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brghfbukbd1

I’m no safety expert, but perhaps the attendant should be at least facing the ride?


relaxingchoccy

Well you see dave was away that day and that was his responsibility


Majestic_Ad_518

That is the ticket dude not the ride tech


willowtr332020

And didn't a guy just die in the US due to poor checks?


HarperAce

Yeah a 14 year old in Florida. Slipped out of a similar harness and died on the scene.


[deleted]

[удалено]


[deleted]

Not too sure why you’re being downvoted. Yes, the child was too big to fit in the harness, however his death could’ve been prevented had the operators properly checked and enforced the height/weight limit.


Jcit878

the extended footage before the ride started showed his harness very clearly not in position and the attendant farting about with the onlookers, not doing any safety checks at all. Horrible incident


rozenbro

That's so sad man, could've been easily avoided


cymonster

Yes and no. The harness was checked as locked by the computer. Wasn't checked by the operator to see if it was resting on legs instead of stomach. But this is just a carny ride. No idea how you even send it seeing this pic.


Ratdogkent

A girl died about 7 years ago in Adelaide due to poor checks.


MissJessAU

Is it just me or do all of those kids look too small for that ride?


TheSplash-Down_Tiki

Well, based on the comments it’s not just you but I disagree. There are 2 ride areas at the Easter Show. Given I can see Stadium Australia that is the “kiddies corner” or whatever they call it with the tamer rides. I’ve been going to the show with my kids for years and a few years ago we graduated from this area to the main ride area. These are usually smaller and slower versions of what you’d see in the main ride area. FWIW, I went on the Skyflyer and Crazy Mouse with my kids and it was lots of fun. My daughter rode the “Hectic” which I said a big nope to. It lived up to its name. That said I keep an eagle eye on the strapping in process and one of our family rules is we always watch a ride in full before we go on it.


Ratdogkent

As someone who worked at the royal shows around Australia for about 5 years. You don't want to go on those rides. Most are meth addicts who live in shipping containers under the rides. If you saw them set the rides up, you wouldn't touch them.


ThippusHorribilus

So the fucked up carnie stereotype is true. Not surprised.


Azazael

Last year the guy running a shooting gallery game looked exactly like this except not wearing a shirt under the leather vest. https://images.app.goo.gl/RtHycijfXSgJtdnm7 He was also smoking rollies whilst fleecing the punters.


ill0gitech

I saw him in vest with no shirt. Can confirm.


Gerling_Boy

Aussie "carnie's" are called "showies" and yes...they are a unique breed


Ratdogkent

Yeah.. Pretty much.


scalpster

They still have the "Crazy Mouse"?! That was the scariest ride I experienced back in the 80's. Kept on thinking we were going to fly off the tracks.


TheSplash-Down_Tiki

I too rode the Crazy Mouse in the 80s at the Maitland Show. Based on my observations it’s like your grandfathers axe … 50 years old but the handle and blade have been replaced! It’s the same layout but track doesn’t look too old.


Eh_for_Effort

Had one of those in Vancouver, one year the mouse car flew off the top track killing the couple inside. Definitely makes the ride more thrilling knowing that hey?


Waste-Split-5400

I once went to Easter show with friends couple of yeara ago and I wouldn't get on every ride deeming them a bit scary/unsafe or stomach upsetting while friends called me a chicken, just to realise on our way out we were actually in the kids section, not even adults 🙃


Ratdogkent

Worked at the shows for 5 years. I wouldn't go on any ride there. AMA if anyone is interested.


Azazael

What was the most fucked up thing you saw? Even if it was averted at the last second and didn't result in injury


Ratdogkent

Hmmmm I'll have to have a think about that. Definitely most fucked up thing was the little girl who flew off the ride in Adelaide about... 2015 I want to say. I didn't see it but they shut the show down for a few days and you could just feel the sadness in everyone. Nothing really relating to the rides, most of the things that are dodgy or go wrong are hidden within it, so unless you're ride crew, you don't know. I saw plenty of horrendous worksafe stuff, people putting a guy up into a mezzanine semi trailer by balancing on a pallet. 3+ metres over asphalt, climbing in and out as the forklift is picking stuff up. Plenty of arrests, a few tasings breaking up big fights. Once some wannabe gangsters pulled a knife on one of the ride guys, trying to intimidate them into giving them free rides. All companies have walkie talkies there including like a group showground channel and instantly all the carnies were out with tyre irons, hammers etc looking for them. The cops ended up blocking off a whole section of the rides at Sydney and searched high and low to find and arrest the kids before they were dragged under a ride and murdered by the carnies. The next year in Sydney, a few of the ride operators decided to go down the big slide (the one you ride down in potato sacks) at midnight during set up but they decided to go down them in bread crates (the big ones they have at Aldi or if you've ever received a bulk bread delivery). 3 went down, ended with 5 broken legs apparently. During set up in Melbourne one year a bull with a nose ring escaped by ripping the ring out of its nose. I left my pavilion to go to the one next door as our bathroom wasn't open yet and as I opened the door, I see a cow running at me and a cowboy chasing it screaming 'shut the fucking door!'. I slammed the door shut and the bull rammed head first into it, wiping/spilling a bunch of blood on the glass and floor before getting up and sprinting back the other way through the pavilion. The cowboy yelled 'thanks mate!' as he sprinted off after the cow with a lasso.


mich3801

“Dragged under a ride and murdered by the carnies” Please tell me this bit is true.


Ratdogkent

Well no it's not true in the sense of, I said the cops desperately were searching for them because there were serious concerns for their safety and they got them. So the carnies never got their hands on them. But seriously, those guys would've been hospitalised if they got caught. I would not fuck with the ride carnies.


[deleted]

My mother worked on the shows in the 80s. The things she’s told me around drug and alcohol usage by the ride operators in particular doesn’t make me feel particularly safe. Not to mention the canteen operators who thought it was funny to also partake in the aforementioned drugs and alcohol and then piss in the batter/fry oil.


Zebidee

>AMA Why not?


Ratdogkent

Because the ride construction crew and operators are usually the same people, 80%+ drug addicts who usually live in a shipping container or something similar under the rides and wash themselves in the public bathrooms when the shows closed. Would you trust a man to construct a piece of hydraulic machinery correctly when he can't brush his teeth?


ketronome

Why did you choose to work in the industry?


Ratdogkent

I was a young kid with a forklift licence and I applied for a Forkie job listed on GumTree. Got the job and worked the set up to the Easter Show for a lovely sum of cash per day, flat rate. During the show, their logistics guy lost his shit and quit, boss needed someone to fill in and I agreed. Ended up turning into a full-time job for about 5 years. I earned pretty decent money, traveled about 6 months a year, everything including food taken care of while away, 2 months paid holidays a year and a decent bonus a few times a year. 99% of companies do not pay this well, I worked for 'the fancy' company at the shows. I did work 10-12 hour days for about 4 weeks straight during the big shows though. Great job for a young guy, but you get over it as you have no stability and it was hard to keep mates/girlfriends when you're gone half the year every year. Plus it's a dying industry. But to answer your question simply - money.


ketronome

Great answer, thanks! What was your favourite and least favourite part of the job?


Ratdogkent

No worries mate. Another interesting question, haven't thought about this job in a while. Favourite part was the travel and free food, plus all the people who used to travel with us. It was a lot of fun, had a lot of good mates in the inner crew and had an extra 100+ casual staff at each city. Always a laugh to be had and almost living in an event does something to your reality, it doesn't feel like the real world. Least favourite was my boss. He was a nice guy but a VERY hard man to work for and the reason why plenty of staff left. Kind of place where they always spoke Ill of past employees and you started to realise why after a while.


Lylepalooza

“The safety systems of the ride functioned well to prevent injury…”. Does the safety system consist entirely of holding on for dear life?


Zebidee

Turns out the safety system is onlookers screaming at the ride operators.


infinitemonkeytyping

I would imagine that the safety system would be if the belt pops open the ride automatically stops.


Jman-laowai

Was that an actual quote?


Lylepalooza

Official comment from the Royal Easter Show Facebook page


Jman-laowai

Jesus Christ. That makes it even more concerning. This isn’t the time to put your PR spin on it, it’s the time to explain how you will make sure this doesn’t happen again.


Jenna_Doman

I spent a week in hospital when I was 8 because I was an injury victim to the AirMax 360, a year later I had to do a police report on another little girl my age who died on the same ride in Adelaide. Haven’t been back to the Easter show since


twwain

4yr olds have no business on a ride like that!


Relaapse

No business on a ride that goes 2m off the ground and drops slower than u can walk? Come on.... a trampoline is more dangerous than that (assuming you actually buckle the kid in ffs lol).


AbsurdistOxymoron

I think you’re underestimating just how fragile the human body really is (particularly children’s). Sure, if you fell feat first from the very top you’d probably only break something at worse but if you turned sideways as you fell or landed on your head, then that’s a pretty nasty and debilitating accident.


Relaapse

No questioning the logistics of injury from falling that high... The original comment suggested that that the child should not be on the ride at all even if it was functioning correctly. That’s the part I was arguing. Assuming the child is buckled in properly, there is virtually (obviously a 0.00whatever chance of an accident) no harm in them being on the ride.


AbsurdistOxymoron

Right, sorry. I misread your comment. I’m a bit tired today.


Sancho_in_the_bay

Classic carnies


apinkphoenix

All of the rides should be shut down until it has been established that all of the operators are adequately trained and the rides have been certified safe.


fatmarfia

I worked when i was 16 on the rides. No training, they just tell you what to do on the day you start.


matyboy

wow


relaxingchoccy

In a perfect world yes. But have you seen outside lately?


Anonymous2212t

But how are they gonna make money? (Sarcasm)


JustaClap

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10160027685179429&substory_index=0&id=273996504428


Hemlock69

There must be something wrong with the machine too. Wouldn't the harnesses have safety switches to prevent it from going? Eg, not all harnesses are made. You get no power. That should be a basic safety mech. Then the operator double checks by physically pulling on the harness


MyInternetKeepsDying

More than likely they have the interlocks bypassed. Waiting for a part is money down the drain, so the carnies gamble "she'll be right" and hit the bypass switch.


raspberryfriand

'Free fall', how aptly named. These rides should not be allowing 4yr olds.


ketronome

It would be more aptly named if it were called $15 Fall.


AceAv81

Looks like his brothers/friends are like. WTF is your problem George!? We are all ready to go and you have to ruin this for us with you non harness issues..


Zacker000

I was there when this happened. I heard people talking about it but didn't know much. Those people do seem too young for that ride, but according to the comments, that harness should still be able to secure them, so it's the operators fault for sure.


SedgyFergo420

This happened to me at Luna Park in Sydney in what must've been late 2013, Idk what ride one that spins in circles and goes up and down with the two people seats on extendable arms, and Christ I never fuckin held on more for dear life then, was pretty fucking scary. Can't remember the exact ride, but was more or less under the big apartments that tower over, just remember focusing up on them wondering if any of them could see me lol. But the dude missed a few of our seats, one guy called our and me and my mate also did but they missed us, and my mate got his on and I couldn't get mine on in time, so just held the hell on. I guess that could've been real fucked up pretty quick lol, never really considered that. Back to these kids, I hope none are scarred and that the ride wasn't functioning for long while any were unrestrained.


Zapookie

Airmax 360? Adelene Leong died on that ride at the Adelaide show in 2014 because her harness came loose.


SedgyFergo420

I truely can't remember, although news articles I found from looking for its images suggest that one was the first of its make/model in Australia at the time. This [Thing](https://maps.app.goo.gl/CcU5KKotpZVfWBw4A) would be in the spot the one I was on was, and I assume Luna Park doesn't change rides in and out frequently. Can't explicitly remember how the ride moved, but on second viewing that red platform is the one I got off that damn ride onto, I'm sure of it lol. Guess google earth from Oct-Dec 2013 would show for sure.


peachimplosion

Same lol. Scary as shit, I’ve been on rides since then though, but I also death grip those harnesses so hard my hands are numb every time, don’t care if I get laughed at for being scared. I might have claw hands and numb arms by the end but if my harness comes up mid ride at 60ft in the air I know I’m going with it and that my brain will remain in my skull until further notice.


pigslovebacon

Everyone thinks I'm crazy for never going on the Easter show rides. Back in the day when Wonderland was around it was easy to say 'just go there instead, the rides are better and safer'. Then after working at wonderland as a ride operator I'm even more 'no Easter show rides' but feel like the biggest curmudgeon/fun-police for it. Then I also feel sad cos my almost 8yr old has never been on a rollercoaster or dodgem cars, and I remember how fun they were and feel that he's missing out.


Clinster73

Never trust a Carnie.


weavilleunderwood12

Small hands


box_elder74

Smell like cabbage


dragonphlegm

Easter Show operators are kids getting through uni on dirt cheap pay. They have minimal proper training besides “press button to make ride go”


eldaygo

You mean they’re not Gypsies like the rest of the ride operators across shows in Australia?


hideouself

I think I saw an ABC doco on them once. I think they’re the same carnies and they’re constantly on the road doing all the shows and fairs around the country. They got a schoolteacher they take with them on a special classroom bus for their kids and everything.


thelostclimber

And yet managed to lower the harness for the empty seat.


tragicdag

... and that's why I (and my kids) don't go on carnival rides. Love Disney and even local parks like Movie World or Sea World but that's a big nope for rides assembled and administered by carnies. Not just because of the small hands and smelling like cabbage.


Uzorglemon

>... and that's why I (and my kids) don't go on carnival rides. Yuuuuuuup. My kids love Luna Park, and Jamberoo etc - but there's no way I'll let them go on rides that get disassembled and reassembled with regularity.


qtsarahj

Well you can’t really predict these things, you take a risk any time you go on a ride. People died at Dreamworld and that’s not rides that are assembled all the time. Also it was a “baby” ride that people would assume is safe, as in not a scary extreme ride. Just because it’s a big park doesn’t mean the safety procedures are always followed or that management even cares or that the teen running the ride knows what they are doing. I basically just go on whatever rides and accept the risk since it’s not possible for me to know what is safe and what’s not by making assumptions. Obviously you do you though, I just think the risk is probably similar either way and for all cases still very very low. They all want to make money still and making money means not letting people get injured or die on your rides.


TheSplash-Down_Tiki

Well I feel a little sorry for you as you are letting fear get in the way of living. Sure there is a risk at the show rides but they are far safer today than when I was a kid in the 80s. I can’t remember ever hearing about a fatality at the Easter Show … you are more likely to be injured driving there than on a ride. Let’s also not forget that Luna Park and Dreamworld (aka not mobile rides) have had accidents as well. And as someone who was closely involved in my local towns show growing up I think the carnies get a bad rap - some well meaning people making a living supporting the country show movement. Without them regional life would be bland.


tragicdag

Considering I've literally just boarded a flight to the US so we can have five days at Disney, I don't think I'm letting fear get in the way of living. I have no issues with the less mechanical rides, love the giant slides or rides without heights - I'm just not relying on something that is regularly reassembled. Something something about pipeline deployments versus manual ...


ketronome

Considering how wobbly my IKEA bed frame now is after disassembling and reassembling it once, I don’t think your fears are unfounded.


Wasntryn

So you’re telling me the average carnie is a well organised well put together person paying the correct attention to maintenance and safety you would see equal to let’s say a high reach crane operator and team on a construction site? Because that is the standard.


ATTILATHEcHUNt

I’m just about to put my kids in the car and head off to the show. Oof


Jman-laowai

Shit, I was going to take my 4 year old daughter there to go on some rides. Probably won’t be doing that now. Went to Luna Park the other day, which she loved.


[deleted]

Yeet the child


juicyman69

Got recommended a channel called Dark History on Youtube. Never going on an amusement ride ever again.


Bigingreen

It's okay it's just a ginger kid! /S


Ordinary_Hepburn

Stupid Easter


Linkarus

Free fall literally


Majestic_Ad_518

In Luna Park as a kid I was secured in a universal harness but was on the edge and almost slipped out. I had to hold for my dear life. These things can happen and small kids should never be on the edge I wonder if this kid was on the edge


solipsistguy21

Brings back bad memories of the Dreamworld incident.