Enjoying the view-and ready for action
Don't leave ladders unattended when children are aboard.
MARDI GRAS PARADE LADDERS
Safety Tips, Regulations and Traditions
Stepladders are a popular way to provide children with a good view of parades, while making it easier for them to draw the attention of float riders—and thus snag more throws.
Local hardware and lumber stores sell parade ladders outfitted with kiddie seats and safety bars. Some locals put exceptional effort into customizing and decorating their ladders, transforming utilitarian objects into the parade-viewing equivalent of tricked-out hot rods.
Ladder-related accidents happen every Mardi Gras, however, so be sure to exercise caution.
Ladders should be placed on level ground a safe distance from the curb — as many feed back as the ladder is high, according to the New Orleans Police Department. Chaining or roping ladders together or to public property (e.g., light standards, signposts and utility poles) is a no-no.
Also remember that when a parade is passing and people around you are competing to snag throws, there can be a lot of bumping and jostling (and, occasionally, tripping and falling). So don’t allow young children to stand on ladders. When children are in the seat, an adult should stand on the back of the ladder to anchor it.
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