NEWS: Roller Coaster Accident in Petaluma CA

[Angry_Gumball]

According to the news, it is not the coaster's fault (for once!). It is being described as an 'industrial accident' basically being human error. There's a video also on the site where riders described their experience on the Wacky Worm...one said that the roller coaster ran over him, reversed, and ran over again (in our world, this would be a valleying coaster). Only time will tell what the employee has to say about the situation.

[davisal771]

I really want to know the reason why this man was on the tracks... It just doesn't make sense! The Wacky Worm can't travel more than 5 mph... god knows why he didn't notice the train. Really insane...

[johncolon91]

^^ Sounds about right. All the Wackey Worm needs to do is hit a body to valley.

[Jim S.]

Doesn't a wacky worm have safety wheels? I'm not picturing how it could run over a leg. If it hit his leg and crushed it badly enough to require amputation, I could understand that, but rolling over it, then rolling over it again twice? And that would seem to rule out something like the guy having his leg THROUGH the track and getting it torn off too, unless it's just sloppy reporting.

[Angry_Gumball]

Well, that was a passenger, a stereotypical "GP" who made that statement that he got 'ran over' twice. If his body was still on the tracks as the train was valleying, I can only imagine the second trip back up to the body would probably just touching it. The leg was also severed at the site as some people were assisting in the medical care and wrapping up the detached leg up. My guess is that his leg somehow got stuck between the cross ties?

[Goliath513]

Only in Petaluma would something as ridiculous as this happen. Having lived there until I was 18, I have been to this fair many years and ridden probably that same Wacky Worm numerous times. If this guy was doing this just to get some money, he's right down there at the bottom of society with the Wendy's finger in the chili woman.

[Angry_Gumball]

Well guys, it looks like the wacky worm strikes back, but at a different fair. This happened at the alameda county fair in Pleasanton, CA. Basically the chain broke dangling and smacked riders in the face as the train "zipped" by at 20mph. Story found here: http://wap.ktvu.com/wap/news/text.jsp?sid=242&nid=15166027&cid=5038&scid=-1&ith=12&title=Local%20News

Sorry. It's from the mobile site, posting this on my iPod.

[davisal771]

^All the Wacky Worms are plotting... who knows which will strike next?!

[ILoveRides]

Wacky Worms are the new Intamin Cables.

[Andrewoplis]

I remember that! I was there that day it happened as well! I just remember what some kid told me-

 

When it was going down the drop, the back car derailed so the ride operator tried to pushed it back on to the tracks, but it cut his foot off instead!

 

 

But I am still very sorry for the poor ride op who lost his leg.

[Schotcher]

Is this like the game "Who can run across the railroad tracks the most times before the train passes?" Also feel bad he lost his leg to a Wacky Worm. But that poor chum.

Edited February 12, 2014 by Schotcher

[simon8899]

I sometimes think you need a TUV - okay we also have accidents - but at least our rides are checked every time they are errected (carnival) or once a year (park). Check means the operator has to show proof for all maintenance acoording to the manufacturer plus a state-employed engineer personally checks all parteds of the rides - and only after his OK the ride is "cleared".