No Sir you can't get on this ride... You're wearing a neck brace! (LONG)

[TealJellyfish]

When children are involved, we react before we think. That's hundreds of millions of years of evolution going back to our earliest ancestors that tells us to "protect the next generation"

It's why birds will do the whole "I'm an injured bird (and I @#$%ing hope I can fly away before it gets me)" routine.

It's not idiotic, it's instinct. Kudos for saving the kids life. Just one thing...after the EMT looked at you and told the woman that if it was the kid and not you...what was the look on her face.

M

Like she had sucked on the sourest lemon in the entire universe. If it hadn't of hurt to laugh for like the next month I would of laughed til I cried. The kid was bawling his eyes out the whole time as well.

[tropicsgoddess]

The first SC was clearly a dumb ass, because nobody with back and neck injuries and problems can go on rides without serious complications. The second SC should've asked the OP if they can hold their spot in line so they can go to the bathroom. So tough shit on that one. If you get outta the line and try to get back in, you'll be in the BACK of the line. The third SC should've thanked her lucky stars that somebody put themselves at risk to save her child and that her child is ALIVE!

[ditchdj]

Sorry but I get this snug feeling because the rest of world says it's us Americans that are supposed to be so rude, crass, and self-centered. That proves that it's not just us exhibiting bad behavior in public.

[TealJellyfish]

Sorry but I get this snug feeling because the rest of world says it's us Americans that are supposed to be so rude, crass, and self-centered. That proves that it's not just us exhibiting bad behavior in public.

My next post features American tourists lol. There are sucky customers all around the world. There are quite a few Aussies on this board apart from me and we get our fair share!

[edicius]

Aw damn, I remember the Rotor. That used to be my absolute favorite ride at the late, great Bob-Lo Island before I started getting into roller coasters.

[Anakah]

I hope you post more stories. Sadly it never occured to me that people would be asshats for rides... Dunno why it never did-- considering I know how SC are. lol

I can't believe that woman had the NERVE to yell at YOU. I would be kissing your feet and saying thank you repeatedly. Though I wouldn't have let my kid run around all crazy but no thanks to her but I think you're awesome!

[ThePhoneGoddess]

I got a ride story for ya.

During Y2K I was in the Florida Everglades at a massive Phish concert. Everyone was camped out and they had an entire amusement park worth of food booths and rides and such there. After the concert, I was in line with some friends to get on the ferris wheel. We were right up close to the front of the line when this happened.

They load up the wheel, and the operator stands in his spot at the bottom, next to the wooden walkway you go up to get in the carriages. He starts the wheel and is standing there when suddenly some young guy leaps out of his carriage which was maybe 15-20 feet up and lands chest down, arms out in front of him on the wooden walkway. The ride is immediately shut down and the employees do their thing, pulling the guy out of the way and such. He insists he's fine and demands to be let back on. After a few minutes, they reverse the wheel slightly to bring his carriage back to the bottom, and LET HIM BACK IN IT. Shut the bar, and then start the wheel again.

HE DOES IT AGAIN! When his carriages gets maybe 20 feet up he climbs out and jumps, this time landing rougher than before. the ride is shut down again. someone calls security this time and they come running over and drag him away. He looked extremely drugged out to me, like he was shrooming or tripping or something, so I don't understand why they would let him back on it, but they did.

That was my little amusement park idiot experience.

[friendofjimmyk]

The amount of people who threw up on the ride was insane. We had to shut it down at least once a day for cleaning. No other ride was as bad.

A bit OT - when I was younger, I used to be able to ride ANY ride at any amusement park. Spinners, twirlers, twisters, uppers, downers, sidewinders, you name it - I could ride it.

Now, I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT get on anything that is a stationary twirl and spin. Like Zippers, Tilt-a-Whirls, etc. If its a roller coaster - that's fine. If the coaster has a loop or twists, that's fine - but if the ride is one stationary thing that spins in one place - I get so sick to my stomach.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

And also to spare yourself the whole-"I just saw an innocent child get hurt/killed and did nothing" part of the brain.

I would rather die myself than have a child killed in front of me. Doesn't even have to be a kid I know. I would hope and pray that God forbid I ever find myself in a situation like the OP one the found herself in, that I would have the werewithall and bravery to react as clearly and wonderfully as she did.

You are a hero, and my hat is off to you.

Wow.

That stupid, STUPID woman should have been licking your shoes.

[Blinky]

In the middle of the park they cut part of my shirt off and I was already bruised.. Mum was still screaming until she saw my side then she shut up quick smart. I ended up with 4 cracked ribs and severe bruising and the ambulance guys said i got off really light!

One of the ambulance guys turned to her and said "Ma'am if that carriage had his your kid you wouldn't need me you would need a funeral director! Your lucky she grabbed him!"

WOW, good on ya for saving his life.

I've been in similar situations when I worked security. Some parents don't understand that a bus platform isn't the greatest place to let your kid run around. I never yelled at the parents, but I did make sure that I spoke loud enough to be heard over the running busses and to make sure that everyone else on the platform could hear me .

If I would have even been injured trying to save a child and the parent reacted like that, I would have flipped out on them. My rage would have overridden any pain that I would have felt.

[depechemodefan]

They load up the wheel, and the operator stands in his spot at the bottom, next to the wooden walkway you go up to get in the carriages. He starts the wheel and is standing there when suddenly some young guy leaps out of his carriage which was maybe 15-20 feet up and lands chest down, arms out in front of him on the wooden walkway. The ride is immediately shut down and the employees do their thing, pulling the guy out of the way and such. He insists he's fine and demands to be let back on. After a few minutes, they reverse the wheel slightly to bring his carriage back to the bottom, and LET HIM BACK IN IT. Shut the bar, and then start the wheel again.

HE DOES IT AGAIN!

Egad. This is where Darwinism needs to step in.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Think a GIANT washing machine with people inside!. Anyone with Neck or Back issues SHOULD NOT RIDE IT! EVER!

Ear issues can be bad, too.

I used to love the Rotor (and the Gravitron, with the sliding backrests that lifted you off the floor). When I was 15 I had tubes in my ears, and made the mistake of going on the Rotor at Great Adventure. I was dizzy for three whole days. Haven't been on one of those things since.

I also used to like the Tilt-a-Whirl. I was at a fair or something with my family and some friends, and 3 of us went on the ride. Since it was quiet and no one was in line, the guy decided to let us have an extra long ride. That was the last of my rides for the day...

[TealJellyfish]

I hope you post more stories. Sadly it never occured to me that people would be asshats for rides... Dunno why it never did-- considering I know how SC are. lol

I can't believe that woman had the NERVE to yell at YOU. I would be kissing your feet and saying thank you repeatedly. Though I wouldn't have let my kid run around all crazy but no thanks to her but I think you're awesome!

We had a saying at Luna Park "Everyone has a good day except the staff!"

Though I did enjoy working there mainly because most co-workers were awesome and the bosses always backed us up!

[MadMike]

We used to have the Rotor at Hersheypark.

I remember that thing. Used to love to get on it, until I was about 16 or so, and started getting motion sickness.

[froglet]

Now, I ABSOLUTELY CANNOT get on anything that is a stationary twirl and spin. Like Zippers, Tilt-a-Whirls, etc. If its a roller coaster - that's fine. If the coaster has a loop or twists, that's fine - but if the ride is one stationary thing that spins in one place - I get so sick to my stomach.

Hersheypark used to have a virtual roller coaster where you stood in front of a large screen & in front of that was a guide rail to hold onto. Pretty harmless from first glance, right? BUT so many people got sick from it that it was deemed a hazard & was removed!

They say that motion sickness can be caused, not necessarily by the motion, but by the mixed signals your brain gets if you see yourself moving in all these wacky directions, but your equilibrium doesn't get the same signals. Thats why some people have such trouble with cars and trains etc, they see the scenery whizzing past, but they only feel a slight vibration.
They had a similar virtual ride at Canada's Wonderland, but their seats moved with the images.