Seat belts

[GigaG]

Is it considered against the rules to remove your seatbelt on the brake run while waiting for the next train to dispatch? I've encountered a ride that tells you to do this, I think (Flight Deck @ Canada's Wonderland), but is it generally OK to do this anywhere else?

[OCJ48]

I'm not sure. The Hulk at Universal tells you to do this, and I can't see it being a problem at least on B&Ms (where the seatbelts are their for redundancy), but this may be a letter of the law vs spirit of the law thing.

[SharkTums]

^^It's done on a park by park basis. Some parks tell you to remove them before entering the station and some parks it's against the rules to remove them before you are told to do so in the station.

[JWAddington]

Not sure if its against the rules, but i always do it while advancing into the station. Raptor at Cedar Point.....if a train is in the station and we stop right behind it, i will pop my seat belt off to be ready to go. I have never had anyone say not to. I mean its obvious on Raptor if your seatbelt is undone, with it just dangling there. It's not like you are going to be sent out again, or not be able to re-fasten if needed.

[simon8899]

Never had a problem with this on coasters so far. Of course on flats like KMG Loopfighter or Funtime Spanish-Bell you should wait until the ride-cycle is really finished.

[linearinduction]

I've always heard that the Belts on Intamins, B&Ms, & S&S Rides are not a Redundancy System for the Restraints, but simply to indicate if a Rider is too Large to Ride, as there are Double and Triple Redundancies already built into the Restraint. Mondial has a Triple Redundant System on a Large Majority of their Rides that use Ratchet Pins, Hydraulic Locks, and a Pneumatic Release.

 

- Sid

[DougMJr]

I have never had an issue and I usually unfasten the seat belt while the train is moving into the station. This allows me to just pop out of my seat and be on my way, my small contribution towards faster operations.

 

I think 99% of the time you are not going to have a problem.

[boardwalkbullet91507]

I know at SFOT on Batman, I'm almost positive they tell you not to even touch the seat let until the train had made a complete stop. I've heard them threaten to eject people from the park before. It's a park to park thing really, especially in the Six Flags chain. Each park is very different in maintenance, service, cleanliness, etc. The policies are slightly different.

[singemfrc]

I have never had an issue and I usually unfasten the seat belt while the train is moving into the station. This allows me to just pop out of my seat and be on my way, my small contribution towards faster operations.

 

I think 99% of the time you are not going to have a problem.

I have the same instincts...a lot of my visits are solo and I ride with an empty seat next to me; any time I can reach I secure and unsecure the empty seat so that the park staff can save those few seconds on the dispatch.

[Oryp]

I've always unbuckled the belt on the brake run without issue. I know Griffon has a recording telling you to.

[singemfrc]

A lot of the newer coasters out here in Northern California (and I noticed some down at SFMM too) have electronic locking mechanisms that prevent you from releasing the seat belt until the restraints are released by the operator.

[rctneil]

I know Alton encourage people to unfasten their seatbelts once you are in the final breaks. They were telling people to undo them as the train went from brakes to station when I went yesterday.

[Aceattack52]

I've heard them ask everyone to take off their seat belts before getting into the station on After Burn (Formerly Flight Deck) at Carowinds. I suppose if it can be done on one ride, it can be done on any other, permitting, of course, that the rides are set up the same. If a ride is too different from the rides where you can take your seat belt off before getting back into the station, it may not be ok to take your seat belt off before getting back into the station.

[Hurricane]

Superman: Escape at Warner Bros. Movie World the staff ask you to unbuckle your seat belts as the train is approaching the station because the harnesses automatically raise up as soon as the train is parked. If the seatbelt is not undone in time the harness stays locked and the operator has to unbuckle it and use a manual release button to unlock the train again (A small button on a wireless remote control) Also a fun fact on Superman: Escape, the amount of seatbelts done up are recorded prior to dispatch (all need to be done up) and if you undo it the main operator is alerted to exactly what seat undoes it at any given time and if it's in the dark ride section of the coaster or the launch it automatically triggers a "Ride Stop" and often results in a "Emergency Stop" if the rider doesn't do it up quick enough...

 

On the other hand Arkham Asylum at the same park the seatbelt system causes more problems than ever. Your required to hit one of the 2 green buttons on the handle bars once the train has stopped and the floors have raised. If the button is pushed too many times before it's ready it causes a seat fault and the seat has to be placed out of service for several cycles sometimes until it resets...

 

The system on that ride is good in theory but a right royal pain in the a$$ to operate because people don't listen to simple instructions. It really comes down to park procedures and the ride itself.

[Noporian]

Never had a problem with this on coasters so far. Of course on flats like KMG Loopfighter or Funtime Spanish-Bell you should wait until the ride-cycle is really finished.

KMG doesn't make loopfighters, they make these similiar rides but loopfighters are from Technical park.

[gisco]

I have seen it both ways, I tend to do it as the train moves into the station anyway as a time saver for me to get out of there.

[larrygator]

I have never had an issue and I usually unfasten the seat belt while the train is moving into the station. This allows me to just pop out of my seat and be on my way, my small contribution towards faster operations.

 

I think 99% of the time you are not going to have a problem.

I have the same instincts...a lot of my visits are solo and I ride with an empty seat next to me; any time I can reach I secure and unsecure the empty seat so that the park staff can save those few seconds on the dispatch.

 

I'm in this camp also, although sometimes when sitting next to a large rider on B and M inverts I have trouble reaching the seat belt release.

[joco07]

I know at SFOT on Batman, I'm almost positive they tell you not to even touch the seat let until the train had made a complete stop. I've heard them threaten to eject people from the park before. It's a park to park thing really, especially in the Six Flags chain. Each park is very different in maintenance, service, cleanliness, etc. The policies are slightly different.

That policy is mostly due to the fact that people on Batman like to move the lock of the belt up and down to create a annoying noise, so in return they are told just not touch them.

[hinklea]

Parks with the same ride and manufacturer (Chance Scrambler, etc) will give a spiel to take off your seat belt as the ride is coming to a stop. Other parks will tell you to keep your seat belt on until the ride comes to a complete stop.. so it varies with the park and thruput to keep guests moving.

[UrbanLegend]

I didn't even know that this was an issue at places. Whenever I get the opportunity I take mine off on the brake run.

[rcdude]

On a roller coaster, I usually will undo the belt as the train enters the station or when the floor starts to rise (for inverted/floorless coasters) unless instructed to do otherwise. I've never had an issue doing this, although I have seen people who released them while sitting on the brake run recieve a talk from an operator. For a drop tower, I always wait until the ride has landed before unclipping the belt (or on an S&S tower, wait until it has stopped bouncing and is being lowered the last five feet or so by the hydraulics). On other flat rides, I usually just wait until the ride is stopped.

 

As for an actual seat belt (one across your lap as opposed to one connecting to a restraint, which I refer to as a safety belt), I would never undo that until the train has come to a complete stop in the station. I know people who have got in trouble for unlatching that one early.