Six Flags Texas Death

[Shooby]

Did you read about the recent death of a woman who fell out of a coaster at Six Flags Texas?ApApparently she told the employee that she was not fastened properly and they blew her off. And no authorities are going to investigate because Parks police themselves. Shouldn't there be some possible negligence that is looked into?

[Otto the Orange]

guilty

[MarleyKeezy78]

I'm not sure they should have let her on the ride in the first place, I saw a photo of the poor woman and I don't think the lap bar was able to lock properly. I would say the staff should have caught this.

[billisonboard]

She freely entered into a legal agreement with the Six Flags Entertainment Corporation to provide her with a service.  It is her surviving heirs who should be responsible for pursuing a lawsuit for negligence.  Other individuals need to look at this situation and take upon themselves the personal responsibility of whether they will enter into the same agreement with this Corporation.

Free market and all that.

[billisonboard]

They need one that indicates "You must be this narrow to ride".

[zibazinski]

But that discriminates against larger people. Do you want to be the kid who says to someone and get the fallout that it would entail, that they are too big for the ride?

[Opti]

Jul 22, 2013 9:13:47 GMT -5 MarleyKeezy78 said:

I'm not sure they should have let her on the ride in the first place, I saw a photo of the poor woman and I don't think the lap bar was able to lock properly. I would say the staff should have caught this.

I love rollercoasters, but those bars sometimes scare me. If they don't lock fully you do need the attendents assistance to get off the ride. I do think it was likely a size issue and Bills is correct they should determine what is the maximum width of someone that can ride safely and post it.

[Deleted]

I have a feeling there will be a civil law suit in this case.

[billisonboard]

Jul 22, 2013 9:33:51 GMT -5 zibazinski said:

... get the fallout ...

Bad pun considering the thread topic.

[zibazinski]

Ooh, yes indeed. 

[thyme4change]

Jul 22, 2013 9:40:32 GMT -5 ArchietheDragon said:

I have a feeling there will be a civil law suit in this case.

I suspect they won't need to go that far.  The lawyers have probably been working on a settlement agreement since 4 pm on Saturday evening.  They can offer a settlement without admitting any fault.  I hope this family doesn't get taken in by some greedy lawyer who convinces them that they deserve justice and therefore they should take them to court so they will be found "at fault."  They will likely net out a smaller or similar sum, but some lawyer will make a fortune off their grief.  

[Shooby]

What? Are you guys saying she is too fat? That's ridiculous. And in reality a very thin person would be more likely to slip out the restraint. I don't see how this is possibly her fault. Geez. No compassion for this? You don't expect to die on a coaster. You expect the park to be propely maintained and safe. This sounds like a very negligent act and should be investigated and even criminally charged.

[MarleyKeezy78]

I was not trying to be mean, I know they do have size restrictions on rides, people are told to get off all the time because they are to big, to tall, broad or whatever. Just saying if she was to big for the ride the bar may not have been able to lock properly. They should have listened to her concerns and judged accordingly. It may not be that at all, I wasn't there 
I feel terrible for this woman and her family because things like this should not happen.

ETA: and yes, this could happen to anyone regardless of size.

[justme]

Was it just a lap bar or over the shoulder harness? I'm assuming since it went upside down it was over the shoulder - on those the skinnier you are the more secure - it locks all the way down. I've been on rides where some people couldn't ride because the shoulder harness couldn't come down far enough to click/lock because they were too big. I've never seen it not lock for a skinny person.

[thyme4change]

Jul 22, 2013 11:09:09 GMT -5 Shooby said:

What? Are you guys saying she is too fat? That's ridiculous. And in reality a very thin person would be more likely to slip out the restraint. I don't see how this is possibly her fault. Geez. No compassion for this? You don't expect to die on a coaster. You expect the park to be propely maintained and safe. This sounds like a very negligent act and should be investigated and even criminally charged.

If she was too big for the bar to reach the "locked position" then it would be more likely that the bar would open up, especially when the full brunt of her weight is against it.

Sorry, but the hypothesis that the ride was designed for someone of less girth than her is absolutely not "ridiculous."  There is a certain amount of space there - if you try to put 2 pounds of leftovers in a small tupperwear container, you can't get the lid on tight.  

From what I read it was just a lap bar and the ride did not go upside down.  I think it said it was a 72 degree drop with a turn, in which case a functioning lap bar would keep someone inside, if it was able to latch properly.  What I am confused about is if it is hydraulic or mechanical, and do the hydraulic bars actually "click."  The one witness said that the woman said hers did not click 3 times and everyone else's did.  But I didn't think the hydraulic bars click, and others have said that they do not.  

[thyme4change]

It doesn't appear to go upside down.  Here is the description of the ride:

The legendary new Texas Giant delivers beyond vertical banked turns and the world's steepest drop. This new super hybrid boasts a state-of-the-art track of steel fabrication, with the steepest drop of any wooden coaster at 79°. The lift hill is 10 feet taller than the original Texas Giant.

The new ride also has a record-breaking bank of 95°, steeper than any other wooden coaster on the planet.

www.sixflags.com/overtexas/rides/TexasGiant.aspx

[Shooby]

First what Evidence do you have of her being toi fat? Second, if she waz it absolutely the responsibility of the park to not allow her on the ride. I honestly cannot believe how cold everyone is being to this mother who did nothing wrong except want to take her kids to the park. Wow. Unbelievable.

[zibazinski]

Picture of her somewhere.

[thyme4change]

I posted a picture of her on the other thread.  She was quite large, and I said that I knew I was being an a-hole, but that I am inclined to believe the theory that she was too large for the ride, and the mechanism couldn't close properly because of her size.  Nowhere did I say she deserved to die, or that the park shouldn't have some sort of way to kindly refuse service to people who will not fit into the ride as designed.  

[thyme4change]

[Opti]

Jul 22, 2013 16:36:30 GMT -5 Shooby said:

First what Evidence do you have of her being toi fat? Second, if she waz it absolutely the responsibility of the park to not allow her on the ride. I honestly cannot believe how cold everyone is being to this mother who did nothing wrong except want to take her kids to the park. Wow. Unbelievable.

Shooby I don't think anyone is blaming her for her death except for those who believe she should have gotten off the ride. Bottom line it didn't lock properly and looking at her build
it may have been due to her particular size and shape. Again, its not her fault it didn't lock properly. And from my experience it could have been an almost locked state which would not have allowed her to exit the car without assistance. (There was a pic of her on the MSN homepage this morning. )

If the URL pic is correct, one of the turns the people are almost 90 degrees to the ground, so much harder to not fall out versus a simple up and down no turn roller coaster.

[Shooby]

And? So how much does she weigh? And if she is too fat according to you then how is she supposed to know that? That is the JOB of the park to police and maintain their rides and train their staff who APPARENTLY blew her off. I have never met people who have cared so little about another human beings life. She
Was somebody's mother. And iwould think that if u had kids or family. Going to these parks then I would think u want to see a high regard for safety. But wasn't your kin so who cares?

[thyme4change]

That is the JOB of the park to police and maintain their rides and train their staff who APPARENTLY blew her off.

I agree that it sounds as if the person running this ride was not diligent.  The park most definitely is to blame for this failure.  

[Shooby]

She is certainly no fatter than the vast majority I am seeing here today. And if weight is a concern then if they are not addressing it and potentially letting people fall to their death then they are absolutely criminally negligent and should be shut down asap and permanently. Ridiculous. They can't let someone on a ride that us unsafe for them and just shrug their shoulders.

[mmhmm]

No fatter than the majority you're seeing where today, shooby?  I think, from what I've read, nobody's arguing it was the woman's fault and not the fault of the amusement park staff.

[Shooby]

Right now I am at cedar point . And it sounds like she is being blamed. Sorry but I would expect park attendents to do their job and not send kids and families von rides improperly restrained. That should scare everyone. The rides today go at incredible speeds

[mmhmm]

Ahh!  I didn't realize you were there.  Now, your comment makes more sense!

Seems to me posters here agree with you.  I certainly do.

[Deleted]

I am willing to bet her family is going to bring a civil law suit against the company.

[thyme4change]

Who is blaming her?  Please find a quote.  

[Shooby]

If size is ab issue in proper restraint then thar is up to the engineers to have determined in advance any height weight or size requirements. Sheesh.