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Society
Is MGM Dizzee
World
Really a fun place to be?
by Deepa Ravi
 I
write this after spending an agonizing, sleepless night when my entire
right arm felt like it was on fire. My swollen feet hurt and the little
scratches on various parts of my body stung. All I did was to make a
trip to MGM Dizzee World, Chennai, with the intention of providing a
grand time for the children.
Here’s what happened. First we sit inside their ‘New Giant Wheel’ and
the guy casually tells us to lock up and instantly starts off the Giant
Wheel. A little startled at the command (I mean shouldn’t he be locking
us securely in before starting off?) - I leaned forward in the moving
giant wheel (trust me that is scary) and locked us all in. This
adventure over we moved to ‘Break Dance’. As we walked towards it, a
whole horde of about 50 kids ran all over the ride and booked spaces for
their friends etc. (How could they even allow such a free-for-all?). In
my past experience at amusement parks – a person always seats people –
according to weight balance. There was no one around to guide them and
ensure that they are securely locked inside.
Anyways I seated my niece, nephew and daughter into it and was just
locking them in when the bell for starting of the ride sounded. Totally
startled – as to how anyone could start the ride when I’m so prominently
standing in the way – I quickly dodged the cabins and reached the
corner. Much to my horror the ride started full speed and the ground
that I was standing on began rotating. In the meantime I was yelling for
the operator to stop at the top of my voice. My family and other
onlookers too were helplessly shouting for the guy to stop. I lost my
balance and decided lying down would be the best option. The next few
seconds were hazy but I know that I as I fell down flat I missed getting
my head smashed by one of the cabins – by just a whisker. I was dragged
along by the rotating surface and mercifully pushed to a corner where I
could hold on to the side railings and slid out. Only then was the ride
stopped.
My entire body was bruised. The skin had completely come off a portion
of the right hand. But what totally amazed me was the callous attitude
of the ride operator. Instead of checking on me or apologizing – he
turned around and screamed at me – saying all this was my fault. This
attitude was appalling. Angry and distraught we rushed to the management
and told them the incident. They offered first aid. You would expect
such a big resort to at least have a proper first aid room, a qualified
paramedic – if not a doctor. But nothing of the sort. They took me to a
shabby room and brought watery-looking fluid that looked more like a
floor cleaner and a nervous looking man to clean my wound. I saved the
man the ordeal by allowing cursory clean up – after which they liberally
sprayed an antiseptic powder on it. Disgusted, we demanded refund of our
entire fee – since this was just the second ride that we had sat on. The
management refused. Instead they said that they would send us an escort
who will safely take us in all the rides. We were shocked that they
could even suggest this! Finally they summoned the ride operator (who
incidentally was claiming that I was perhaps standing there and taking
pictures!) That’s as far from truth as can be. But even that being so
isn’t it his duty to do a round of the ride – see if all were seated
safely, check that no one was standing around and then start the ride?
Anyway the ride operator came looking extremely guilty, his early
haughty demeanor had all but vanished. He knew that he had made a bad
mistake. The management made a pretence of questioning him in front of
us. But it was clear that all they were concerned about was the money.
The neglect of safety rules did not seem to bother them at all. Finally
– after we threatened more serious action – they decide to cut the
ticket amount from the ride operators’ pay and give it to us. It was a
happy ending for the MGM Dizzee World team – as they did not lose any
money.
We are not going to visit MGM Dizzee World again. Never. But, if you
visit today I can assure you the same lax attitude will prevail. I will
be gratified – if I can use my suffering as an example and help enhance
their customer safely levels. Is there no authority that can check on
these lax security measures? Shouldn’t there always be a full-fledged
medical emergency service at such places? Today I’m in pain – yet happy
to be alive. My aim is to prevent any more such accidents in the future.
Will the concerned authorities please raise their voice and do the
needful?
(This incident took place on
Saturday, 14th October 2006)
November 5, 2006
Top |
Society
The Week of November 5, 2006
The Knives are out? - Natware-Sonia Spat May Just
be the Start by Rajinder Puri
Policies, Poverty, Parasites and pandemics by
Gaurang Bhatt, MD
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: India's Iron Man
by Dr. Subhash Kapila
Reliving Legacy of the Cholas by Col. Rahul K.
Bhonsle
Nation Building, IITians and Happiness by
Dr. Anil K. Rajvanshi
Moustache of Mahatma by J. Ajithkumar
Gandhi, Gandhigiri and Gyan-Doo by Julia
Dutta
The Day Mohandas Could Not Talk by CR
Gopalakrishna
'No' to the days of Catherine De' Medici and
Borgia by V. Sundaram
An Exploration of the Ultimate Reality by
TA Ramesh
The Quiet Transformers by Attreyee Roy
Chowdhury
Global Problems: India and the World by
Rajesh Talwar
Out of Control and Pseudo-mature Teens by
Gary Direnfeld
Integration of the Blind in the era of
Globalization by Arun Arjun Kurkute
Land of Sixty Lakes Obscured by Landslides!
by VK Joshi
In the Line of Fire by Kalpana Pradhan
Cocktail Hunting by Naiya Sivaraj
A Stroll through the Old City by Yamini
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Keep Distance...I'm prepairing for IAS by Ravi
Pipal
Gatherings by Michael Levy
Sorry Sir! by Ashwini Ahuja
Attempt to Murder by Wangdi Gyalpo
Flatulence of English by G. Swaminathan
Ten Decorating Hurdles by Rekha I Nambiar
Beauty as the Beast by Gagandeep Kaur
Reinterpreting Ramayana by Deepti Priya
Mehrotra
The Veil Goes High Fashion by Shuriah Niazi
New Bricks in the Wall by Rong Jiaojiao
What Makes Children Happy? by Barbara Lewis
Surveying the Family by Kajal Basu
Is MGM Dizzee World really a fun place to be?
by Deepa Ravi
Village Planning: Making a Difference for
Communities in Madhya Pradesh by Anil Gulati
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