Safety rules

[u/g3-chan]

I know this isn’t a common experience for retail, but I don’t know where else to post this.
For context, I work at a carousel in a mall. I’m the shift manager. The carousel I work at goes a bit faster than people expect. It runs at a fast jogging pace.
People either cannot understand that there’s safety rules or are so entitled they think they don’t apply to them. Here are our rules:
Max weight for the horses is 200 pounds, max weight to be on the carousel at all is 600 pounds.
No jumping off the ride while it’s spinning ( or jumping on)
Minors must wear seatbelts
No switching horses while it’s spinning ( but you can switch to the bench)
Children under 42” tall must be accompanied by a non paying adult; who must stand next to the horse.
Only 1 person per horse
No standing on the edge of the platform
No sticking your fingers in the moving bits
No sidesaddle riding, or backwards riding.
No excessive leaning while riding.( you can’t be almost falling off the horse)
You must stay seated if you’re on a horse or bench while the ride is spinning, except if you’re an adult holding a child on a horse.
You can be on the carousel or outside the fence, no people inside the fence while the ride is running.
No strollers on the ride, or inside the fence. Walkers are okay, wheelchairs need to have the wheels locked.
You cannot open the gates while the ride is running, or hop the fence.
No throwing things.
If you want the ride to stop early, you need to communicate ( with your words) that you would like it to stop, directly with the operator, not your wife or another random person.

Some of these things are so obvious they’re not on the signs, ie, don’t jump off the ride while it’s running. However the non obvious ones are on a sign you’d see while you’re waiting to get on. We tell the parents the 42” rule when it’s applicable.

In recent memory I’ve had:
6 people jump off the ride while it’s running
At least 10 people put a child under 42” on the ride and leave, then argue when I tell them an adult needs to go with them ( I told them when they paid and when they got on)
Countless people not buckle their kids
Countless people either put multiple kids on the same horse or, more commonly, get on the same horse as a kid under 42”. Then argue “ how am I supposed to hold them “ or get on a horse while holding their kid. For some reason so many people think when I say one person per horse they have to go on the bench. Just fucking listen to what I’m telling you, or look at what everyone else is doing.
At least 20 people try to switch horses while the ride is running, sometimes multiple times. It’s especially infuriating when they ask if they can switch, I say no, and they try to anyway. Then they’re upset when I stop the ride early.
5 people throw phones or other items
Countless kids leaning so far they either fall off the horse and the seatbelt catches them, or almost fall off. It’s infuriating when I say “ we gotta sit straight up, I don’t want you to fall “ and the kids parent says “ no it’s okay they’re having fun, ThEY HavE a SeaTBelT” then freak out when the kid falls and is hanging by the seatbelt.
10 people opening the gate while the ride is spinning. Either because they just can’t wait for the next ride ( the next ride starts after the current ride ends, there’s no wait unless I need to use the bathroom or I go on my 10 minute break) because they “ already paid, why do I need to wait “ or “ my kids are on there” ( their mom was on there with them)
Several people trying to bring their strollers on the ride. Not even small strollers mind you, massive ones that won’t even fit through the gate.
5 people arguing that they “need to be inside the gate, so I can watch my kids/take pictures “ the gate is 2 feet away from the carousel, what’s the difference.
At least 15 people who are over 200 pounds getting on horses, after I told them before they paid, after they paid, and when they got on that they need to sit on the bench. We don’t have a scale but if I see someone is over I’ll say before they pay “ the ride has a weight limit of 200 pounds per horse, most adults are over that. For your safety and the safety of everyone riding you will need to sit on one of the benches or stand next to your children “
People get so offended by this one, and they’re always the ones to tell me they’re over 200.
I had a group of women have a 45 minute meltdown over our weight limit 2 months ago.
I’ve also had about 10 people get upset I didn’t stop the ride because their kid didn’t like it/they didn’t like it. If I see someone isn’t having a good time I ask “ would you like me to stop it early “ while most people communicate and say yes I’ve had a few people that just stare at me when I ask, then argue once they get off after the full ride.
The crazy part, you get a refund if I stop it early ( so long as it’s not 30 seconds before the ride would stop anyway) but you don’t if it runs the full cycle.
I had one kid try to put his hand in the gap between the top part of the carousel that spins and the base, his parents freaked out on me when I hit the E stop. ( it’s got a guard on it but if you’re determined enough you could still hurt yourself)
The entire time I’ve worked at this carousel the worst injury I’ve seen is a scraped knee, thank god.
People are stupid and entitled and think the rules don’t apply to them. Because it’s a children’s ride especially people think I’ll be extra lenient when the opposite is true.
I’m not a rules nazi but if it’s a situation where someone can get hurt I don’t play around, especially when it’s a small child involved. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if a baby or a toddler got hurt.
Why, why do people not understand, this is a ride. You can get hurt if you don’t follow the safety rules.
Yes, it’s a carousel, if you’re an adult or an older kid it’s not dangerous. But if you’re under 3 it can be. Hell, even if you’re grown if you’re stupid enough you could get hurt.

TLDR, people don’t follow safety rules because “ iT’s a CaROusEl” and it’s in a mall so somehow it isn’t dangerous at all to just do whatever the hell you want. It’s not like babies and toddlers are fragile or anything.

[u/hal_burt88]

I swear there’s been a major shift post pandemic where people forgot how to be people and follow rules after just two years of lockdown. People really act crazy in my store as if it’s their first day on earth.