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Original poster

Teenager that tragically died in Orlando

278 replies

Pointlesspolice · 25/03/2022 20:59

I have just looked at the Daily Fail headlines and a 14 year old has fallen from a ride and sadly died . Absolutely shocking and the poor guy wasn’t properly strapped in …he was overweight and was probably too embarrassed to get assistance with his seatbelt.
I am absolutely sickened by the comments from people,racist and fat shaming…where do these vile people get their thoughts from ? I despair 😞

OP posts:
Harridan1981 · 26/03/2022 16:35

From comments he didn't fall until nearly at the ground

Firefly1987 · 26/03/2022 16:37

@Harridan1981 yeh he was about three quarters of the way back down where it slows-how tragic he almost made it until that point.

PaddlingLikeADuck · 26/03/2022 16:44

From comments he didn't fall until nearly at the ground

Exactly - so if it was a harness problem I would have assumed that once they reached the top of the tower and the chairs titled downwards he would have fallen out then? But he didn’t.

I’m guessing that when the brakes went on the harness couldn’t absorb the force/impact of his body size and caused the harness mechanism to default or break. It’s like when you’re in a car and the driver does an emergency stop, you are completely propelled forward with great force before bouncing back in your seat again, I’m guessing the same rule of physics applies to rides like the Drop Falls.

Mind you, I don’t really understand what kind of seats they are because they look like a harness that just comes down over the person’s head and shoulders but every article I read keeps saying he wasn’t buckled in.

ENoeuf · 26/03/2022 16:46

The harness comes down and over your head and then buckled on a strap between your legs.

Quartz2208 · 26/03/2022 16:51

@ENoeuf

The harness comes down and over your head and then buckled on a strap between your legs.
But I think here there wasnt a buckle to strap in just the harness
Firefly1987 · 26/03/2022 16:52

@PaddlingLikeADuck maybe he managed to hang on at the top but there was no way he'd be able to on the way back down where it suddenly slows? He'd just be forced out.

BoodleBug51 · 26/03/2022 16:56

I clicked on the video without realising .............

The thing that shocked me the most was the complete lack of action from the staff - it was the other riders coming down who pointed out that the poor darling boy was on the floor and even then there was no urgent response. I don't think they'd even realised that someone had fallen..............

ImInStealthMode · 26/03/2022 17:05

[quote Hotelhelp]@ImInStealthMode I really can't picture what you mean when you say head collar? [/quote]
Sorry @Hotelhelp. Like the below (with the buckle back-up). I've always said head collar because my Mum does, but having googled to find this photo it seems she / we made that phrase up?? Blush

Teenager that tragically died in Orlando
ProfessorScarlett · 26/03/2022 17:15

Don't they have signs up? He was 24 stone according to the news, surprised his parents didn't realise he wasn't eligible for the ride.

Montague22 · 26/03/2022 17:17

His light was on. There were 6 people on the ride sat in two 3s. The seat with no light was empty.
His harness wasn’t pushed down far enough. It may have been locked but the gap was too big.

SophieSoSo · 26/03/2022 17:19

@ProfessorScarlett

Don't they have signs up? He was 24 stone according to the news, surprised his parents didn't realise he wasn't eligible for the ride.
He wasn’t with his parents!
Catclean · 26/03/2022 17:20

Daisychains you are projecting a bit here. Smiley was pointing out that the factors in accidents such as this should be recognised. That's all. She isn't blaming the poor boy. She's just recognising that a factor was his size and weight. Other factors were the operator, the equipment...

It's not shaming a victim to acknowledge that their size (small or large) was a factor in an accident. Maybe the operator should have been alert to that as a possible safety factor and been trained to take more notice on the ground.

ENoeuf · 26/03/2022 17:22

@Quartz2208 this is from the DM article and the photos seem to support it?

Tyre and the rest of the group had been told moments earlier that there were no seatbelts on the ride. The only thing stopping them from falling out of their seats were plastic, pull-down harnesses which are supposed to buckle in place, in between riders' legs.

ENoeuf · 26/03/2022 17:27

^^ actually I’ve just watched a (nice) video of the ride and there doesn’t seem to be a buckle at all.

ImInStealthMode · 26/03/2022 17:31

Some rides with those over shoulder harnesses have the additional manual buckle as a safety back-up, some don't. I no longer ride the ones that don't.

Montague22 · 26/03/2022 17:53

Here you can see the massive gap where the bottom of his harness should meet the notch on the seat and doesn’t. I think he slipped through as the ride slowed suddenly. In the same way as a child shouldn’t be in a car seat in a padded coat as it leaves a gap and renders the harness useless.
Very, very sad. RIP Tyre.

Teenager that tragically died in Orlando
Quartz2208 · 26/03/2022 17:58

@ENoeuf

^^ actually I’ve just watched a (nice) video of the ride and there doesn’t seem to be a buckle at all.
Yes I was in Orlando when it opened and saw it on the news and dont remember seeing a buckle

I assumed it was because it was so new (opened New Year 2021) that it had an inbuilt system to recognise that it wasnt shut so the manual seat belt was not included.

I have to say the rides at Icon Park are far too much for me - the sky flier and slingshot both look scary. They had very much pitched themselves for the thrillseekers

PinaColada123456 · 26/03/2022 18:10

@BobLep0nge

People are curious, it's human nature for some to seek these sort of things out? Why does any site exist. Gore has always been popular. Same with True Crime videos/crime scene photos. It's human nature

I've had a look at that site and it's a proper snuff site-videos of torture, beheadings, young girls beaten and set on fire.
I can't believe such a site is legal. It appears you have pay a member fee too, so @PinaColada123456 pays to watch torture/murder videos. Abhorrent.

@BobLep0nge You used to have to pay, not any more. The site has many things on there, not just what you've described. It is for true crime/gore fans. I realise this (Mumsnet) is a very British, - hence sheltered site, far more precious than American/Canadian/Australian/NewZealand etc etc sites however that site does not have anything illegal and are very careful with regards to what they show.
Hotelhelp · 26/03/2022 18:25

@ImInStealthMode ahh I see what kind you mean now! I was picturing ones that help you in by the head and thought surely not!

Smileyaxolotl1 · 26/03/2022 18:27

Catclean

Thank you. As you probably noticed I referenced two other occasions where people died as a result of ride operators not taking note of unusual physical characteristics.

Suzi888 · 26/03/2022 18:40

Poor kid.
Anyone watching the videos is vile and the videos should be taken down.
I despair of the human race and their thirst for blood. Envy- Not envy. People generally disgust me.

Dentistlakes · 26/03/2022 19:13

How on Earth did the video get into the public domain in the first place? I understand the person who took it was filming their friends and inadvertently filmed the tragedy, but surely they should have just handed it directly to the authorities as evidence and not forwarded it anywhere else? It was their responsibility to ensure it didn’t fall into the wrong hands. Now the family have to live with footage of that poor boy’s accident on the internet forever more.

BobLep0nge · 26/03/2022 19:24

I realise this (Mumsnet) is a very British, - hence sheltered site, far more precious than American/Canadian/Australian/NewZealand etc etc sites

It's not sheltered or precious of MN to not allow snuff videos posted ir linked to. Hmm

however that site does not have anything illegal and are very careful with regards to what they show

Careful with what they show? There is literally a video of a 16 year old girl surrounded by men who beat her up, doused her in petrol and set her on fire!

What does them not being careful look like?!

Comefromaway · 26/03/2022 21:26

@Dentistlakes

How on Earth did the video get into the public domain in the first place? I understand the person who took it was filming their friends and inadvertently filmed the tragedy, but surely they should have just handed it directly to the authorities as evidence and not forwarded it anywhere else? It was their responsibility to ensure it didn’t fall into the wrong hands. Now the family have to live with footage of that poor boy’s accident on the internet forever more.
Well quite.

I have video footage of a very bad cycle accident (how he wasn’t killed I will never know) & there is no way on earth I would upload it onto the internet. The police have it and it will probably be used in court.

Incidentally though, despite me being a pretty calm, practical person usually I went into total shock and virtually forgot how to use my mobile phone (to call 999) luckily others were there seconds after after and I pulled myself together to offer very basic first aid. So I can understand bystanders just standing there.

Mumofsend · 26/03/2022 21:30

Re the video getting out in America there is big money to be made selling these things. Quite an enlightening show on netflix re people rushing to accidents to get footage to sell on