Two more points about carousels and loud music.  I've noticed that some
carousels (the one at Sunset Park in Rocky Mount, NC, comes to mind)
operate very slowly, at 5 RPM or less, when it is clear that they
originally were fast and exciting machines.  I know that they used to
run 6 RPM or more.

The "employees" (or whatever one calls the people who seem to run
the equipment) often do not even know how to board or exit a running
carousel!  And indeed the Sunset Park crew play the recording of the
band organ music very quietly, but when no one is riding, they put
"their" music on, and it's loud.

As some of you may know, we operate a "live" carousel: a pony ride.
From time to time we discover that we are to set up in front of the
musical entertainment at some event.  If it's bluegrass, old-timey or
gospel music there's usually no problem.  Anything else is generally a
safety hazard, because my wife and I and our assistants have to be able
to hear each other.  If someone had the idea of setting a band organ
next to us (sadly, it's never happened) we would have to make sure it
wasn't too loud.

We get a number of complaints about our animals that stem from either
ignorance or actual malice.  "What's wrong with that pony over there?
Why isn't he on the wheel with the others?"

"He's resting, ma'am.  The wheel takes four ponies, and there are four
ponies on the wheel.  He's our spare."

We've had the animal control officer brought in to investigate us for
not watering the ponies, when it's obvious that the resting ponies have
water and the working ponies get to drink every hour or so.  There are
people out there who want to control the way you run your act, whether
it's a band organ, a pony ride, or a carousel in the park.

Peter Neilson