Q5: “JUST SAY NO?” HOW DO YOU POLITELY TELL SOMEONE THEY ARE UNFIT OR OVERWEIGHT FOR AN ACTIVITY?
GERHARD: It’s very, very tricky to answer this question. The best example I’ve seen is at the San Diego Zoo. When you buy the ticket at the counter, you’re actually standing on a scale without knowing it. And the person behind the register can see the weight. They will call the supervisor, and they have a script that tells them how to deal with this very politely.
But it’s not just a matter of weight. If you have a 250-pound weight restriction, for example, and the guest is just a real big body builder, and he’s 270 and 6’5”—as long as he fits in a harness, I don’t care. It’s more about athleticism, because all our gear is rated for 2.2 metric tons. Even then, though, it depends on what safety system you use, and how much slack you have in your system. It’s not hard to actually reach 2.2 tons of force if someone falls. So the answer depends in part on how your course is built and maintained.
CLOE: This is the part of my job that I love the most. We have a big sign about our weight limit. Guests sign a waiver that says they are 250 pounds or less. We don’t weigh anyone, though. I’ve heard pros and cons on this as well. We are in the South; people are WAY bigger than in the North. We would lose a big, big part of our clientele if we put everybody on a scale.
But it’s not just the weight that matters. Sometimes you have 270-pound people that are super tall and very heavy. But then you have the 200-pound person with the beer belly. I just pull them aside and say, “I’m going to give you a harness that will be more comfortable.” And we make a joke, and I say, “nice to meet you.” If they don’t fit, I apologize, and say I can’t do anything.
KEITH: Eliminate the argument and weigh them in a discrete manner. We use a scale. Our policy is to accept guests from 75 to 275 pounds. We have a scale that simply shows red for under 75, green for 75 to 275, and red again if they’re over 275. This eliminates any question and/or lies about weight. On zip lines, it’s critical for landings that people do not weigh too much, and it’s critical that lightweight people do not get stuck in the middle of the line.
DAVE: Delicate issue, but common sense usually prevails. Here again, staff training is key. All participants at Outplay/TreeGo parks must complete a four-station demo course prior to accessing the courses. We find that our guests often come to their own realization that the activity might not be for them. This allows park staff to avoid embarrassing conversations regarding weight.
