Mr Stratosphere Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 Here is a news report from our local news station about the New Insanity Ride plus my own imput at the end. http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=3238702&nav=15MUYuTr It is an attraction built to scare people, but overnight the fear factor on the Stratosphere hit a terrifying new level. News 3's Steve Crupi reports a pair of local girls got stuck on the new ride called Insanity! The folks at the Stratosphere are apologizing for the mishap, but they say what happened up there early this morning had a lot more to do with mother nature than any kind of mechanical or human error. Shortly after midnight, the twirling high rise thrill ride, appropriately called Insanity!, came to an abrupt halt with a pair of terrified passengers on board. "I didn't think I was going to make it. It was shaking because the wind was so strong." When high winds caused the ride to shut down, the 18 and 11 year old girls were left dangling for more than an hour, 100 stories above ground. "When we sent the passengers out there, everything was okay, but then the winds spiked and they just stayed up, and up, and up." On the top level of the Stratosphere, there are devices that check the weather. One monitors wind speed, and last night it measured a top wind gust of 61 miles per hour right at the time the girls were stuck on the ride. The Stratosphere apologizes for what happened. "Absolutely. We're sorry they had the experience that they did." We're told the ride behaved exactly as it was designed to, but since the wind just kept blowing, technicians finally had to manually crank the ride back toward the tower, and that took a whole lot longer than anyone expected. The Stratosphere says it will continue to develop the system that controls the ride so that passengers will not be left hanging like that again. My Imput: This occured last night around 1AM the last ride before the tower closed for the evening. This occured on Insanity. Our newest ride which opened March 10th. The ride was operating normally when A gust of wind over 50mph caused the sensors to shut down the ride as a safety backup. Once the winds receded about 90 minutes later the ride was allowed to move back onto the loading platform. The news reports and comments from the 11 year old i think were way overreacted. The 11 year old said i thought i was not going to make it, but honestly the ride was designed incase something like this would hapen everyone would still be safe, of course everything went as it was supposed to. The automatic shutdown was working fine. Today the ride opened back up after being inspected and reset. For everyones knowledge the ride did not malfunction like the news said, it was a safety feature that shut down the ride. I will have more information about this later on. But Insanity is up and running today! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterdude5 Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 I'm glad it wasn't serious because I'll be up in Vegas this summer. I can't wait to ride it! All ride "mishaps" are always over rated. Most of the time its the passenger's fault for trying to do somthing stupid. John "I'm still riding it" Stevenson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Stratosphere Posted April 21, 2005 Author Share Posted April 21, 2005 Lucky this time because it was mother nature and not human or mehanical error. This is just something we are looking into so this doesnt happen again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 Yup this made the LA news as well! "2 Girls Scared for their life, 900 feet in the air on Stratosphere's newest roller coaster" Wow, there's some great reporting going on! Elissa "although it is a problem that it wouldn't come back!" Alvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CoasterFanatic Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 They weren't sh**ing when they said it was a scary ride. // Hoping the girls come away ok and with no mental scars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenshinmac Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 Um is it just me or does it seem strange that the ride just shuts down instead of retracting itself? I mean wouldn't you think the forces would be worse if the arm remained out? I guess it seems like kinda goofy logic to me. I mean there is a tiny potential that things could get worse if the wind was extremely high but in most cases just retracting the arm so that the riders could disembark would seem a better move to me rather than a straight shut down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maliboomer Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 Would of been more intresting if someone died. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbeal Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 I can understand why they were scared, I certainly would be. But fearing for your life... where are you going that would snuff your life out? You're sat in a seat with a meaty restraint on your lap, you're not moving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasters 4 me Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 Would of been more intresting if someone died. I know it would make it more interesting, but really, that is what the industry is preventing, making the rides safe. Really, i would like to be hanging up there, but it would be scary because you wouldnt know what is going on. Good view of the city though. Great if you took pics and put them on postcards! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scaparri Posted April 21, 2005 Share Posted April 21, 2005 Wow! That's intense! To be honest, I probably would have been fairly frightened for the first little while myself since after all, I'm tilted 45 degrees downward facing the ground that is 900 ft below. I would have got over it. But wow, that is crazy! At least nothing happened to the restraints! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Stratosphere Posted April 21, 2005 Author Share Posted April 21, 2005 Well the ride was still, the seats were not tilted, just sitting there level. I've been stuck on it and to me its not a big deal because i know what is going on. We offered them a years worth of passes to the rides and they declined it. Elissa was right great reporting was done by reporters calling Insanity the new "Roller Coaster" I didnt know that we built a roller coaster!? I just cant wait to get back on it, its my favorite ride of all time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebl Posted April 22, 2005 Share Posted April 22, 2005 Despite this incident, I'll still ride Insanity. I've done the other rides up there, so why not this one? Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Stratosphere Posted April 22, 2005 Author Share Posted April 22, 2005 We should be reopening the ride again tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Stratosphere Posted April 22, 2005 Author Share Posted April 22, 2005 Insanity has reopened, and if you are in Vegas tonight or you live here, each of our 4 rides are free until midnight tonight. Insanity, High Roller, Big Shot, and X-Scream are all free until Midnight Tonight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin Posted April 22, 2005 Share Posted April 22, 2005 Even the ride up?!? Thats great! I wish I could go tonight! Thats no big deal in my book. Those girls need to have a reality check.. I trust rides like this not to just BREAK off from the building.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisFL Posted April 23, 2005 Share Posted April 23, 2005 So you're dangling 900 feet above the ground, in a ride that has malfunctioned with 50+ MPH winds, hanging there for over an hour and some of you wouldn't be scared? Even though I know rides are safe and designed with very good standards....I'd probably be scared ****less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Billy Hill Posted April 24, 2005 Share Posted April 24, 2005 We offered them a years worth of passes to the rides and they declined it. And you were expecting...? LOL I probably wouldn't be in any great hurry to jump right back on a ride that had just scared the be-geezus out of me. I was at the observation deck on the Vegas Eiffel tower one night when the winds came up. While I'm certain that little deal pales in comparison to hanging out over the Stratosphere in high winds, it was still pretty spooky. That big metal structure swaying and creeking with the wind gusts was definitely disconcerting. The elevator ride up (before the wind started gusting) was super quick, but the ride back down was painfully slow. The elevator operator told us that they had to go slow whenever the winds got over a certain speed. All of that was certainly understandable, but it was still a worrisome ride. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vertgforces Posted April 24, 2005 Share Posted April 24, 2005 I can understand why they were scared, I certainly would be. But fearing for your life... where are you going that would snuff your life out? You're sat in a seat with a meaty restraint on your lap, you're not moving. keep in mind she was 11 and she was 100 stories in the air in the middle of the night with very high winds causing the whole ride to shake (for an hour ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Stratosphere Posted April 25, 2005 Author Share Posted April 25, 2005 The ride was not shaking out there, it was just sitting there not moving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Clinksalot Posted April 25, 2005 Share Posted April 25, 2005 This even made the Atlanta news last week. I was like ... WTF? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Stratosphere Posted April 27, 2005 Author Share Posted April 27, 2005 Family Of Girls Stuck On Insanity Ride May Sue Stratosphere Here is an article about the Girls and Insanity. Anyway Insanity is open again and a big hit just like it has been since it opened in March. It is still my favorite ride EVER! Hope some of you come out and ride it. http://www.kvbc.com/Global/story.asp?S=3258902&nav=15MUUi4B They were stuck on the Insanity ride for over 80 minutes. They say they didn't plan to sue at first, but now they might. News 3's Maria Silva tells us why the family may be having a change of heart. They say one reason is to make sure this never happens again. While it was in part her father's decision to consult the family's attorney, today it was 19-year-old Erica McKinnon who was doing all the talking, and she says she wants answers. For 19-year-old Erica McKinnon, listening to that 9-1-1 tape is still difficult. "I just imagine how I was feeling at the time. My voice was completely different from what it is right now." Dealing with the ordeal is even tougher for her 11-year-old cousin, Gabriela Ceniceros. "There's times she just stares at it, quiet." While McKinnon acknowledges some stratosphere workers did things right, "They were really helpful, really comforting at the end," others weren't as helpful, ""There were a couple girls and two guys where they control the ride, and they were just looking at us and laughing." And she also says her father also didn't get much help. "When he was on his way, he called to talk to security, and they hung up on him three times." Its because of situations like those that the McKinnon's hired the law firm of Myers and Gomel. "The Stratosphere apparently has taken the position that things happened according to plan. The Stratosphere needs a new plan." Among their biggest complaints, "I can tell you that as of the present day, the Stratosphere has not so much as offered an apology to the girls." As for how Stratosphere executives feel about being faced with a possible lawsuit, the resort's Vice President of Marketing, Randy Fine, had this to say. "I'm sure it's a very stressful situation and we understand." Stratosphere executives also tells us that soon after the incident, McKinnon's father contacted the resort's general manager to thank him for what Stratosphere workers had done for his daughter. They say it was at that time the GM did offer an apology. The attorney, who will represent both girls, says if they do pursue legal action they hope to settle out of court. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 Gosh...you know this is just so pathetic. Why should ride companies do anything interesting if we're just going to be stupid and sue like idiots over simple estops! Wow, maybe I should start sueing for random things going as planned to! First Wendy's lady, now this...ugh...not a good week for humanity. Elissa "grrrr" Alvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kenshinmac Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 People are pathetic... Granted it didn't go perfectly but no one was hurt and seriously things will happen. People are too damn ready too sue in this country. Hell if anything they should just settle for the price of counseling. I just don't know what people think these days. I mean you can't sue everyone under the sun everytime something small goes wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jose Eber Posted April 27, 2005 Share Posted April 27, 2005 Oh typical, someone has to sue. "You hurt my feelings! I'm going to sue you damn it!" It was an awful experience, but frankly, they put themselves in the middle of it...whenever you are on a coaster or thrill experience you have to ask yourself, "can I handle it breaking down". For wanting to do an insanely intense ride, these girls and their family are mighty testy. A few things pop up to mind: A) been up there -- on the big shot -- for some reason, insanity sounds way 'worse' B) history of the stratosphere: a mysterious fire which apparently left no structural damage. I personally won't go up on that tower again -- it was stupid to go the first time, heat has an uncanny ability to destroy the structural integrity of a tower (we witnessed this first hand 9/11). I won't even go near that edge of town. If I were in their position, I would have probably been in shock, but i'd never do the ride, so, can't speak for them. I personally wouldn't sue because it was an accident -- and those happen unfortunately. And because they happen, why risk one suspended 100 stories in the air? (my gawd, how stupid can you be). With love and kisses, Jose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Stratosphere Posted April 27, 2005 Author Share Posted April 27, 2005 The fire is something that in the towers history has had many people saying things about it. During Construction there was a fire where all of the scaffolding burned. The area that was torched was demolished after the fire and the area rebuilt. It is a concrete structure, all that burnt was wooden support holding wet concrete to dry. So that area doesnt even exist anymore. No damage. All the fire was lmited to the external part of the structure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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