How can I manage without my selfie stick?

Whether you think they are obnoxious devices or whether you love yours, the fact is they are being banned in many destinations. So, if you are thinking of taking one on your next cruise be warned.

Many places are imposing bans, the latest being Milan. Yes, the home of fashion and don’t be fooled into thinking you are ok if you are sporting a Louis Vuitton or Chanel model you still won’t be allowed to use it in Milan.

The selfie stick has also been banned in Rome in the Vatican City, in Beijing’s Forbidden City, In the town of Pamplona in Spain, Disney Theme Parks, Alton Towers and in Amsterdam’s Van Gogh museum, Wimbledon, the O2 Arena, Manchester United’s football ground…. To name but a few.

Why are they being banned I hear you ask?

People today are always in pursuit of the perfect selfie. I am not one of them I hasten to add.

However, in their need to make sure they have the perfect pout with that famous landmark, Person or animal, damage has been caused to works of art, and people and animals have been killed.

How far would you go for the perfect pic!

For example, In Argentina people took baby Dolphins from the sea to take selfies with then discarded them on the sand when they had the pictures leaving them to die. Despite the fact that they are a protected species, this incident happened not once but twice in the last year. How can they be so cruel for a photo?

A woman in Los Angeles managed to destroy art worth over $200,000 whilst trying to take a selfie. She was attempting to kneel in front of a row of sculptures when she lost her balance and knocked over the art work behind her on pedestals which fell in a domino effect damaging 3 sculptures.

Disney banned them over growing concerns for the safety of guests and cast members. A customer on a roller coaster in the Disney California park tried to use a selfie stick whilst on a ride. The arm can extend far outside the carriage and could come into contact with a ride’s mechanism whilst they are in pursuit of the perfect shot. In this case it resulted in the ride being shut for an hour.

Worse still a Polish couple fell off a cliff while their children watched in horror when the parents tried to take a selfie of themselves.

There have been multiple instances of people trying to take a selfie of themselves while driving with predictable results ie an accident. In fact, more people have died trying to take selfies than have been killed by sharks over the past year.

The selfie stick was hailed as the top gadget when they were launched a few years ago but, while some might welcome the selfie stick, there are plenty who believe the Selfie stick leads to reckless behaviour.

What are your thoughts? Do you own one?