These inflatable are DANGEROUS. Not conditionally dangerous, but dangerous period. Accidents like this one are common, as are incidents in which kids wipe themselves out falling off the damn things. I set up with a different professional carnival basically every week and NONE of them that I see own these things.
And while I am on the topic, or somewhat related anyway, allow me to clear up a misconception about carnival rides and workers. First the rides. They are safe. Far safer than anything you will find at an amusement park. Not only are they inspected by the city or state at every stop, but more important they are inspected by the workers who assemble them. These guys know what parts actually break, they know what to look for, what to tighten, and they really do care about your safety. Sometimes things go wrong, but believe it or not it happens more often at amusement parks, and when something does go wrong as often as not it was the customer doing something idiotic.
Second, give these guys and gals a little respect. They work brutally long hours under terrible conditions for bloody little money. For many it's not because they cannot get another job, but because they love the show. I have seen these guys, seventy hours into a stop, still taking the time to smile and joke with the little kids in the line. Yeah, the game operators want all your money and yes it's not fair, but you already knew that and that's why you are there.
And NO, the carnies are not going to hurt your kid. Just the opposite. They are guarding your kid. They are watching EVERYONE on the lot, they know who belongs and who is out of place, they saw that creeper watching the kiddies long before anyone else, and almost always they are able to take care of things before you or the police ever knew there was a problem. There are hundreds of carnivals running every weekend all across the country full of hundreds of thousands of people doing stupid and dangerous things, and these guys do an astonishingly good job guarding them and trying to give them an enjoyable experience.
I am not a carnie myself. I do not have that honor. I am not, as they say, 'With it,' but I am 'For it.' I am a showman, and I am proud to call many of these people my friends.
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