While visiting Universal Studios last month, I got quite a kick out of the 'warning signs' for The Rocket roller coaster. If you can read the photo above, the sign says, "This attraction's seat restraints may not accommodate guests with certain body dimensions. Please use this test seat to insure your ability to safely ride."
Boy, if THAT'S not a nice way to say "If you're too fat to squeeze into this seat, you cannot ride this roller coaster," I don't know what is!
Intrigued by the 'test seat,' I hung out near the area to see if folks actually tried to see if they could fit in the seat. Trust me, the seat is not a large seat. One woman (pictured above) came rolling up in her scooter and engaged the Universal employee who was monitoring the test seat area. She spoke with him and proceeded to get out of her scooter and squeeze herself into the test seat. While she was able to get 'into' the seat, she could not fasten the harness. Try as she might, she could not get the seat belt to click. She dejectedly got back into her scooter and wheeled away.
She wasn't the most compelling guest that day. Many folks who approached the roller coaster were clearly larger than the test seat but did not try to 'test' their fit. In an animated conversation with one of the ride's employees, he shared with me that all employees are trained to delicately handle guests who are too large to fit into the seat. I guess it's proof that Universal Studios IS about 'guest relations.'
There are a lot of instances when large individuals cannot fit into assigned seats—-airlines, stadiums, theaters, and theme parks. I dare those venues to post signs like Universal did! With obesity still the #1 public health issue, maybe those signs would get some folks' attention!