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Original poster

How does someone fall from a rollercoaster?

129 replies

Sarahfromtheblock · 31/05/2019 16:44

Another tragic fall by a child, age 6 or 7 (papers differ) from a rollercoaster in Lightwater Valley. I have never been and never been on any roller coaster.

Are these children too small and the seatbelts or whatever they have not fitting them correctly? Does the machinery beak down? How does it happen?

OP posts:
LordProfFekkoThePenguinPhD · 31/05/2019 16:48

Not strapped in properly, too small, leaning out, strap/bar malfunction?

AvocadosBeforeMortgages · 31/05/2019 16:49

They're normally quite hot on height restrictions, as they're there for safety reasons.

If I had to guess, I'd guess mechanical failure, but that's pure speculation on my part.

Samcro · 31/05/2019 16:50

i saw this on the news yesterday, think they said the child slid un the rail. maybe too small for the ride. hope the child is ok.

ifoundthebread · 31/05/2019 16:50

I have been on the ride in question loads of times, as have my family. When we read the news report of a suspected fall (nothing was confirmed) and a witness said the child lookwd about 5/6 we all said he must be a very tall 6 year old as we wouldn't of allowed a 6 year old to go on that ride, would only allow my nephew on now and he is 9 and a thrill seeker. This ride from what I remember doesn't have individual seat belts, it has a lap bar which goes across the (up to) 4 people in your cart who are sitting in a 'C' shape, the boy must of been thin/small to fall out of the cart.

TeenTimesTwo · 31/05/2019 16:53

I went on the Tower of Terror in Florida. In our row was a large man. So the safety bar was really quite loose for me. I did not feel safe.

MauisHouseOnMaui · 31/05/2019 16:54

Any guess about what happened would be pure speculation until the HSE completes their investigation. The safety restraints have obviously failed to do their job and a young child has been injured as a result, I can't imagine how distraught his family must be right now and I hope he makes a full recovery.

If it's the ride I'm thinking of it's a cross between a rollercoaster and a waltzer where the car spins really fast on the corners and downward ramps and you feel like you're being flung outwards and if it is the same ride then a young woman was killed on it around 16 or 17 years ago too.

I don't think height is enough of a safety restriction, my DS meets the height restrictions for lots of rides but is so skinny that there is often a large gap between his belly and the safety bar.

Original poster
Sarahfromtheblock · 31/05/2019 16:54

Thanks all.

It scares me to think they might let people on who are too small for the tide. For what? A two minute scare?
Sad

I actually don’t agree with these rides at all but know that others like them so don’t judge.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sarahfromtheblock · 31/05/2019 16:55

ride

OP posts:
Deafdonkey · 31/05/2019 16:56

I've been to theme parks and seen parents try and get the kid to stand on tip toes to make the height requirement

MauisHouseOnMaui · 31/05/2019 16:58

But if the staff are doing their job properly they should be checking the kids against the height chart and checking they're standing on flat feet as part of that.

BiBiBirdie · 31/05/2019 16:58

Doesn't shock me
In 95 I was 14. I was at Chessington with my school. We had a great day and last ride we went on was the Magic Carpet.
I was strapped in and off it went.
The bar that was down in my chest kept hitting me every time we went up and forward. I was being thrown everywhere. It was really loose as well and I was slipping down.
I was screaming and crying but being so high up with lots of other people screaming as they were having fun it wasn't noticed.
I managed to get off the ride, doubled up in pain as my chest was crushed so badly. I got as far as the gate to walk out and was horribly sick in a bush.
The teacher in charge of our group was lovely, she took one look at me and asked what on earth was wrong. I could barely speak so I showed her the bottom of my ribcage (nineties so was wearing a little tshirt) and she was really annoyed.
Chessington didn't give a shit. They denied the bar was faulty. They joked that if it was "that" faulty I would have fallen out. They didn't offer to log it in an accident book.
I was purple with bruises by the morning.
Now of course, my parents would sue but back then and with my Mother being a bit of an non interested cowbag,I went off to school as usual.
Whenever these things happen it never really surprises me as most of the people who work in these places are part time seasonal staff.

Hopefullysmart · 31/05/2019 17:01

TeenTimesTwo I remember too when the Tower of Terror had a single lap bar. We'd rise right out of our seats! It's since been fitted with individual seat belts which lock once closed (to stop numpties undoing theirs).

ballsdeep · 31/05/2019 17:05

Apparently the seat belts were optional. People who went on the same day said the employees were saying put them on of you like.

NicoAndTheNiners · 31/05/2019 17:07

Yes, it's a single metal lap bar. Kid was with his mum who would be bigger so he would have been quite "loose" under the bar.

Go down a steep bit fast and get physics will push you up and back. The lap bar at that point should work but guess he was so small or maybe the bar failed and he came out from under it. Eyewitness said he came out the back of the car which fits.

Ive been on that ride before and it does lift you out your seat when you go down the steep drop.

FrancisCrawford · 31/05/2019 17:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BumbleBeeWineGlass · 31/05/2019 17:07

@BiBiBirdie - I had a similar experience on the Magic Carpet - my mother bit my shoulder to hold me in whilst grabbing hold of both my sisters and trying to hold herself in - it's was terrifying Sad

supersop60 · 31/05/2019 17:11

Have any of you been on or seen videos of those catapult type rides where you get flung into the air? You frequently see people slipping down and it's terrifying, and not in an intentional way.

BiBiBirdie · 31/05/2019 17:12

@BumbleBeeWineGlass it out me off theme parks for life. I looked like I'd been in a car crash.

Mummyoflittledragon · 31/05/2019 17:12

Seat belts were optional Shock

I held onto dd for grim death when we went to legoland and got on a ride on water. Perhaps six people sit inside and it spins round. These should also have seat belts.

supersop60 · 31/05/2019 17:15
the one at about 5 mins - jeez.
floraloctopus · 31/05/2019 17:16

That ride should have been closed after the last accident when a woman was killed.

Foxmuffin · 31/05/2019 17:20

@TeenTimesTwo
I went on that ride about twenty years ago and was only a child at the time, I remember then not feeling safe. My parents were holding me down!

Rafflesway · 31/05/2019 17:20

I had a similar experience as Birdie many years ago on the Grand National coaster at Blackpool.

How I managed to stay in my seat I don't know but to this day remember being totally petrified. I was around 13 at the time and am over 60 now. Sincerely hope the ride has drastically improved from a safety aspect.

FoxSquadKitten · 31/05/2019 17:23

it never really surprises me as most of the people who work in these places are part time seasonal staff.

A lot of them are kids themselves, it's a lot of responsibility for a teenager.

Absolutely horrific, hope the kid is ok

stucknoue · 31/05/2019 17:24

I've seen parents telling their dc's to stand on tip toes, bragging about buying trainers which are bulky to make them higher etc, people forget height (and sometimes weight) restrictions are there for a reason. My dd was 9 before she could go on the adult rides