Woman dies on Six Flags Roller Coaster

[tchrrx]

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/metr...s-giant-roller-coaster-six-flags-confirms.ece

This makes me very nervous. After 10 years of being spoiled by Disney, we decided we'd spend next weekend at Six Flags.

 

[Planogirl]

It sounds like the restraints failed when they weren't clicked enough times. Make sure that they click three times.

I can reason that slews of people have ridden this thing without incident and accidents happen everywhere but truthfully this would make me nervous too. That coaster is so massive!

That poor lady. My heart goes out to her family.

 

[Tiggeroo]

wow, I was hoping to defend it as rare mechanical failure. After reading that I can't do that. Wow. That poor child and family. Everybody on that ride or who witnessed it will be scarred for life.

 

[Cantw8]

What a horrible way to die, doing something that's to be fun and how traumatic for everyone around her That's awful. I LOVE roller coasters but always have that little fear in the back of my head

 

[MrsDuck]

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/metr...s-giant-roller-coaster-six-flags-confirms.ece

This makes me very nervous. After 10 years of being spoiled by Disney, we decided we'd spend next weekend at Six Flags.

Absolutely terrifying and tragic.

 

[low-key]

Thats always my biggest fear, they often could only get one click on me


One of the employees from the park — one of the ladies — she asked her to click her more than once, and they were like, ‘As long you heard it click, you’re OK.’ Everybody else is like, ‘Click, click, click.’ Hers only clicked once. Hers was the only one that went down once, and she didn’t feel safe, but they let her still get on the ride. …

 

[Jadeey]

Thats always my biggest fear, they often could only get one click on me


One of the employees from the park — one of the ladies — she asked her to click her more than once, and they were like, ‘As long you heard it click, you’re OK.’ Everybody else is like, ‘Click, click, click.’ Hers only clicked once. Hers was the only one that went down once, and she didn’t feel safe, but they let her still get on the ride. …

Wait, so the woman actually mentioned that her restraint wasn't on right and they let her ride anyway?

I feel so sorry for her family. I also feel sorry for the employee who told her it'd be fine.

It's always been a small fear of mine that the restraint will open while i'm on a ride but I never truly though it'd happen. This just makes me so sad for everyone involved.

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Horrific. Just horrific.

I don't understand tho...what's this "3 clicks"? Is that a regular thing for big rollercoasters? I don't do the biggies...my speed is BTMRR.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

Such a terrible thing. Can't imagine what the family is going through, especially the son. OMG.


Now I am more more afraid of roller coasters than I already was.

 

[aprescher]

I love this ride! I have ridden it numerous times. I thought it was mild compared to other coasters but it does "buck" you a lot! Six Flags is always so anal about the restraints I am truly shocked this happened! I was surprised the first time I went to Disney because they are much more lax than six flags usually is! I am very interested to hear the details when they come out.

This is such a tragic sad incident and I really feel for everyone that witnessed it.

 

[si-am]

This is so scary and tragic. It's one of the reasons I hate the Six Flags here (ATL). The ride operators all seem to be teenagers who don't really seem too concerned about safety; many ride attendants last time I was there didn't bother to check restraints or anything.

 

[ChrisFL]

It sounds like the restraints failed when they weren't clicked enough times. Make sure that they click three times.

It actually depends on the restraint mechanism. I heard from one of the experts that these specific train cars did NOT have a "click" mechanism.

Anyway, I've seen lots of people jump to conclusions in other places, including the MEDIA, but I prefer to know what the investigation says first.

Oh, and one of the media outlets showed a headline that she fell 400 feet....which is only about 300 feet taller than this specific rollercoaster.

 

[ChrisFL]

This is so scary and tragic. It's one of the reasons I hate the Six Flags here (ATL). The ride operators all seem to be teenagers who don't really seem too concerned about safety; many ride attendants last time I was there didn't bother to check restraints or anything.

I do think there should be a minimum age requirement for ride operators, 18 or 19 at the very least IMO

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I just read about that on Yahoo. DH and DS14 are spending the day at our local Cedar Fair park. I feel like texting them and telling them to get the heck home now! The park closes in just over an hour, so I'll just sit tight and wait. Scary!

 

[superme80]

I do think there should be a minimum age requirement for ride operators, 18 or 19 at the very least IMO

I agree. I worked at a 6 Flags and subbed in the ride dept. I was given a short 30 min training and off I went. I believe all ride operators should be given real training.

 

[pigletgirl]

Who knows, she could of stood up or something too. I don't think we need to start blaming the ride operators. Regardless, it's a terrible thing.

 

[honeybunches]

My daughter wants to ride Rockin Rollercoaster this year. I am not sure I can do it after reading this article. So scary!!! I worry about this kind of thing way too much.

 

[DznyCrzy11]

What a horrible story!! The thought that always goes though the back of my mind when riding rollercoasters is "what if the safety straps fail??" Do we know if this ride had a harness that goes over the shoulders or lap belt?

Sent from my Galaxy SII

 

[pigletgirl]

Who knows, she could of stood up or something too. I don't think we need to start blaming the ride operators. Regardless, it's a terrible thing.

My bad. Sounds like the lap bar unlatched. Scary.

 

[AmazingGrace]

I rode the Texas Giant about five years ago. If I remember correctly, it was a lap bar. The one thing I do remember is, it jolted me around so much that my neck and my head were in agony getting off the ride. That was the only time I can remember actually considering ping to the ER. That was easily the worst headache I've ever had.