Man Tased by National Park Ranger for Flying 3-inch Toy Drone in Park

a reply to: Snarl

Q. Why do people have firearms in national parks – they never did before?

A. In most national parks, only authorized law enforcement officials have been allowed to carry firearms, but a 2009 federal law made national parks – and national wildlife refuges – generally subject to applicable federal, state, and local firearms laws.


Q. When did this happen?

A. The law was enacted on May 22, 2009, and became effective February 22, 2010.

Thanks for the clarification.

A guy I know was in a state park in Colorado, recently, and he showed me video of him approaching a black bear.
He just wanted to see how close he could get to it. I asked him if it were possible to defend against the bear should the bear attack him, or if he perceived if his life were in danger. I just could not believe what I was seeing, and since he never really got close, I posited the question from a standpoint of just being attacked by a bear, in the park, and what then?

He told me you can't shoot anything in a national park, no hunting and no shooting, period. Possibly I misinterpreted this to mean that they don't allow firearms at all.

So this is no longer true? That is interesting. It makes sense because there are persons who use guns for hold-ups etc., no matter where they are. All they need is an opportunity.

# 429

a reply to: SlapMonkey

I'm sure you would love to have somebody filming your family with a drone when you hiked out to some nice remote spot to enjoy the peace and quiet. Amiright?

originally posted by: Asktheanimals
Did it occur to anyone that there may be valid reasons for banning drones in parks ?

Like:

Preventing the hassling of wildlife - you know people would be buzzing them constantly to get good close-ups.
To protect the privacy of others using the parks.
They are noisy which would be a nuisance to wildlife and people.
The safety of the above.

The 2nd amendment is not so you can fly your drones wherever you want, sorry.

Thank you.

People don't seem to notice nor care how their tech and toys affect wildlife. And wildlife preservation and enjoyment is the whole purpose of national parks. I'm surprised at all the whining over this. The dude ran, the ranger tased and arrested him. And had every right to, as far as I am concerned. The dude was not only breaking the law, but he was disrupting the wildlife, which is a huge no-no at any national park.

It's like these types, I mean those with any capacity for power or control over another human being, are just wound up and ready to use potentially deadly force to subdue anyone not following the letter of the law. Violence first, answer any questions later.

Before this story, did anyone really know a three inch quad copter would be illegal to fly in a PARK?

Running away now gets you tased, or worse. Doesn't even take someone fussing and carrying on, threatening, etc.

Sad times we live in. Very sad, indeed.

a reply to: Skadi_the_Evil_Elf

If you want to play with your tech toys why go to a national park?
It exists to preserve the natural beauty and flora and fauna of the area so all generations will be able to enjoy it.
Go somewhere else if you want to fly rc aircraft.

a reply to: Asktheanimals

Exactly. Hell, I find the idea of RVs in national parks revolting, but at least justifiable, in the case of elderly or less fit people wanting to enjoy nature, but unable to rough it much.

But drones and crap? No.

originally posted by: Domo1
This only applies to Breaking Alternative News.
I don't mind the sensationalist titles (I'm lazy too), but you would think at least the people that respond to threads would read the article.
I don't agree with the law at all, but tough.

The PC crowd here are too busy trying to find ways complaining about the man enforcing laws to actually read source material apparently.

The lack of situational awareness by folks in National Parks is always breathtaking.

Over the past 4 trips to Yellowstone I have seen people :

1. Get as close as they can to a bison, multiple times
2. Feed a grizzly bear from their car and then get indignant when the park rangers confronted them about it.
3. Try and get out on to roped off land near various geothermal events.

As for the person in the OP..it took me all of 1 google search to get the following results... This speaks again to people that go to national parks and think they can do whatever they want without there being any consequences....

originally posted by: Skadi_the_Evil_Elf

originally posted by: Asktheanimals
Did it occur to anyone that there may be valid reasons for banning drones in parks ?

Like:

Preventing the hassling of wildlife - you know people would be buzzing them constantly to get good close-ups.
To protect the privacy of others using the parks.
They are noisy which would be a nuisance to wildlife and people.
The safety of the above.

The 2nd amendment is not so you can fly your drones wherever you want, sorry.

Thank you.

People don't seem to notice nor care how their tech and toys affect wildlife. And wildlife preservation and enjoyment is the whole purpose of national parks. I'm surprised at all the whining over this. The dude ran, the ranger tased and arrested him. And had every right to, as far as I am concerned. The dude was not only breaking the law, but he was disrupting the wildlife, which is a huge no-no at any national park.

I don't disagree with you, but just wanted to point out that there is not much for wildlife near the lava lake. Maybe some birds and a mongoose or two, but no real wildlife to disturb.

I understand that the rules governing national parks are "one size fits all," so to speak, but I seriously doubt the man was disturbing much nature there.

All the same, breaking out the taser seems like a bit much...

originally posted by: opethPA
Like is usually the case with posts like this you aren't telling an accurate version of what happened but the rule of use the article title I guess didn't give you many options.

As per the story your linked he wasn't tased for flying a drone he was however tased for running away from the Park Ranger who asked him to stop.
.

Very true. After being inside a couple of stories that made it to MSM, I know firsthand how little I can trust most of what I read. But it still raises some issues.

originally posted by: TheWhiteKnight
You cannot win against the largest gang
a reply to: pheonix358

We are the largest gang. Which is why it is completely ridiculous that we let the government and their police cronies get away with murder, theft and lies.

Misplaced fear is all that is holding us back

originally posted by: Asktheanimals
a reply to: SlapMonkey
I'm sure you would love to have somebody filming your family with a drone when you hiked out to some nice remote spot to enjoy the peace and quiet. Amiright?

No, I would not...but I also don't go camping in state parks with much expectation of privacy. Sure, I expect common courtesy, but I'm out in public with other people living semi-outdoors.

Now, there's a difference between being in the shot of someone filming their camping trip and someone harrassing me or my family while on the camping trip. Harrassment will, at the least, get the park rangers or sheriff called.

Look at it this way--it is legal for me to have a stereo system in my car. It is not legal for me to go driving through my neighborhood at 1am blasting it so loudly that it rattles the windows of all of the houses. There are limitations to what you can do with things.

But that's not what my response was about--we shouldn't ban relatively harmless things on a foundation of just-in-case.

a reply to: Silicis n Volvo

Apathy holds the average person back--we live in a society that relies on other people to do things for us.

originally posted by: SlapMonkey
a reply to: Silicis n Volvo

Apathy holds the average person back--we live in a society that relies on other people to do things for us.

I also agree with this

a reply to: lindalinda

Why the hell are your park rangers allowed to carry tasers????

a reply to: symphonyofblase

Bears, big cats, criminals?

a reply to: lindalinda

So, why was bear spray developed? Cheap paint remover?

a reply to: symphonyofblase

You're asking a city girl who never heard of bear spray. I guess if you want to carry bear spray, cougar spray, criminal spray, a red elephant gun and a blue elephant gun, you can do it. Maybe they figured one device would be a (usually) nonlethal, less burdensome solution.

I am not an US citizen, but I have visited at least 15 National Parks in the USA.
The amount of stupid people doing stupid things in parks is simply amazing.
In fact if I was the ranger I would have taxed that Dolt 3 times:

1) for not reading the National park rules, and guidelines
2) For using technology in a place where you go to enjoy nature not your "toys"
3) For not obeying the Park ranger (in this case me)

I also get why the USA is going down the drain, when governments have to enforce laws that are made to protect you from fools, stupid people, and persons who believe their freedoms entitle them to do dangerous to them and other activities.

Hace you seen a 2300 year sequoia with a darn drone or quadcopter or TOY or whatever on a 100 feet high branch? tried to take a nice picture and some idiot is flying its toy so your picture has to be photoshoped because the copter is all over the place?
Or remember when a lot of free fall guys jumped from all over the place in Yosemite, some died, or you saw a lot of guys parasailing 15 years ago.... people with motorcycles on Zion or canyon lands?

If you go to a National park and you take your gadgets, you are FAILING AT LIFE....

Freedom is not doing stupid things and ruining the environment just because you want to play with your TOYS.

Grow up and enjoy the view

originally posted by: lindalinda
a reply to: symphonyofblase

You're asking a city girl who never heard of bear spray. I guess if you want to carry bear spray, cougar spray, criminal spray, a red elephant gun and a blue elephant gun, you can do it. Maybe they figured one device would be a (usually) nonlethal, less burdensome solution.

Except for the fact that tasers were developed specifically to deal with human threats.
Tasers that fire prongs would probably be useless against animals with thick fur coats, for the obvious reason.

originally posted by: symphonyofblase
Except for the fact that tasers were developed specifically to deal with human threats.
Tasers that fire prongs would probably be useless against animals with thick fur coats, for the obvious reason.

Agreed a taser isn't going to stop an Elk, Bison, Bear but every year dumb people do dumb things at National Parks.

You need to look no farther than this article from the past few days about someone stupid ignoring the basic rules of the park, getting too close to a Bison and getting gored: www.cnn.com...

On top of that anyone can get into a national park. Just because they are beautiful looking doesn't mean a criminal cant enter the park or it doesn't mean some wasteoid drunk or high person starts acting stupid.