Fairground attractions can be found at traveling carnivals or at Volksfesten. The most common are carousels, bumper cars, swing boats, ferris wheels, roller coasters, as well as moveable tribunes, show booths and circus tents. While the fairground attractions installed in parks are normally stationary and permanent (i.e., they are planned and approved by officials), the amusement rides used at Volksfests are taken down at the end of the fair, transported to another location and reconstructed there, all of which has to be considered during the designing phase.
Safety edit
In Germany, amusement rides are subject to strict controlls by the TÜV and need to be checked for waer and tear anually. After every setup the local building authorities have to check, whether the ride fulfills to TÜV regulations. Only after this inspection and seal of approval, which also includes a test run, is the ride allowed to launch. The German TÜV-standards are the most strict in the world and therefore highly regarded. This helps to sellGerman products worldwide.
There are similarly strict regulations in many other countries. In addition to the German TÜV, other organizations inspect the rides abroad, for example Det Norske Veritas.However, in some countries those inspections are neccesary or the regulations are less strict.
Other rides edit
The following rides are no amusement rides, strictly speaking, but they are considered as such:
- Park railways (or similar narrow-gauge railways that can carry passengers)
- Elevated monorails
- Aerial lifts and Chairlifts
Records edit
The highest transportable amusement ride at 95 m is Top of the World.However, this is now permanently located.
Literature edit
- Florian Dering: Volksbelustigungen. Eine bildreiche Kulturgeschichte von den Fahr-, Belustigungs- und Geschicklichkeitsgeschäften der Schausteller vom achtzehnten Jahrhundert bis zur Gegenwart. Greno, Nördlingen 1986, ISBN 3-89190-005-8.
- Karl Ruisinger: Kirmes Special. Karussells 1950er und 1960er Jahre (= Kirmes Special 1). Gemi Verlag, Reichertshausen 2005, ISBN 3-9808913-3-X.
- Sacha-Roger Szabo: Rausch und Rummel. Attraktionen auf Jahrmärkten und in Vergnügungsparks. Eine soziologische Kulturgeschichte. transcript-Verlag, Bielefeld 2006, ISBN 3-89942-566-9 (Zugleich: Freiburg, Univ., Diss., 2006).
Weblinks edit
- http://www.ride-index.de − Datenbank der Reisenden Fahrgeschäfte in Deutschland (in German)