It just amazed me

[calcajun]

how many places around Mt Olympus where an child / teenager / adult could easily access low clearance high speed coaster track where they can get injured or killed.

It bothered me and detracted from my visit.

I sent Mt Olympus a note on the issue.

 

I found like ten places and I was not even looking!

 

Wonder how many I can find if I actually look.

 

Here is one of many good example

 

[kenshinmac]

This is the problem with the US...

 

Seriously... If a teen or adult is dumb enough to go into the path of a ride it is a terrible thing but why should a park have to put up fences everywhere to try to prevent idiots from hurting themselves. I'm freaking sick of everything being someone elses responsibility.

 

I mean it doesn't even matter if they do put up fences and everything... Look what happened with Top Gun at PGA...

 

Honestly I would feel worse for the people in the train who had to experience whatever happens.

[dougstanton]

^ I do understand how you are thinking with that. It is kind of like how fat people blame fast food restaurants for them being fat. This I think is a different issue. They have to run a safe park. They are so worried about you bringing things on the rides just in case they come out and hit someone. There is no reason for them to have a roller coaster out in the open where anybody can access it. What if a little kid, who doesn't know what he is doing, runs away from his parents, and as his parents are chasing after him, he runs right into the way of a roller coaster?

[ParkTrips]

^ yea, but ths park doesn't care about cameras on the rides.. or providing accidental insurance

[Marcus Sheen]

The buck stops with the parent IMHO, and society shouldn't be wrapped in cotton wool to safeguard those who are likely to stray into harm's way. Where do you draw the line? Should there also be fences along sides of roads to stop people walking in front of cars etc etc?

 

The picture below is of a German Breakdance. Fast moving, crowded platform and not a fence to be seen. It's not a death trap because people take responsibility for their own actions, or aught to have a guardian to do that for them.

 

The world shouldn't need to adapt for the lowest common denominator.

Actually, there is a fence here... somewhere... the people at the back are sitting on it

[Flyingcoasterfreak]

It really does brother me that people have access to the track. It's a Safety Issue for EVERYONE. Sure most people have COMMON senses but they don't use it. A fence or something to keep people from getting access to the track is a must.

 

Just my 2 cents for the day.

[Gutterflower]

it does suprise me that they dont have fences with todays silly "Blame and Claim" society.

 

But i have to agree with everyone else. there is no law for fences...

you wouldnt run into the middle of a busy road. and they dont have fences.

[dougstanton]

I guess it also depends on how the park would react if they found out someone was in the track area. My home park is SFOG and Goliath leaves the park out into this island. There is no fence around the outside of the island. They do have fences around the low spots in the track that would be easily accessible to and it says "Restricted Access". I wanted to get some video of the ride and was out in the island getting some cool angles. There were no signs saying I couldn't be out there, and since some areas had fence, I assumed that I wasn't hurting anything being out there where there was no fence. Well, the e-stop button was hit, and before I knew it there were cops after me. Obviously, now I know not to go out in the island, but at least signage would work.

[Corkscrewed]

Maybe the people in Wisconsin are a lot smarter than the rest of America...

[Cerberus]

Nice to see you posting here Marcus!

I've always loved that photo of the Break Dance. It really does prove a perfect point. Along with that video you had of the guy falling over and GETTING BACK UP as opposed to crying dramatically and claiming damages

 

I don't think there's a problem with that first pictured ride.

Someone would have to cross ten feet of grass and then climb over a fence to be put in a danger spot, which would only be possible through intentional actions.

 

If someone DOES and gets hit, then, well.. what can I say. I hope they hit every cross tie on the way back to the station.

[benzo41190]

Maybe the people in Wisconsin are a lot smarter than the rest of America...

 

That's a good point

 

But I mean, just because there is a safety hazard at a theme park that doesn't mean that its the parks responsibility to take care of the guests. I mean a ride its self, is one thing, but if not then that's the guests responsibility. I mean, should the government protect everyone from every little hazard. Or, is it the government's fault you got in a car accident, no, its the persons fault. Just because you are at a theme park, that doesn't mean you don't have to take care of yourself. And that is the attitude many of Americans are getting.

[rollocoast]

^ Actually, I totally disagree with your whole statement. Parks should (and do!) watch out for their guests safety! To think that they shouldn't is just stupid. Whether it be putting fences around low areas of rides, or checking lapbars, everything should be done in a safe manner.

 

Why? Because people (especially in this country) are f*cking stupid!!! Like that dumbass Yankees fan a couple years ago that jumped from the upper deck into the netting behind home plate just to see if it'd hold him... Yeah, people in this country are f*cking stupid.

 

 

Now, I don't agree that Mt. Olympus needs fencing around their rides. It's safe the way it is. That picture is actually slightly mis-leading. The ride is nowhere near a midway and is at least 90 feet away from the queue... Which has rails on both sides, and is surrounded fairly large rocks.

 

While not too visually appealing, that - to me - is safe. The only way you'd get over there is if you intentionally jumped the queue railing and walk over a bunch of jagged rocks for a 100 feet or so.

 

If someone is that desperate to get underneath the ride, they'd jump a fence, or do whatever it took to get there... And if that's the case, go right ahead.

[sixflagsmagicmountain]

I agree, if you're willing to go out of your way to be an idiot, then it's your fault and no one elses. You can't blame someone for something that wasn't their fault.

[calcajun]

Doug, you were totally cool in the area you filmed in.

Thats why they had fence around low clearance track that you mentioned so you don't get on it .

 

I do like the idea like the photo depicts in other countries that there are basically no fence around the flats but peeps are smart enough to stay a safe distance.

 

Someone mentioned feeling bad for the guest on the train. Thats why it bothered me. Shure i would feel bad for the dummy that woulg go off path and get killed but i would not want to have to see it either and have that memoy.

 

There are just to many places some dummy can get at dangerous track.

It will happen eventually, then they will deal with the situation.

 

Honestly, I like having the open view without fences in front of everything. We just live in a time and place where people do stupid things.

[steel]

Mt. Olympus really lacks in the guest safety department, IMO, what with the absence of spiels, the somewhat oblivious staff (no offense if you work there), the non-lap-bar-checkery, and the areas that are not fenced in. I agree that it is absolutely apalling.

[rollocoast]

^ I've been to Mt. Olympus quite a few times in recent years and not once was my lapbar or seatbelt not checked. While the ride op's there may not speak much english, they still generally know what they're doing.

 

My big question is why do you need spiels to be considered safe? Besides CP, how many parks really use spiels religiously? Are you telling me that those parks aren't safe?

 

Move along.

[benzo41190]

Mt. Olympus really lacks in the guest safety department, IMO, what with the absence of spiels, the somewhat oblivious staff (no offense if you work there), the non-lap-bar-checkery, and the areas that are not fenced in. I agree that it is absolutely apalling.

 

It was funny, me and a friend went in the last car of Cyclops. I had my camera in my hand and we were the only people on the train. He did not check our lap bars or seat belts. He didn't even come walk by us. Actually there were many times I have not been checked into a lap bar.

[TheStig]

^ALL Six Flags parks are required to use manual spiels. And they are ALL safe parks. I found Mt. Olympus one of the least safe park Ive been to. On Cyclops, the op dispached the train then climbed onto the back of the car and rode it to the end of the station, then jumped onto the TRACK! The worst part of the whole thing was he stood there talking to the other op and didnt get out of the track untill the train ENTERED the station! And I agree with Ernie here, there are a lot of places that some stupid kid or adult could easily climb over/under and get into a ride area.

 

Just recently (I think you were here for this Ernie) we were exiting Raging Bull when these kids behind us JUMPED the fence into the ride area and jumped back into the exit que to catch up with they're friends in front of them. It really shocked me how some people are, and Im sure they werent the first to do that! Luckily, SFGAm has extra chain link fences around the ride areas that come close to the ground. Also, I noticed on Viper that the exit que fence is about 8 feet tall and roofed in some areas because it goes right over and under Raging Bull, pretty smart thinking there.

 

Colin C

[dougstanton]

^ Well obviously it wasn't cool where I was standing because the cops came haha....I was in restricted area, yet there were no signs. That is why I got off easy.

[redunzelizer]

Don't always demand fences around everything, after all, whenever you're complaining about people being oh so stooopid, immature and irresponsible...

 

...why not take it for a great chance for natural selection!

[Gnome]

The buck stops with the parent IMHO

Children are like fish, they can be in your hands one minute, and the next moment they slip out and they're flopping on the ground. You can say its the parents fault, but some times those kids get away from you and get into trouble in a matter of seconds..... For example a long time ago when I was about 9 or 10, I was in las vegas with my cousins. One of them was only about 4 years only. None the less she got the idea to dart out into the street, and before you could stop her from doing it, she darted out. Lucky for her she was not hit by a car but she did come close. (she actually run into the door of the car, after it had stopped) But things like this do happen on accident, just because sometimes you can't control your child for that one second, and all it takes is that one second.

[darklight_tr]

Don't always demand fences around everything, after all, whenever you're complaining about people being oh so stooopid, immature and irresponsible...

 

...why not take it for a great chance for natural selection!

 

Exactly what I was thinking. They would be doing the gene pool a service!

 

As for Mt Olympus, I have to agree that they are pretty lax in their safety. I have seen many examples that others have mentioned in this thread such as the lack of lapbar/seatbelt checks or ride ops crossing or standing on or in the track after the train has been dispatched.

 

I remember one particular ride on Zeus where one of the ride ops hopped into the train as it was leaving the station and rode the ride WITHOUT A LAPBAR OR SEATBELT! HE EVEN STOOD UP ON THE FIRST DROP! I couldn't believe what I saw! It was too bad natural selection didn't pick him that day!

[BiCoastal Kid]

^Natural selection only takes the people who do stupid things without the ability to do them, but when you have the ability to do something I guess it really isn't stupid anymore.

 

ANYWAY. Can I just say that the American public are wussies and can't do anything for themselves? THANKS.

[Flyingcoasterfreak]

Peeps get hurt. Park = sued.

[calcajun]

Doug,

Thats why i said it was cool. You can walk around the area and there are no signs.

I was there also and walked around.

You are talking bout in front of the park right?

Yeah, if they came to ask you to leave the area they need to put up some signs.

As far as the area goes, it is safe as far as low clearance track being fenced off.

You could get hit by a falling person or piece of coaster!

 

Yeah Collin, I saw the peeps jump the rail and run across.

Some people just don't know or think that it could potentially be dangerous to step onto the other side of the rail.

Thats my big point at Mt Olympus, you can just duck under a single rail and actually walk up to the coaster track that is ground level.

 

Matter of fact when you exit Hades there is a fence in front of another high speed ground level track and the fence is three or no more than four feet high. Any of us can probably hop right over it and 10 feet away is danger.

 

SHRUG