alnielsen

iTrader: (4)

Butlins bans bumping on the bumper cars

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/ear...mper-cars.html

When Sir Billy Butlin introduced bumper cars to Britain more than 80 years ago, it can be assumed he expected holiday makers to have fun on the fairground ride bumping into each other. But what Sir Billy did not foresee was the modern culture of health and safety that has not only introduced seat belts and insisted everyone drives in the same direction, but banned bumping.

Staff at all three Butlin resorts in Bognor Regis, Minehead and Skegness are instructed to ban anyone found guilty of bumping into each other in the electric cars equipped with huge bumpers. Bemused customers who assume that the ‘no bumping sign’ is in jest are told to drive around slowly in circles rather than crash into anyone else for fear of an injury that could result in the resort being sued.

Telegraph columnist Michaal Deacon, who has just returned from a holiday at the Bognor Regis resort, said the experience was like “trundling round an exitless roundabout”. “I’m not convinced that the dangers were great, given that the bumper cars were equipped with bumpers,” he said. “Seat belts, too. There were no airbags for the drivers, but it can be only a matter of time.”

Butlins confirmed that people are not allowed to bump the bumper cars for “health and safety reasons”. In fact the resorts insist on calling the experience Dodgems rather than bumper cars. Jeremy Pardey, resort director at Bognor Regis, said there have been injuries in the past including broken bones, due to people bumping into each other. He said the rules are “pretty vigilant” to avoid anyone being hurt, although customers are not asked to wear crash helmets. But he insisted people have “great fun” dodging one another by crossing the circle of traffic and over taking. “The point of our Dodgems is to dodge people, not to run into people,” he said.

Sir Billy Butlin was the first person to introduce the concept of driving electric cars, equipped with large bumpers, around a flat ride. He brought the UK franchise for Dodgem Cars, a brand of bumper cars manufactured in the US, and introduced them at his holiday camps in 1923.

The ride is now common on most fairgrounds and it is generally accepted that the point is to try and get around as fast as possible by dodging other people and even bumping off rivals.

Although many fairgrounds do have signs saying ‘no bumping’ for health and safety reasons or even for fear of litigation, few fairgrounds ban people for breaking the rules.

Anecdotal evidence suggest people have tried to get compensation for whiplash or other injuries sustained on the Dodgems, but there has not been a single successful case. In fact, more than one firm of solicitors uses the level of impact one would receive from a dodgem crash as an example of where a neck injury compensation claim would not succeed. It would also be difficult to prove some fault on the part of another dodgem driver.

David Cameron has pledged to tear up "mad health and safety rules" that have prevented firemen and police doing their jobs properly.

supergoat

Wow, that's just sad.

Footman

iTrader: (2)

world just gets stupider! is that even a word? ahaahaha

Galen Darkmoon

Wonder what he would think of these?

http://www.baraskit.se/random/archiv...mber_cars.html

dayshiryu

iTrader: (4)

it's hard to make idiot proof boxes, cause they just make bigger idiots

bse50

Here in italy we call them the equivalent of crash cars. The sole purpose is t-boning and doing frontal crashers with other users...

DocBeech

iTrader: (1)

Someone must hate children and live a pitiful sad life in a deep dark hole of dispare. Thats just plain retarded. Thats like banning pop corn at the movie theater because people like to throw it. Or to ban alcohol at a bar because people might drive home after drinking. Whatever idiot thought that up needs to be shot in the knee cap then rammed repeated with said bumper car. - End rant.

Manic Mechanic

Sadly it's a triumph for the healthnsafety numpties. Blanket rules to cover rare occurrences.
If you have an eedjut on the bumper cars, the guys running it can turn the power off and chuck him out - but no, that won't do letting someone use judgement where a rule would do.

How are you supposed to let children (...and adults for that) learn about risk and consequence if you don't let them experience any?

bse50

Yet they still sell cigarettes too, lol. That is something 100% sure to cause health issues.

Spin9k

^100 agree. The poor kids today aren't allowed trying/risking anything. I used to build pipe bombs in my backyard - for fun - I learned alot of reactive chemisrty that way FCOL! Plus I made big holes in the lawn lol!

I used to make rockets by hand, and mix rocket fuel based on Goddards recipies - I learned alot about rocket design that way - plus is was hella fun. Now you can't even buy a decent chemisty set! And premade store bought rocket engines are all that's avail. - sad.

Kids today would be jailed for things I thought were a boys playtime right 50 yrs ago - sad sad sad!

fuztupnz

iTrader: (4)

I wonder when walking and chewing gum will be banned. It has been known to cause accidents for certain individuals who lack the motor skills and intelligence to do tow things at once. I'd wager that there have been more injuries from this than bumper cars.

fuztupnz

iTrader: (4)

I was a kid only 20 years ago, and the **** we did would get child services called now a days.

Homemade fireworks, quater sticks of dynamite, home made go-karts, bicycles without helmets. skiing behind quads and snowmobiles, BB-gun wars (pre-paintball), and parachuting off of houses and out of trees just to name a few.

People bitch about kids playing video games too much, yet the health and safety nuts take away all of the fun and adventure that would pull them away from the TV.

Four 10 year old boys camping in the woods by themselves for a couple nights would never happen these days, and if it did, they would have to be in constant contact via cell phone. Our parents just assumed we were safe as long as the didn't hear sirens. They taught us right from wrong and trusted us. Thing of the past i guess.

nycgps

iTrader: (1)

this is pathetic. enough said.

CyberPitz

"Fear of being sued"

Put a sign up. 'By riding this ride, you agree to forfeit any accountability by this facility....'

I'm sure that wouldn't work, but you get the idea. I miss the days of somebody complaining and the answer was "Quitcher bitchin"