Shocking Moment at the National Cherry Festival: People Counterweight a Ride About to Tip

In a heart-stopping video from the National Cherry Festival in Traverse City, MI, festival-goers can be seen rushing to counterweight a fair ride that appears dangerously close to tipping over. The video captures the sheer panic and quick thinking of the individuals involved as they work together to prevent a potential disaster.

The footage starts with a man exclaiming, "Take cover! Oh, Christ! It's my fault! It's my fault! It's my fault! It's my fault! Oh my God!" as onlookers watch in horror. One user noted, "I've seen this a dozen times and every time I'm relieved it worked." Another highlighted the bravery of a man in beige pants who initially put his hands on his head in panic but quickly jumped in to help stabilize the ride.

The incident has sparked many reactions online. One commenter remarked, "Good people helping out. Probably not riding that anymore at the county fair, yo." Another pondered, "I wonder if the riders could tell something was wrong or if it was only visible from the outside."

The video has also drawn attention to the importance of safety inspections at such events. One person commented, "If their city government is worth anything, they will have an inspector crawling up the rear of every fair that comes to town after this. My small town of under 5000 people actually didn't have a fair one year because they couldn't pass inspection with their rides."

The bravery of those who jumped in to help has been widely praised. As one user put it, "This video really shows the cascading effect of one person doing the right thing. It made it easy for others to jump in and do the same."

However, some expressed their reluctance to attend such events in the future. "Thus is why I DO NOT want to even be around fair rides like this. And now with what regulatory body is left to inspect these death traps, now that the Supreme Court just ripped most of them out," one commenter lamented.

The incident took place a couple of years back, but the same people are setting up the National Cherry Festival this year too, leading some to reconsider attending. "The same people are setting up the National Cherry Festival this year too. I don't plan on going," another user stated.

This video serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers at fairgrounds and the importance of proper safety measures. It also highlights the incredible human spirit and the willingness of strangers to come together in moments of crisis.