British Theme Park Attempts To Ban B.O.
You know how when you go to an amusement park and ride roller coasters, you raise your arms in the air and scream like a bloody fool? Well, a theme park in Britain wants to ban that. Not the roller coasters or the screaming, just the raising of arms.
Yes, Thorpe Park in Surrey is trying to curtail the body odor of its roller coaster patrons by requiring that they keep their arms down when the temperature is 25° C (77°) or higher. The park has posted signs reading "Say No to BO" near the queues for the coasters but hasn't formally stated how strictly the policy will be policed or whether customers will be ranked on point system based on how bad they smell.
Divisional Director Mike Valis did have this to say, however: "It's been a bit of a rollercoaster summer in regards to the weather but we have found that when the temperature gauge tops 25°C the level of unpleasant smells can become unacceptable and we do receive complaints....We felt a ban in temperatures of more than 25°C would be the best way of ensuring our guests have the most enjoyable experience and aren't exposed to any unsavoury armpits."
The policy is in effect as of today.
Thorpe Park Gets Strict on bad body odour [Surrey Herald via Transracial]
(Photo: Paul & Aline)
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Comments:
what a waste of time
Wouldn't it be less offensive to some, to have lysol or air freshener built into the cars and small dispensers that shoot out freshness after it gets in the station and the guests get out? It could be like this... Car pulls into loading platform, guests get out, it freshness the car, guests get in, ride, guests out, car gets sprayed, new guests, and the cycle repeats all day...
give out free antiperspirant/deodorant. isn't the fun in roller coasters getting to fly around without having to hold on? that is all.
I find people who go to theme parks and complain about other people minding their own business offensive.
stupid, stupid, stupid.
Is it just me or is this not really a problem here in America? At least not on the ride, maybe walking around.
That's true, and normally if someone has BO, I"ll just move away. But it doesn't seem like you can just move away when you're strapped in a ride together.
It reminds me of when I was in high school and worked in a local branch library. There was this obviously homeless guy (nice guy, always minded his own business) who'd come in and spend hours reading at one of the tables. The only problem is that he smelled so bad that I literally gagged every time I walked by him. I couldn't shelve books anywhere near him or I'd get physically ill from the smell. And we got many, many complaints about him. But we couldn't kick him out because it was a public library.
So, how to balance the needs of the everyone in this situation? I don't think it's a question of "minding my own business", since smells can and do make people sick.
They should install showers instead. People with BO smell regardless of the position of their arms.
@JerseyCelebrity: Most American theme parks go to lengths to provide ways for patrons to keep cool - bubblers, misting areas, shade, shorter queues. Plus, in general, there's the better hygiene.
I guess Britans don't wear anti-perspective? I'd say "yet another reason America is better", but we don't have universal healthcare so that pretty much negates any positives.
How ineffective is their underarm deodorant?
I've known enough Englishmen to have some statistical backup for my feeling they're more likely than Americans to have BO. And in a crowd - like at an amusement park - statistics really take hold.
From the headline I thought they were going to ban the president.
I wasn't aware that BO was such a massive problem in England. Okay, now I'm aware, and will take steps to avoid British theme parks (not to be confused with British-themed parks, which I could enjoy).
Having worked at Six Flags for three seasons many, many years ago I know that people smell regardless of what the thermometer reads. It usually/really wasn't that bad. Patrons just got rather ripe as the day wore on. I would say that the biggest problem is that people go on the wet rides and then reek of the fetid water for the rest of their stay. If anything, waving your arms around on a ride would air out those stinky pits a bit.
People probably have BO because they're annoyed at having to show ID when buying deodorant.
No wait that was for pizza cutters...
@JediJohn82: What does that even mean?!?!?! I think anti-"perspective" is probably what is wrong with most Americans. Also.
@JediJohn82: Anti-perspective? Well, given that they can't figure out a better way to solve this problem, I'd say they use a lot of anti-perspective.
I feel like I'm the only person who doesn't think this is a bad thing.
I had to sit on a plane for 7 hours going from Philadelphia, USA to Frankfurt, Germany next to a man who smelled like he hadn't showered in a week and spent five hours at the gym before getting on the plane. I couldn't move seats in the plane because it was full, and it was nauseatingly bad. This guy was an American, too.
Now, I know theme parks are different than a plane, but if you're stuck in a ride with a person who smells so ad that the scent makes you want to hurl... and you're on a fast moving ride, you may be more likely to upchuck. I don't have scientific facts to back that up, but requesting guests employ good hygiene is not a bad thing.
Mind you, minor BO I can tolerate, but severe cases... oi vey.
@Preyfar: And that's when I turn to that person and say, "Sir, excuse me but you smell like sh*t!" In all likelihood, everyone around you will agree. People should be shamed into conforming. Of course, it's probably best to do that at the end of the flight. In the meantime, breathe through your mouth or hide in your shirt. Years of commuting taught me that.
It's not that the new rule and posted signs are bad, it's just that there's really no way to enforce it and it really isn't going to resolve the problem of people smelling like crap. At most, people might think twice about using anti-perspective before visiting a theme park.
Or maybe theme park attendance was down and they just needed some free publicity? Albeit weird... "Spend a day with us! We may or may not be stinky but we're trying!"
"Hey, folks! The moose outside should've told you to bathe before coming here!"
Thankfully most of 'em aren't so smelly just walking around or riding on public transport. On my most recent trip to the UK, I noticed that it was rare to really notice BO, even fairly close up.
They sell tons of bath and body products just like we do - some of the great ones are British brands (Crabtree & Evelyn, Body Shop, Yardley, Bronner's, etc.). What I really noticed was that far more people of all ages, both men and women, had colognes and perfumes going on - in a good way - than I notice at home.
Wouldn't it be mo@fjordtjie: This was what I was thinking, except maybe charge for the deodorant. I've seen tiny Dove deodorants for like a dollar and it's about 2in x 1.5in x 1in. The park can make a little money and the BO problem will most likely decline. The only problem I see would be that people would just use it once and throw it away.
It's just a silly-season story. I'm sure you have them in the US - non-news because not much else is happening.
The British don't sweat, they perspire.
And I'm assuming that this only applies to 50% of the park patrons, since the other half glows.
@JediJohn82: I totally hate it when British people approach from a distance because they're a single dot on the horizon... A single dot on the horizon... A single dot... Then BAM! they're right in front of your face!
Don't get me started on the Spaniards and their Cubist shimmy-shammy. Just don't.
@EllenRose: That's why most of the better-bred ones considerately douse themselves in ale before venturing in public.
@mamalicious: I don't think it would have been inappropriate to ask him if you could spray him down with Febreeze when it came in.
@btrthnnothing: Except maybe their culture allows for it to be ok to not wear deodorant unlike people across the pond
Four simple words- Scent Triggered Ejector Seats.
Impose this requirement on the Tube on a hot humid day and you'd have empty trains running.
@KTK1990: I agree.
It would get a bit annoying if your a big guy like me and for arguments sake I want to go on the rides. I've paid my money so I will go on the god damn rides.
If I shower in the morning before I leave and put some deodorant on after and clean clothes then I have done the best that I can.
@KTK1990: it's a nice idea until someone with chemical sensitivity has a respiratory reaction or a rash, complains and then they are right back at square one.
and yeah, i do know someone who is so sensitive that she'd have a problem with lysol or a perfumey thing being sprayed on the car a minute before she gets in it.
it only takes one person to sue....
@JerseyCelebrity: it was definitely a bit of a problem when i worked at walt disney world in orlando. there was a lot of effort to provide air conditioning and fans but i think maybe that in the UK, a/c isn't as common?
@BrandonSH: I think it is pretty clear that this is an attempt to keep the French from patronizing British amusement parks.
@catastrophegirl: I'm not allergic, I don't think, but I'm sensitive to smells. If I went into a place that had some kind of air freshener sprayed right before, I'd feel nauseous at best, and have trouble breathing at worst. Seriously, I'd rather the worst stench in a public bathroom than any of the air fresheners that are used to try and make them more pleasant. And I have to get off of elevators for some kinds of perfume. BO is nasty but at least it doesn't make me ill!
@catastrophegirl: It's not nearly as common. My brother and I spent a summer at my dad's apartment outside of London. That summer there was a dreadful heat wave that lasted for about 30 days. We went to the movies nearly every day just to try and cool off.
I definitely notice people have BO here, but it's hard for me to imagine anyone trying to enforce an anti-BO policy here. I can't think it would go over well - people think their rights extend to the actions of private individuals, and there would probably be some sort of lawsuit filed.
The closest I've ever seen is my neighbor's 4th grade teacher, who made all her students buy and wear deodorant. I've never seen anything like that before or since.
Then for people with allergies or people who hate the smell, they can ride on a different train. Have some trains with the system, and different ones marked withought the system. Possibly even a marker on the seat area indicating it is a scented seat.
@Karita: wow, how long did she get to keep her job?
i've worked at plenty of jobs where that was enforced though. but private employer is totally different than a public school
In Britain, we can't stand B.O.