Is Yellowstone Even Safe?

Wow, you're right, it is a shame anyone had to die but come on! That park is probably one of my top five places I love but I swear people get worse everytime I'm there. I can't wait till the kids are bigger and we can hike away from the craziness.
 
I had not been there in years, until we went a couple years back while visiting family in Cody. We were not even in peak season and the idiots were out in force. The European tourists are a real special bunch, but they don't have the market cornered on stupidity, either. There was a terrible traffic jam of people looking at animals-especially a sow griz with cubs.

I won't be going back again.
 
Hopefully it was quick and her eyes, heart and mind were full of bald eagle when she died. It could have been worse; she could have died in Texas. ;-)
 
I drove thru once on a friday in late Oct. Couldn't believe how many vehicles were there. It must be a zoo during the summer.
 
If any of you caught Randy's podcast this past week they touch on the subject of Yellowstone and how to try and keep people from doing dumb things. It's a tough one! So much of our population is out of touch with nature and reality.

Here where I live we have a really cool cape that juts out into the ocean with sandstone cliffs overlooking churning punchbowls. We have lost 6 people this year in our little town due to stupidity. When I was a kid the same cape rarely killed anybody.
 
I think if you always where a helmet, knee pads, elbow pads, and stay under the bed, you should be fine. It also helps to have a mom helicoptering around your head just in case. And don't forget your hand sanitizer.
 
The roads in the park shouldn't be considered regular highways - they are park roads. With the speeds so many travel it's wonder it doesn't happen more.

And I'm not about to get begrudge anybody a chance to see a grizz close up (or even an eagle). Isn't that the point? Getting too close is different story.

For me, the worst was a grizzly jam - sow with cubs ~200 yds from the road. It's the only chance most of those people will ever have to see something like that, and some dude 30 cars back just laying on his horn.
 
The roads in the park shouldn't be considered regular highways - they are park roads. With the speeds so many travel it's wonder it doesn't happen more.

And I'm not about to get begrudge anybody a chance to see a grizz close up (or even an eagle). Isn't that the point? Getting too close is different story.

For me, the worst was a grizzly jam - sow with cubs ~200 yds from the road. It's the only chance most of those people will ever have to see something like that, and some dude 30 cars back just laying on his horn.

My personal favorite is when some idiot on a bike or scooter just whips out and weaves through traffic. Saw one get knocked over when he got in a guys blind spot while riding on the center line. Bottom line is, if people were just kind, there would be a lot less problems. Traffic is supposed to pull completely off the road when stopped, and as stated its often a once in a lifetime experience.
 
Hopefully it was quick and her eyes, heart and mind were full of bald eagle when she died. It could have been worse; she could have died in Texas. ;-)

From heartfelt to an ass in nothing flat.

To me this isn't necessarily a death due to stupidity. People get hit by cars every day. People don't get mauled by bears or trampled by bison every day. For all we know the driver could be at fault.

Yellowstone is safe...as safe as living in the city.
 
I live in central Calif. near Yosemite.
During tourist season, it’s an unbelievable zoo of idiots.
People see an animal, any animal and they will park in the middle of the road, and stand in the other lane taking a photo on a blind corner.
People will walk up to a mother bear with cubs to pose for a selfie.
After seeing a field of wildflowers, a tourist once asked if he could meet the incredible gardener who took care of them.
People will jump into a runoff creek, then jump out complaining about the cold, and suggest that Park official should “turn up the pool heater”.
 

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