Ride of Steel Accident- Darien Lake

[Spideyfreak]

An Iraq War Veteran recently was thrown from Ride of Steel at Darien Lake. The ride uses a lap bar and seatbelt to secure riders. Here's the kicker, he's an amputee: One leg was completely amputated, and the other about halfway between the knee and the hip. So he was only secured by part of his right thigh.

The ride rules state that all riders must have two legs to ride. It is also SOP that riders must have at least 3 limbs to ride. So now the question is why was he allowed on? And why was the train dispatched?

http://www.whec.com/news/stories/S2191352.shtml?cat=566

http://www.9wsyr.com/mostpopular/story/ ... Y1i4A.cspx

http://www.wivb.com/dpp/news/genesee/Cr ... arien-Lake

So to our CM's on here: What are the rules regarding amputees on the rides at your park?

Discuss.

[Freak]

This isn't the first time Darien Lake's Superman:RoS has had accident either. There was a similar accident that ejected a rider out of a train. But that rider was very large, not missing a leg. But a redesign of the lapbars were initiated after the first accident.

Xcelerator, being built by the same company (Intamin) required a guest to have two legs to ride, and a total of three limbs to ride. I believe that generally for most Intamin coasters using this train design it is a standard.

[Big Wallaby]

On Thunder, you have to have at least the thighs. That said, the forces on that coaster aren't enough to ever throw you out if you stay seated. I've seen a couple times where water bottles (the 5 gallon ones) went once around before they were removed. That was someone's mistake dispatching the train with them on board, but they made it back with no lap bar.

[DisneyMom]

On Thunder, you have to have at least the thighs. That said, the forces on that coaster aren't enough to ever throw you out if you stay seated. I've seen a couple times where water bottles (the 5 gallon ones) went once around before they were removed. That was someone's mistake dispatching the train with them on board, but they made it back with no lap bar.

Dunno 'bout that! We just rode yesterday and I really had to hang on to the bar on front! Granted, Lap bar doesn't meet my tummy,it meets on Hubby's ;)

[Teddykeiko86]

I am surprised this didn't happen already. I am surprised that this didn't happen where I worked, on my ride.

I worked on floorless rollercoaster by B&M. The ride has an OTSR (over the shoulder restraint) and a 54" height requirement.

One night a 'gentleman' (his manners proved otherwise) bypassed the 30 minute queue (which is wheelchair accessible) and came up the elevator to station. I tell him the wait time and he got mad and wanted to board the train that was boarding that moment because it had two empty seats on it. As I explain to him that the queue is WC accessible, WC don't get immediate boarding and that this isn't single rider, I noticed he was amputated at the knee on both legs, and therefore most likely not 54" tall.

I excuse myself and ask the operator working the control panel what the rides limb policy was, because it was not in the SOP nor was it told to us. She had no clue what limb policy was or why would need one. I told her to call our lead (who was out training on another ride) and find out. [Leads are not required at the rides].

I return to the guest to thank him for waiting when he again asks to be boarded immediately. As l repeat the reasons why, he gives the expected "every other ride let me on right away and didn't harass me..". Before I could defend myself, he says he can not wait because he has a bladder problem and storms off.

By then the lead calls back and tells the operator that he can ride as long as he is 54" and has at least one arm to hold the harness. Well, that wouldn't help us because he couldn't stand to be measured.

I was upset that no official policy was ever told to the employees. There was nothing on the test, nothing in the SOP and nothing spoken during training. Plus, I wasn't sold with the lead's idea of the limb policy. In my idea, with out knees to bend around the seat, he could still fall out. No one working that night knew what it was or agreed on the appropriate course of action. I spoke with my sup that night and told him I was going to deny the guest boarding if I had to. He told me that was the right thing to do, but I was concerned that I would have had no back up. I also found out that none of my coworkers in the area (including leads) knew what a limb policy was, what their ride's policy is or why one is important. Really? I though to myself, no wonder the park gets such a bad safety rep. In fact, the only other person that was concerned as me was my friend, who was off before the incident occurred. I asked the sup if he could post limb policies and if we could be trained ASAP regarding the issues. I practically stepped on his toes and said, "this is a big deal, and I am not going to dispatch a train if I can't be 100% sure that is safe".

Two months later, no memos about limb policies. Nothing. I didn't stay at the park much longer.

[Teddykeiko86]

I am surprised this didn't happen already. I am surprised that this didn't happen where I worked, on my ride.

not finished ranting...

This was circa 2009. I hope that things have changed. A rider safety guide like Knott's has, or posted info on the warning sign would be nice... Or maybe just having it in the SOP, on the test and having leads that actually train their employees well.
I don't want to mention the name of my ex-park, but you can guess if you like... ;)

Okay done. Thank you.

[Freak]

I think the floorless coaster gave it away..possibly.

[ectomstr]

I rode the Harry Potter ride last year with some friends when we noticed part of the sign saying "those with prosthetic limbs should remove them before riding". Needless to say they all looked at me with slight concern since I have a prosthetic leg.

I saw that and two thoughts went through my mind: 1-If I took off my leg, I had no way of putting it back on. I use what I call "The Blue Bag" and had accidentally left it at home so I wouldn't be able to walk for the rest of the day. 2- This was MIDWAY through the line and there was NOWHERE I could store a $50,000 prosthetic.

I went onto the ride not really knowing what it'd be like and basically, kept it on. I didn't lose it but I had my ankles crossed with my left in front of the right to keep it stable.

I believe, and this is just myself, but there should be attendants present in front of rides that may cause a problem with those with a prosthetic. Not in a "Oh you can't ride this" kind of way but just as a pre-caution for anyone really. Even as I got onto the ride with my prosthetic on, the ride operators said nothing to me. I reassured my friends more than them.*

[Spideyfreak]

"this is a big deal, and I am not going to dispatch a train if I can't be 100% sure that is safe".

THAT is what the mindset should be for every ride operator.