If ride safety restraints fail???

[JPG]

I know dumb question, but for you ride professionals....If the pull down restraints like on RNR failed, would you fall out if inverted ? Or, does the forces from the ride hold you in the seat ?

 

[hismattjesty]

The gravitational force would hold you in your seat. The looping actually pushes you into the seat, so there is really no chance of falling out, unless you are trying to force yourself out. I have ridden looping rollercoasters with only lap bars for restraints, and the same principal applies. Your legs never even touched the lap bar as you were pushed into your seat. Now should the ride break down during an inversion, you might have a little problem.

 

[bradk]

assuming the vehicle is operating perfectly, you theoretically don't need any restraints. however if the system were to fail in the upside down position, you'd need the restraints. according to one article i actually quoted today in another thread, lap bars should be sufficient to keep you in should that occur. it suggests shoulder harnesses offer nothing more than psychological protection.

it even cited the loop-the-loop built 1901 in coney island that had 2 loops, no restraints and no major incidents to speak of.

 

[fAnnF]

I'm not sure, but I'm hoping my BF doesn't see this thread, he's already afraidish of roller coasters and is thinking about riding this on our next trip.

 

[Dengar]

I'm not sure, but I'm hoping my BF doesn't see this thread, he's already afraidish of roller coasters and is thinking about riding this on our next trip.

Who can be afraid of roller coasters! I'm petrified of heights, but I still love them! Has he ever been on one before? If not, I bet he'll love them once he gets off!

But, I wouldn't think you would fly out. Unless you shoot straight up or it comes to a complete stop, you should be fine. But, I don't know the first thing towards physics

 

[fAnnF]

Who can be afraid of roller coasters! I'm petrified of heights, but I still love them! Has he ever been on one before? If not, I bet he'll love them once he gets off!

He's does Big Thunder without a problem, he's done EE once and won't ride it again. I'm trying to work him up to RnR. I love roller coasters and feel bad leaving him waiting for me at the end, for me to go on the ride.

 

[jenn-]

He's does Big Thunder without a problem, he's done EE once and won't ride it again. I'm trying to work him up to RnR. I love roller coasters and feel bad leaving him waiting for me at the end, for me to go on the ride.

I don't like rollercoasters, but RnR was pretty cool. I don't like being able to see what is coming up and with RnR being in the dark it works well for me. I am totally afraid of heights so the anticipation of the climb is worse for me than they actual ride.

 

[dqpowell]

Not all rollercoaster inversions are designed to hold occupants in their seats if restraints fail. It depends on the speed of the car, the size and design of the inversion, etc.

I'm not sure about RnR. It isn't totally fresh in my memory anymore, since the last time I was there to ride it was 2003.

It is one of my favorite coasters, though.

David

 

[Cory's Gal]

Disney is one of the safest places, and if any of the "restraints' weren't working properly the ride would probably come to an immediate stop.

Back in the early 1980's my dad went to a conference in Annaheim and one of the Disney Imagineers gave a talk about Space Mountain. He had said that if one of the wheels came off, there was a back-up wheel that would move in it's place, and if that malfunctioned there was some kind of part that would guide the ride to a stop. It may be different now with all the newer technology, but my dad remembered thinking how safe the ride was. I found it pretty interesting.

 

[I'mNoPrince]

He's does Big Thunder without a problem, he's done EE once and won't ride it again. I'm trying to work him up to RnR. I love roller coasters and feel bad leaving him waiting for me at the end, for me to go on the ride.

Well just remember to use the single riders line at RnRRC if he doesn't want to ride. DD and myself did multiple rides last week using this. It was great to walk right on if the CM was using it correct and filling. We were averaging 4 to5 rides per hour when the wait for standby was 40 to 80 minutes long.

 

[Navywife508]

I personally have had my lap bar fail on Space Mountain. It was about 10 years ago and I remember being so scared, I told them what happened when I got off and they shut the ride down for a about an hour or so.

 

[seashoreCM]

I'm not sure whether anything has been said about the seat belts on "bouncy" rides like Dinosaur (Countdown to Extinction) and Test Track. If a seat belt just broke in two with the buckle still in the lock, the ride would keep right on going...

... except if the seat belt itself were to conduct (low voltage) electricity in a circuit needed for the ride to function, a new safety feature could be added to stop the vehicle if a belt broke.

A roller coaster with an upside down section should be designed so that the car would never need to come to a stop with people upside down. There was a recent coaster failure where this problem did happen. For coasters with multiple cars in operation, the cars should be spaced out so if one car has to stop, the next car if upside down can keep going to reach a right side up section.

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

I have seen exercise machines in health clubs with seat belts and safety belts that were frayed.

 

[goofyernmost]

I'm not sure, but I'm hoping my BF doesn't see this thread, he's already afraidish of roller coasters and is thinking about riding this on our next trip.

You are talking to a confirmed roller coaster wuss! I hate them! I have, however, been on everyone of them at Disney. RoRC with it's inversions kind of had me hesitant but I went, yielding to pressure from my daughter, and thought it was great.

Centrifugal force holds you tightly to the seat and because it moves rapidly, in the dark you don't even realize you are doing a loop until it is done.

The answer to your questions about the restraints, in todays world of litigations no place could afford to be lackadaisical concerning safety and restraints. The thing doesn't move until all the restraints are locked in place and it would be unlikely that a ride would or could actually stop mid loop. Tell him to go and enjoy. After riding it, I have completely lost my fear of it. Now, It's a Small World, that's another story. Those dolls are spooky!

 

[nemonoah]

I have actually had recurring nightmares about this happening, so much so I am thinking about not riding RnR this time!!

 

[NanaDarling]

Well just remember to use the single riders line at RnRRC if he doesn't want to ride. DD and myself did multiple rides last week using this. It was great to walk right on if the CM was using it correct and filling. We were averaging 4 to5 rides per hour when the wait for standby was 40 to 80 minutes long.

Thanks for the tip! I think I will try to convince my crew to use that strategy on our next trip!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Thanks for the tip! I think I will try to convince my crew to use that strategy on our next trip!

Just be aware that on the single rider line the members of the group will be separated, and nobody is allowed on the SRL if they do not meet the requirements for riding alone.

 

[JPG]

Thanks everyone for your input and replies to my questions!!

 

[disnut8]

Thanks for the tip! I think I will try to convince my crew to use that strategy on our next trip!

I can't ride Rock N Roller Coaster (no wuss, medical issues). This last trip, my husband tried the single riders line and I barely had enough time to find myself a place to sit before he was out! Before the single riders line, he would get himself a FastPass while I waited.

I wouldn't worry about a safety device failing at Disney World. The ride isn't going to even start if there's any question that everyone is not buckled in properly. I've been to other parks where the people who are supposed to check that have been chatting and not paying attention to what they were doing. THEN I'd be worried.

 

[daisax]

I love the rides with the shoulder restraints -- otherwise I can't do rollercoasters. I thought it was totally psychological, but there WAS an incident last week (not Disney -- Arkansas) in which people on a loop de loop were stuck upside down for a half hour. I don't think lap bars would have done the trick.

I had always assumed that the rides were designed to never ever stop in a loop, no matter what. And maybe Disney's are.


http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/13/america/NA-GEN-US-Roller-Coaster-Scare.php

[/URL]

 

[Rustysmom]

I love the rides with the shoulder restraints -- otherwise I can't do rollercoasters. I thought it was totally psychological, but there WAS an incident last week (not Disney -- Arkansas) in which people on a loop de loop were stuck upside down for a half hour. I don't think lap bars would have done the trick.

I had always assumed that the rides were designed to never ever stop in a loop, no matter what. And maybe Disney's are.


http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/13/america/NA-GEN-US-Roller-Coaster-Scare.php

[/URL]

Oh great, now I'm going to be thinking about this next time I go on a coaster.