Chernobyl tourist attraction in 2011???

[Chibibar]

Ukraine to open Chernobyl area to tourists in 2011 (AP) | Yahoo! Green

Interesting... I wonder if we have to wear radioactive suits. I love the part

"There are things to see there if one follows the official route and doesn't stray away from the group," Yershova told The Associated Press. "Though it is a very sad story."

I can see the warning signs. "If you stray from the group, prepare for your bits to fall out"

 

[Hylian]

Strangely enough just a week or so ago I was talking to my coworkers saying how cool it would be to tour the area and look at everything. I remember awhile back seeing some pictures and they were just unbelievable.

 

[Chibibar]

Strangely enough just a week or so ago I was talking to my coworkers saying how cool it would be to tour the area and look at everything. I remember awhile back seeing some pictures and they were just unbelievable.

so it was YOUR idea huh?

 

[strawman]

The radioactivity in that area has dropped to levels that are safe for visits. Chances are good that they will only be visiting the less-radioactive areas, and at least the tour guides will be wearing radiation sensitive badges so their dosage over time can be monitored.

The worst radiation will be found in materials (dirt, dust, etc), and chances are good that as long as one stays on the paths and doesn't disturb anything outside of the prepared areas, their dosage will not be significantly greater than sitting at home.

 

[AshburnerX]

The radioactivity in that area has dropped to levels that are safe for visits. Chances are good that they will only be visiting the less-radioactive areas, and at least the tour guides will be wearing radiation sensitive badges so their dosage over time can be monitored.

The worst radiation will be found in materials (dirt, dust, etc), and chances are good that as long as one stays on the paths and doesn't disturb anything outside of the prepared areas, their dosage will not be significantly greater than sitting at home.

Basically this. Photographers, game developers, urban explorers, and others have been going into the zone for years with no harmful affects, mainly because the dangerous areas are rather small and very well marked. Chernobyl isn't safe, but it's as safe as you can make it until all the radioactivity dissipates and as long as your not an idiot, it's possible to explore it without significant radiation exposure.

 

[Jiarn]

I'd want to go know where to get my assault rifles and start wandering the wastes looking for lost artifacts.

 

[North_Ranger]

I hear the ghost town of Pripyat is quite the sight... Home to... I think it was 200,000 people, all abandoned and left for the elements.

Strangely enough, life seems abundant in the area. I remember one report claiming that the Chernobyl area now has an exceptionally large population of the European wild deer.

 

[sixpackshaker]

Or, just watch Life After People on the History Channel. The filmmakers used the area to test their theories about how long it would take for nature to wipe away civilization.

 

[Chibibar]

Did it have a glowing review?

 

[Officer_Charon]

Not so much... it had a rather short half-life

 

[Zappit]

Hard to see what they would do to promote this. "There will be plenty to do - just ask our Radioactivities Director!"

 

[doomdragon6]

So, anyone who has ever gone on any touristy thing knows that there is ALWAYS someone at some point who breaks off from the pack, and there are people who can't even "see" warning signs from how little they're paying attention. How soon will we hear of someone getting a heavy dose of radiation here?

 

[AshburnerX]

So, anyone who has ever gone on any touristy thing knows that there is ALWAYS someone at some point who breaks off from the pack, and there are people who can't even "see" warning signs from how little they're paying attention. How soon will we hear of someone getting a heavy dose of radiation here?

Even if they did, the effects would be minimal. They likely have decon units nearby.

 

[strawman]

Most of the really bad radiation is gone. What's left is so inert, even off path, that a single visit isn't going to harm you any more than getting a series of X-rays at the dentist office.

At this point people are visiting anyway, so they can either keep it restricted, and have trouble policing it, or open it up and at least have a safe method for people to poke around.

It's not unlike taking a tour at the missile test area in the desert in the us. People Are going to visit anyway.

 

[AshburnerX]

Isn't the current plan to turn the area into a national park and just leave the buildings as they are, to serve as memorial? Opening it up to the public is basically just a measure to keep the people who DO go there safe.