Driving in Kruger
-
Richprins
- Committee Member
- Posts: 75969
- Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
- Location: NELSPRUIT
- Contact:
Re: Driving in Kruger
I'm sure they are both foreigners!
Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
-
Lisbeth
- Site Admin
- Posts: 67396
- Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
- Country: Switzerland
- Location: Lugano
- Contact:
Re: Driving in Kruger
Why? South Africans do not shout at each other 
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
-
Richprins
- Committee Member
- Posts: 75969
- Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 3:52 pm
- Location: NELSPRUIT
- Contact:
Re: Driving in Kruger
Accents! 
Please check Needs Attention pre-booking: https://africawild-forum.com/viewtopic.php?f=322&t=596
-
Lisbeth
- Site Admin
- Posts: 67396
- Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
- Country: Switzerland
- Location: Lugano
- Contact:
Re: Driving in Kruger
There are lots of different accents in SA, actually quite a lot that I hardly understand 
The one "lady" in the lorry is certainly dutch, but the other one, could be anything......or is it the other way around 
The one "lady" in the lorry is certainly dutch, but the other one, could be anything......or is it the other way around "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
Re: Driving in Kruger
Correct and I'm laughing because I can relate to it as I have been in the same situation a few times, hence I'm glad to see it's not only applicable to SaffiesRobertT wrote:Dutch and American.
-
Lisbeth
- Site Admin
- Posts: 67396
- Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
- Country: Switzerland
- Location: Lugano
- Contact:
Re: Driving in Kruger
Of course it isn't, that kind of situations are global
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
-
Lisbeth
- Site Admin
- Posts: 67396
- Joined: Sat May 19, 2012 12:31 pm
- Country: Switzerland
- Location: Lugano
- Contact:
Re: Driving in Kruger
Major traffic jam on Kruger's S65 has visitors fuming
A photograph showing about 10 Open Safari Vehicles (OSV) completely obstructing a Kruger National Park road has sparked outrage on social media, hitting a nerve with loyal Kruger visitors who say operators should be better regulated.
The OSVs were reportedly crowding a sighting of a leopard nesting den, and regular visitors in the park were unable to see the sight, let alone drive past it.
According to Cecile Lester-olivier, who posted the image on the official SANParks - Kruger National Park Facebook group, they sat in the congestion for 25 minutes before deciding it would be best to turn back.
She says the incident is completely unacceptable - and the majority of Kruger lovers on the Facebook group agrees.
Michael Gloster commented on the photo saying that for many of the safari operators, "it's all about dollars, the "me" factor.
"There are a number of good tour operator drivers," Gloster says, "but in general, I believe that too many of them are there for the big tips. It's also rediculous how they keep in touch with each other and announce where there is a good sighting and then they all go charging off to get here, often at rediculous speeds. The number of operator vehicles allowed into the park each day should be controlled."
Other self-drive visitors posting on the Facebook group say they are also upset because OSVs make use of radios to communicate sightings to one another.
Mario Fazekas, speaking on the Kruger group, points out that the official "OSV permit terms and conditions are very specific: "7.2.6. Refrain from using radios to inform other vehicles of game viewing information of any nature".
From the congested sighting, however, it is clear that there has been communication between the operators.
Use technology responsibly
The use of radio communication and technology has gained a bad reputation among self-drive Kruger visitors, but major wildlife spotting app Latest Sightings says there are ways to use technology responsibly.
A new guide developed by the app is helping visitors navigate and spot more wildlife at the Kruger National Pak (KNP) - based on actual sightings shared within the community. The app, however, does not track the immediately whereabouts of the animals, but rather their patterns and possible locations.
Latest Sighting's Founder Nadav Ossendryver says, "We analysed thousands of sightings that are shared on a monthly basis and put together a guide that will help you plan the best routes based on hard data."
Judging by the popularity of the Latest Sightings app, visitors don't mind using technology but agrees that OSVs has an unfair advantage over other visitors and animals when using radio comms.
Recurring OSV issues
This is not the first time general visitors to the Kruger Park have called for OSVs to be better regulated. In September last year, a safari guide posted a message to the Guides & Rangers Facebook page, asking members of the public not to report rangers and guides with "little kak complaints".
Members of the public responded in fury, saying that safari guides miss the entire point of going to the Kruger National Park, and are only seeing the drives as a means to earn money.
Following the outcry, SANParks urged members of the public to follow protocol when reporting reckless and irresponsible behaviour in the park. "If visitors to the park want to contribute to regulating park rules, they need to report incidents correctly," Hannelie du Toit, manager of the Southern African Tourism Services Association's (SATSA) self-regulation project for Open Safari Vehicles in the Kruger Park told Traveller24 at the time.
The self-regulation programme requires of each OSV to carry a yellow sticker on the back of the vehicle, with a telephone number which park visitors can contact when they want to report bad behaviour. Cases with detailed reports of incidents, including proof of the bad behaviour, will then be investigated and dealt with accordingly.
A photograph showing about 10 Open Safari Vehicles (OSV) completely obstructing a Kruger National Park road has sparked outrage on social media, hitting a nerve with loyal Kruger visitors who say operators should be better regulated.
The OSVs were reportedly crowding a sighting of a leopard nesting den, and regular visitors in the park were unable to see the sight, let alone drive past it.
According to Cecile Lester-olivier, who posted the image on the official SANParks - Kruger National Park Facebook group, they sat in the congestion for 25 minutes before deciding it would be best to turn back.
She says the incident is completely unacceptable - and the majority of Kruger lovers on the Facebook group agrees.
Michael Gloster commented on the photo saying that for many of the safari operators, "it's all about dollars, the "me" factor.
"There are a number of good tour operator drivers," Gloster says, "but in general, I believe that too many of them are there for the big tips. It's also rediculous how they keep in touch with each other and announce where there is a good sighting and then they all go charging off to get here, often at rediculous speeds. The number of operator vehicles allowed into the park each day should be controlled."
Other self-drive visitors posting on the Facebook group say they are also upset because OSVs make use of radios to communicate sightings to one another.
Mario Fazekas, speaking on the Kruger group, points out that the official "OSV permit terms and conditions are very specific: "7.2.6. Refrain from using radios to inform other vehicles of game viewing information of any nature".
From the congested sighting, however, it is clear that there has been communication between the operators.
Use technology responsibly
The use of radio communication and technology has gained a bad reputation among self-drive Kruger visitors, but major wildlife spotting app Latest Sightings says there are ways to use technology responsibly.
A new guide developed by the app is helping visitors navigate and spot more wildlife at the Kruger National Pak (KNP) - based on actual sightings shared within the community. The app, however, does not track the immediately whereabouts of the animals, but rather their patterns and possible locations.
Latest Sighting's Founder Nadav Ossendryver says, "We analysed thousands of sightings that are shared on a monthly basis and put together a guide that will help you plan the best routes based on hard data."
Judging by the popularity of the Latest Sightings app, visitors don't mind using technology but agrees that OSVs has an unfair advantage over other visitors and animals when using radio comms.
Recurring OSV issues
This is not the first time general visitors to the Kruger Park have called for OSVs to be better regulated. In September last year, a safari guide posted a message to the Guides & Rangers Facebook page, asking members of the public not to report rangers and guides with "little kak complaints".
Members of the public responded in fury, saying that safari guides miss the entire point of going to the Kruger National Park, and are only seeing the drives as a means to earn money.
Following the outcry, SANParks urged members of the public to follow protocol when reporting reckless and irresponsible behaviour in the park. "If visitors to the park want to contribute to regulating park rules, they need to report incidents correctly," Hannelie du Toit, manager of the Southern African Tourism Services Association's (SATSA) self-regulation project for Open Safari Vehicles in the Kruger Park told Traveller24 at the time.
The self-regulation programme requires of each OSV to carry a yellow sticker on the back of the vehicle, with a telephone number which park visitors can contact when they want to report bad behaviour. Cases with detailed reports of incidents, including proof of the bad behaviour, will then be investigated and dealt with accordingly.
"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." Nelson Mandela
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
The desire for equality must never exceed the demands of knowledge
