Six Flags Over Texas (SFOT) Discussion Thread

[Krandor]

I say just slap on some Millennium Force seatbelts and call it a day.

 

I'd be shocked if seatbelts were not added at this point.

 

I don't really know how the ride operates, but from what I've read it sounds like there's no way the train would have been dispatched if the woman didn't have a green light. So the way I see it, whether the restraint popped open, or she just slipped out from under it, I wouldn't put the woman, or the operators at fault for this at all. It would be either a mechanical failure or just a flaw in the system. In comparison, the Ride of Steel accident a couple years ago is almost definitely a case of operator/rider error. Of course we'll have to wait and see what the investigation turns up as well. Unfortunately accident's happen, but hopefully everyone can learn from it and make things safer.

 

If the speculation is right about what happened I think that is the most likely outcome because it accomplishes two things

 

1) If you make them tight you can screen out people who shouldn't be riding

2) Even if it doesn't really help, the addition of the seatbelt will make the GP feel better about getting on the ride.

[TyRush]

Hey i just realized something, SooperDooperLooper was closed all day today and i remember it being closed yesterday too by looking at the app. Could possibly be because of the accident? But it has had some problems this year anyways so its tough to call.

[The49er]

My thoughts and prayers are to the family right now.

 

That being said, I think the people on Twitter saying that every rollercoaster needs OTSRs may be going a bit too far...

[Swimace]

Wow, just catching up on all of this. What a terrible accident. Unfortunately, it also is a pretty awful reminder of how bad our media sources can be.

 

 

Hopefully between iRat and NTG something will reopen in time for the Texas/Midwest trip.

[Wags]

So, so sad. Many moons ago - 1990 - I was boarding the Demon at CGA; there were two morbidly obese women in front of me who couldn't get their restraints to lock, so the ride ops applied all their weight to staple them in, just one click. Still have a picture of that somewhere.

[teaj99]

Maybe we should go to ankle restraints. think of the fun of being able to safely be ejected from your seat only to be snatched at the last second from the hands of doom by your ankle cuff restraints

[nannerdw]

Maybe we should go to ankle restraints. think of the fun of being able to safely be ejected from your seat only to be snatched at the last second from the hands of doom by your ankle cuff restraints

That could cause some serious injuries. Why not just a backup seatbelt around the waist? Wouldn't that keep pretty much anyone secured?

[mandy_Reeves]

I am heavy-ish now...but I have a badonkadonk to rival Kim Kardashian, and dolly parton chest...so even when I WAS thin, I had a heck of a time fitting in Rolling Thunder at GA...I almost fell out...

[Sportsdude360]

So, so sad. Many moons ago - 1990 - I was boarding the Demon at CGA; there were two morbidly obese women in front of me who couldn't get their restraints to lock, so the ride ops applied all their weight to staple them in, just one click. Still have a picture of that somewhere.

 

Exactly what do you mean by "morbidly obese"? I have seen very large people ride NTAG on any number of ocasions without incident. The ride ops just about always push the hydraulic restraints down as far as they'll go. In fact, I'm always complaining about being stapled. Same thing happened last week when I was riding Iron Rattler at SFFT. The ops kept stapling me on every ride.

 

I find it hard to believe that ride ops would take that kind of a chance with people who are obese enough to circumvent the restraints. Anyone that big should be asked not to ride for their own safety.

Edited July 21, 2013 by Sportsdude360

[mandy_Reeves]

OMG a slightly humorous story of my Aunt Gertrude, who was 300 LBS and went on the Parachute Drop at SFGA...she broke it! It literally got stuck halfway down....my mom was all "we are not with her" and me being 7, I was like Mommy that Aunt Gert! we are with her! Then when we went on the cable cars....they.........creaked and stopped. Hilarious

[TopThrill182]

Although her identification doesn't make the victim's death any less unfortunate, this news at least seems to provide some insight into what happened: no mechanical malfunction, but rather a rider with a particular body type that allowed her to escape from a supposedly locked and theoretically safe restraint.

 

Perhaps it's time for more sophisticated rider requirements? As others have mentioned, maybe height alone isn't the best matrix to determine rider eligibility. Of course, I have no idea how a park could measure riders' body proportions with any efficiency or political correctness.

 

I'll be interested to see where we go from here (once an official cause is cited, of course). Now that someone has died on the ride, the status quo doesn't seem a viable option (if only for perception's sake). Will seat belts be added? A tighter "rider screening" program put in place? Or, the option which is most likely in my opinion, will the park do both?

[ImmelMatt]

^^Discussion of a tragic incident really isn't the best place for a "hilarious" story of your aunt breaking a ride with her weight. Please show a little more decorum.

[australianalex]

Just my 2 cents on the seatbelts debate, while it's true that the restraint system should make the need for a seatbelt unnecessary, the unfortunate fact of the matter is that ,in this one incident, the chances are that if there had been a seatbelt the woman would probably still be alive.

[Generational]

Just my 2 cents on the seatbelts debate, while it's true that the restraint system should make the need for a seatbelt unnecessary, the unfortunate fact of the matter is that ,in this one incident, the chances are that if there had been a seatbelt the woman would probably still be alive.

 

I think that she would still be alive with seat belts as well. Either they would have prevented her from falling, or, if it couldn't reach around her, she would have had to take the walk of shame. Both scenarios are viable.

[The Leftwing]

I'm trying to explain this whole thing to my mom who does not know a thing about roller coasters.

[rolercstrluvr]

I'm trying to explain this whole thing to my mom who does not know a thing about roller coasters.

 

Good luck with that.

[crazywolf88]

It seems as though anything Allan Shilke touches is cursed in one way or another.

[V2-dude]

Let me just say that I have operated multiple coasters that did not allow dispatch unless every restraint was locked and lowered to a certain point. On NONE of these would the ride stop if a malfunction occurred with the restraint system. Once the train begins to move, the contact between the train and the ride's computer is broken, and the computer has no way of telling what is going on with the restraints. Unless there is some newfangled wireless communication system out there that can relay information from the train to the computer, the train must be parked in the station to communicate with the computer. I have operated a coaster built in 2012 with the latest technology, so if such a system exists, it probably would have been on there. I have never seen any sensors out on the track that did anything other than indicate block occupancy.

[PalmTree55]

File Deleted

Edited July 21, 2013 by PalmTree55

[TexasThrillSeekers]

Oh my, that's not funny. Way too soon.

[Waltrane]

I heard about the accident and figured this would be the best place to get an accurate account of what could have happened. I'm glad I was right. I follow you guys on Twitter (same screen name) and love roller coasters, unfortunately though not at your level! I am headed to SFGAm next month with my son and before my wife freaks out about safety, I needed some good facts so thanks to everyone here. I'm not sure he'll even ride anything at his age, but I know I've peaked his interest with Insane Coaster Wars. I'll let you know how that trip turns out.

Edited July 21, 2013 by Waltrane

[XII]

Does anyone know if Outlaw is operating?

 

Outlaw Run was running as if nothing had happened at SFOT at all. So that's still open.

[australianalex]

Does anyone know if Outlaw is operating?

 

Outlaw Run was running as if nothing had happened at SFOT at all. So that's still open.

That must mean that the concern is with Gerstlauer, which makes much more sense. Outlaw Run is all RMC.

[simon8899]

A personal observation from Hansa-Park a few weeks ago:

 

The old Schwarzkopf looper Nessie has seats with no seat divider and I saw a quite big woman taking place in the middle and put one lapbar over each of her legs - she wouldn't have fitted into a single lapbar. The attendant only checked if both lapbars were locked and allowed the woman to ride this way. I doubt if this was intended by the ride manufacturer.

 

IMO adding seat dividers would be a better idea and they wouldn't slow down operations as much as seatbelts.

[Jew]

Let me just say that I have operated multiple coasters that did not allow dispatch unless every restraint was locked and lowered to a certain point. On NONE of these would the ride stop if a malfunction occurred with the restraint system. Once the train begins to move, the contact between the train and the ride's computer is broken, and the computer has no way of telling what is going on with the restraints. Unless there is some newfangled wireless communication system out there that can relay information from the train to the computer, the train must be parked in the station to communicate with the computer. I have operated a coaster built in 2012 with the latest technology, so if such a system exists, it probably would have been on there. I have never seen any sensors out on the track that did anything other than indicate block occupancy.

 

I'm guessing NTAG doesn't feature either of these, but both of those features you mentioned (WiFi and restraint sensors on ride tracks) are possible and in service on various rides throughout the world.