Ride operators at theme park.

[itsgettingweird]

So went to a theme park today with ds and his friends.

It was a lovely day and very quiet compared to usual visits this time of year.

I don't do lots of rides - I'm happy to bag sit!

But use a few and tend to do my favourite 2-3 times.

The last time we went on this ride today the operator was checking the seat belts. This is usual. Then didn't even look or communicate with me but pushed the overhead barrier down so hard I couldn't get a proper breath in and it's left one of my nipples very sore (bruised?)

Ds and I were both waving to get the attention of attendants but they didn't notice and by the time I got to the end I was really dizzy from struggling to breathe and the pain in my breast (I'm not exactly huge!)

As I got off the ride I went more dizzy so sat down on the step. Ds explained to the man about the breathing and his advice?

"If you need first aid there's a centre at x point" (over 300m away from where I was sat unable to stand up.

I did retort if I was well enough to stand up I wouldn't need to walk to first aid.

I reported to park management team wandering around but he said he can't do anything. To which I said - well he could report it but I'll be emailing because both situations were unacceptable and I know it's not the norm as I visit a lot and use that ride a lot.

I guess not really AIBU because I'm not - but I guess am I being unreasonable to think that's bad training re sending people almost passed out alone to walk to first aid?

Oh gosh understandable that you’d want to wait, I hope you continue to recover from your surgery and I hope you manage to raise some awareness to Chessington about what happened! 💕

Please could I ask you @PicketRingFenced what the correlation is between someone being overweight and therefore not being sympathetic towards a customer is? I don’t fully understand your comment.

I've sent an email.

I've just said my experience fell well below what I've come to expect from my previous experiences.

I praised all they've done and explained I visited between lockdowns as was impressed with their measures. It wasn't all a moan!

I just asked that they make sure staff are aware of safety, being aware of riders trying to attract attention of staff, ensure staff realise that force cause cause bruises to chests and inform riders if they need to push barrier in more - and earn them if they need to use excessive force.

I also asked that they make sure staff understand someone experiencing dizziness for whatever reason should not be advised to get up and move and shouldn't keep asking someone to do this when they say they not able to. I highlighted that if I wasn't able to a) speak well for myself or b) assess the risks myself I could have fallen down stairs and the next person may well do so and they'd likely to to shut the ride in that situation and could find themselves them having H and S investigations.

I also pointed out that I'm not planning to return in the near future after that so hopefully they'll realise I genuinely want them to make sure people are safe I'm not seeking free tickets or anything and they try and palm me off rather than deal with it.

That all sounds horrible, it must have been really scary. Definitely email a complaint, what if you were having a heart attack! They should have attended to you and not ignored you. I once as a kid got on my first roller coaster and once they put the barrier down over my head, changed my mind and went into a meltdown asking to get off, they just laughed and sent if off! It traumatised me for years.

Good. OP, for the email. I can't believe most of these nasty posts. People just don't 'get it'.

I haven't been to Chessing or Lego for ages, but I still go to TP. Ds2 still has an annual pass, and ds1 did for years, before that. I've noticed how they are much more casual and these days than they ever used to be, a few years ago.

@itsgettingweird hopefully you will get more then the 40 vouchers I got when my incident happened at Chessington.

I had been thinking of cancelling annual pass definitely will now

I think you’ve had an unnecessarily hard time here. Of course you should complain. I’ve never experienced this but you say you haven’t either so there has to be something wrong. Whether that’s the safety harness
or the operator. Theme parks generally need to
invest more in staff. It is a responsible job and not necessarily a good thing to have your rides primarily staffed by temporary teenagers. It was an eye opener when we went to a park overseas and the ride attendant was thorough but so much more efficient, the queues also went down a lot quicker than ours

Could you not of said something straightaway and I’m sure if it had been too loose you would be on her complaining how you nearly slipped out of a ride and were terrified. I’m sure the ride operator doesn’t have the time when queues are massively long to ask each person if they feel comfortable. 🙄

Oh dear - I am afraid you don’t understand physiology at all, do you?

But do carry on courting sympathy from MN. It would appear you have managed to convince some with your ‘can’t breathe but able to laugh and talk’ nonsense.

Read the thread.

Me and da both tried.

Then I spoke to park a management team afterwards who said I need to speak to customer services as he can't do anything.

So I have.

I haven't complained. But I have pointed out I was bruised unnecessarily and if I'd actually been unwell with something serious rather than a little dizzy for a while the consequences could have been worse.

Not for me - I was fine! But for the park.

I don't want vouchers (or monetary compensation.)

I have no intention of returning any time soon

Oh dear - I am afraid you don’t understand physiology at all, do you?

I'm afraid your wrong.
I understand positional asphyxia wry well.

That's why you are taught (if you do a job that requires it) that if you are restraining someone physically and they are saying they can't breathe properly then you MUST believe them.

Just because someone can talk does not mean they can breathe effectively.

@itsgettingweird neither did I - I wanted an acknowledgement that placing a post it note to say do not use in an area for 4 years old and then a bucket over the top wasnt sufficient and to look into it but it was shut down.

By that point DD had recovered from her concussion and was excited about the vouchers to spend but I have been wary ever since of the safety measures

Fair enough. I can understand why.

Up until yesterday I always thought they were really well run considering the majority of staff are young and generally seasonal.

It's probably testament (in an ironic way!) to the park that this was such a surprise to me!

I dont think people can understand what it is like if they haven't experienced. I go to theme parks around 3-4 time a month. I have been put in harnesses that are closed tightly many times.
This was something completely different on Vampire. It was the speed and shock in which it happened.
The ride operator almost ran down the side of us slamming all of us down with no warning. He had got past me before I even registered what had happened.
I feel I may have to complain about this now as well so the message gets across!!

There is a world of difference between someone being able to gasp a ‘can’t breathe’ and being able to laugh and say a complete sentence about being squashed down a cup size or two.

When a person is experiencing positional or postural asphyxia, they absolutely do not have the ability to speak normally. That is a fact.

There was nothing wrong with you. You didn't pass out. You had a bit of a sit down.

You know part of being a parent is sucking up a bit of a bruise and not attention seeking and panicking others? Involving the staff was even more silly.

@Eunorition what a strange thing to say given all the updates.
Are you generally prone to minimising the negative experiences of others?

I worked there once loading the rides. I was a temp member of staff provided by an agency. Never worked at a theme park before. I got about ten minutes training on how to load the riders, signal I’d done it and how to run and push the override switch if it stopped. Maybe things have improved but I’m surprised you haven’t had more bad experiences.

God people are really laying into the OP!!! I don’t think yabu and I would definitely send the email

This needs to be reported!!

It’s so strange isn’t it? I have been on mn for nearly 20 years and have never posted on aibu before.
but I just couldn’t believe all the posters, minimising, accusing and trying to make the op feel stupid.
Absolutely shocking and disappointing.

It’s really weird. And there’s a lot of posters who are absolutely determined and certain that there was “nothing wrong” and the op was “absolutely fine” despite her actually experiencing it. Plus a bit of subtle fat shaming too. Nasty arseholes on here, and they walk among us.

Yes I agree - the Orlando Icon PArk accident at the start of the year was due to a lack of training.

This was exactly it except she went past me and then took a step back and just rammed it down.

I still can't work out why as it was deemed ok when she checked the seat belt was done up a few seconds before