dare-to-fly Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 This reminds me of the good old days when that wasn't necessary. No seat belts. No head rests. No seat dividers. Just a bar like the ones on FOC. Now you're talking! Even FOC has seatbelts now, not to mention that other thing. I love the rare occasions when you can still find a coaster that just has a single position lap bar and no seatbelt to get in the way. My favorite is Skyliner at Lakemont Park. I've only had a religious experience like this on one other coaster as far as airtime is concerned. I would bring up Thunderhead at Kennywood, but it's not air-laden enough to count. Then there's Rollo Coaster at Idlewild that doesn't even have a movable lap bar. It only has one airtime spot, and it's a small coaster...but, the lap bar style makes it as big of a blast as any other coaster. I shouldn't even mention Tigr'r at Indiana Beach. But I can't help myself....no restraints at all! Moral - less restraints = more fun, but in this crappy...I'm sorry...litigious society no one can do anything like they used to anymore. To be honest, I'm really on a bummer for society as we know it at the moment. I'm really ready to get back on some coasters and try to forget about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iChase Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 ^ I agree completely. Society has become so sue-happy that everyone has to be careful. It's just a method of getting easy money. They see a place they perceive as having money to spare (KI) and see potential sue points (no seatbelts) and create a rousing story resulting in a lawsuit. Ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 It happend to fast, she had no time to react, she didn't cause the accident....... How can it happen too fast? If so, why are there E-Stops on rides, anyway? You have not read the state report. She had adequate time to react. And didn't. Nor did the other ride ops. People in line were yelling STOP THE RIDE. No one did. She may not have caused the accident. But she could have either lessened its severity or even perhaps prevented it. And didn't. I have read the state report, she panicked and I bet you would have too. When people are yelling and screaming at you it's not hard to panic. First you say she had no time to react. Then, later, you say she panicked. Along with the other ride operators. Which is it? If you say she panicked, you in reality are saying she did have time to react but did not, for whatever reason. Otherwise, her mental condition would have nothing to do with whether she could react, as you first said there was not adequate time to react. If ride operators are going to panic, there is no reason for E-stops to be provided. They are for...Emergencies. In reality, had the ride operators acted as they were trained to do (or at least as they were supposed to be trained to do), or had the ride been properly maintained, this so-called accident did not have to happen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windshawne Posted March 22, 2009 Share Posted March 22, 2009 I'm not a ride op-never have been, and really don't want to be. I think its a helluva responsibility. Thing is, if a group of people are yelling, that would get my attention. One thing I have been told in training is a theme park blows all the usual normal situations-screams and such. Pay attention to your smells and the atmosphere. I would like to hope I can tell the difference between a happy scream, and one of fear. I can't say I would do the right thing in an emergency-no one can until they are in that position. All you can do is be on your toes, especially when the heat starts and its really difficult to be as sharp as the beginning of the shift. We know Ms. Lassiter's life is forever altered-I'm sure those ride ops who were there that day have had their lives permanently changed as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VortexBFForever Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I used to have nightmares about my restraint failing on The Vortex while upside-down. I always managed to stay in my seat though. Wow. I once had a dream I was riding Vortex, except the restraint was a piece of string. And that dream occurred BEFORE I started riding it in real life! (had the dream in either '08 or '09, and I started riding in 2010). Weird huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fanofFirehawk Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 On Jurassic Park River Adventure there is one lap bar that covers everyone and I was sitting with a rather large man so when we all pulled down the bar and there was a good 8 inches and it was not doing any thing and i was a little scared actually pretty scared but got some good (great) air time. Also on Manta I had it down to the furthest "click" then when to ride op came by she pushed it in really far and it was so tight. After the ride when they released the restraints mine didn't unlock and it took 10-15 minutes to get me out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thrill_Biscuit Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I used to have nightmares about my restraint failing on The Vortex while upside-down. I always managed to stay in my seat though. Wow. I once had a dream I was riding Vortex, except the restraint was a piece of string. And that dream occurred BEFORE I started riding it! (had the dream in either '08 or '09, and I started riding in 2010). Weird huh? That could get rather bumpy! I've dreamt that Vortex had a section that was 900' high, but you had to disembark the classic train, and walk over to a gymnast's hoop/zip line thing to get back down safely... THROUGH the now 900'-high corkscrew, batwing, etc.Talk about hanging on! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emileeee Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I'd had nightmares where Viking Fury came off its supports full swing and landed in the lake... and didn't float. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanna Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I'll have to be honest, I have to push my hands against the restraints on Stuntcar and FOF to keep them from pinning me. Once they fall all the way in, and hit my ribs, it hurts like bejeezus for the entire ride. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pepsi Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 I had a "close call" on the Tomb Raider ride. I was feeling sick and decided I didn't want to go on the ride after all, after I had already been strapped in. So I asked the guy to remove my restraints and he sort of did (I think he didn't remove them all the way? I couldn't get up for some reason. It happened so long ago I can't remember.) He walked away then and I panicked and thought they were going to start up the ride and I was only half restrained. Luckily he came back and finished up removing it. I'm sure now that they wouldn't have started up the ride with me not strapped in, but at the time I was a kid and it was scary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 In any event, one of the first things that happen as that ride starts (and on Delirium) is that the restraints auto-tighten.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongliveKingsCobra Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Would the ride even be able to start without a restraint being in the full locked position? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 A half restrained kid could have the bar as high as a portly adult.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LongliveKingsCobra Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 That's what I figured after writing that.. Hmm... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 Thus the reason for the auto-tightening. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colonel_SoB_fan Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 There are times when ride ops should pay attention to "everyone yelling." An incident in Kentucky comes immediately to mind. Had only the e-stop been pushed.... As for Son of Beast, restraint or no restraint, no one is coming out of Son of Beast who doesn't want to exit. Where is this force on the ride so sufficient so as to force out a rider who doesn't want to exit? If the ride were to run with unrestrained dummies, they would all return to the station, every time. The purpose of the Son of Beast restraints, and the restraints on most modern rides, is to keep in the ride carriage those riders who might otherwise exit for reasons of their own. Didn't I read before that Vortex was the same way? Even without the restraints you would be safe or am I crazy and just make myself believe I read that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCrypt Posted September 6, 2012 Share Posted September 6, 2012 So on Son of Beast's gigantic drop, nobody would come flying out? On Vortex with the hang time in the corkscrews and ejector air, everyone would not fly out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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