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I find it a bit strange... that there are MANY tourist going out to "FILM" or take pictures of the Lava... I would imagine at least half have pretty high quality video camera's and the rest using like Iphones or Android phones with lot's of memory for video and 5 megapixel camera's.
I would think one of these tourist or guides would have some Video of this "SO CALLED" abusive guide... If someone started talking trash to me I'd be turning on the video to get some evidence of it.
I just think it's kinda odd if this is so frequent why don't we have even ONE video of the screaming and cursing tour guide? Maybe I should just get a bunch of people and walk out there every night and try to get that guy on tape. I went out once... Parked the car along the road.... and hiked out along the ocean to see the lava after about an hour or so... came back up the parking lot way. Friend I was with thought it would be a better idea to go back that way... So whatever. We hiked up and around past many many people being led to and back... We made it to the parking lot and walked back to the parked car about another mile or two... No problems ... No screaming... No noting other than the tour vans were driving back and fourth rather fast shuttling people in and out of the area. No mafia or security guards ... No one ... not a soul approached us or even talked to us.
Thought I'd share my own story. Only thing got out of it was a pretty good experience watching the lava enter the ocean and some ok photos. Might do it again later once the lava is flowing again.
I'm not saying that people that encounter problems there are BS... Just wanted to say I don't really have any bias at all on this.
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In my line of work I often see the responsible party interject themselves into the investigation. They want to know about current leads and they offer theories to try to steer the investigation. Be careful when you ask for the devil to show his face because sometimes he was standing right next to you the whole time. Why would someone continually pose questions and give opinions about a case that has no direct connection(rhetorical). It's sad that all the family has are a few blogs and message boards to have the hope that their kids murder will be solved. The pretentious little pricks who claim to be reporters and concerned citizens are sickening. The way they use this tragedy to sell ad space.
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I have made numerous trips out to see the lava both alone and with groups. I have never encountered any such attacks or threats either. Maybe it was because I took a different path, maybe they had already left for the night, maybe they were at a different location than I was, maybe they were threatening another group. I could come up with 100 plus other "maybes". However, just because you and I haven't experienced that situation doesn't mean that they don't exist.
If Bo's sister is stating she witnessed it first hand, how can you dismiss that? I'm not saying they killed anyone but I'm saying it obviously happens as enough people have witnessed it.
Personally, if someone is threatening me, that LAST thing I am going to do is get out a phone and start filming. One, it's late at night, you're not going to get anything other than possible audio. Two, why risk escalating the situation even further? If they are threatening people and you start filming them I guarantee you that it has now escalated into a physical confrontation. Three, and most importantly to me as it's the FIRST thing I would do is to access the situation, my surroundings, paths I can take, number of people I'm with, number of people threatening, items I can use as weapons, best method of attack and best method of defense, making sure no one is getting behind me, beside me, etc. Again, why escalate the situation? It's best to figure out how to defend yourself and get the hell out of Dodge as quickly as possible.
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Hawaii Bound, I was just about to post exactly what your last paragraph stated, but didn't want to disagree with yet another post made by certain commenters on this forum.
These victims that have been threatened by this specific tour guide and his tour co. have a common location of where they were threatened, being the lava fields and surrounding area. They were in unfamiliar territory and a hostile one at that, meaning the rough terrain. It's not as if they could easily escape by running from those making the threats without risking a fatal fall on the sharp rocks. So if you can imagine being on the lava rocks and being approached by an extremely tall man and/or friends with threatening behavior in an unfamiliar area you cannot retreat from, what choices do you have left? When you are being verbally abused in the way they have abused others, I believe you would be in a degree of shock. You do not know why you are being yelled at, which is what your mind is busy racing to figure out. All the while these men are making you feel as though you have trespassed and are breaking their law….I mean the law. So when you are a tourist on someone else's turf and trying to respect someone else's culture, you may be likely to submit to the verbal abuse to avoid further friction.
I for one would not whip out a camera and snap shots of such menacing men. I would be too frightened, especially being with a group of people or your family, I would not want to put them in any more danger by upsetting these men. Just think about it practically, if a criminal saw you taking a photo or video of him while he is committing a crime, he would take your device and destroy it or keep it. There have been people who have commented on the threatening behavior out on the lava on yelp.com and trip advisor and it has even been talked about in "Hawaii, The Big Island Revealed, 6th edition."
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quote:
Originally posted by coppercoin40
Bo's family - These reviews were on yelp for Kalapana Cultural Tours -
Debi H. Patterson, CA
1.0 star rating
2/8/2013
I have a friend who was on the tour when the tour guide lost it! She isn't on Yelp but since she shared with me and I am, I thought it would be best to pass this info on to unsuspecting visitors, especially those who want to use this tour company!
A person with Kalapana Cultural Tours threatened every person and group walking to the end of the road while she was there! He screamed, using foul language and insults. He even said he would beat them all up! They told him that they wouldn't go off the old highway, but he told them again that he would beat them if they went anyway!. They said no, thanks to the tour guide, but called the police. He left before they got there. She said that they did give the police his name.
I will not be using this company when I visit in May!
Pauline S. Finksburg, MD
1.0 star rating
1/2/2013
Seeing the lava was awesome but the guide's meltdown was unnecessary. Initially the guides had some interesting insights into the history and flora of the area. Viewing the lava was spectacular. Things went dramatically down hill from there. We spent an extra forty five minutes at the lava while our guide screamed, cursed, threatened violence, and verbally abused tourists who wondered onto the lava unguided. Unprofessional, untrained, and out of control guides with no wilderness first responder training for a hundred dollars a head and the threat of violence if you go out unguided is not the aloha spirit that usually marks the big island. So the the tour part was lame but seeing the lava was amazing.
And an excerpt of this one on tripadvisor:
juliebu2000
Reviewer
“Could have been so much better”
May 23, 2013
This is probably the best way to see the lava flows up close, but the "tour" really could have been much better. Our tour guide(Jo Jo) clearly was an expert at finding lava flows, but that is where the tour experience ended... (deleting portion of text) Multiple tour groups came to the flow that our guide found. Our guide was clearly annoyed with other groups and with tourists that came out on their own( which I would not recommend)...
Visited May 2013
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quote:
Originally posted by coppercoin40
This is online for 6 edition of Hawaii The Big Island Revealed by Andrew Doughty:
Lava Flow Viewing Access Update: The lava is sporadically flowing a couple of miles from the end of the county road on Hwy 130, but things can get complicated. Although the old state highway still exists under the lava flow (and is therefore state land), County Civil Defense dissuades hikers from proceeding when they start duty around 4 p.m., and they absolutely have that authority. Visitors arriving before then might encounter a couple of private tour companies that will walk you a couple of miles out to the flow for around $150 per person. When I politely declined their services, one company rep from Poke-a-Stick Tours incorrectly told me there were state officers “patrolling the lava flows and arresting viewers who weren’t with paid guides.” Another person representing Kalapana Cultural Tours threatened every person and group walking to the end of the road while we were there, screaming obscenities and insults to all who approached. In our case, he said he would beat us all up and singled out my 4-foot 11-inch daughter-in-law saying, “You shut your mouth. I slap girls, too!” We explained that with GPS we wouldn’t be straying from the old Hwy under the lava and would not trespass onto private property, which the gentleman correctly indicated the lava might be flowing onto. But we were told that the state had “stolen all the land” under the highway anyway and that the same beating would take place if we proceeded. We declined the tour and called the police, then watched as others got the same threats before the police arrived, by which time the man (whose name we gave to the police) had left. My point is you may encounter unauthorized “enforcers” at the end of the government road on Hwy 130, and regardless of your feelings, rights or pride, you should turn away if you feel unwelcome. The lava might indeed be flowing onto private property and you do not have a right to trespass onto it. If you want to pay a guide, that’s your decision. Personally, we’ll take a pass.
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As Christmas approaches I am sad that my Brittany will not be with us in the physical. This time her baby was due to be born. I have peace knowing that they are together in Heaven, I imagine Brittany teaching her little one to play the guitar and sing, she loved to sing!
I can only pray that the monster that took 2 lives are brought to justice and give our family whatever peace there may be left.
To those that have supported us and loved us these past 7 months, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Be kind to each other, tell people how much they mean to you, love them. Remember, things change in the blink of an eye.
Namaste
I honor the place in you
in which the entire universe dwells.
I honor the place in you
which is of love, of truth,
of light, and of peace.
When you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me,
we are on.
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I will fight to hell and back to search for the truth. THE REAL TRUTH!! I want to know what happened to my friend/classmate!!
To much shady things have happened with this whole story, it is easy to paint a picture that Bo did it and that's exactly what they did, BUT IF anybody new Bo he doesn't have a harmful bone in his body. He was/is a wonderful person. I 100% beileve someone hurt him too!! there's a lot of reasons to support my theory on that! One being that I know what kind of person he is and it's NOT HURTFUL or angry!! I Love you Ruthy and Sarah, A women's intuition is never wrong follow your heart<3 will fight together for BO All this national exposure is good, maybe people will start talking!! DO THE WRIGHT THING, so we can stop this vicious cycle of violence. MUCH LOVE!!
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!! much love to you All, this time of year <3 Prayers are in my heart for you
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Have to admit I've been somewhat disturbed by some recent posts here, but I hope both Brittany and Bo's families understand that there are many people here thinking of you during this season and understand how hard a time it'll be for you. I can't say "happy holidays" or "merry christmas" to you because I know it'll be neither, but please do remember we have you in our hearts and thoughts and always will, but especially at this time of year.
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