AIBU to think a plastic sled is not a substitute for a pushchair

[WittyTitle]

First of all, i apologise if this family are on MN but still....

Given last nights snowfall in London and how Londoners are oh so very dramatic about it all, and given that both my and my partner had a very rare and simultaneous day off we took a trip to the horrendously overpriced, yet obviously favourite hangout of my DD, London Aquarium. As we exit Westminster station, there is a family of four, two young sons preparing the cross the bridge at the same time with their toddlers holding mums hand and dad carrying sleds,

"how quaint thinks I, but where is there to go sledging around here?"

NO,they too are going to the aquarium and after we are both robbed blind by the criminal sales assistant behind the desk, we happened to enter at approx the same time. AT WHICH POINT

Dad of the year decides to lay down the sleds, two boys climb aboard and are consequently pulled around the attraction on sleds, nowwwwwwwwwww...im all for being a bit different, but when Ive paid near enough £80 to get into the place I dont want to be followed around by the near constant noise of du-dunk du-dunk du-dunk, interspersed with the noise of what sounded like a dead body being dragged accross the floor ( I Imagine! ) We tried walking ahead, we tried lagging behind but alas!

It really wound me up, and I know you shouldnt sweat the small things but I did today and I almost let it ruin my day, I really cant belive a family would think that was acceptable and that everyone else wanted to hear that noise, im all for sledging but outdoors, in snow PLEASE!

not a good choice, i imagine the heels would sink into the ground somewhat?

I think you're real anger lies in the fact you paid £80

And if the family really spoke to the staff like that without being asked to leave...I'll swim naked round the Aquarium tomorrow.

Hey if I was looking at turtles on a snowy hill in a park I would expect them to be annoyed at me

^^
That is currently my favourite post of 2012

there are many that would hapily pay another £80 to see that, im sure.

I don't understand this, really. The Aquarium staff asked them to stop, three times, and they just continued? I work at another major tourist attraction and they would not be allowed to carry the sleds around - they'd have to put them in the cloakroom. And quite frankly, they really should have been asked to leave if they couldn't comply with the instructions of staff. I can't imagine my colleagues just standing back and letting that happen. YANBU at all - the family were really thoughtless, but really the staff should have handled it much better than they did.

well honeydragon its only february! It could get way better!

I was all prepared to say YABU because we used sledges instead of a buggy today... outside in the snow.

However, taking them round the London Aquarium is very odd indeed, so YANBU.

I can understand why the noise would be annoying, but YABOS to let it ruin your day. Take a deep breath, pour yourself a and relax!

Cocopops the staff there were mostly young kids working weekend jobs id imagine,they didnt put up much of a fight with them. I may write to Sealife and complain, maybe get some of my entrance fee back, I could share it with the pedants on here who think its too much.

Whist they were totes U, you were also BU.

The LA is shite. Too expensive. Too claustrophobic. And the glass on the tanks gives you a galloping headache.

I was in the Boston aquarium recently (personally LOVE an aquarium) and overheard someone talking about a bad aquarium and knew from a few key words they were talking about London.

Boston aquarium by comparison is bloody excellent.

Ive never been so I cant compare, but the price tag for the LA is nothing compared to how much we would have paid for a day trip to Boston for 5

YANBU about the sleds - hope a strongly worded letter gets a suitable response.

Next time (if there is one!) I think London Zoo is better (still extortionate) but at least you get to see creatures other than fish. :o

The staff in the Aquarium are all adults (over 18) and if they asked the family 3 times (that you heard) and accepted their reply....even though their reply was unacceptable, then yes you really should complain.

If anything, a low level thing like a sledge would be a major health and safety risk due to people tripping over it.

never thought of the h & s aspect worra, may just tell them i fell over it

cake far to cold for the zoo!! maybe should have suggested they take their sleds there tho!!

I think pulling kids around indoors on a sledge is bonkers behaviour, as were the people who were travelling around the aquarium on horseback.

I bet the fish were cross about all the nasty vibrationy noises too. I would have swum and hid under a rock if I was a fish there so that no one could see me, especially loud boys on sledges. But I would have come out and waved to Wittytitle and family.

When we went to the LA (Think we used the 2 for 1 with train ticket discount) the attendants were constantly asking people to please not stroke the flat fish in the big low tank as it stresses them. Everyone ignored them and carried on stroking away. Why let fish stress stand in the way of fish stroking fun eh?

I've just looked at the prices for the London Aquairum and can't work out how it cost nearly£80 for the three of you. Nowhere near.

If you have paid that much you have been ripped off.

dorothy I genuinely wish you were a fish now

mrsbeakman They had the same problem today, if I worked there id push some of the bastards in. Theywere saying that the camera flashes actually make fish go blind, did that stop people? As for horseback, that made me rofl

upahill there wasnt three of us? There was three adults and 3 children.... a family ticket for two adults and two children, an extra ticket for DH teenage babysitting friend and free for baby.

I think stilettoes sound like you need to see a chiropodist.

YANBU. I really don't understand why they would bring a sled into central London anyway? And it must have been a pain in the arse for them to pull around, surely? If it was raining, do you think they would have brought a canoe?

DorothyGherkins You would make a great fish, I don't doubt it.

If it was raining, do you think they would have brought a canoe?

AND THAT LADIES AND GENTLEFOLK, IS A CONCRETE ARGUMENT!!!

I tell you what, next time we get a heatwave, I'm going to the Tate Gallery, dragging ds around in a deck chair!

£80 to look at some fish?

More fool you, you should have gone sledging

"If anything, a low level thing like a sledge would be a major health and safety risk due to people tripping over it."

PMSL

(you were joking weren't you?)