Hide Transcript Show Transcript

YOU.... AND ITS BEEN REPOSTI SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS THAT FEATURE TOURIST DOING BAD OR EVEN ILLEGAL THINGS IN BIG SU TOURIST TROUBLES IN BIG SUR HAVE ESCALATE TO THE LEVEL OF PUBLIC SHAMING. THIS SPRING THE INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT BIG SUR HATES YOU CAME ONLINE. IT REPOSTS INSTAGRAMS PEOPL SHARE OF THEMSELVES DOING BAD OR EVEN ILLEGAL THINGS.... 22:58 I don't have a problem with disrespectful irresponsible peop being called out for being that and being that and behaving way IN THE LAST MONTH BIG SUR HATES YOU HAS GONE AFTER PEOPLE FOR TRAMPLING WILDFLOWERS ... AND FOR STANDI IN THE MIDDLE OF AN ACTIVE HIGHWAY JUST FOR A PHOTO OP... RICK ALDINGER WITH THE BIG SUR RIVER IN SAYS HE DOESN'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE ACCOUNT... BUT HE DOESN'T THINK IT IS THE BEST WAY TO FIX BAD BEHAVIOR. 23:50 I am hoping that they get to that point and maybe realize that ridiculing and shaming and name calling maybe isn't the best approach to try to change behaviors TENSIONS BETWEEN LOCALS AND TOURISTS IN BIG SUR HAVE BEEN MOUNTING FOR YEARS... AND IT'S EASY TO SEE WHY.... VISITORS ALONG HIGHWAY 1 DO A LOT OF STUPID THINGS.... THEY LITTER... THEY START FIRES ... THEY TRESPASS AND EVEN DEFECATE ON PRIVATE PROPERTY .... AND THEY PUT THEMSELVES IN DANGER IN THE PURSUIT OF GETTING THE PERFECT SHOT... BUT LOCALS SAY IT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN THIS WAY. 28:37 we started to see things a little bit differently in big sur starting in about 2004 2005 BUTCH KROMLAND WITH THE COAST PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION SAYS THE RISE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE SMART PHONE HAS CHANGED HOW PEOPLE ACT. 29:17 the barrier between appropriate and inappropriate behavior that barrier has melted away in a lot of ways and I think that is a result of normalizing things in way via social media THIS YEAR KROMLAND INTRODUCED THE BIG SUR PLEDGE -- A MOVEMENT TO EDUCATE VISITORS ON HOW TO RECREATE RESPONSIBLY IN BIG SUR.... HE WON'T SAY WHO IS BEHIND BIG SUR HATES YOU BUT HE WILL SAY THE ACCOUNT AND THE PLEDGE ARE TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN. 27:17 the pledge is the carrot and big sur hates you is the stick IN SOME CASES THE ORIGINAL POSTERS HAV RESPONDED TO APOLOGIZE FOR THEI BEHAVIOR... AND WE ASKED "BIG SUR HATES YOU" WHO RUNS THE ACCOUNT AND GOT THIS RESPONSE: "A BIG SUR LOCAL FED UP WITH ALL THE STUPIDITY." NOW

Advertisement 'Big Sur Hates You' new Instagram account shames bad tourist behavior Share Shares Copy Link Copy

An Instagram account with the handle 'Big Sur Hates You' came online this spring and is publicly shaming bad behavior.The account reposts Instagrams posts that show posters acting inappropriately or even illegally.In the last month 'Big Sur Hates You' has gone after people for trampling wildflowers, standing in the middle of Highway 1, and camping or starting campfires in areas where those actions are not allowed.The reposts include snippy comments like 'Please don't trample the wildflowers just for a photo opportunity' and 'You forgot the hashtag illegal camping.'The account is not the first of its kind. An account title 'Public Lands Hate You' has similar posts and until recently an account titled 'Joshua Tree Hates You' was also shaming tourists on Instagram.Longtime local Rick Aldinger said he understands the frustration but he doesn't know if the account is the best way to fix bad behavior."I am hoping that they get to that point and maybe realize that ridiculing and shaming and name calling isn't the best approach to try to change behaviors," said Aldinger.That being said Aldinger added that he doesn't have a personal problem with disrespectful and irresponsible people being called out online.Tensions between locals and tourists in Big Sur have been mounting for years and it's easy to see why that is the case. Visitors along Highway 1 do a lot of stupid things; they litter, they start fires, they trespass and even defecate on private property, and they put themselves in danger in the pursuit of the perfect pictures.Butch Kromland with the Community Association of Big Sur said it hasn't always been this way."We started to see things a little bit differently in Big Sur starting in about 2004 and 2005," said Kromland.First came Myspace then Facebook and in recent years Instagram has taken hold and the advent of those platforms has correlated with an explosion in bad behavior."The barrier between appropriate and inappropriate behavior, that barrier has melted away in a lot of ways and I think that is a result of normalizing things in way via social media," said Kromland.In response, Kromland introduced the Big Sur Pledge this year. The pledge encourages visitors to recreate responsibly and take the pledge to do so before or during their Big Sur visit.Kromland said he knows who is behind 'Big Sur Hate You' but declined to release their name.A direct message to the account asking for the person's identity received this response on Friday:"A Big Sur local fed up with all the stupidity"Kromland said he does not condone public shaming but said the Big Sur Pledge and 'Big Sur Hates You' are two sides of the same coin."The pledge is the carrot and 'Big Sur Hates You' is the stick," said Kromland.