Man has the terrible idea to taunt a bison in Yellowstone National Park

A viral video of a wildlife encounter at Yellowstone National Park has people asking, "Why on earth would someone do that?"

The video, taken by Lindsey Jones, shows a bison crossing a road at the park. Traffic is stopped to allow the animal to pass, but a man trails behind it. You can hear the bison bellowing, which is one of the ways the animal shows dominance during mating season (late July through August).

The man taunts the buffalo until it turns around and charges him, as Jones can be heard saying what we're all thinking: "Oh God, oh no, no, no, no, no."

ALSO: Santa Rosa woman gored by bison at Yellowstone

He manages to jump out of the way before the bison rams into him, but does he learn his lesson? Of course not.

FILE - In this Aug. 3, 2016, file photo, a bison blocks traffic as tourists take photos of the animals in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park in Wyo. FILE - In this Aug. 3, 2016, file photo, a bison blocks traffic as tourists take photos of the animals in the Lamar Valley of Yellowstone National Park in Wyo. Photo: Matthew Brown, Associated Press Photo: Matthew Brown, Associated Press Image 1 of / 14 Caption Close Man has the terrible idea to taunt a bison in Yellowstone National Park 1 / 14 Back to Gallery

The man turns back toward the bison, puffs up his chest and growls. And once again, the bison beelines for his target.

After another near-miss, the buffalo mercifully moves on.

But things could have ended much worse: National park officials warn that bison have injured more people than any other animal at Yellowstone National Park. Bison can run three times faster than people, so visitors should always stay at least 25 yards away from the "unpredictable" animals.

Read Alix Martichoux's latest stories and send her news tips at amartichoux@sfchronicle.com.