When rides go wrong!
The rush of adrenaline as your body is slung around in a carnival ride can be addictive! That thrilling moment when your heart skips a beat because it looks like you are going to run into a tree branch or other object or when you spin so fast that the g-force lifts your body up off the floor and pins you to the side!
As exciting as these moments are, nobody in their right mind really wants a ride to go wrong. This fear of “what if” stops many people from fully enjoying the carnival experience. If you want to ride but you are nervous, my advice is to sit back, know and follow the safety warnings, and enjoy the ride. Also, know that there is nothing wrong with starting small and working your way up to the bigger rides. And if you have any medical conditions, do take the warnings seriously.
This page is dedicated to telling stories of when things actually do go wrong.
Story #1: Oh no! The octopus has malfunctioned!
I was so excited when the guy I had a crush on agreed to go to the carnival with me 🙂 What more could I ask for than an evening of fun with my little girl and my best friend!
My daughter’s little face lit up on all but one of the kiddie rides. We played a game and got some cotton candy and lemonade. We watched a clown make things with balloons then took my tired daughter and her new pink balloon dog home for my mom to watch.
When we returned to the carnival kid-free, I realized that my friend wasn’t a fan of big fast rides. I assured him that things rarely go wrong. The odds were definitely in our favor. I did notice a few maintenance problems earlier in the week. But I thought all the important ones had been worked out.
We went on a couple of rides and things were OK, except by the time we got off of the tilt-a-whirl my guest was starting to regret drinking so much lemonade. Then we went on the octopus. I already rode it earlier that week with my niece and expected it to be a fairly smooth (but dizzy) ride.
That is when things started to go wrong. The ride was rough and jerky compared to what I experienced two nights before. Something wasn’t right, but I didn’t see any point in acting scared for my already-nervous friend. So I just held on and tried to enjoy the ride while it lasted.
The ride ended abruptly with us in one of the highest positions up in the air. After a long wait the workers were able to maneuver the arms one at a time into a position where we could safely jump down.
I always wondered what it would be like to be on a ride when it broke down. And now I know! Some might be scared to get back on after this type of experience. But for me, this memorable experience was confirmation that even when something goes wrong, carnivals have skilled workers available to help you get out.
Do you have a story to share?
Let me know in the comments below!
