Off Topic Trampoline parks: Super fun...or super dangerous?

[Deleted member D3987]

okay, now class, in my next post i want you to read slowly and carefully in the quiet confines of your own home. and no pressure from your kids to take you to one of these God forsaken places. the life you save may not only be your own, but that of your OWN children. now, read slowly and carefully...

 

[wallinbl]

Some of the benefits of trampoline activity include: low-impact cardiovascular training

Low impact? As someone with bad knees, I'll have to disagree with that. Getting more than 6 feet in height on a trampoline is a sure way for both of my knees to give out and send me crashing into the tarp.

As to the parks - they're incredibly crowded, often staffed by high school kids who have no idea what they're doing, and out of control. Go down and check it out. Maybe yours is different and is staffed by someone with a decent background (gymnastics, etc), or they are more willing to control the number of people rather than being thrilled that 3500 people paid for admission in one day.

Does your gym have a trampoline, tumble track, and/or pits? Do they have open gym? I'd bet open gym is less crowded, and supervised by people that know what should and should not be allowed.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

Sky High Sports Customer Release of Liability and Assumption of Risk
*** THIS IS A CONTRACT – READ BEFORE SIGNING ***
In consideration of being permitted by SKY HIGH SPORTS to participate in its activities and to use its equipment and facilities, now and in the
future, I hereby agree to release, indemnify and discharge SKY HIGH SPORTS, its agents, owners, shareholders, directors, partners, employees,
volunteers, manufacturers, participants, lessors, affiliates, its subsidiaries, related and affiliated entities, successors and assigns (the “RELEASED
PARTIES”), on behalf of myself, my spouse, my children, my parents, my heirs, assigns, personal representative and estate as follows:
1. I acknowledge that my participation in SKY HIGH SPORTS trampoline games entail known and unknown risks that could result in physical or
emotional injury, paralysis, death, or damage to myself, to property or to third parties. I understand that such risks simply cannot be eliminated
without jeopardizing the essential qualities of the activity.
The risks include, among other things: Trampoline entails certain risks that simply cannot be eliminated without jeopardizing the essential qualities
of the activity. Trampoline exposes its participants to the usual risk of cuts and bruises. Other more serious risks exist as well. Participants often fall
off equipment, sprain or break wrists and ankles, and can suffer more serious injuries as well. Traveling to and from trampoline location raises the
possibility of any manner of transportation accidents. Double bouncing, more than one person per trampoline, can create a rebound effect causing
serious injury. Flipping and running and bouncing off the walls is dangerous and can cause serious injury and must be done at the participants own
risk. Similar risks are also inherent in using the Foam Pit. In any event, if you or your child is injured, you or your child may require medical
assistance, at your own expense.
Furthermore, SKY HIGH SPORTS employees have difficult jobs to perform. They seek safety, but they are not infallible. They might be unaware of
a participant’s fitness or abilities. They may give incomplete warnings or instructions, and the equipment being used might become loose, out of
adjustment, or malfunction. There is also a risk that SKY HIGH SPORTS employees may be negligent in, among other things, monitoring and
supervising use of its equipment and facilities and in the maintenance and repair of its equipment and facilities.
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[Deleted member D3987]

and this:

http://m.clickorlando.com/news/cent...rk/-/16721250/21469070/-/12q5tot/-/index.html

 

[lhmom]

As to the parks - they're incredibly crowded, often staffed by high school kids who have no idea what they're doing, and out of control. Go down and check it out. Maybe yours is different and is staffed by someone with a decent background (gymnastics, etc), or they are more willing to control the number of people rather than being thrilled that 3500 people paid for admission in one day.

^^^^^
This was my biggest problem when we were there. It was way too many kids at one time in the space. You had teens running wild across trampolines with little kids on them. I pulled my kids off after seeing a 15 yr. old plow into an 8 yr old as he was jumping from trampoline to trampoline. The staff member who was closest to this incident did not say anything to the older kid even though he'd observed it. That's when we left. There are now rumors that this place may be closing because they have already had several lawsuits filed against them. I am not surprised.

 

[MaryA]

SO glad we don't have one of these in our area. I am already the meanest mom EVER for not letting my kids get a backyard trampoline...

 

[Deleted member D3987]

and PLEASE...stay the meanest mom EVER!

 

[MaryA]

and PLEASE...stay the meanest mom EVER!

I fully embrace my "mean mom" status...

 

[wallinbl]

Sky High Sports Customer Release of Liability and Assumption of Risk
*** THIS IS A CONTRACT – READ BEFORE SIGNING ***
In consideration of being permitted by SKY HIGH SPORTS to participate in its activities and to use its equipment and facilities, now and in the
future, I hereby agree to release, indemnify and discharge SKY HIGH SPORTS, its agents, owners, shareholders, directors, partners, employees,
volunteers, manufacturers, participants, lessors, affiliates, its subsidiaries, related and affiliated entities, successors and assigns (the “RELEASED
PARTIES”), on behalf of myself, my spouse, my children, my parents, my heirs, assigns, personal representative and estate as follows:

blah, blah, blah

You cannot disclaim negligence, and it doesn't matter whether you make someone sign something saying they swear it's not your fault. You have legal responsibilities to act in every responsible manner if you run one of these parks (or a competitive gym), and no contract will save you from improper equipment, lack of maintenance, lack of supervision, etc. You will lose those lawsuits if you failed to put forth sufficient effort to provide an environment at the expected level of safety. On the other hand, like skydiving, horseback riding, etc, it's an inherently risky activity, and a patron can't sue you (and win) because they sprained their ankle on properly installed/maintained and properly supervised trampoline.

Those documents are scare tactics.

 

[lhmom]

SO glad we don't have one of these in our area. I am already the meanest mom EVER for not letting my kids get a backyard trampoline...

LOL! We have heard that one plenty of times. DD has the misfortune of having a doctor for her father so the backyard trampoline will never be approved. Of course, her solution is to dig a pit in the backyard and have a trampoline at ground level. Needless to say, that idea has been vetoed as well.

 

[wallinbl]

LOL! We have heard that one plenty of times. DD has the misfortune of having a doctor for her father so the backyard trampoline will never be approved. Of course, her solution is to dig a pit in the backyard and have a trampoline at ground level. Needless to say, that idea has been vetoed as well.

Even if you don't have a doctor in the house to veto, a quick call to your homeowner's insurance company will likely result in the answer you need - you're not allowed to have one. Many will actually cancel your policy if they find out you had one.

 

[Deleted member 15064]

ugh.

we don't have indoor trampoline parks in this part of the country.
we do have giant bouncing "pillows" at local farm markets that we avoid.
we no longer go to the indoor blow up toy parks due to germs & outgrowing them.

but...

we did get a rectangular trampoline for the backyard a yr ago.

umm..

is anything about it redeemable? only one kid is allowed on it at a time. ever. it zips closed. only the gymnast in our family uses it at this point. she practices stuff she does at the tumble track @ the gym. she choreographs her own bouncing routines. any particular moves she shouldn't do ever? or is it all bad without a spotter?

crap...

 

[Bajanswife]

We don't have one where we live so when we were on vacation recently it looked like fun, we got a good deal, so we went. Well, good thing I have cautious and sensible children. They spent more time off the tramps waiting for a safe time to jump than they actually jumped! There was a tumble track that DD wanted to do some tumbling on, but this little kid kept running around nearby, crossing the track, and DD didn't feel safe back tumbling. The "kid" working that area wasn't doing a good job of regulating traffic. My kids kept moving around to tramps that had no-one else on them, but then other kids would come bouncing along and it was no longer safe. The rules are only 1 child per tramp, but the reality is that kids move around from one tramp to another and it was impossible to police.

I sure won't be doing that again.

 

[mouey77]

ugh.

we don't have indoor trampoline parks in this part of the country.
we do have giant bouncing "pillows" at local farm markets that we avoid.
we no longer go to the indoor blow up toy parks due to germs & outgrowing them.

but...

we did get a rectangular trampoline for the backyard a yr ago.

umm..

is anything about it redeemable? only one kid is allowed on it at a time. ever. it zips closed. only the gymnast in our family uses it at this point. she practices stuff she does at the tumble track @ the gym. she choreographs her own bouncing routines. any particular moves she shouldn't do ever? or is it all bad without a spotter?

crap...

Us too. Our OT had recommended it for our very, um, active DD (she's the one who is into gymnastics). We also have the rule of only one kid at a time jumping, and they do follow this rule. I am sure the OT was not anticipating this would lead to incessant back flips and back handsprings. I am sure DD should be doing none of those things. Luckily my other two are far more cautious and prefer to stay right side up when they jump. For what it's worth, it helps DD tremendously with getting homework complete and doing it correctly. She jumps, does homework, takes a break and jumps... I know. I know. It's a death trap.

 

[Deleted member 15064]

Us too. Our OT had recommended it for our very, um, active DD (she's the one who is into gymnastics). We also have the rule of only one kid at a time jumping, and they do follow this rule. I am sure the OT was not anticipating this would lead to incessant back flips and back handsprings. I am sure DD should be doing none of those things. Luckily my other two are far more cautious and prefer to stay right side up when they jump. For what it's worth, it helps DD tremendously with getting homework complete and doing it correctly. She jumps, does homework, takes a break and jumps... I know. I know. It's a death trap.

hahaha.
this kinetic youngest DD of ours - so much not like her teen sibs. she is finally getting HW in 2nd grade & surprise - she, too, does some writing, goes and bounces on tramp, comes back, does some more HW. i've just been assuming it's an avoidance tactic.

 

[Deleted member D3987]

ugh.

we don't have indoor trampoline parks in this part of the country.
we do have giant bouncing "pillows" at local farm markets that we avoid.
we no longer go to the indoor blow up toy parks due to germs & outgrowing them.

but...

we did get a rectangular trampoline for the backyard a yr ago.

umm..

is anything about it redeemable? only one kid is allowed on it at a time. ever. it zips closed. only the gymnast in our family uses it at this point. she practices stuff she does at the tumble track @ the gym. she choreographs her own bouncing routines. any particular moves she shouldn't do ever? or is it all bad without a spotter?

crap...

bad idea...read more: http://www.nymetroparents.com/article/LOOK-BEFORE-YOU-LEAPThe-Dangers-of-Trampolines

 

[Deleted member D3987]

You cannot disclaim negligence, and it doesn't matter whether you make someone sign something saying they swear it's not your fault. You have legal responsibilities to act in every responsible manner if you run one of these parks (or a competitive gym), and no contract will save you from improper equipment, lack of maintenance, lack of supervision, etc. You will lose those lawsuits if you failed to put forth sufficient effort to provide an environment at the expected level of safety. On the other hand, like skydiving, horseback riding, etc, it's an inherently risky activity, and a patron can't sue you (and win) because they sprained their ankle on properly installed/maintained and properly supervised trampoline.

Those documents are scare tactics.

what everyone needs to understand is that these owners are expecting you to agree that they may be stoooopid, negligent, not understand what they are doing, may not maintenance their equipment, etc;

now...is this a place you want to send your children? and you are willing to pay them money to injure your babies?? and with the potential to disable them permanently??? if so, if i need my heart repaired, i'll go to someone that practiced a lot on "Operation" when they were kids. forget the trained experts...

i wish i could say that these releases were scaring everyone away.

 

[MaryA]

Not a fan of trampolines (try as I might, I can't call them "tramps") but I DO sign something when I send DD to Woodward saying that I understand that she will be doing dangerous stuff and that she could DIE. That's really in there. I sign the paper and send her off to camp anyway, but I do always linger over that statement...

 

[LIGYMMOM]

what everyone needs to understand is that these owners are expecting you to agree that they may be stoooopid, negligent, not understand what they are doing, may not maintenance their equipment, etc;

now...is this a place you want to send your children? and you are willing to pay them money to injure your babies?? and with the potential to disable them permanently??? if so, if i need my heart repaired, i'll go to someone that practiced a lot on "Operation" when they were kids. forget the trained experts...

i wish i could say that these releases were scaring everyone away.

We're too used to signing these things as a formality and blindly trusting. Thanks so much for all your research and info dunno.

 

[Pineapple_Lump]

I fully embrace my "mean mom" status...

I felt like the 'mean coach' when I advised a parent not to purchase a beam for her DD's birthday, only to discover she got her a trampoline instead . Next time I'll help the parent find a beam.