Six Flags Over Texas (SFOT) Discussion Thread

[coasterbill]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but Iron Rattler at 6FFT has been closed as well for precautionary reasons.

 

I'm not sure why but this made me (literally) laugh out loud.

[Guy T. Koepp]

I don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but Iron Rattler at 6FFT has been closed as well for precautionary reasons.

 

I'm not sure why but this made me (literally) laugh out loud.

 

Comedy will do that to you.

[cfc]

He's a senator now, he's pretty much reached his upper threshold in terms of being elected to public office.

 

Markey for President!

 

(seriously, only kidding, he might mandate body armor anytime you leave your house!)

 

No, because remember to him ONLY Roller Coasters are dangerous. Nothing else...just thrill rides! He probably wouldn't even require that we wear seat belts in cars!

 

So, based on his comments, he's for increased oversight of amusement parks, but less oversight of baby strollers. What does he have against babies?

[Blind Idiot God]

Didn't take Markey long.

 

http://houston.cbslocal.com/2013/07/22/dem-senator-roller-coasters-need-more-federal-regulations/

 

BOSTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Edward Markey is calling for a set of national safety standards to cover rides at amusement parks following the death of a woman who fell from a roller coaster at a Six Flags amusement in Texas.

 

Markey said families on summer vacations are assuming what he called a huge risk because of the lack of federal regulations.

 

The industry has argued that accidents, particularly fatal accidents, are rare at amusements parks.

 

Markey, however, said there are enough serious accidents to warrant federal intervention.

 

The Massachusetts Democrat said those regulations should cover what he called the “totality of the safety system” for roller coasters and other rides.

 

He said families who visit amusement parks in other states should be confident that all rides meet the same federal standards.

 

Oh, hey, sup Markey. Chasin' dem windmills again, huh?

[Fire2box]

He's a senator now, he's pretty much reached his upper threshold in terms of being elected to public office.

 

Markey for President!

 

(seriously, only kidding, he might mandate body armor anytime you leave your house!)

 

No, because remember to him ONLY Roller Coasters are dangerous. Nothing else...just thrill rides! He probably wouldn't even require that we wear seat belts in cars!

 

So, based on his comments, he's for increased oversight of amusement parks, but less oversight of baby strollers. What does he have against babies?

 

on HLN After Dark I was wondering why they were comparing rollercoaster safety to stroller safety.

 

Isn't it clear that folding strollers with many moving parts are kinda dangerous since the occupant is a infant or toddler. Who's also more then likely not able to climb out in case of some horrible accident, such as strollers that have rolled off subway and train platforms. Clearly there should be more oversight to that then a rollercoaster that's designed by professionals.

 

With the way strollers have progressed at some point they are going to be able to collapse in so far they'll produce a black hole.

[Blind Idiot God]

He's a senator now, he's pretty much reached his upper threshold in terms of being elected to public office.

 

Markey for President!

 

(seriously, only kidding, he might mandate body armor anytime you leave your house!)

 

No, because remember to him ONLY Roller Coasters are dangerous. Nothing else...just thrill rides! He probably wouldn't even require that we wear seat belts in cars!

 

So, based on his comments, he's for increased oversight of amusement parks, but less oversight of baby strollers. What does he have against babies?

 

on HLN After Dark I was wondering why they were comparing rollercoaster safety to stroller safety.

 

Isn't it clear that folding strollers with many moving parts are kinda dangerous since the occupant is a infant or toddler. Who's also more then likely not able to climb out in case of some horrible accident, such as strollers that have rolled off subway and train platforms. Clearly there should be more oversight to that then a rollercoaster that's designed by professionals.

 

With the way strollers have progressed at some point they are going to be able to collapse in so far they'll produce a black hole.

 

Hey, I'm all for that if it keeps the soccer moms from throwing their empty Starbucks cups and Luna Bar wrappers all over the place.

[TexasParkman]

My Dad was Director of Maintenence at SFOMA back in the 70's. We had a Skyway accident that killed 3 people. Most people have no idea how something like that haunts you. My Dad had nightmares for the rest of his life. When things like this happen on your watch it stays with you. My heart goes out to the Family. It was Ms. Garza's first trip ever to an amusement park. The Giant was one of the first coasters she ever rode. My heart also goes out to Steve Martindale. I have met Steve- like some of you have. I can tell you- this will be with him for a long time.

[TM3988]

OH GOD THE THREAD IS STUCK IN A TIMELOOP

What do expect when over 50 pages have been added to the thread in a matter of a few days...

 

Exactly.

[Guy T. Koepp]

My Dad was Director of Maintenence at SFOMA back in the 70's. We had a Skyway accident that killed 3 people. Most people have no idea how something like that haunts you. My Dad had nightmares for the rest of his life. When things like this happen on your watch it stays with you. My heart goes out to the Family. It was Ms. Garza's first trip ever to an amusement park. The Giant was one of the first coasters she ever rode. My heart also goes out to Steve Martindale. I have met Steve- like some of you have. I can tell you- this will be with him for a long time.

 

SFOMA?

 

Six Flags Over My Ass?

[ChrisFL]

I was watching Bill O'Reilly on fox tonight

 

There's your problem

[Oryp]

SFOMA?

 

Six Flags Over My A$$?

 

Six Flags Over Mid-America, now SFStL

[Linders]

I was watching Bill O'Reilly on fox tonight when they started talking about this death. One woman stated that we need federal regulations on these rides cause they are never inspected. She also stated SF will owe this family millions because they are clearly at fault. That does it. I have had all I can take. I'm going to find anyone that works in the media and smack them.

 

Let me calm down and take a breath. On one good note at least the left and the right are agreeing on something even if it is on something as stupid as fed regulations . Getting fed regulations is a bad idea. Lets say they form something like The Amusement Safety Board. Then appoint a person that has never been to an amusement park or know anything about coaster engineering. In this persons mind no ride needs to go over 30mph, so they make that a law. Bye Bye to fun rides.

 

Yup, the only ride allowed to be built after are Japanese Jet coasters with catwalks all over the layout.

 

The future of the roller coaster.

 

Weeeeeeeeeee!!!

[Linders]

Didn't take Markey long.

 

http://houston.cbslocal.com/2013/07/22/dem-senator-roller-coasters-need-more-federal-regulations/

 

BOSTON (AP) — U.S. Sen. Edward Markey is calling for a set of national safety standards to cover rides at amusement parks following the death of a woman who fell from a roller coaster at a Six Flags amusement in Texas.

 

Markey said families on summer vacations are assuming what he called a huge risk because of the lack of federal regulations.

 

The industry has argued that accidents, particularly fatal accidents, are rare at amusements parks.

 

Markey, however, said there are enough serious accidents to warrant federal intervention.

 

The Massachusetts Democrat said those regulations should cover what he called the “totality of the safety system” for roller coasters and other rides.

 

He said families who visit amusement parks in other states should be confident that all rides meet the same federal standards.

 

Oh, hey, sup Markey. Chasin' dem windmills again, huh?

Sigh..... So, what can we expect out of a Federal TPSA? Not the thrill TSA likes to give its customers..

[Jew]

Essentially, we already have national standards: ASTM. The ASTM guidelines are already accepted throughout the industry and required by most ( if not all?) state agencies and insurance companies.

[Slem]

At this time even Swedish media has picked up this news story: www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/article17180298.ab

 

The headline could be translated into something like "The explination: The woman was too fat for the amusment park". And i find the subheadline even more disturbing/hilarious: "Expert: Fat people shpuld not be allowed to ride". The article continues to say that thay don't know the actual reasons why the woman fell out at this time. But it also points out that the womans "body volume" is most likely to be the reason why she fell out/got ejected.

But im just wondering should manufactuers start making "fat people seats" or should an accident like this be percived as a wake-up call for (especially) the western world that something should be done about our habits?

 

Sorry if this got a bit of topic.

[BrandonR]

Lots of American coasters already have "fat seats"...

[Blind Idiot God]

I mean, "too overweight to safely fit" was what I was leaning towards as the root cause, and while she shouldn't have been allowed to ride in the first place, I can understand the reasons why she was let on anyways, the main one being that it'd be a PR nightmare. I can see it now: "Woman Told That She Was Too Fat To Ride Rollercoaster". Bam. Uninformed public outcry and the wrath of a million fat advocacy groups bearing down on the park and company, along with the very high likelihood of a discrimination suit. Now, I'm not going to get into a debate about our legal system thanks to the reasons that it is the way it is being a jumbled, convoluted mess, but parks, like any other business, think with their wallets, and for better or for worse, they're weighing out the low possibility of what happened happening versus the high possibility of the scenario I described happening, and they're going to go with the less risky of the two.

[Xtroverto]

-i believe that at a minimum, operational procedures will be revamped such as being required to ensure contact with the thighs, or any other recommended measure to ensure rider safety. we may also see new restraints, new trains, or even, as a worst case scenario, a ride experience alteration, such as trim brakes (hope not as i don't have the credit yet) thanks for listening, and i do wish to extend heart-felt condolences to the victims

 

Shoud be a requirement on every amusment/thempark ride that use lapbars. May accidents (both mortals and non mortals) happen because of the lapbar not locking the person properly. Either the person is to fat or to small (kids).

 

Did the hydraulics lap bar fail on NTAG? No, I don't think it did. The only possible way in my mind is if one cylinder failed and the computer program operating the ride allowed ride operators to override the indicators on the first cylinder. That doesn't even seem remotely likely.

 

Impossible, even if one failed the remaining one is strong enough to hold a 500 pound human locked in the seat throughout the ride. And for a hydralic system to fail, you need a chain of events to occur, manufacturing error, installation error, maintenace error (both the yearly revision and routine inspections) and then maybe you will have an accident.

[crazywolf88]

I don't think Markey knows what he's doing. The accident appears to have no mechanical malfunction liked to it and that's the only thing the gov can regulate. Going to an amusement or theme park is VOLUNTARY not REQUIRED. You don't need to ride a roller coaster like you need to take the subway to work. If the consumer feels its unsafe, they don't come, the park makes no money, it goes out of business. But if a train derails and kills say 15, you still need to take that line to work then next day. The amusement industry is one of the very few that thrive on safety.

 

Just a thought, aren't roller coasters safer than trains at this point. Trains derail, coasters wheels clasp the track. Trains blast into their station at 20 mph and have an open platform, coasters cruise in at 2-5 mph and have air gates that prevent passengers from getting hurt.

 

Also did you know you have a higher chance of dying by vending machine than death by coaster?

[Sir Clinksalot]

Finally watched the HLN "After Dark" thing last night.

 

So glad Robb was on the show. If they'd have given him a little more airtime I think he would would have swayed a couple of other people on the "jury". Is this the normal format of that show? I found it pretty much unwatchable for the most part. The host certainly had his own feeling and it felt like he was trying to convince everybody else he was right without trying to act like he was trying to convince everybody he was right.

 

And the lawyer guy, did anybody hear him kind of slip up and pretty much flat-out say that the restraint failed on NTAG? As a lawyer you'd think he would be better at stating his case in a way that didn't make him look like a total douche.

 

But good job by Robb.

[AllenA07]

I don't think Markey knows what he's doing.

 

This has been Markey's baby for a while now. I want to say he has been pushing for this for at least the last decade. It's never gotten anywhere before, and I don't expect it to be different this time.

[cedarpointfangirl]

I mean, "too overweight to safely fit" was what I was leaning towards as the root cause, and while she shouldn't have been allowed to ride in the first place, I can understand the reasons why she was let on anyways, the main one being that it'd be a PR nightmare. I can see it now: "Woman Told That She Was Too Fat To Ride Rollercoaster". Bam. Uninformed public outcry and the wrath of a million fat advocacy groups bearing down on the park and company, along with the very high likelihood of a discrimination suit. Now, I'm not going to get into a debate about our legal system thanks to the reasons that it is the way it is being a jumbled, convoluted mess, but parks, like any other business, think with their wallets, and for better or for worse, they're weighing out the low possibility of what happened happening versus the high possibility of the scenario I described happening, and they're going to go with the less risky of the two.

 

Its just a double edged sword isn't it? Damned if you do and damned if you don't. Try and protect someone and then it turns into a discrimination thing. We here all know full the well the risks overweight riders have. We also know how sue happy this greedy country is too. I'm a fatty, i'll be the first to admit that, as much as it would hurt to take the walk of shame it would just give me more incentive for me to shed that weight, its my fault i'm fat, not the parks, coaster/train manufactures. I take responibilty for my own actions, but we know many people want to play the blame game.

[Wes]

^ I think that's the root issue...I mean how many threads and posts have we seen on TPR about people being excited they got the lapbar to click just enough to accomodate them, or the agony when the seatbelt being a few cm's too short to buckle properly..This woman obviously got the lapbar down far enough where it was cleared with the computer sensors or whatever, but the physics of the situation dictated otherwise.

[GayCoasterGuy]

Here is a good article: http://www.register-pajaronian.com/v2_news_articles.php?heading=0&page=77&story_id=14874

 

Don’t condemn theme parks after freak accidents

Modified: Monday, Jul 22nd, 2013

BY: ERIK CHALHOUB

 

A freak accident, according to Webster’s dictionary, is defined as “oddly different from what is usual or normal.”

 

Examples include being struck by lightning, Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant snapping his achilles heel during a routine move … and also, as we heard about Friday, a woman falling out of Texas Giant at Six Flags Over Texas to her death and a boat flipping over on Shoot the Rapids at Cedar Point, causing moderate injuries.

 

Before you pull out your pitchforks and call for the death of theme parks, remember this: These were freak accidents, both extremely rare and isolated incidents.

 

Roller coasters have come a long ways, especially safety-wise, since their birth. They’ve got lap bars, single, sometimes double seatbelts, over-the-shoulder restraints. Ride designers have learned to create a teardrop-shaped loop rather than a neck-snapping perfect circle.

 

But still, freak accidents do happen, although they are rare. The last fatality to happen on a roller coaster in the United States at a major theme park (excluding carnivals) was in July 2011, when a man, a U.S. Army veteran who had lost both of his legs in Iraq, was ejected from Ride of Steel at Darien Lake in New York, according to amusementsafety.org.

 

When an accident happens, it makes national news. Why? Because it is nearly unheard of. A freak accident, if you will.

 

And that is a testament to the safety of roller coasters.

 

We come to expect it — it’s a given — and they always deliver. When we hear that a ride’s safety mechanisms have failed, we are shocked.

 

As both Texas Giant and Shoot the Rapids are currently under inspection and closed, we don’t know for certain what truly caused the safeguards of these rides to fail. But that doesn’t stop the general public to become “experts” on the situation, just because they have a camera in front of them, or worse, a keyboard.

 

Among the many, many cringe-worthy comments posted on various news websites was this one posted by (surprise) an anonymous writer on CNN.com: “Blame goes to these adventure parks for glamorizing these risky rides.”

 

Are roller coasters risky? In a sense, yes. But so is everything else … driving, riding a bike, playing a sport.

 

People die or are injured in car crashes every day. You are more at risk of dying in a car crash on your way to a theme park than you are at the actual park itself. Where is the outrage after a fatal car accident? Because they are commonplace.

 

Rumors have been floating around about the Texas Giant incident, many of which claim that the woman was “too large” to fit on the ride (later reports show that the woman was indeed overweight), and that the restraints did not properly lock.

 

But again, this is all speculation. News reports have gone squarely on witness statements, which often contradict each other, and more often than not, are false. As has been pointed out before, the Dallas Morning News quoted a witness saying the lap bar did not “click” in place, and that the ride operator was “nonchalant.”

 

However, Texas Giant’s lap bars use a hydraulic restraint system, which do not “click” when secured. Also, green lights on the back of the train’s cars tell the ride operators that all lap bars are secured. If not, the train can not be dispatched.

 

Six Flags Over Texas wisely refused to speculate, instead doing the right thing and assuring guests that safety is their top priority, and a full investigation will reveal what really happened.

 

There’s no denying the fact that what happened Friday was tragic and cast a dark cloud over the amusement industry. But to disregard the stellar safety records of theme parks and roller coasters and instead condemn them as “death traps” after one freak accident is ignorant and foolish.

 

The lap bars don't "click"

[chadster]

^^Yup. The restraint has to be down a good distance for the sensor to trip, not El Toro distance due to the seat design, but still a decent amount of distance. If anything, I can see the sensors being adjusted a few degrees, but nothing more.