Girl With No Hands Barred From SeaWorld, Universal Orlando Rides

[shilohmm]

I do blame the parks.

But how do you write the rules to cover all the various possibilities? There's a huge variation when it comes to missing limbs or quadraplegic (paraplegic, wheel-chair bound, etc) ability. You're essentially asking for a "case-by-case" assessment by... who? The kid at the ride? The untrained people assigned to hand out the special cards for people who need assistance? The handicapped person's doctor, who knows nothing about the ride or the forces involved?

The best the parks can do is follow the advice of the ride makers, which in this case meant she couldn't ride. How is that the park's fault?

[KingsIslander]

I wonder if they will be adding this warning to the rest of the ride warning signs they alreay have. If it is a policy they should make the public more aware of it, that way there will be no surprises and less disappointment.

I know a lot of ride requirements signs say "Hold onto the lap bar at all times.", which would imply that you needed hands, as you couldn't "hold on" otherwise.

[Big Wallaby]

shilohmm, I believe that at both Universal and Sea World, if you have any sort of prosthetic or lack hands, it's a lead that is going to come and make the assessment. I would agree that at just above minimum wage, since you don't know who you might be getting at the front of that attraction, you don't want to trust them with decisions that put peoples' lives in their hands, only procedures that are backed up by equipment and other, better trained people.

[Amphigorey]

I know a lot of ride requirements signs say "Hold onto the lap bar at all times.", which would imply that you needed hands, as you couldn't "hold on" otherwise.

She could hold on with both wrists. She does have some ability to grasp and manipulate.

[Amphigorey]

I saw a modern dance production this weekend which was a reworking of the 1912 ballet "Afternoon of a Fawn." There were a number of talented dancers, including one lead dancer who, like the woman barred from the coaster at SeaWorld, was born with no hands. She also wore prosthetic legs.

This dancer was the titular fawn, and she wore beautifully made quad stilts. They were made of mahogany and sculpted to evoke deer legs. The stilts were thin, but she moved adroitly and gracefully. She even managed to stand on all four stilts from a prone position; I watched her do it and I'm still not sure how she got there. It looked like she defied gravity.

Anyway, my point is that she had no hands, but she could still manipulate things like whoa. Barring her or someone like her from a ride is nonsensical.

[darph nader]

She could hold on with both wrists. She does have some ability to grasp and manipulate.

I'm no doctor. (duh) But having no hands would negate pretty much having no wrists. The next closest thing would be the elbows,which would pretty much put your face too close to the restraint.

[Amphigorey]

I'm no doctor. (duh) But having no hands would negate pretty much having no wrists. The next closest thing would be the elbows,which would pretty much put your face too close to the restraint.

She does have a wrist. Her other arm is shorter. She can manipulate things quite well, as you can see in this article.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business ... 2296.story

[darph nader]

She does have a wrist. Her other arm is shorter. She can manipulate things quite well, as you can see in this article.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business ... 2296.story

My apologies,,I was just recalling the death of the vet with no legs.
In the newspaper article about it,he sister was quoted as saying,"He was determined to ride every ride,no matter what".
Now I'm sure if he had been denied,there would be rants about it.

[felinefan]

Are you sure that wasn't "Afternoon of a FAUN"? A faun was a half-goat, half-human woodland deity.

[shilohmm]

The "fawn" sounds totally cool, and also makes me think of some of the stuff in the making of Dark Crystal (I think it was), with people galloping around on four stilts. Cool and terrifying at the same time - and that was on film.

Dunno why, but seeing a ballet (or any dance) in real time is usually even cooler. "Hang time," in particular, feels different, somehow.

Are you sure that wasn't "Afternoon of a FAUN"? A faun was a half-goat, half-human woodland deity.

I'm guessing that it's Debussy as well, but Amphigorey did say it was a "reworking." :D: