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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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:
MaxPowerOverkill · 25/03/2022 22:00

I was right there a couple of weeks ago. The staff didn't inspire confidence to be honest, they appeared untrained and careless.

Hasselhoffsheadband · 25/03/2022 22:00

Jesus, this is just horrible.

There seems to be an increasing number of theme park accidents, i always imagine rides to be very safe and have lots of overrides etc but they seem to fail quite a lot?

Poor boy, and how horrendous for everyone who was there as well Sad

Ponoka7 · 25/03/2022 22:02

@sparepantsandtoothbrush
"Someone's posted a video of it on Twitter. Absolutely fucking disgusting. Why do people think it's ok to post shit like this?"

Possibly to shut down speculation. The safety harnesses wasn't checked on the left side. The minute the ride starts, people, two being the boy's parents, shout that the seatbelt is undone. You can hear the other female worker instantly ask the male worker if he checked the left side. He said that he did, yet the video shows him stop on the right and spend the time talking.

DearMallorie · 25/03/2022 22:03

He wasn't with his parents. He was with another family.

LittleWins · 25/03/2022 22:03

After that Alton Towers crash I steer clear.

The poor family.

XenoBitch · 25/03/2022 22:04

@Hasselhoffsheadband

Jesus, this is just horrible.

There seems to be an increasing number of theme park accidents, i always imagine rides to be very safe and have lots of overrides etc but they seem to fail quite a lot?

Poor boy, and how horrendous for everyone who was there as well Sad

Are there truly more accidents, or are the usual just getting reported more? After the Smiler incident at Alton Towers, the press went wild over every tiny little thing to do with roller coasters.
TabithaTittlemouse · 25/03/2022 22:09

This is why I hate rides.

jesuisavecukraine · 25/03/2022 22:09

@Ionsion

Wow, I’m disgusted that 15% of people have voted YABU
Possibly because the OP is BU. They have victims blamed and fat shamed the poor child who died. An exert from the OP...

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.

So yes the OP is unreasonable but the situation is heartbreaking and a 14 year old child is in no way responsible for this happening to them, not due to their weight or due to others thoughts on his embarrassment.

LabelMaker · 25/03/2022 22:12

Oh how sad! Poor family and poor friends and poor witnesses.

yougotmehelpless · 25/03/2022 22:13

Usually somebody should go round and check each seat so I’m assuming that didn’t happen if the video shows he’s not strapped in properly (as some have said)

Often when you go to amusement places the operators seem like v young staff on a low wage and working part-time, it’s a bit unnerving.

RIP :( Very sad to think of his family, friends, school and a whole community who are hurting a lot right now

SophieSoSo · 25/03/2022 22:14

Surely there would be some safety mechanisms in place that wouldn’t allow a ride to start if the harnesses weren’t secure?

I know with the smiler accident, the ride stopped because the empty car on the track was automatically detected and the ride shut down, it was an employee that presses the override button to start the ride again because the empty cart couldn’t be seen due to being at the bottom of a drop.

newgymmy · 25/03/2022 22:15

@jesuisavecukraine is that victim blaming?

SophieSoSo · 25/03/2022 22:15

Pressed*

ThePennyJustDropped · 25/03/2022 22:16

Absolutely tragic. Poor young man and his family, so heartbreaking.

And completely agree about very slim people too, I once thought I was going to watch my DD die on a ride due to this. She managed to hang on but I've never been so scared in my life because I could see the only thing saving her from falling about 4 storeys was her own grip. The ride we were on has since changed to require a minimum weight as well as height, I think this should be more standard.

Comefromaway · 25/03/2022 22:17

That’s not victim blaming, in fact it’s the opposite.

Inastatus · 25/03/2022 22:17

This is so tragic. I don’t understand how it can be allowed to happen though. My quite old VW will not go if I don’t have my seat belt on - why can’t the same tech be applied to these rides?

Littlepaws18 · 25/03/2022 22:19

@Comefromaway

That’s not victim blaming, in fact it’s the opposite.
It's completely victim blaming- it's not his fault it's the negligence of the rude operators!
WiddlinDiddling · 25/03/2022 22:20

Not only is he clearly not strapped in but the light on the front of his chair is off - it lights up if its sat in and the harness locked, its meant to be extra visual security to alert ride staff that its not locked.

Not the kids fault in any way shape or form, they let him on, they didn't check his seat, they should have put him in a bigger seat if they had one or chucked him off the ride, but they didn't... the only reason for that is, they did NOT check him!

That is the ride crews entire bloody job - show people on, ensure they're seated properly and harness locked in place!

jesuisavecukraine · 25/03/2022 22:21

@newgymmy yes it is as OP has said the vile comments in the DM fat shaming and blaming him, whilst she is doing exsctly the ssme
she is saying he was overweight and probably too embarrassed to say his harness wasn't locked.
Doesn't matter how nice OP says it she is still implying he is responsible as he was overweight and uncomfortable saying anything whilst calling out others for saying the same.

SoupDragon · 25/03/2022 22:21

An exert from the OP..

@jesuisavecukraine you conveniently omitted the next sentence which says I am absolutely sickened by the comments from people,racist and fat shaming…where do these vile people get their thoughts from

SoupDragon · 25/03/2022 22:22

Xpost.

WiddlinDiddling · 25/03/2022 22:23

@SophieSoSo

Surely there would be some safety mechanisms in place that wouldn’t allow a ride to start if the harnesses weren’t secure?

I know with the smiler accident, the ride stopped because the empty car on the track was automatically detected and the ride shut down, it was an employee that presses the override button to start the ride again because the empty cart couldn’t be seen due to being at the bottom of a drop.

Yes theres a light under/front of the seat - lights up if its sat in and harness is locked down. Doesn't light up if its not locked down.

Unfortunately, systems that lock down the entire ride if a seat says its sat in but not locked would fail all the time and slow the ride down so much it would be non-viable.. the technology exists... its a cost thing!

DenverDame · 25/03/2022 22:24

Not only is he clearly not strapped in but the light on the front of his chair is off - it lights up if its sat in and the harness locked, its meant to be extra visual security to alert ride staff that its not locked..

You can that the light is off as the chairs are rising. It is obvious to anyone looking. When the young man who is working the ride is asked if he checked, he says “The light was on”.

Thatsplentyjack · 25/03/2022 22:24

That poor boy. He must have been terrified!
I haven't seen the comments. I would go looking, uts toi heartbreaking. How can people be so disgusting.

Thatsplentyjack · 25/03/2022 22:25

I won't go looking!