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Why I hate firehawk.


bparrott03
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So. today, I was riding, and we get back to the station. when we get back, our seats don't rise. So, we are laying in the station for about 10-15, with me not being able to breathe the entire time. I'm sure if any one working there when it happened, but if you do. I'm sure you know me. I'm the guy in the red shirt ;). Anyways. So after I talk to about 10 different associates, and matinance people and tell them that I'm having breathing issues, my muscles are spazzing, and that I need off right now.. They keep saying that we will be out soon. so after I have an emotional breakdown (also part of my OCD), mainly from not breathing and my muscles are literally on fire, 10-15 mins later, they manually get us out. I could barely walk.

Everyone asked me if I was okay, and of course I wasn't. I sat on the steps. Having breathing issues, emotional issues (yup. Im cool like that), and my muscles are acting weird, and Im dizzy. So they call first aide. Waited about 5-10 mins, they got there. I felt a little better that I calmed down some. Still tried to get up, and have issues walking. So they ask me questions.. and ask if they can give me a blood sugar test. Of course I said yes.. So they prick me (it wasn't painful at all lol) and I drank some water, and my blood sugar was 64. EEK. So they escorted me down the steps.. almost losing my balance (they were REALLY nice and I appreciate all they did). I'm still teary eyed during this point. This time it was because I was SO embarrassed. Everyone was staring at me, including all the workers, which REALLY ticked me off (part of my OCD). They get me a flavored water, and try to raise up my blood sugar. It worked pretty fast. A few minutes later, we are in the First aid car, on the way so they could take me to the parking lot so I could go home..

I am fine now. Still have a migraine from hell, but I will live.

I'm not going to be riding Firehawk anytime soon. It was too painful, both physically and emotionally for me. Every time I ride it, something is wrong. My seat sensor was bad one time, one time the train wouldn't lower.. but nothing like this where I'm stuck, and I really need out.

Thanks to some of the employees that were really helpful. Sorry I was being a butthead, but I hope you understand my situation.

SOB didn't test run.. by the way. That SUCKS! lol.

Edited by bparrott03
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Sorry to hear about your bad experience parrot, last wendsday Boddah1994, Dane, and I got stuck in the down position before our train dispatched and while I didnt experience the problems you did, it was uncomfortable. I like what you said about the first aid employees, one time my little sister got very sick at the park from some allergic reaction to something she ate and i had to drive up there to pick her up at first aid, they were so kind to her and really took care of her and explained to me all that had happened when i arrived to come get her. They are a true class act.

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This is kind of off topic but it reminds me of about 2 weeks ago i was at SFOG.

It was a cloudy day, we went to Superman Ultimate Flight and there was no line and then some people infront of us got on and they sat down and then they had to get off due to thunder storms, at the block brakes there was a full train and since the ride got closed they shut it down.

The people where suck in the flying possition for over 20 minutes! SMUF has a dural station like Firehawk so they turned the ride back on so they could switch tracks. Unfortonitly it didn't work, so they called in some mechanics of something to fix it. After about 15 Minutes the train finnaly made it too the station, and when everyone got off almost all of them where balling they're eyes out crying!

And bparott03, sorry for your bad luck.

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Hmmm.... here goes...

As a former ride op at PKI and CP I cant tell you how many times people dont read the information on ride saftey signs at the start of the line. Clearly you should have not been riding this ride or any other thrill ride. I can think of about 40 other positions i could get stuck in on a thrill ride that would be way more uncomfortable than lying on your back not moving. The restraints on Firehawk are snug but by no means take your breath away. I also dont understand what your "OCD" has to do with anything.

Furthermore you are responsible for your own health, and being a member of this illustrious enthusiest community you should know the risks of riding. You know there is always a possibility you will get stuck or delayed or evacuated off a ride. It really chaps my @ss when i see on the news some person who has become injured, or died on an amusement ride because they couldnt take 2 minutes to read the health and saftey guides posted for your saftey.... I just had my appendix out tuesday and you dont see me in line for Firehawk. Maybe I sound like a jerk, but thats okay, your situation could have ended up far more serious and after being construed in the media, ultimately it becomes the parks fault. It just blows my mind people will throw themselves in to a dangerous situation knowing full well they have a preexisting condition and shouldnt ride...

hmmm.... im going to stop now becuase i would hate to get in trouble... but thats my two cents

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Comparing Bparrots post to the stories you hear about some of these types who you see on the news who are demanding money for supposed damages is a pretty bgi leap, hes demanded nothing from the park and even complimented on how they helped him and apoligized for when he was rude to them. Just because physically the restraints dont prevent him or any other guest from breathing doesnt mean someone can become frightened or worried and start to panic or get tense. All humans will do that and theres nothing on the fun and safety guide that warns against that. Bparrot has done nothing wrong and there is no medical reccomendation on the fun and safety guide that said he wasn't permitted to ride.

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Thank you for taking your time to reply, However I have no health issues. So therefore, I am able to ride this ride. And I DO read the boards. Yes, getting stuck in other ways would be worse, but that still doesn't change the fact that this was very uncomfortable, as well as the situation I was in. My "OCD" was killing me because my restraint was a bit snug, and It was hard to breathe, and plus i was getting dizzy. I think its just the fact that I thought about it too much, which I am sure is what made it worse :). The ride ops did a great job, along with the first aid crew.

Thanks to everyone else for replying. I'll probably ride it again in a few weeks.. If it doesn't break down. :) It's a VERY fun ride.

Rides break down, people get stuck on rides. It happens. This could have happened on ANY ride. Firehawk does not cause low blood sugar. You would have had low blood sugar on any ride you happened to go on at that time.

Actually, It did cause it. I ate less than 40 minutes before riding, and I have never had issues before. Being panicked or tense CAN in fact lower your blood sugar. This is the first time it's happened to me. I'm usually good on rides, unless I get stuck when the restraint is too tight or snug.

Once again, thanks to everyone for sharing your opinions. I feel a lot better now.

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Guest kwindshawne

It does happen....Being stuck out of your control can cause panic in anyone-not something you can fore see.

I'm going to be a little bit of a smart a** now on the restraints...

I have only ridden once, and enjoyed the ride, however, being a woman, the top half sucked :blink: I didn't mind laying back, in fact I was so tired the day I rode it, I started to doze off on the way up the ramp...not normal, but i do that. I also have a bit of asthma, and that was the only other complaint I had about the top half of the restraint restricting my lung flow. However, it was still fun

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My point still remains, you could have been stuck on ANY ride, and had this same incident. Firehawk in this instance did not cause your problem. Being stuck on a ride caused your health problems (which you need to be aware of before riding rides) to kick in. And....

wait a sec, kwinds is a female???

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Guest kwindshawne
My point still remains, you could have been stuck on ANY ride, and had this same incident. Firehawk in this instance did not cause your problem. Being stuck on a ride caused your health problems (which you need to be aware of before riding rides) to kick in. And....

wait a sec, kwinds is a female???

Yep. Glad to meet ya....rode Beast with ya opening day...... :lol:

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My point still remains, you could have been stuck on ANY ride, and had this same incident. Firehawk in this instance did not cause your problem. Being stuck on a ride caused your health problems (which you need to be aware of before riding rides) to kick in. And....

wait a sec, kwinds is a female???

Yep. Glad to meet ya....rode Beast with ya opening day...... :lol:

Wow... :rolleyes:

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I've been stuck on MANY rides and I can calmly assure you that this has NEVER happened before. I normally do not get bothered by being stuck. Today however I did. I can also assure you that I went to the doctor, and I have NO health issues. I do see your point however. It's always good to be aware if problems, but I am aware, and I have no problems. :) I've ridden Firehawk 2 other times without any issues what so ever, other than a touchy seat sensor. It's an amazing ride. It was just this situation that ruined it for me. I am sure that I will ride it again soon.

Kwinds, my friend has the same thoughts as you on the top restraints, which is part of the reason why she wanted out too!

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Yikes, too bad one bad ride can influence some one so strongly. Wrong ride at the wrong time! But it's not really their fault, if you have mental disorders like that, you shouldnt be riding in the first place.....right?

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Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience on Firehawk. The important thing here is that you are fine and there was no long term injury. :) I had a similar experience, although not as bad, on FoF the 1st time I rode it. The restraint was so tight I could barely breathe the entire ride. I couldn't wait to get off that thing!!

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Guest kwindshawne
I've been stuck on MANY rides and I can calmly assure you that this has NEVER happened before. I normally do not get bothered by being stuck. Today however I did. I can also assure you that I went to the doctor, and I have NO health issues. I do see your point however. It's always good to be aware if problems, but I am aware, and I have no problems. :) I've ridden Firehawk 2 other times without any issues what so ever, other than a touchy seat sensor. It's an amazing ride. It was just this situation that ruined it for me. I am sure that I will ride it again soon.

Kwinds, my friend has the same thoughts as you on the top restraints, which is part of the reason why she wanted out too!

Glad to hear it!!! No way around it really, but it is a pain....

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Well, if you will ride it again, then why the topic of Why I Hate Firehawk? If it was that bad, why would you ever want to ride again?

Also, concerning pre-existing conditions... I have one. I had back surgery when I was 20 years old. I have two titanium rods in my back that keep me straight. I have read all of the warning signs about rides and pre-existing conditions. Quite frankly, I risk it because I love coasters and I have not had any back pains or injuries caused by a coaster or thrill ride. However, should it happen, I will be the last one in the world who would want to sue Cedar Fair or Kings Island. I am fully aware that something could happen some day. But, I'm not going to avoid any and all activities that may injure me. I do avoid some things, like snow skiing, water skiing, 4 wheeling and climbing. I refuse to go through life avoiding any activity that may cause me injury. I know of a guy who posts on Coasterbuzz who is fairly young and has had a stroke. As far as I know, he still rides and knows fully well what could happen to him. Sometimes, you just gotta live life. Otherwise, you pretty much would have to avoid going outdoors period. I refuse to live like that.

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if you have mental disorders like that, you shouldnt be riding in the first place.....right?

Its a very, very small case of obsession compulsive disorder. I think what the issue that caused this was that I thought about it way too much, which I'm sure it was. Like they told me at KI, this rarely happens, but they can't promise it won't happen again.

I love Kings Island, as well as Cedar Fair. I would NOT do anything to endanger them. I don't believe in 'big" settlements or sueing them to "get back what is owed". If something bad was to ever happen, all I would want is someone to atleast give me a sincre applogy, and check in every now and then to see if im ok. (im talking if this was a BIG accident.)

Luckly, that's never happend. I am fine. I wasn't meaning for this to hurt anyones feelings or start any commotion. All I wanted to do was state what ruined my day on one of my formor favorite rides. Hate is a strong word. I was busy ranting, and still upset. It will be changed shortly. EDIT: I guess it won't be. I'm used to phpbb forums, and I guess you can't change topic names on SMF!

I think that everyone also has to also understand that they were not there, and I can't describe it all, which is my fault.. NOT yours. But situations told online may seem one way, but actually experiencing them can make it turn into another.

I'm not making a big deal about this. Notice that I didn't blow this up (media) more than one post on this site, which was just saying how my trip went. This isn't a big deal at all. Shoot, I'm over it already! I'm happy that the crews worked their hardest to make sure we all got out quickly and safely. I have said it before, but I'm going to say it again, The crews were all amazing for the most part.

As small as this incident was, I'm glad its over. I don't think anyone realizes as well how embarassing it was. It was beyond me control, but iif I would have known it was my blood gluecose level, I would have just sat down and had my friend get me something, but the thing is, I could barely walk. Good news is though, they did get me a free black cherry power water.. It was actually REALLY good! It helped a lot.

Wow. This is getting long.. But thank you to everyone who voiced your opinions and posted, and thanks to those who read this as well.

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Guest kwindshawne
Well, if you will ride it again, then why the topic of Why I Hate Firehawk? If it was that bad, why would you ever want to ride again?

Also, concerning pre-existing conditions... I have one. I had back surgery when I was 20 years old. I have two titanium rods in my back that keep me straight. I have read all of the warning signs about rides and pre-existing conditions. Quite frankly, I risk it because I love coasters and I have not had any back pains or injuries caused by a coaster or thrill ride. However, should it happen, I will be the last one in the world who would want to sue Cedar Fair or Kings Island. I am fully aware that something could happen some day. But, I'm not going to avoid any and all activities that may injure me. I do avoid some things, like snow skiing, water skiing, 4 wheeling and climbing. I refuse to go through life avoiding any activity that may cause me injury. I know of a guy who posts on Coasterbuzz who is fairly young and has had a stroke. As far as I know, he still rides and knows fully well what could happen to him. Sometimes, you just gotta live life. Otherwise, you pretty much would have to avoid going outdoors period. I refuse to live like that.

Well said. I am borderline High blood pressure, strokes run in my family-and I refuse to stop riding coasters. I would rather stroke out that way than sitting at home wishing I was living life...

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You know in the case of Firehawk and other intense rides at the park, the safety guides do not have medical recomendations, they have medical restrictions (new since Cedar Fair). In the case of Firehawk, technically, anyone with heart condition or high blood pressure, back trouble, neck trouble, recent surgery or illness, or pregnancy are NOT permitted to ride. Obviously the park cannot accuse guests of any of these conditions however if something were to happen where that would be brought into question, the park does have it clearly marked at both the entrance, exit, and in the map that anyone with those conditions are not allowed to ride. Same with a parent who tries to sneak their child who is too short to ride onto a ride.

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Guest kwindshawne
You know in the case of Firehawk and other intense rides at the park, the safety guides do not have medical recomendations, they have medical restrictions (new since Cedar Fair). In the case of Firehawk, technically, anyone with heart condition or high blood pressure, back trouble, neck trouble, recent surgery or illness, or pregnancy are NOT permitted to ride. Obviously the park cannot accuse guests of any of these conditions however if something were to happen where that would be brought into question, the park does have it clearly marked at both the entrance, exit, and in the map that anyone with those conditions are not allowed to ride. Same with a parent who tries to sneak their child who is too short to ride onto a ride.

I wouldn't dream of suing them...I know the risks, it's my stupidity if I ride. With those conditions, that eliminates 80% of the population-known or not.

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I've been stuck on MANY rides and I can calmly assure you that this has NEVER happened before. I normally do not get bothered by being stuck. Today however I did. I can also assure you that I went to the doctor, and I have NO health issues. I do see your point however. It's always good to be aware if problems, but I am aware, and I have no problems. :) I've ridden Firehawk 2 other times without any issues what so ever, other than a touchy seat sensor. It's an amazing ride. It was just this situation that ruined it for me. I am sure that I will ride it again soon.

Kwinds, my friend has the same thoughts as you on the top restraints, which is part of the reason why she wanted out too!

i hate Firehawk it is so slow and not that fun at all!!! yeah i been stuck on it and i hated it very much....

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