
The instructions at the top of the slide (written & spoken) are CLEAR about this ride being only for strong swimmers.
I am astonished at the number of people willing to put their children's lives in the hands of a 17 year old girl.

 

[TheIncredibles!]

Not a natural attraction, but my DD works as a lifeguard at an indoor waterpark. Depending on which attraction she's working at, she could be pulling someone out of the water 4 or 5 times a day!
One particular slide requires that you be a strong swimmer as the water is very deep at the bottom and lots more water is pouring down on you as you come up.
Many many times, a parent needs to be rescued (by my 17 year old DD) and then they inform her to "watch out" cause their small child will be coming down next & "they don't swim so good"
The instructions at the top of the slide (written & spoken) are CLEAR about this ride being only for strong swimmers.
I am astonished at the number of people willing to put their children's lives in the hands of a 17 year old girl.

There are morons everywhere. Many years ago I worked at the Customer Service Desk at a water park an hour out of NYC. They used wrist bands for entry. Every day the had a different color or pattern. We also had pure black wrist bands that we used every day that we called "dummy bands". People were allowed to be rescued by the lifeguards 3 times before they got a "Dummy" band.

After every save, the lifeguards would write a big D (for dummy obviously - lol) on their bands. When they earned their third one their bands were cut off and they were sent to me to get a black wrist band. The black wrist bands literally banned you from going on ANY water attraction except the ones designed for very young children. So you could basically just walk around and look at everybody else having fun. I cannot tell you how many times I was screamed at for this... These people wanted refunds etc - because nobody told them BEFORE they bought their tickets that you needed to know how to swim to go on the big attractions.(There were signs at every single attraction for adults that you MUST know how to swim)

I used to give about 20-30 of these bands out a day on the weekends and close to 10 during the week.....

 

[klmall]

Besides the "rules don't apply to me" mentality, scientists are finding that the maturity for impulse control may not be achieved until age 25 for some people. See this article. Even some very bright, well-behaved kids can momentarily make snap decisions and do stupid things. Anyone who has worked in a high school or college will attest to this fact!

 

[maxiesmom]

Not a natural attraction, but my DD works as a lifeguard at an indoor waterpark. Depending on which attraction she's working at, she could be pulling someone out of the water 4 or 5 times a day!
One particular slide requires that you be a strong swimmer as the water is very deep at the bottom and lots more water is pouring down on you as you come up.
Many many times, a parent needs to be rescued (by my 17 year old DD) and then they inform her to "watch out" cause their small child will be coming down next & "they don't swim so good"
The instructions at the top of the slide (written & spoken) are CLEAR about this ride being only for strong swimmers.
I am astonished at the number of people willing to put their children's lives in the hands of a 17 year old girl.

During our stay at the Beach Club my sister and I watched the lifeguard jump in to rescue a young child from the bottom of the slide. And there are signs stating you must be able to swim to go down the slide. We were watching the slide as my sister's kids kept going down it. This one child came down with a plop, and couldn't surface on his own. Lifeguard jumped in and grabbed him. Worst thing was, his idiot dad was standing there the whole time watching him!

I can't imagine how stressful it is to be a lifeguard. Or how aggrivating it must be.

 

[LilyWDW]

I've seen something similar... only with a group of people taking pictures and surrounding two BEAR CUBS. Mama wasn't in sight and I pray she didn't come back before those morons left the cubs alone. I mean, really... how can you be so stupid!?

Hey, DIS'ers... show us your Tourons!!! Here's my Yellowstone collection from our recent visit:

"Bison are so cute and fluffy!!!"