whitebobo wrote:3. Learn to put your cars in positions that allow people to pass if they are not interested in the sighting. The number of doubled up blocked roads I came across for a lion's tail sighting 60m into the bush was quite funny. The frustrating part came when I had to turn around to leave because people assumed I was trying to push in to get a glimpse of the tail and would not let me go past.
The above quote is actually in the rules on the entry permit, so if the road is blocked, hoot. That might get rid of the tail and then there would be no reason for the leeuverskrik (lion besotted) to block the road.
Though your suggestion may perhaps be tongue-in-cheek, BB, it certainly may have merit in certain situations.
I actually saw this in action once when on a morning drive near Skukuza: a single woman at a lion sighting (and the lions were all lying flat in long grass) absolutely REFUSED to move her car to allow a foreign visitor behind her the opportunity to leave. He kept asking her decently to just move a bit forward so that he could extricate his vehicle from the sardine-packed sighting, whereupon she could happily return to her original position. Not a sausage! She wound up her window and pretended to be deaf and blind to those around her. Our morning-drive guide pulled close to her and reminded her not only of Park rules, but also of communal decency. Not a chance would she listen; she was, in fact, English speaking (we heard her moaning to herself while winding the window up), and so language could not have been a barrier. Eventually, four cars behind the European gentleman reversed and turned their vehicles at impossible angles so that he could get out.
What would you do?
I would probably give a good blast on the hooter. This is actually very rare in my experience. Most ppl will move over for you and some even invite you to get a good view also. But boorish behaviour like this deserves the last resort. A good hoot, done 'accidentally' surreptitiously, by the arm when taking a photo.
Whatever : "You are right but I don't want to admit it".
In a world of grey, be RED
Latest lifers: Red-rumped Swallow, Red Phalarope, Purple Gallinule, Chukar Partridge, Australasian Gannet, Brown Booby
Stoffel wrote:Stoffel, perhaps you can help us out ... what is the policy of Sanparks on clearing away bush for a view?
I have no idea what the official policy is. My personal opinion is that if roads/rest camps/ picnic sites can be made for tourist purposes (and viewpoints) - trees and shrubs have to be removed. Then they can just as well make a viewpoint properly by removing (especially) shrubs that prevent a good view of the river/dam (or for whatever purpose it was made for in the first instance).
Kruger is such a big park. There is just more than 2 600 km of tourist roads in the park. If you work on a basis that you can see 100 metres clearly to each side of every road (yes in some areas it will be further and in many cases less) - tourist can clearly witness less than 3% of the park.
Bearing that in mind I believe that we as tourist can be given the opportunity to have nice clear views at the present view sites. I am surely not trying to canvass for more view sites. But improve the present ones.[/quote]
I tend to agree as long as the habitat for something is not destroyed to do it. Like clearing some of the reeds in front of the hide at Tamboti. It is almost pointless going there to try to peer out between the reeds. There are enough on the sides for the bishops & weavers.
Whatever : "You are right but I don't want to admit it".
In a world of grey, be RED
Latest lifers: Red-rumped Swallow, Red Phalarope, Purple Gallinule, Chukar Partridge, Australasian Gannet, Brown Booby
whitebobo wrote:3. Learn to put your cars in positions that allow people to pass if they are not interested in the sighting. The number of doubled up blocked roads I came across for a lion's tail sighting 60m into the bush was quite funny. The frustrating part came when I had to turn around to leave because people assumed I was trying to push in to get a glimpse of the tail and would not let me go past.
The above quote is actually in the rules on the entry permit, so if the road is blocked, hoot. That might get rid of the tail and then there would be no reason for the leeuverskrik (lion besotted) to block the road.
Though your suggestion may perhaps be tongue-in-cheek, BB, it certainly may have merit in certain situations.
I actually saw this in action once when on a morning drive near Skukuza: a single woman at a lion sighting (and the lions were all lying flat in long grass) absolutely REFUSED to move her car to allow a foreign visitor behind her the opportunity to leave. He kept asking her decently to just move a bit forward so that he could extricate his vehicle from the sardine-packed sighting, whereupon she could happily return to her original position. Not a sausage! She wound up her window and pretended to be deaf and blind to those around her. Our morning-drive guide pulled close to her and reminded her not only of Park rules, but also of communal decency. Not a chance would she listen; she was, in fact, English speaking (we heard her moaning to herself while winding the window up), and so language could not have been a barrier. Eventually, four cars behind the European gentleman reversed and turned their vehicles at impossible angles so that he could get out.
What would you do?
I would probably give a good blast on the hooter. This is actually very rare in my experience. Most ppl will move over for you and some even invite you to get a good view also. But boorish behaviour like this deserves the last resort. A good hoot, done 'accidentally' surreptitiously, by the arm when taking a photo.
fellow forumrites (I used to be Mama fariu) Quite a while ago I suggested quite a few things that they could change in the Kruger. For example cutting away growth near the view points along the river roads only to be shouted and screamed at as I was suggesting that we would be interfering with the ecology of the Park.
One last thing the look out between Pretoriuskop and Skukuza is disgusting, I have complained about this before, surely the parks board can do something I was so disgusted as on a rock there someone has put someones ashes of a loved one, behind this rock was a mass of poo and toilet paper. I also previously also asked if they could attend to the Steven Hamiliton area which came right for a while, but now its gone back to square one.
Hmmmm..... well , in my experience , unruly , loud communication is rather likely by uncaring visitors over a braai or a bottle , than by staff , and on more than a few occasions have I asked such people to keep their voices down , especially late at night
Tread softly , and let your departure not be spoiled by the damage of your arrival
just one way to improve Kruger .... just one for the suip lappe and day visitors : PUT UP SIGNS THAT SAY NO ALCHOHOL ALLOWED IN PARK AT ALL ENTRANCES. put the sign up sommer twice so then they will get it into their head easily. day visitor alcohol problem solved . now only the most stupid people will be found at the gates with the substance. make the fine more hefty if it is found that you have dop in your car in the park, provide the proof of purchase ? no i dont drink , i just care a lot for my wild life ... what is left of it anyway. i only drink when i find the perfect sunset in the kruger ... out comes that glass of amarula
I SAY NO to Hotels and commercialization of our National Parks !!!
okie wrote:Hmmmm..... well , in my experience , unruly , loud communication is rather likely by uncaring visitors over a braai or a bottle , than by staff , and on more than a few occasions have I asked such people to keep their voices down , especially late at night
true that , i see no reason TO TALK LOUDLY WHILE THE FIRE IS SIZZLING.
your not in JHB anymore where theres noise all over.
I SAY NO to Hotels and commercialization of our National Parks !!!
Good to see some people care about the wildlife and the park
Another way to really improve the park is to have a hotel in the park and a full 18 hole golf course. None of this 9 hole 18 tee nonsense. A nice hotel restaurant doubling as the half way house overlooking fairways teeming with game would be the cherry on the top. It's a great idea to have people flying in with their golf clubs, their bags and everything. They can land, rent a car and self drive, stay in a hotel and play golf all in one holiday. And to be able to fit 500+ people into a high rise hotel which only takes up a few hundred square metres as opposed to huge rest camps would definitely make more business sense.
The extra revenue would we a definite positive for the park
A nice hotel restaurant doubling as the half way house overlooking fairways teeming with game would be the cherry on the top. It's a great idea to have people flying in with their golf clubs, their bags and everything. They can land, rent a car and self drive, stay in a hotel and play golf all in one holiday. And to be able to fit 500+ people into a high rise hotel which only takes up a few hundred square metres as opposed to huge rest camps would definitely make more business sense.
I wonder if Whitebobo has seen / read the 308 pages on this particular topic - me thinks not.
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