After I went to SFMM in 1998, I posted a review on a coaster Website. I wrote in the review that Psyclone was so rough it made me sore all day, and it was the worst coaster I've ever ridden (which I still believe).
A few days later, I got an e-mail from a California lawyer. He said he was representing a woman who was injured on Psyclone and was looking for people willing to testify against SFMM.
I told him he was looking in the wrong place and that lawsuits only make rides more dangerous, as in Revolution. He didn't write back.
Has anyone else ever had this happen to them?
No, and I probably wouldn't ever consider a lawsuit against a coaster (unless it was REALLY serious, in which case they'd probably settle out of court). As for getting stuck and stuff, which a lot of people have a problem and get touchy over, I'd probably thank the park for giving me the unique opportunity to be on the coaster that long! *Grin*
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Po!nt of View: A different look at Roller Coasters.
http://www.crosswinds.net/~justmayntz/thrills/index.html Take the Cedar Point POLL today!
same thing here. Some people get stuck on a loop or corkscrew upside down for several hours, I guess they are the same people that have all the luck in the world. Well I would never sue a park under anycircumstances unless something major happened and i still doubt I would sue. If i did sue i would try to get shares of the park or something. That way i could be park of the coaster industry
THe worst thing I ever saw was in Texas in the early 90s. A lawyer took out a full page add in the paper saying "Did you get hurt on the Texas Giant...". I coudn't believe it. I thought that was as bad as lawyers who chase ambulences.
-Peabody
So what everyone's saying is, if a park maintance worker forgets to tighten a bolt and the coaster breaks down killing a family member(heaven forbid) or keeping them out of work for month's at a time with there injurys You are not going to sue to get back your family members income he would have made, what happens when that was you whole total family income. Where do you go back to the park to thank them or do you go to court to recover your familys income. Don't get me wrong I'm not for sueing if your hung upside down but if your hurt by employee neglect that's where it should count only. As for being upside down you can pass out from too much blood to your head.
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Army rangers lead the way
*** This post was edited by supermandl on 3/6/2001. ***
*** This post was edited by supermandl on 3/6/2001. ***
hehe, 'lawyers that chase ambulences'
ROFLMAO!!!!
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May 5th, Gurnee Illinois, "I'm sprinting for V2"
I agree with Peabody's opinion toward "ambulance-chasers." The fact that stupid stuff like that can even happen says there's some loopholes in our legal system, I think. As for people getting killed or seriously injured ON THE RIDE, there would undoubtedly be an investigation by a few parties.
But if someone rides a coaster and injuries show up years later, I say they don't have a legitimate case. We all know coasters have a certain amount of risk associated with them, and all parks I've been to make that impossible to miss with all the signs. So if I end up with, say, back trouble in my later years and it was supposedly due to coaster-like effects earlier in life, I don't think I would have any right to sue for money. Sure, these things could be harmful, but we all know that and we all choose to ride anyway. I just think that sueing on grounds such as that or because of a freak accident with anything, not just coasters, is just plain ridiculous and ought not happen.
Yeah. When I saw that lawyer's add about the Texas Giant I freaked. I could just see something like a person spending the day in the park, the next morning fallng in the shower breaking a rib, seeing that add, and having that lawyer sue the park saying it was the Giant's fault.
Honestly, if there was neglect, and a maintainence failure caused serious injury or death to me or a family member I would probably want to be FAIRLY compensated. However, something like getting stuck upsidedown on the Demon for a few hours it not grounds for a multi million dollar lawsuit. The safety systems worked, and everybody was fine. I think a public apology for the inconvenience, a lifetime season pass and free parking would have been fair!
If it was me on the Demon, you know what I would have done. I would have walked right up to the persident of the park and said I wanted to be the first person to ride it when it reopened! Put that one on the news!
-Peabody
I think you will have a hard time in court without a park accident report your suit will mean diddly without one, like you said anyone could do it then without one.
Also on a little thing like being stuck on the lift hill or upside down what you have to take in to affect is how hot is it outside, the average human can get heat stroke very quick and you can DIE from that, so the rest of you spend that extra time on the coaster motionless for that extra hour, I spent 40 min stuck on superman at SFDL in 89 degree weather and that was way to much for me.
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Army rangers lead the way
*** This post was edited by supermandl on 3/6/2001. ***
Those lucky people who got stuck on the Demon!!! I wish I was one of them. Everyone involved in that got money. Even if they didn't even say anything. The thing that makes me mad is: I was there the day before it happened. That pisses me off.
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May 5th, Gurnee, Illinois, "I'm sprinting for V2"
Think about it. Getting stuck upside-down on the Demon for 2 plus hours. All of your bodyweight is on the shoulder harness(If you are in one of the cars that is completely upside-down). To me that would hurt a great deal. Also if you are not a coaster junkie like everyone here, you might think that the harness would release and thus vision falling to your death. I dont know, its a tough line to draw but I can see their side of it to.
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"SAVING THE WORLD BEFORE BEDTIME" Powerpuff girls
I agree with Chitown and supermandl on this one. You have to draw that fine line of common sense in the ground or else you risk start sounding as bad as the lawyers who sue over everything.
One has to be careful about making broad statements.
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Randy Hutchinson
You build it, I'll ride it...eventually
Well if I was stuck on a coaster (like in the cradle of a boomerang element), and they got me down, and offered money and line jumping passes to me, I would simply say this:
"I'll settle under these conditions."
1. I would like invitations to all of the media day-type preview gatherings for all new coasters in the future (10 years or so).
2. A free season pass.
3. (In somewhat shy voice) "Well... I'm one of those crazy coaster enthusiasts, and I enjoy coaster stuff a lot. Is there any way you could "hook me up" with some old coaster wheels that have been replaced?"
4. I would also say thank you for the interesting experience.
But that's just me...
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"Shut up brain, or I'll stab you with a Q-tip!"
~From the brilliant mind of Homer J. Simpson.
I agree with most everything you guys have said.
I spent 20 minutes stuck on MFs lift in June when it was very hot. (The train in the load station rolled too far forward causing a total shutdown.) THe worst thing that I have gone through was 30+ minutes stuck at the top of an Intamin Giant Drop at SFA in blazing hot weather. (For those who frequent SFA, you know how one side is NEVER open. It was that side! 2 weeks later, that side had water dummies in it. I haven't seen that side open since. What's it's deal?) All these things were VERY uncomfortable. But, somthing like being stuck upside down would plain suck. On the Demon I'm sure it hurt and was very scary. Those people were entitled to some sort of compensation for their uncomfort and the time they spent up there. Tens of thousands of dollars per person? Not in my opinion.
Most times that I have been stuck on something I have been given a pass to go to the front of the line, which is fine by me. THe best was when I got to bypass a 2-3 hour line at WDW that way. We got a VIP pass. That was fun!
-Peabody
Free passes to the front of the line?? I hope the next coaster I ride gets stuck. :)
Of course, if there were some serious injury or other mishap that is clearly due to negligence on the park's part, yes, a lawsuit is certainly warranted. But there are people that will sue at the drop of a hat (or one flying off the ride), and I'd rather just have the unique experience. Most parks will compensate you for your inconvenience, such as a free ride pass or whatever. Last June, my husband and I were waiting 1 1/2 hours for Millenium Force right at the beginning of the morning before it opened, and it turns out the ride wasn't going to open for quite some time (turned out to be another 2 hours), and they gave us $5 each in CP money. Fine by me, we got to ride it later anyway. Would I sue for not being able to ride even if I'd traveled across the country for that one coaster? No way, you take those chances, especially with new rides.
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Po!nt of View: A different look at Roller Coasters.
http://www.crosswinds.net/~justmayntz/thrills/index.html Get the VOTES out and take the POLL today!
Never say 'never' is a good rule...
In my opinion, the proper course of action when involved in a mishap is to first file a claim with the operator (park, carnival, management company, whatever...). A lawsuit is warranted not as a first remedy, but as a means of seeking relief when other means of settlement fail.
Pity that most people don't seem to understand that.
--Dave Althoff, Jr.
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I agree with Intamin2K. I would ask for some slight VIP treatment, like season passes, preveiw stuff, and park swag.
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MF Drops-15
SOB Rides-2
The Psyclone beat the holy hell out of me and I enjoyed it
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#1 Stealth-PGA
#2 Flashback-SFMM
#3 Whizzer-RIP PGA
#4 Mind Bender-WEM
#5 Drachen Fire-BGV
