Six Flags New England Death

[Frito]

Disability Cited in Roller Coaster Death

2 hours ago (around 8pm Sunday 5/2/04)
Edit: This actually happened on Sat. May 1 around 3p, not Sunday May 1.

By THEO EMERY, Associated Press Writer


Riders head over the top of the Superman Ride of Steel roller coaster at ...More...
BOSTON - A 55-year-old man who died after falling out of a roller coaster shouldn't have been allowed on the ride because he was heavy and had cerebral palsy, his mother said Sunday.

Germaine Mordarsky said her son, Stanley J. Mordarsky, could barely walk and used a motorized scooter for transportation.

"How could anybody as heavy as he was go up and spin up in the air like a yo-yo? It doesn't make any sense. He was over 200 pounds, maybe 225 pounds," Germaine Mordarsky, 82, said in a phone interview from her home in Bloomfield, Conn.

Her son fell Saturday from the Superman Ride of Steel roller coaster at Six Flags New England in Agawam, Mass., about 90 miles west of Boston, park officials said.

Park officials said Mordarsky was able to board the roller coaster by himself, according to broadcast reports Sunday. The park, under the federal Americans With Disabilities Act, must allow disabled people on rides if they can get in the rides by themselves, the officials said.

Christine Cole, a spokeswoman for the Massachusetts public safety office, said state inspectors examined the ride after the accident and planned to issue a report in the "very near future." She said no timetable was set for the report.

Cole said the ride would remain closed until the park provided information that state safety officials requested, though she did not specify what that information was.

Mary Ann Burns, a park spokeswoman, said Six Flags was cooperating with the investigation. "We're going to just wait and see what they conclude," she said.

Witnesses described Mordarsky coming out of his harness as the ride hit a curve, spinning through the air and hitting a rail before falling down on the ground.

___

Associated Press Writer Matt Apuzzo in Hartford, Conn. contributed to this report.


Copyright 2004 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[Frito]

I don't think the fact that this guy was 200-225 pounds has anything to do with this accident. I weigh 220 myself and have no problem getting into any coaster. I'm not fimiliar with the restraints on this particular coaster, but from the pics on RCDB, I would surmise that a person wouldn't be able to wiggle out of them, especially a 200+ lbs person. Hate to speculate, but I'm guessing this ones going to be the parks fault. Either mechanical failure or unattentive employee. :(

[Squid2]

Hmm..... I'm about 100 pounds heavier than him, and while I haven't ridden S:ROS, I've never had a problem on a coaster caused by my weight. (The coasters that I have trouble fitting into aren't due to my weight, they're due to my shoulders being very broad. Go figure.) So, the guy's weight probably had nothing to do with it. It sounds like the restraints failed in some fashion... either an unattentive employee, (but wouldn't the safety systems autostop the coaster if an unlocked restraint is detected?), restraint mechanical failure, or the rider undid them while riding, (as the lady did last year on Raven.)

And I'm wondering what she meant by "spin up in the air like a yo-yo." That doesn't sound like S:ROS to me; that sounds more like HalfPipe, which was just installed at SFNE.

Squid2

[leonardofury]

Another death at a Six Flags park. Isn't that two this year?

[RCT2head]

that's sad, all that negative publicity by the deaths @ six flags. it just goes to show that those parks are prone to suck.

[raptorrvnge4928]

But presuming they are talking about S:ROS, if my memory doesnt fail me, this is not the first time I have heard about trouble on htis particular ride. Wasn't there trouble in the past with the coaster not stopping, over shooting the final brakes, causing a collision? That comes to mind, but for some reason, I dont think it is the only other incident... but don't get me wrong, I have never been to SFNE, nos S:ROS, so I do not know of what condition the ride/park is in.

[beck2003]

??? This doesnt make sense. Spin like a yo-yo? Wrong park on the Half-Pipe though. Um....I dont think Six Flags is to blame this time around unless the harnessess did not fit properly, or they werent properly checked. I know at Dejavu if we ever had to try forcing the harnessess in any way we would not even try and not allow the guest to ride. If his harnessess fit and was checked, than it was either one of two things, tom-foolry or malfunction.

[Xzentrificenceo]

The news story I heard was that the state had certified the ride for operation on 4-17, also the daily inspection was ok. SO unless something happened during the ride that the lap-bar failed that leaves a ride attendent failing to check the restraint properly.

[jonnyrocks]

just curious, does this ride have over shoulder restraints with loops or is it like a hyper coaster?

[Xzentrificenceo]

It is a hyper-coaster(sorta) according to rcdb the top speed is 77mph and the height is 208ft. It uses lapbars and has a somewhat open sided train. I can sould see a small person slipping from the train(very very rare though) but not a 200+ lbs man.

[IronWolf98]

Originally posted by Xzentrificenceo
The news story I heard was that the state had certified the ride for operation on 4-17, also the daily inspection was ok. SO unless something happened during the ride that the lap-bar failed that leaves a ride attendent failing to check the restraint properly.

Well, the lack of checking the restraint will not cause it to fail...though it does bring the issue of preventability to the forefront. But, aside from that, isn't this the second such incident to happen on this ride? I recall the same thing happened the year the ride opened (an overweight man fell off the ride as it entered the brake run). The victim in that case, however, did not die.

[Frito]

The only other accident I could find on this coaster is shortly after it opened, one train overshot the brake run and rear-ended the train still unloading/loading passengers, causing about 30 people to go to the hospital. Anyone know if Six Flags has closed any of thier similiar coasters at other parks? Isn't that standard practice, or is that just for exact clones?

[Xzentrificenceo]

Iron- After rereading my post I think I could have been a bit clearer in what I said. Unless the lap bar malfunctioned during that ride, I would look at the attendant who was checking that the bars were tight. The man did have a disablity and perhaps was not able to pull the bar tight enough. THat is why they check them.

[bigjamey]

I don't see how the issue of a disability would come into play in this scenario, even a physical one. My wife Hope has a mild case of cerebral palsy, and she has never had a problem getting on a coaster, outside of a stand-up B&M. The only reason why she can't ride it is because she can't keep both feet flat on the coaster. Depending on this person's case of CP is whether this person should have even been allowed to ride. I do know that the Federal Law dictates that a disabled can ride a thrill ride if they can get on and off of it (three fully functioning limbs is the requirement if I'm not mistaken) but each coaster and thrill ride does having warnings posted on it recommending not to ride if they have back problems, just recently had major surgery, or are pregnant. If this person was having to use a motorized scooter to get around the park, then I have to question whether this person would have had the ability to walk down the lift hill should the Superman ride have gotten stuck at the top of it.

[redeye77]

Originally posted by IronWolf98
Well, the lack of checking the restraint will not cause it to fail...though it does bring the issue of preventability to the forefront. But, aside from that, isn't this the second such incident to happen on this ride? I recall the same thing happened the year the ride opened (an overweight man fell off the ride as it entered the brake run). The victim in that case, however, did not die.

Actually, that was Superman Ride of Steel at Six Flags Darien Lake. Guessing it's about the same coaster from what I've seen of the one involved in the most recent incident. I was actually at Darien Lake the day that coaster opened, and the guy fell off the next day, I believe. The lap restraint failed when the train hit the last set of brakes before the station, and this gentleman, who was in fact overweight (not sure how heavy he was compared to this guy) fell out. I can't remember the ruling on it exactly, but I think it had something to do with the momentum of the train combined with the weight. They must have found a way to remedy it, or maybe they set up a new set of guidelines for riders. Not sure since I haven't been there in a few years.

[Harpo]

The Darien Lake and New England versions of Superman are actually quite a bit different, although their train designs are the same. They both are Intamin coasters, with the T-Bar restraints. Apparently, Massachusettes has ordered all rides with that type of restraint to be shut down until the conclusion of the investigation regarding Superman.

[kbendiksen]

Here's an update from WWLP 22 News (http://www.wwlp.com/news2004/story.html?artID=43893)

State Suspends Operating Permits to All Amusement Park Rides with T-Bar Restraints as Roller Coaster Remains Closed Pending Investigation

AGAWAM, MASSACHUSETTS (WWLP) - Superman the Ride of Steel remains closed tonight, 2 days after a Connecticut man fell from the ride to his death. Six Flags New England says it will not open the ride until the investigation is complete. The Massachusetts Public Safety Department was on the scene all weekend. The park's spokesperson says every ride is inspected by 2 different people before it can begin operating. The victim, 55-year-old Stanley Mordasky, reportedly had cerebral palsy. However Six Flags New England says it follows standard federal regulations, by allowing any adult to ride if he or she can enter and exit the ride on their own accord. Spokesperson Mary Ann Burns says Six Flags New England may consider pulling all advertisements, due to the sensitive nature surrounding Stanley Mordasky's death. Stanley's identical twin brother, Daniel, says he's lost his best friend, and just wants to know what happened. An accident report is expected later this week. Six Flags New England wouldn't comment on whether the family of Stanley Mordarsky is filing a lawsuit against them. The park staff says it’s trying to figure out what caused Mordasky to fall. There were not any deaths until Saturday May 1st, when Stanley Mordasky of Bloomfield Connecticut, reportedly was thrown from the Superman Ride of Steel roller coaster. In 2001, Superman the Ride of Steel, malfunctioned leaving passengers stuck in the air for hours, and in 1999, also at Six Flags New England, the Blizzard River raft ride tipped over injuring several people. But the greater Springfield Convention and Visitor's Bureau said none of these incidents have negatively impacted tourism. Six Flags New England says it doesn't know if business will suffer because of Stanley Mordasky's roller coaster fall this past weekend. There is another Superman coaster at Six Flags in Buffalo, New York. They have shut that ride down as well, as a precaution. In wake of the death, state officials are suspending the operating permits on amusement park rides equipped with a T-bar lap restraint. The state is calling for technical evaluation, testing, and possible redesign. The department of public safety says this is not intended to alarm that the rides or riders are unsafe.

[oliviajones]

:eek: Look if your 200+lbs just don't get on the ride. I mean come on we all know if your fat and you get on a very fast coaster your not going to have a good chance of suriveful. Look he was 200 pounds now if you haven't looked in the mirror, then there is nothing to talk about. He was fat, and was 55 years old, and he went on the superman. We all been to six flag and saw it, and went on it! Now i Hate to speculate but frito you was blessed because they jammed that lapbar into your gut because you didn't want to die! (i don't mean it sorry) I mean i'am in on Xzentrificenceo in this one he's right I can sould see a small person slipping from the train like a paper clip but not a 200+ lbs man. It's like saying a man who was over weight, and fell off the pirate ship! Now if your drive a soccter and your 200+lbs then it clearly states don't go on it, now frito you think it's the park fult but most of the seat are not wide enough to lock and keep a over weight man.:down: Just think it's so easy fat dude slips out of a ride. Lapbars are supose to hold anything but when your over weight lapbars gets a little loose and it can't hold as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:mad: AND I REST MY CASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(IF HURT BECAUSE OF MY POST, SORRY) Let us have a momet of silence for the most unreal thing that happen today!:down:

[RCT2head]

True Dat.

[raptorrvnge4928]

Originally posted by oliviajones
:eek: Look if your 200+lbs just don't get on the ride. I mean come on we all know if your fat and you get on a very fast coaster your not going to have a good chance of suriveful. Look he was 200 pounds now if you haven't looked in the mirror, then there is nothing to talk about. He was fat, and was 55 years old, and he went on the superman. We all been to six flag and saw it, and went on it! Now i Hate to speculate but frito you was blessed because they jammed that lapbar into your gut because you didn't want to die! (i don't mean it sorry) I mean i'am in on Xzentrificenceo in this one he's right I can sould see a small person slipping from the train like a paper clip but not a 200+ lbs man. It's like saying a man who was over weight, and fell off the pirate ship! Now if your drive a soccter and your 200+lbs then it clearly states don't go on it, now frito you think it's the park fult but most of the seat are not wide enough to lock and keep a over weight man.:down: Just think it's so easy fat dude slips out of a ride. Lapbars are supose to hold anything but when your over weight lapbars gets a little loose and it can't hold as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:mad: AND I REST MY CASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(IF HURT BECAUSE OF MY POST, SORRY) Let us have a momet of silence for the most unreal thing that happen today!:down:


Ok my friend, you knew it was coming, so I would like to respond to the ignorance of your post. first off, not all people over 200 pounds are fat. In my case in am 6' 4" 210, but not fat... so secondly, I should not ride the ride? the lapbar restraints are intended to hold weights much greater than 200 lbs.... think of it... a ride that pulls only 2 g's (which if this is the minimum, is a really lame ride) would need restraints that held twice your weight... so a 150 lb person would weigh 300 pounds at that instant 2 g's was pulled. But get this, the restraints are designed to hold in about 1500 lbs of pressure... if the rollercoaster pulled 5 g's, a 300 lb person could feasibly ride it... presuming you could get the lap bar down.

Now your arguement would be perhaps they could not get the lapbar down. My roomate who weights a good rough 250, size 42 waste, has no problem getting the seatbelt and lapbar down. My ocnclusion is the possibility the hydraulics failed for whatever reason, but my point is that your post was irreverent and highly ignorant... so it needed a response. And I am sure you will get a few more from others.

... but if I am wrong, my apology.

[kbendiksen]

I agree with you raptorrvnge4928 on your post. I'm 6' 4" myself and weigh 250 lbs I never had any problems with restraints on coasters. I have ridden that coaster before and I don't see a 225 lb 55 year old man having any problem with the restraints
Coasters and amusement rides are machines just like your car is a machine and all machines no matter how well you maintain them are pron to having parts fail. With that said todays news paper that I read said the state of MA. suspended all permits to operate rides with t-bar restraints and said the state is going to test and reserach these type of restraining systems. also said about a complete redesign of this type of system depending their evaluation. That there makes me think the accident was caused by mechanical failure. if their going to do a technical evaluation of the restraining system they must already have an idea what the cause of the accident was.
raptorrvnge4928 here's the peice on the brake failure.
In August 2001, twenty-two people were injured on the same ride when the two roller coaster trains collided. A faulty air supply line in the ride's braking system was blamed for that accident.

[Harpo]

It's really impossible to generalize about a certain weight being "fat." After all, muscle weighs more than fat. No one knows that better than a former Weight Guesser!

Body shape is generally a more important factor than raw weight. Some shapes are not going to be held as well by the lap bar as other shapes. For example, were the legs too large, thereby preventing the lap bar from sufficiently closing, making it too easy to stand up and/or fall out?

Even if the legs weren't too large, it really isn't hard to keep the lap bar from closing far enough. Some people intentionally "deceive" the operators by making it look and feel like the lap bar is snug, but then they shift positions after the ride is moving, leaving much more space. They do this action in order to gain more "air time." On those T-bars, it's actually quite easy to do (but, for those who don't know how, I'm not going to encourage it by describing how -- we don't need more people flying out of coasters by providing "how to defeat the lap bar" instructions). The operators really need to watch for it, but it can be very hard to see, especially if the person is wearing somewhat baggy clothing.

(As far as body shape and amusement rides go, I'm lucky -- I approximately meet the profile used for "average adult male" when doing the testing, so I fit well in most coasters! On the other hand, as far as my athletic spirit goes, I wouldn't mind being a few inches taller and more muscular! Oh well, I guess you can't have everything -- the inventory would be too much work.)

[IronWolf98]

Originally posted by redeye77
Actually, that was Superman Ride of Steel at Six Flags Darien Lake. Guessing it's about the same coaster from what I've seen of the one involved in the most recent incident. I was actually at Darien Lake the day that coaster opened, and the guy fell off the next day, I believe. The lap restraint failed when the train hit the last set of brakes before the station, and this gentleman, who was in fact overweight (not sure how heavy he was compared to this guy) fell out. I can't remember the ruling on it exactly, but I think it had something to do with the momentum of the train combined with the weight. They must have found a way to remedy it, or maybe they set up a new set of guidelines for riders. Not sure since I haven't been there in a few years.

I stand corrected. I knew it was one of the Supermen rides.

[RCT2head]

[
Even if the legs weren't too large, it really isn't hard to keep the lap bar from closing far enough. Some people intentionally "deceive" the operators by making it look and feel like the lap bar is snug, but then they shift positions after the ride is moving, leaving much more space. They do this action in order to gain more "air time." On those T-bars, it's actually quite easy to do (but, for those who don't know how, I'm not going to encourage it by describing how -- we don't need more people flying out of coasters by providing "how to defeat the lap bar" instructions). The operators really need to watch for it, but it can be very hard to see, especially if the person is wearing somewhat baggy clothing.




I don't want to seem like a brain-dead ritard, but i have defeated the safety harness on Apollo's Chariot and I'm kinda small. but I still click it to two degrees before it squeezes me, or until it touches me firm enough. i do this not for mere air time, but to slip my flip-flops and hat out from under me @ the end of the ride. (@ the brake run right before the station.) Those lap-bars will hold you if you are 300 lbs., even if the ride doesn't even resemble Superman, so we should just place the blame on whoever is determined guilty at the end of the inspection.;)

[toosie_4ever]

Ah geez....I just saw a quick advertisement for what is coming up on my local news station tonight.....when I heard Darien Lake it grabbed my attention...and "a popular ride is closed"
(I came here to see if there was any news of it....sorry I have not read the posts yet, but figured I'd share this article with you all)
Here is the link to the article, plus I pasted it below....
http://www.iknowrochester.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=527F0676-63B0-4C67-9F1B-49BE8ECA9F1D
Six Flags Takes Precautions On Dangerous Ride




Jane Flasch (Rochester/Darien Lake, NY) 05/05/04 - Six flags Darien Lake will open for the season this weekend without one of its top rides, the “Superman Ride Of Steel” roller coaster.

Workers are giving Darien Lake's Superman ride a once over. The company said it’s company policy and calls it a precaution.

Over the weekend, a 55-year-old man was flung from the identical ride at Six Flags in Massachusetts and killed.

One witness said, "He fell out and everyone was running, screaming."

The Superman ride's signature thrill is--a drop-- fast and steep--from 208 feet.

In 1999 Michael Dwaileebe was thrown from the Darien Lake Superman as it pulled to a stop.

Francis Letro is his attorney. Letro said, "These bodies are moving through the air turning at sharp degrees 50 to 90 to 100 miles per hour. The injuries continue on a day to day basis."

Massachusetts investigators are focusing on the T-bar which comes down across a rider’s legs to hold him in.

A spokesman for Darien Lake said after the 1999 incident, the ride at Darien was reinforced with extra lap seatbelts and an additional break to ease into the stop at the end.

Some people question whether either man should been allowed on the ride at all.

The Massachusetts rider had cerebral palsy and was unable to get around without a scooter. His mother said just last year he was turned away when he tried to get on the same ride.

Attorney Letro said, "They hire summer workers, mostly untrained kids, and the plan is to move as many passengers through the turnstile as possible."

After the 1999 accident at Darien Lake, park management blamed the rider’s physical size. He weighed 400 pounds.

However, he later won a $4 million lawsuit because jurors said employees weren't given enough training to determine which passengers should be refused because of safety issues.

Officials in Massachusetts have suspended the permits of all rides anywhere in the state that use the lap bar restraint.

The New York Department of Labor said New York has no such plans.

The ride at Six Flags will stay closed until the investigation in Massachusetts is completed. That could be a week or more.

[Xzentrificenceo]

At look at me 6'3" and about 270. Sure I could loss some weight but if the restraint fits WEAR IT!!! I wear a size 38 waist. does that make me fat? I don't think so. I have no problems getting restraints to fit and I am sure that a person any where near 6' is close to 200 or more. I doubt that was a factor.

[Squid2]

Um.... I'm 6'2", 320 lbs. or so, and I've ridden Apollo's Chariot without any problems at all. However, I'm smart enough to not ride a coaster if I feel that the restraints aren't locking correctly.

Squid2

[Harpo]

Here was an interesting update at the Amusement Ride Accident Reports and News website:

Witnesses: victim's restraints not checked; lap bar was up

Witness: victim's lap bar seen "clearly up" in on-ride picture

(Thursday, May 6, 2004) - At least two witnesses to Saturday's fatal accident at Six Flags New England are telling reporters and investigators that Superman Ride of Steel attendants did not check to see whether the victim's lap bar and selt belt were properly secured. One witness, a 39-year-old woman who was seated directly behind the victim during the fatal ride, told the Hartford Courant that ride attendants did not physically check to see that the victim was safely secured in his seat. She added that, while she did see the victim's seat belt around him during the ride, she noticed that his lap bar restraint was at least halfway up, in an "in-between position." She also claims that a Six Flags official called her and asked her to change her statement.

Another witness told Connecticut's Vernon Enquirer that ride attendants made a last-minute change to his seating position and that of his daughter. Initially, the witness was seated directly behind the victim, in the second row of seats. However, attendants told him to move to another row of seats two cars behind him to make room for other passengers. Each of the ride's eight cars holds two rows of two seats; apparently, the rear row of seats allows more room for larger passengers. The witness moved back to a new row along with his daughter, who sat on the victim's side of the train. The witness says that he realized that his daughter's restraints were not checked physically. The witness tells the Hartford Courant: "One of the attendants casually walked by on the right side where I sat. They just kind of walked by real quick, but no one checked [the victim's] side, the left side where my daughter was sitting."

The same witness also told the Vernon Enquirer that, upon exiting the ride, he passed by the monitors which show pictures which are taken of riders at about mid-ride. When he looked up, he saw the first monitor which showed the victim in the front seat and noticed that his lap bar was "clearly up."

The Massachusetts Department of Public Safety has completed its official investigation into the accident and is expected to release its findings soon.

[raptorrvnge4928]

From the sound of the report, it is kind of vague... Was the train released with the lap bar all the way up? If that is so, they need to do a little research as to how THAT is possible. Or was the lap bar not totally secure thanx to the inattentiveness of the attendents?

[Harpo]

Other possibilities: Did the lap bar fail at some point during the ride, causing it to open? In this case, the accident would be mechanical failure. It's the only case I see where the design really needs to be investigated to see if there are enough failsafes in place.

Or, did the rider sit in such a way as to make the lap bar look like it was properly closed, although it wasn't? In this case, the operators need additional instruction on how to spot such a situation. Such a thing can be difficult to spot, but the operators must look for it, especially when dealing with a handicapped individual who might not be able to adequately compensate for a loose lap bar through quick reflexes and securely hanging on.

Oh, if you're really seeking out CP coaster birthdays:

Woodstock's Express is 5
Raptor (as you mentioned) is 10
Magnum XL-200 (as you mentioned) is 15
Jr. Gemini is 25
Cedar Creek Mine Ride is 35
Blue Streak is 40

If it still existed, Cyclone would have been 75.

[toosie_4ever]

Exactly....I would think that the lap bar must have been down when the train was dispatched, and later it could have failed, and of course in the photo it would be up, but doesn't mean it was when it left the station. God I would hope that they didn't leave it like that from the station!! But anyways, the computer *should* have caught that & it wouldn't have been able to dispatch, correct? Or like Harpo says, could have been the way he was seated.

[Harpo]

I don't know if those Intamin trains register whether or not the lap bar is closed. I'm trying to recall which hypercoaster it was where the seat next to me was empty, and the lap bar was left up. Nothing prevented the train from leaving. I think it might have been the B&M Raging Bull at Great America, but I'm not 100% certain of that. It's also possible that it was Superman at SF America.

Anyway, the ride did not prevent the train from running with an open lap bar, although, in my opinion, it should have. I don't know for sure if Superman at SFNE would require the lap bars to be down or not.

I've been having a few email arguments over the past couple of days with Kathy Fackler of saferparks.org regarding her editorial on the subject. She's managed to really irritate me by implying (although she denies it) that the rides are simply unsafe. I argue that the rides are safe if used properly, but, like any large machines, they can be very deadly if used improperly.

I believe she's very much in support of Ed Markey, who I think is on the wrong path when it comes to amusement park safety. It's too easy to blame the machines. Looking into human factors takes much more effort, yet most of the amusement park incidents are a matter of human error rather than poor design. People will make mistakes -- it's part of being human. But, if such mistakes are analyzed, it's possible to find solutions that help minimize the chances of making deadly mistakes. It's hard to fix the real problem if you're only treating the symptoms, and Markey & Fackler seem more interested in the symptoms than the root cause.

[toosie_4ever]

Agreed! Well said Harpo!! :up:

I can say this.....at SFDL on the S:ROS....on one of the trains they had replaced the seatbelts on the 2 front seats of the first car. To me, they weren't the very best...looked kind of old. Now me, I'm no skinny little thing, and I'm about 5' 8". Any other time, no matter where I sat on either train (especially the very front), I fit perfectly fine. This one time though after these 'new' seatbelts, they weren't as long as the regular ones. I was trying to get it to fit, but couldn't (just shy of snapping into the buckle) & one of the attendants helped & forced it in the buckle. Sure, made me nervous during the ride, I held on tight & made sure the lap bar was extra snug. If I was the attendant, I would have had the rider move to another seat, or to the next train.
With all my experiences at SFDL, I don't *think* I have ever had an attendant not check the lap bars/restraints. But, I don't get to many parks many times....believe me, if I had the time & money I'd be hitting all those coasters I so badly want to ride.:D

[beck2003]

that is strange. i would think that there is some sort of mechanism that shows whether or not the restraints are closed. i do not know of any coasters these days that can dispatch without the harnesses closed. i do not think the train was dispatched without the restraints checked.

Look if your 200+lbs just don't get on the ride. I mean come on we all know if your fat and you get on a very fast coaster your not going to have a good chance of suriveful. Look he was 200 pounds now if you haven't looked in the mirror, then there is nothing to talk about. He was fat, and was 55 years old, and he went on the superman. We all been to six flag and saw it, and went on it! Now i Hate to speculate but frito you was blessed because they jammed that lapbar into your gut because you didn't want to die! (i don't mean it sorry) I mean i'am in on Xzentrificenceo in this one he's right I can sould see a small person slipping from the train like a paper clip but not a 200+ lbs man. It's like saying a man who was over weight, and fell off the pirate ship! Now if your drive a soccter and your 200+lbs then it clearly states don't go on it, now frito you think it's the park fult but most of the seat are not wide enough to lock and keep a over weight man. Just think it's so easy fat dude slips out of a ride. Lapbars are supose to hold anything but when your over weight lapbars gets a little loose and it can't hold as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND I REST MY CASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

wow. i've said some dumb things in the past but this tops the charts.

[toosie_4ever]

I know, the person who posted that needs to get a clue. Very uncalled for & immature.

On the retraints....I also forgot to mention that on I think every coaster I have been on, if there is an empty seat, I see the attendants close/latch any lap bars/seatbelts.

[raptorrvnge4928]

Oh, if you're really seeking out CP coaster birthdays:....

Nope Harpo, wanst seeking all the CP coaster birthdays, which I am well awarew of the fact you know... I was just pointing out the ones that counted. I will change my sig for you brother.

Damned Acer's think they know everything, and they have to prove it... :mad: :D :p

[Harpo]

Originally posted by raptorrvnge4928
Damned Acer's think they know everything, and they have to prove it... :mad: :D :p

ACE has nothing to do with it -- being the author of the Cedar Point Virtual Tour, I'm supposed to know such trivial details! :D


Speaking of The Point... Has anyone heard if CP intends to hold off opening Millennium Force and TTD this weekend, since they use the same harness types as Superman?

[leonardofury]

Ow, falling from the top of TTD would hurt a lot

[pnkfloyd12]

Leonardo, I disagree. Hurting alot means you would have to feel pain and feeling pain probably isn't something that would happen when you're most likely to die upon impact. :D

[leonardofury]

You haven't grasped the British understatement have you:D. I am aware that you would almost certainly die failing from 420ft

[IronWolf98]

Originally posted by Harpo
I don't know if those Intamin trains register whether or not the lap bar is closed. I'm trying to recall which hypercoaster it was where the seat next to me was empty, and the lap bar was left up. Nothing prevented the train from leaving. I think it might have been the B&M Raging Bull at Great America, but I'm not 100% certain of that. It's also possible that it was Superman at SF America.

It couldn't have been Raging Bull. The train cannot dispatch while the lap bar is up.

[Harpo]

Originally posted by IronWolf98
It couldn't have been Raging Bull. The train cannot dispatch while the lap bar is up.

Well, like I said, I don't recall for certain which hyper coaster it was, as it was a few years ago. However, I'm positive it was a hyper coaster, and I'm positive it was at a Six Flags park. That pretty much narrows it down to Superman at Darien Lake, New England, or America, Raging Bull at Great America, Nitro at Great Adventure, or Goliath at Magic Mountain. I'm pretty sure it wasn't Goliath. Of the remaining choices, two are B&M coasters, and three are Intamin coasters.

Looks like Massachusetts decided that there was plenty of fault to spread around. They're blaming the operators, the T-bars, and the rider. That's really narrowing it down. Anyhow, it looks like SF New England is going to have to modify the harnesses before the ride can reopen. I don't entirely understand that requirement, since one of the statements from the investigation indicated that the operator should have seen that the T-bar restraint wasn't closed properly due to the rider's girth. In my mind, that just means that the rider shouldn't have been allowed to ride, since the restraint wasn't designed for his body shape. I wonder what kind of restraint modification will be made.

[raptorrvnge4928]

ACE has nothing to do with it -- being the author of the Cedar Point Virtual Tour, I'm supposed to know such trivial details!


... This is not likely in your case, but just because somebody is the author of something in particular, it does not always imply they have thorough knowledge of the topic. Have fun at the point tommorrow. You suck, you get to head there tonight, as I have to wait until after work, tommorrow. Wont leave til 8 am... Get there about noon, after stopping for some breakfast. Wait an hour to process my season pass. Get in line for TTD-and get on that ride somewhere around 4ish... What a day.


... all this for a 17 second ride...

[Frito]

Here's a link to the official Accident Report. I'll warn you right now, some parts of this report can seem graphic to some people. Official Accident Report (http://www.state.ma.us/dps/Six_Flags_Superman.pdf)

This report seems to point the blame at the ride operators and the deceased. I'm thinking that the park is going to get more of the blame in the end though.

[leonardofury]

Ouch, he had his hand remove and then was propelled into a pillar while fully concious. Nasty. Looks like the ride restraint will have to be redesigned as well

[6000000flags]

Originally posted by leonardofury
Ow, falling from the top of TTD would hurt a lot
True.

[RCT2head]

why were there all those blank out, is there a reason why we shouldn't know who it was? and are the photos that graphic that they can't be included. i'm not trying to sound like it's really necessary to see all of the information, but it does give a better perspewctive if all of the report could be viewed. i hope i didn't sound 2 morbid when i said that. it's just that i can't really picturing that happening unless the man couldn't grab at the seat if he felt himself coming loose.. was it mentioned whether he had a medical condition that slowed his reactions down?

[Harpo]

Originally posted by RCT2head
was it mentioned whether he had a medical condition that slowed his reactions down?

The rider had Cerebral Palsy. From the sounds of it, with the extent of his condition, he probably shouldn't have been allowed to board the train. However, that would put Six Flags in a very difficult position. If he's able to get himself to the ride without assistance, then, by law, if the harnesses close properly, Six Flags has to allow the person to ride. Otherwise, they'd be guilty of discrimination based upon disabilities. On the other hand, if Six Flags had violated the discrimination laws because they felt it was unsafe for this person to ride with his condition, then the man would be alive today, but the park might be facing a lawsuit for discrimination. It was a no-win situation for Six Flags.

But, the report and eyewitness reports did indicate that the lap bar was not fully closed and was not checked by the ride staff, which are conditions that were within the control of Six Flags.

Anyway, the answer apparantly is to attempt to idiot-proof the rides through modifications to the harnesses, trying to remove all sources of human error from riders and operators. The problem with idiot-proofing things, in my experience, is that it often leads to the development of better idiots who find new and unique ways to defeat the idiot-proofing.

[leonardofury]

Mind it sometimes idiot-proofing produces first case Darwin award candidates.:D

[Harpo]

Totally off-topic, but, in the Detroit area, I saw someone who was attempting to get a Darwin award. She didn't succeed at that time, but, for all I know, she may have found another way since.

On a major road, when there was quite a bit of traffic, she was stopped in the left turn lane. She decided to take that time to get out of her car, walk to the passenger side, and pull out the floor mats to shake them off as cars were whipping by her at around 50 MPH with only about a foot between where she was standing waving around the floor mats and the cars. Sheer brilliance. And, of course, shaking out the mats absolutely couldn't have waited until she got home. I tell ya, people amaze me sometimes.

Getting back on topic, apparently, such intelligent actions led to another amusement park accident on Tuesday at Flamingoland. It appears to be a case of "When you gotta go, you gotta go!" Here's the story, as taken from RideAccidents.com:

Worker climbs across roller coaster track, struck by train

(Tuesday, June 1, 2004) - At Flamingoland, a theme park in North Yorkshire, United Kingdom, a 32-year-old operator of a roller coaster was seriously injured when he was struck by a roller coaster train. The accident happened on a steel looping roller coaster called Magnum Force <ed note: Hey, Paste, isn't this the coaster you really want to ride???>. The man was hospitalized in critical condition. Witnesses say the man was hit head on by the train, which can reach a top speed of 53 miles per hour.

Investigators say that the area in which the man was struck is a restricted area open only to maintenance workers when the ride is closed, and that the man had jumped over a safety barrier and crossed the track in violation of the park's safety policy. It is believed that the man may have been rushing to a bathroom.

Health and Safety Executive inspectors are investigating.

<ed note: Italics added to emphasize the point of maximum stupidity.>

[leonardofury]

My god! I've been to Flamingo Land. The Corkscrew there was my first real coaster. When I was there it seemed a well run theme park and zoo.

[oliviajones]

Yoyoyoyoyo chill you guys trying to smash me wih replys?

[AssMonkey69]

I beleive that a body falling from 420 feet would reach Terminal Velocity, right? There are a few cases where people have known to fall a certain way and survive 1000 foot drops, without a parachute.

[topthrillmaniac]

ok, i forgot where i heard this but he was 220 lbs and about 5,3-5,5 ft!

[oliviajones]

Originally posted by AssMonkey69
I beleive that a body falling from 420 feet would reach Terminal Velocity, right? There are a few cases where people have known to fall a certain way and survive 1000 foot drops, without a parachute.

Wah? and come on people! It was only a joke to light up the moment:( you make every one forget about the death like put it behind you and have some fun