TheCrypt Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 So, seat belts are pretty much required on almost every ride at Kings Island (and Cedar Fair all over). My question is, why are seatbelts needed? I know it's for safety reasons, and most rides do need them per manufacturers' recommendations, but do the manufacturers have such little faith in their products that they feel seat belts are absolutely necessary? Rides like Vortex and Flight Deck don't even need seat belts. Look at Tennessee Tornado (Dollywood) and Vortex (Canada's Wonderland). Both belt-less. Also, The Beast plays by its own rules. The ride was built and designed in house, so why the seatbelts? Unless it's the fact they run on PTC trains, therefore making the trains abide by PTC's rules. I guess what I'm trying to say is, are seatbelts really necessary for each and every ride? EDIT: I guess this could have gone in the Kings Island forum, but I can't change that now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flying eagles Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 It all depends on my factors, like state regulations, manufacture recommendations, and so on. When it comes to canadas wounderland not sure about that park since its in another country witch more likely have different rules and regulations thatn in the us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudecoasterman Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Neither Diamondback nor Firehawk have seatbelts. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCrypt Posted August 8, 2012 Author Share Posted August 8, 2012 Firehawk has the vest with locking seatbelt. And I am aware Diamondback has no seatbelt! =P 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudecoasterman Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 That locking buckle is just there so you can get in and out of the chest restraint. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HTCO Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Sanity is the answer to your question 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malem Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Even if the manufacturer doesn't view them as absolutely necessary, the park can of course choose to add them. I'm not sure about you, but I feel more secure with a simple, rider-controlled backup restraint on certain rides. Even if the primary restraint is sufficiently redundant, the average rider might not know this. As long as a seatbelt doesn't kill the ride capacity, the park gets even more redundancy and riders get to feel more secure at a low cost. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterOhio Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 For some rides like The Racers and The Beast are actually nessisary if you didn't have one on The Racers you might as well be saying you where standing up in a car going over a speed bump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCrypt Posted August 8, 2012 Author Share Posted August 8, 2012 Funny, The Racer operated just fine without seatbelts for over 30 years. Beast over 20. I have learned lotses and lotses of stuff! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TTD-120-420 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Even White Water Canyon operated without seatbelts for a long time. That one blows my mind, because I have seen multiple times people almost fall out even with seatbelts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanna Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Yeh, the seatbelts on WhiteWater don't exactly save you from smashing your face on that thing intended for your safety sticking up in the middle of the ...bucket? Barrel? Boat? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windshawne Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Hate em, hate em!! I think they are restricting and actually prevent natural movement with the forces of the ride. I bet it's an insurance requirement. On Vortex, yeah, that's ok as a backup, but Troika? Complete overkill. I miss the days on Beast and Racer before belts, seat dividers and headrests. I don't even like having them in the car, but I wear it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Insurance? Cedar Fair is self insured. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterGeek101 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 On a lot of rides, the seat belt is there as a back up in case the lap bar fails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdawg1998 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 At Disney World, Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, Rock n' Roller Coaster, and Expedition Everest all have no seatbelts. Expedition Everest really surprises me because it's just a lap bar that comes down on both riders (what are those called)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterGeek101 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Cedar Creek Mine Ride also has a lap bar that comes down on both rides..... still don't know what its called. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Browntggrr Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Even White Water Canyon operated without seatbelts for a long time. I can vividly remember WWC having seatbelts, even in 1985. Are you sure you are not getting confused with KCKC? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beastrider97 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I remember reading that on rides such as Drop Tower, the seatbelt is mainly there to gauge if a person is too big to ride. If the seatbelt can't close, then the restraint is not far enough down for the ride to operate. This helps the ride ops know whether someone can ride, without the head op saying, "Seat 32 is not locked." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stashua123 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 At Disney World, Big Thunder Mountain, Space Mountain, Rock n' Roller Coaster, and Expedition Everest all have no seatbelts. Expedition Everest really surprises me because it's just a lap bar that comes down on both riders (what are those called)? I think those are called racheting lap bars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarketingExpress Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 On a lot of rides, the seat belt is there as a back up in case the lap bar fails. That's exactly what they want you to think when you see a seat belt on a restraint. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dieseltech20 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I don't even like having them in the car... It only took one major accident, to make me like them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KI FANATIC 37 Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 Insurance? Cedar Fair is self insured. Wait? What? Cedar Fair is self insured? I never knew that. You learn something everyday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calakapepe Posted August 8, 2012 Share Posted August 8, 2012 I don't mind seat belts. They don't really get in the way, all they do is make starting up take more time. What I don't appreciate are the "head rests" on the wooden coaster, it's not necessary, and it dampens your view. On a launched coaster, it's more understandable IMHO But they ran fine before the head rests.. and many wooden coasters today run fine without them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keysersoze Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I remember back in the day my beloved Eli Bridge Scrambler had no seat belts. Now they all have them, even at the State Fair on the junk carnival versions. My guess is we live in a world today where people are morons. I can't tell you how many times on a ride I have heard the ride operator say "put your cell phones, camera's, ect away for the ride", only to see a bunch of folks pull out those things while riding. I have even seen someone try to carry on a phone call while on the lift hill on Millennium Force. I think the seat belt is just another way the amusement park has for controling these animals. These animals also have a habit of suing. Remember we live in a world where if you look at your owners manual for your TV it will show you how to plug it in. One thing that amazes me is how in a world where we think we are so smart we ended up so stupid. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windshawne Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 I don't even like having them in the car... It only took one major accident, to make me like them. Well, guess it depends on the situation. Years ago one of the drivers at my company wasn't wearing his belt, got in an accident, and was ejected from the cab. Yes, he did go to the hospital for a day, but turns out a tree stump went through the cab and if he had been wearing it, he would have been impaled. That stays with me for some reason. Yes, he was fired, but he's alive. Good trade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcgoble3 Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Don't forget that neither Congo Falls nor the log flume have seat belts. IIRC, CP's Iron Dragon does not have them either. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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