The 21 most horrifying things tourists have done recently

Unfortunately, these are byproducts of societies where 'entitlement' seems to be the status quo and people are not held accountable for their actions. That or the fact that as the global population grows, so does the number of idiots.

the fact that as the global population grows, so does the number of
idiots.

I think this is the difference between human beings and animals. Animal population intelligence seldomly decrease by number of individuals.

The article shows very simply that we are on the lowest end of intelligence in wildlife.

Very sad and disgusting! I recently watched tourist in several national parks throwing their cigarettes on the ground. I asked them to pick them up and told them smoking in our “National Parks” was prohibited.
If I see stuff like some of what is in this article, I speak up and get all kinds of scary responses.

You can't fix stupid.

I do feel some pain for the woman who accidentally dropped and broke the bracelet. She didn't know what it worth when she tried it on, wasn't doing anything illegal or intentionally damaging, and wasn't messing around taking silly selfies. She's just an unfortunate klutz. :O(

Editing to add, vandalism is nothing new, though. For starters, I've seen 2,000 year-old graffiti - and quite a lot of it - at Pompeii, and Lord Byron's name amongst the others carved into Greece's Temple of Poseidon on the Cape of Sounion. Mt Rushmore? A desecration of sacred tribal ground, among other affronts to the Lakota Sioux.

Because everything is about ME. I recognize this behavior because I live with 3 cats.

A few months ago when I was new to this forum I naively asked a question regarding the opposition to selfies. I had never (and still haven't) seen over-the-top bad behaviour. But since that post I'm shocked at how much I've read about it. My wife and I do take the occasional selfie but had no idea of the extremes people will go to. As for the willful destruction and bad behaviour, I can't even think of how to comment on it....

Allan, I remember your selfie post. I expect most of us have taken at least one selfie somewhere. Don't beat yourself up. But it could be worth adding this link to that post for when it next comes up in a search or question.

No, don't beat yourself up, Allan! While yet to take a phone selfie, I have balanced the camera on a rock, stump, very small tripod, etc. and used the timer to get a snap of the both of us. In all cases it was in a national park or other great outdoor backdrop when no one else was around (which was the whole point of the snaps). I 'spose these count as selfies of sorts.

I'm sure you are very respectful taking your selfies but gosh, I'm gobsmacked that you haven't seen a LOT of over-the-top behaviour from other relentless and intrusive snappers!

@Kathy, I have to put myself in the same camp as Allan as far as minimal selfie exposures. I suspect when you travel, where you live, and where you travel may have a big influence on this. I don't travel over major holidays and school breaks so that discounts a lot of the younger generation who were born with a selfie stick in hand. I don't shop, hang out after dark or pay a lot of attention to people around me....not a people watcher, for sure. I love museums and natural sites, but tend to be more absorbed in reading the descriptions, oogling the ceilings, just being focused on the items. As to being in Mother Nature, I tend to have binoculars or a camera (with a view finder) in front of my face, which really narrows down my field of vision. Despite living essentially in a tourist town, living in the burbs means not having to contend with tourists and yahoos. I would speak up for bad behaviour and I have used myself as a shield when some woman continued to photograph despite the 'no camera' signs everywhere, but I can't say I have seen anything remotely like these.

Boy, some of those are really inconsiderate. And #6, the woman who was angry about being held accountable for overstaying her visa, apparently wound up staying even longer than that, in custody. Wonder if they fined her even more for staying 6 additional months in Indonesia, in jail?

I’ve certainly come across many customs and screening people who weren’t pleasant, and some passive-aggressive types, but slapping them isn’t going to improve your situation, and will only result in more problems.

As a side note, people don’t seem to be carving their initials into live trees much anymore, or picking wildflowers for their own personal bouquets, allowing others to enjoy them outside, too.

And a new candidate for the Village Idiot award....

https://www.wantedinrome.com/news/tourist-carves-name-into-colosseum.html?fbclid=IwAR0hXDv-BgUUHP33FhlNVXJ4f9YImW4r0ACzORbXBwnKYk7oRkzcmw0AscQ

Well, Allan, at least the twit got caught and was fined for carving his initials into the Colosseum. I hope the fine caused him financial hardship. This need to mark one’s name when travelling reminds me of a dog we once had. Nice dog, not terribly bright, but had to pee on every little thing when out on walks, as in “Kilroy was here”.

A few Darwin Award winners in that group, for sure!

I need to go to New Zealand. An entire rampage and they give them 28 days to leave the country? Those guys are hospitable.

I've always considered it a badge of honor that I can't take a decent selfie.

The Coliseum story reminds me of our Florence trip a few years ago. As we came out onto the top of the Duomo, the woman (American) in front of us pulls out a Sharpie and raises it up to write on the structure. We start yelling and my wife, about ahead shorter than her, grabs her wrist and stops her. The woman is indignant, asserting that it is none of our business, and everyone does it (true that, there is graffiti all over the Douro passages, but you don’t do more). We harried her all around the top until she went down. Unfortunately there was no security on top. And amazingly, not one other person said a word. Later that day we see her enter one of the areas of the Duomo Museum, and when she sees us, she turns and runs out.

The trend from the 1970s when any museum was updated was generally to remove objects from the traditional glass cases etc where possible so that they could be viewed more easily. There is a now a retreat from this as it seems some visitors no longer naturally respect such things previously taken as read such as not touching, even when some exhibits have already expressly put up notices to that effect, and will cross low barriers. The British Museum for one has started to reverse this 'open view' policy, never in force for the most important exhibits, but they have experienced over the years damage to objects with significance.

Kathy said. "...vandalism is nothing new, though. ...I've seen 2,000 year-old graffiti - and quite a lot of it - at Pompeii, and Lord Byron's name amongst the others carved into Greece's Temple of Poseidon on the Cape of Sounion."

I wonder if the graffiti mellows with age or is more acceptable if the person is famous. And when does it become a part of history?

I was fascinated by that carved into the wall of the Pont du Gard. I specifically remember a cross with a date consistent with the crusades and some with a date (18th century) consistent with a time when students of architecture and engineering were required to visit there to learn. Seeing it somehow connected me with those who had passed by so long ago.

Similarly, I had a chance to explore the interior of a building on the Nazi Party Rally Grounds in Nuremberg in the mid-80's before it was returned to the Germans. I saw the names of American WWII soldiers with the dates they were there written on the walls, usually in pencil. I hope they were not removed later. It was like going back in time and being with them.

To me the take away is the world is full of morons and we're all doomed, but that could be my biases talking.

Mhmm. It is becoming more commonplace for people (with some age groups) to go about with an air of entitlement. Those people just.don't.care. No respect for anyone.

An example, most of the time, when people see a "Vet," especially a retired man of an older age wearing his cap proudly, he is thanked for his service and some may engage in a conversation or say "their family member served..."

One time, while out and about, there was a person who chastised the elderly man. It was not good. What a slap in the face -- this man served his Country so the jerk could have the "freedom" to harass him. People came to the elderly Vet's defense of course.

Then there are those who "shame" people for certain things. Then there are those who pretend they have a service animal and bring it into a store or establishment. There was a woman who had a "bearded dragon" on her shoulder. She was waiting in the check out line. I had to look twice and asked about it. I am thinking to myself, "what a nut and a hella nerve."

This one peeves me too. There was a guy around 20 yo or so. He parked his car in a handicap zone but, parked it in the horizontal lines - still a no no. Security went out to tell him to move it. He was engrossed in his conversation. He finally looked up and said "whatever" and did not move his car. Police were called. Of course by the time they arrived, the jerk was gone.

I wonder if the graffiti mellows with age or is more acceptable if the
person is famous. And when does it become a part of history?

Lo, that's a really good question. In addition to some of the examples you provided, I recall "Pioneer Register" at Capitol Reef National Park. The names of settlers, miners and whatnot who'd traveled through that particular canyon - the only wagon route in and out of the region from the latter half of the 19th century until the 1960's - in carved into the rock face. Some of the initials were picked out using bullets!

I wonder if the graffiti mellows with age or is more acceptable if the
person is famous. And when does it become a part of history?

That is a fine line isn't it? I posted earlier to this thread and called them village idiots. But after reading this comment I'm reminded of some graffiti on display at the ruins in the Fortress of Chinon. In the dungeon is some graffiti on display that is reputed to have been carved into the wall by the leader of the Knights of the Templar while he was imprisoned during the 100 years war. I wonder if they did to him what we want to do to some of the modern day violators 😀?