speedracer Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 Some here had asked about this before and few details were still around, interesting report on exactly what happened: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 "They ignored the signs and the attendant." Morons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmccalip Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 That's what happens when you don't follow the rules... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goliath513 Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 The previous record was set at (now defunct) Manteca Waterslides on a slide built into the hill side. Banzai Pipleline (now Hurricane) is a free standing structure in which is far more vulnerable to collapse under extreme weight. "They ignored the signs and the attendant." Morons. I guess this was the breaking point at which what they realized was wrong. People dumb enough to do something like this should not be allowed to reproduce. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharkTums Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 Again, it's a bummer that this Dateline article and even the YouTube video seem to be all 'sad for the kids...are waterparks safe?'. Um, hello?!?! The kids did something stupid!!! Serves them right! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanks4me05 Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 Oh for crying out loud. And then the guy who introduced the segment said "how safe are waterparks?" That's rather sad. Can anyone say "idiots?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texcoaster Posted December 29, 2007 Share Posted December 29, 2007 That's really sad and everything, but what a bunch of freakin idiots. It's bozos like them that have led to excess restraints on coasters and the reduction of forces in layouts. Everyone's designing things down to the lowest common denominator of moron. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginzo Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 The newsie drilling the Premier Parks guy about "extra precautions" was laughable. The slide could easily support 10 times more than the 1 rider it is supposed to carry. WTF more can you ask for? I'm looking forward to trying out some European parks this summer to see what parks are like when they don't have to worry about being sued by morons who pack 30 to a slide. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 I'm looking forward to trying out some European parks this summer to see what parks are like when they don't have to worry about being sued by morons who pack 30 to a slide. Just don't forget to pack your Speedo! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Bunch of tits. We all know that amusement rides are designed to specifications and there are rules that should not be broken. As tragic as this is, they had no-one to blame but themselves. ^ Robb I CANT WAIT to see you in a Speedo. *note.for the hilarity, not because i'd enjoy it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twister II Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 What type of lifeguard would even allow that?! The lifeguard at the top of the tower would clearly see the group of kids. At my waterpark, we go down the slides in trians, but never more than 6 people at a time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darklingscribe Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 I know a guy who was a part of that high school class, and was there at the incident. Apparently the yearly high school's water park visit usually was at raging waters in San Jose, where they had tried this stunt many times before without consequence. I think that is why the students disregarded the warnings at Waterworld, not realizing that Waterworld's slides were designed by a different company. Still it was stupid of them to try it in the first place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goliath513 Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 What type of lifeguard would even allow that?! The lifeguard at the top of the tower would clearly see the group of kids. The kids overpowered the lifeguards when they would not let them through. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ginzo Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Just don't forget to pack your Speedo! Can we pack 80 people onto a slide? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skramp Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 I really hope Water World sued the parents of all the kids who participated for destroying their property. They openly admit they disobeyed the posted rules so there is complete grounds for a lawsuit. How could the kids not be found responsible for the damage they caused, no reason the park's insurance company should foot the bill for repairs. Not to sound bad but I think these kids, and any kids that try this crap, get what's coming to them. It's just stupidity!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedracer Posted December 30, 2007 Author Share Posted December 30, 2007 ^ Totally agree, unfortunately the park, ride manufacturer and school district did all end up having to pay out multi millions in settlements: http://www.rideaccidents.com/1999.html#nov11 (Thursday, November 11, 1999) - Attorneys for fourteen victims of the 1997 Banzai Pipeline water slide accident at WaterWorld USA theme park in Concord, California have reached a $4 million settlement with Premier Parks, the park's parent company; Whitewater West Industries, the ride's designer and manufacturer; and the Napa Unified School District. The students' attorneys believe that the students should not be held reponsible for the accident, despite their reckless behavior. In an attempt to shift the blame away from the students, attorneys blame school and park officials for failing to prevent what happened. Seven other personal injury claims are still pending, as is a wrongful death lawsuit. Those cases are scheduled to be heard on June 12, 2000. Can only imagine how much more they had to pay out for the rest of the "victims". I actually felt most sorry for Premier when this all happened since they had just barely aquired Water World, then this all went down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmcdllr Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 On the one hand I know its just a waterslide but it should have been designed to handle something like that. On the other hand, how can you protect against stupid people doing stupid things and ignoring warning signs and employees? Yeah maybe this could have been avoided if it was stronger but the same is true if they obeyed the signs. No matter what someone sometime will pull a stunt like this and it is unfortunate because somebody usually gets hurt or killed. This is what stupidity and trying to be cool at theme/water parks will get you....is it really worth losing a life for it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry_Gumball Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 I remember when this happened. This happened the same day we went to Great America for my 6th grade field trip. I remember coming into class the next day hearing the teacher tell us that some kids got killed during a senior field trip to a bay area park. After hearing that they did a chain coming down the slides, I realized it wasn't the park's fault other than dispatching more sliders without clearance from the pool attendant below that it was ok for the next slider to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormrider Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 The slide was designed the way it should have been, and could even handle ten people. Had it been designed to carry more (which it didn't have to) then there would be a ridiculous amount of supports. They did something dangerous and suffered as a result. It was the Seniors' fault. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry_Gumball Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Just watched the video...my response to the question "Are water parks safe?" was "Sure they are....but are the riders safe?" I hate when the media makes the park look like the bad guy regardless of how idiotic the people were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exit english Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 Morons, I tell ya. The class Valedictorian was among the injured... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goliath513 Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 I really hope Water World sued the parents of all the kids who participated for destroying their property. They openly admit they disobeyed the posted rules so there is complete grounds for a lawsuit. How could the kids not be found responsible for the damage they caused, no reason the park's insurance company should foot the bill for repairs. Not to sound bad but I think these kids, and any kids that try this crap, get what's coming to them. It's just stupidity!!! I totally 1000% agree with you on that. Stupidity, in any form, should never be reinforced by paying the victims and their families. If anything, the families of the kids should have to pay the park for the losses due to the negative impression shown by the media. As a high school senior myself, I am surrounded by idiots just like this who do stupid things and get away with them. The attorneys for the students are f***ing idiots themselves for defending the students. The school district had little responsibility in this, and the park did all they could to prevent the pile up And for making the ride more safe!? Well how about work on crowd control first. [/rant] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odene497 Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 What type of lifeguard would even allow that?! The lifeguard at the top of the tower would clearly see the group of kids. The kids overpowered the lifeguards when they would not let them through. Wait so the kids pretty much talked the lifeguard into letting them? I don't know if I'm understanding that correctly. The lifeguard would have surely seen the kids getting clogged up in the slide, seeing as they did it so close to the top. So if the lifeguard let them continue on the slide to clog it wouldn't the blame be laid on the lifeguard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goliath513 Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 No that's not what I meant. They physically overpowered the lifeguards. As in "shoving the lifeguards out of the way while others pile on" I hope this is more understandable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twister II Posted December 30, 2007 Share Posted December 30, 2007 What type of lifeguard would even allow that?! The lifeguard at the top of the tower would clearly see the group of kids. The kids overpowered the lifeguards when they would not let them through. Wait so the kids pretty much talked the lifeguard into letting them? I don't know if I'm understanding that correctly. The lifeguard would have surely seen the kids getting clogged up in the slide, seeing as they did it so close to the top. So if the lifeguard let them continue on the slide to clog it wouldn't the blame be laid on the lifeguard? That's exactly what I mean. If there was a (good) lifeguard up there, they would of not let this happen. Kids wouldn't shove a lifeguard out of the way. Even then, there is an emergency stop at the top of the slide. Something is missing here... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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