Tourist tempts fate by sticking hand in hot pool at Yellowstone: ‘Pushing the limits of stupidity to a new level’

Common sense isn’t so common, especially for tourists featured on the popular Instagram page Tourons of Yellowstone (@touronsofyellowstone). One recent video shows how foolish — and downright dangerous — these tourons (a mixture of “tourist” and “moron”) can be.

The video shows a touron placing his hand dangerously close to a hot pool in Yellowstone National Park. The person grins at the camera before running back to the safety of the railing as the geyser continues to bubble.

Although it’s extremely rare for individuals to fall into the geysers, it has happened several times. In the deepest part of Yellowstone Lake, hot springs can get as hot as 345 F — which is deadly for humans.

In July 2022, one man was killed after venturing into Yellowstone Lake’s West Thumb Geyser Basin. There was no evidence he had gone missing until a few weeks later when other individuals found a lone shoe floating around in the Abyss Pool hot spring.

Another man was killed in 2016 after venturing 200 yards from the Porkchop Geyser. His body was not able to be recovered, but some of his belongings were. The National Park Service estimates that close to 20 people have died from accidentally falling into the hot areas in Yellowstone.

To deter individuals like the one shown in the video from getting too close to the natural feats, the National Park Service has created signs, warnings, and areas where tourists can safely watch the geysers, hot springs, mud pots, and steam vents from a safe distance.

Instagram users who saw the video were overwhelmed by the stupidity and lack of common sense exhibited by the touron.

“People, pushing the limits of stupidity to a new level. Yet, people are worried about AI,” one user wrote.

“As Forest Gump says ‘stupid is as stupid does,’” commented another.

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