A careless visitor to Yellowstone National Park caused a miles-long traffic jam, as seen in footage posted to the popular Instagram account TouronsOfYellowstone (@touronsofyellowstone).
What was the holdup? A woman apparently left her car running and blocking the road to get a closer look at a bear off in the distance.
"A woman left her car running in the middle of the road in Yellowstone and had traffic backed up for miles," the post's caption reads. "All for a little bear you could hardly see. Do NOT leave your car in the middle of the road while you go off to look at animals!"
The video, likely captured by a frustrated fellow park visitor, shows a line of vehicles at a standstill on the park road. Somewhere up ahead, the bear-watching tourist's abandoned car idles, blocking all traffic.
If wildlife catches your eye while driving, "find a pull off or pull over making sure you are off the road completely," TouronsOfYellowstone advises. "If there is [nowhere] to park or pull over then move it along. Leaving your car in the middle of the road means that traffic backs up and others have to WAIT for YOU!"
Incidents like this highlight the need for greater respect and care for our natural spaces and the creatures who call them home. Wildlife sightings can evoke a sense of wonder that reminds us of our connection to the natural world, but we must experience these moments responsibly.
Thoughtless behaviors endanger both animals and park visitors. They create stressful, hazardous situations for wildlife, bystanders, and park rangers tasked with protecting the ecosystem.
As one commenter quipped, "She left the car running while blocking the road and no one jumped in, put it in drive, and steered it into the ditch?!"
Others chimed in with exasperated reactions like "WTF? What kind of person does this?" and "Reminds me of women who leave their shopping carts (with their purses) unattended and in the middle of the aisle. I always push it out of my way."
Experiencing America's national parks is an amazing privilege. But it comes with a responsibility to act with care and consciousness. As the post urges, "Don't be a selfish [person] and get TF out of the road!!"
Sage advice for visiting any of nature's wonders.
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