I finally saw someone touch a petroglyph at the Gila Cliff Dwellings last summer

There was this older guy with a fancy camera, reaching out to trace the lines on a panel that's been there maybe a thousand years. I told him real quick not to touch it because the oils from your fingers can speed up erosion. He got all huffy, said he's been doing this for years and never hurt anything. Ranger came by about 10 minutes later and gave him a real stern warning. Ever had to tell someone off for messing with a site?

3 comments

3 Comments

ryanm601mo agoTop Commenter

Got to wonder why some people think the rules don't apply to them.

irisowens1mo ago

You just feel bad for folks who don't get that same grace.

logan5611mo ago

Are we talking about the kind of person who always cuts in line and gets huffy when you say something, or the one who parks in the handicap spot with no tag because they're "just running in quick"? The rules are usually there for a reason, and the people who ignore them seem to think their time or convenience matters more than everyone else's. What makes someone decide they're the exception to the rule?