CardCraze Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I won't go as far as to accuse whoever did that interview of just wanting attention (she legitly might not know), but the newer coasters, like Texas Giant, don't click. You just push down. It'll be days likely before we know what happened. All we have now is people who think they know everything that happened and media that wants to be the first to report it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamd Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I'm also hearing a rumor that Six Flags is requiring ALL Gerstlaur coasters in their parks to be closed pending investigation. This includes all their spinning coasters. Can anyone confirm if those coasters are currently open? I haven't heard anything, but I would be SHOCKED if they didn't close all Gerstlaur rides down to investigate. Heck I'd be shocked if ALL theme parks didn't shut all Gerstlaur rides down for the time being. I believe when the Perilous Plunge accident happened at Knott's most parks were investigating their Intamin attractions. I also wonder if this causes a delay in ride announcements for 2014 (given a Six Flags park or two went with a Euro Fighter). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBomer Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I'm also hearing a rumor that Six Flags is requiring ALL Gerstlaur coasters in their parks to be closed pending investigation. This includes all their spinning coasters. Can anyone confirm if those coasters are currently open? Pandemonium at SFOT is CLOSED. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterkid124 Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 If anything, I think that seatbelts will be added to all Gerstlauers. That's what Six Flags did after the first S:RoS incident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopThrill182 Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 (edited) While this is no doubt a tragedy, I feel it sort of pointless to speculate until an investigation (at least a preliminary one) has occurred and provided some facts for the discussion. At this point, we really know nothing other than the fact that someone has died. Everything else is rumor, and any number of things could have happened! Thoughts are with all those affected. Edited July 20, 2013 by TopThrill182 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coasterkid124 Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 As of right now, Six Flags is replying to all of the people that keep saying things like "How?" or "Why?" that the situation is still under investigation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angrynerdjosh Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I'm reading stuff online about her being larger and that being the issue. Just speculation but that has happened before. I believe the rapids death was mid 90s. Raft deflated and a jet blew it over Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandonR Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Took a while, but I captured/uploaded the first local newscast regarding the accident: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2NTpWxrx9Q Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skycoastin Steve Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 UPDATE: http://www.dallasnews.com/news/metro/20130719-breaking-news-woman-dies-on-texas-giant-roller-coaster-at-six-flags.ece "Woman told the workers she "didn't feel secure". Honestly, guests say this to operators dozens of times a day. As a Skycoaster operator, I probably heard it every other flight for four years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garet Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 How long would it normally be until a preliminary report would be released for this kind of incident? Since it seems right now there are already different versions of the story popping up and fingers pointed all over the place at who could have been at fault for this, I was just wondering how long it would take until there's a clearer picture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TxChoice Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Taking the media with a grain if salt, but if she was overweight or large and did not feel her restraint was tight enough, that could have been a factor in the cause. Just speculating here... I understand many enthusiasts are not the skinniest people. But I'm really surprised that coasters are rides that do not have rider size/weight limits for safety. Especially with the design of seats on trains not being forgiving. At the waterpark where I lifeguard/ride op thts the first thing I look for when a rider is about to load. I know it's different, but if that's one the the factors that caused this, it will be interesting to see what happens as far as safety restrictions are concerned. Condolences to the family as this hits right here at home. I attend SFoT regularly and NTAG is one of my favorite rides there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCT3Bross Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I'm also hearing a rumor that Six Flags is requiring ALL Gerstlaur coasters in their parks to be closed pending investigation. This includes all their spinning coasters. Can anyone confirm if those coasters are currently open? To be honest I hope it ends with just Pandemonium at SFOT and Irat. Okay I will admit that SF want to make sure their guest are safe. But it kinda feels to me that they then point their fingers to Gerstlauer, as it might be their maintenance. (We have no idea, and I don't think they're having a idea by now) Just my opinion on this case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
megametal Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Nah, it's a common sense precaution just in case. I'd do the same thing! Probably an insurance requirement as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hinklea Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Watching my local news.. 400 feet? Facepalm... Oh media. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RissaBooBissa Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Watching my local news.. 400 feet?Facepalm... Oh media. Oh lord... Looks like they confused NTAG with Skyscreamer. heheh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry_Gumball Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Watching my local news.. 400 feet? Facepalm... Oh media. Uh...I'm going to put them in the same category as KTVU (when it came to KTVU reporting the false pilot names)... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
australianalex Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Watching my local news.. 400 feet? Facepalm... Oh media. I know it's unimportant in this situation, but that really pisses me off since it just shows the sheer incompetence of the media. How hard is it to google "Texas Giant" and read the height statistic that actually clearly comes up on the right hand side of the search results? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingless92 Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 Thoughts go out to everyone involved. Coasters are what brings this community together and to lose someone on one hits really close to home. I remember watching a video about TTD and Monty saying that it is one of the safest rides around. The lap bar has two locks and the seat belt has two locks so, you would have to have 4 failures to have an incident. I know that this wasn't the same restraint but not having a seatbelt on a ride doesn't make it any less safe. Like others have said, rides are built with safety in mind. The are made to be fool proof. It will be interesting to see what the investigation brings up. I have never ridden one of these rides but it seems like a restraint failure is almost a non issue. Again, thoughts go out to everyone involved, terrible news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TopThrill182 Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I wouldn't be shocked if this were an issue of the guest being too large to fit within the restraint(s)... Sounds eerily similar to the Perilous Plunge incident years back. Every time I visit a theme park these days, it seems I witness at least a half dozen instances in which the employee(s) work to push down the restraint just far enough to accommodate a larger guest. Sooner or later, there's bound to be a time when the restraint doesn't get pushed down sufficiently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry_Gumball Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I wouldn't be shocked if this were an issue of the guest being too large to fit within the restraint(s)... Sounds eerily similar to the Perilous Plunge incident years back. Every time I visit a theme park these days, it seems I witness at least a half dozen instances in which the employee(s) work to push down the restraint just far enough to accommodate a larger guest. Sooner or later, there's bound to be a time when the restraint doesn't get pushed down sufficiently. I see this A LOT on the Chance Revolution at CGA...it's not very large person friendly and ride ops attempt to push that restraint down hard enough that the green light comes on (signifying that they are actually locked). More often though, I see riders get denied as they restraint won't lock/green light doesn't come on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RissaBooBissa Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I wouldn't be shocked if this were an issue of the guest being too large to fit within the restraint(s)... Sounds eerily similar to the Perilous Plunge incident years back. Every time I visit a theme park these days, it seems I witness at least a half dozen instances in which the employee(s) work to push down the restraint just far enough to accommodate a larger guest. Sooner or later, there's bound to be a time when the restraint doesn't get pushed down sufficiently. Earlier this year I was at the park and was boarding Batman. My Fiance and I were in the front row and another couple sat in the two seats next to us. The man was larger... and literally, two employees were trying to push his shoulder restraints down to a safe level for him to ride. When they failed, they asked him to step to the side so they may seat him in another row (I guess the middle seats have more room - if that's what I heard correctly.) The man was all PO'd because of it. I remember thinking to myself "dude - it's for your safety!". SMH... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewRnR Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I'll preface this with by saying I'm no engineer but I don't understand what role her sizes plays into all of this - if the restraint is able to lock shouldn't it be designed to remained locked whether is it at one "click" or three? (I know there is no "clicks" on this system just saying in general). I would like to believe that if a person can fit inside the restraint and it locks then it is the restraints responsibility to hold them in. Again, I'm no engineer - just thinking out loud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Top Thrill Dragster Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I wouldn't be shocked if this were an issue of the guest being too large to fit within the restraint(s)... Sounds eerily similar to the Perilous Plunge incident years back. Every time I visit a theme park these days, it seems I witness at least a half dozen instances in which the employee(s) work to push down the restraint just far enough to accommodate a larger guest. Sooner or later, there's bound to be a time when the restraint doesn't get pushed down sufficiently. Never have understood why most parks are OK with this practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MayTheGForceBeWithYou Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 I wouldn't be shocked if this were an issue of the guest being too large to fit within the restraint(s)... Sounds eerily similar to the Perilous Plunge incident years back. Every time I visit a theme park these days, it seems I witness at least a half dozen instances in which the employee(s) work to push down the restraint just far enough to accommodate a larger guest. Sooner or later, there's bound to be a time when the restraint doesn't get pushed down sufficiently. Perilous was in my head as well when I heard this. Do we know if the woman was overweight or not, or has that info not been released? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWFan Posted July 20, 2013 Share Posted July 20, 2013 When it comes to Gerstlauer rides being possibly closed across the chain, do you know if this would include The Boss at my home park, SfSTL? Obviously we won't know for sure until tomorrow, but because it uses a ratcheting system I assumed it wouldn't be included in a possible shutdown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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