Chance Zipper malfunction

Zipper at an LA carnival literally broke Friday night. Thankfully no injuries.

As my all time favorite flat ride, this is the kind of nightmare I imagined as a kid that would increase the feeling of terror while waiting in line for it.

Yikes. Not gonna lie, I'm not generally in a hurry to do mobile rides. And that eyewitness was also apparently blonded.

Geez. Crazy no one was injured.

Glad no one was injured. If the ride had been running at full speed at the time it broke, it could have been a lot worse. I bet they'll think twice before using that particular carnival ride provider. Unfortunately, this might cause them to stop bringing rides to their fair altogether.

I saw this video this morning on Tik Tok without any indication of where it happened and assumed it was overseas somewhere.

Nate Bargatze on fairs: "I don't know how they are still open. I don't think the government knows about them, because we ride these rides that were on the interstate an hour ago...".

As a former Zipper rider I’ll confess my greatest fear came every time my weight went up against the door. There’s no way around it, though- it’s not like you can get in and out from the side. Many years ago, after a few incidents of doors coming open, they modified the door with a “failsafe” lock. Chance most recently developed an updated Zipper with more open-front tubs and over the head/shoulder restraints. (They still don’t allow single riders on it though). I’ve seen a couple of those in action and they don’t seem to flip much, like they’re too heavy or something.
Whoever invented this amusement ride back in the 60’s was an evil genius. Along with Skydiver, Turbo, and Yo Yo, it gave Chance one of the most inventive catalogs that ever was.

I highly recommend the documentary "Zipper" - one of my favorite parts is when the folks at Chance Rides describe how they designed it so change would fall out of people's pockets to the ground where it could be collected by carnies.

"A story about greed, politics and the land grab of the century, ZIPPER chronicles the battle over an American cultural icon. Small-time ride operator, Eddie Miranda, proudly operates a 38-year-old carnival contraption called the Zipper in the heart of Coney Island’s gritty amusement district.

"When his rented lot is snatched up by an opportunistic real estate mogul, Eddie and his ride become casualties of a power struggle between the developer and the City of New York over the future of the world-famous destination."

(I have never ridden a Zipper and certainly doubt I will now.)

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/zipperfilm

I remember seeing pictures of the Chance Turbo in Mark Wyatt's (same guy who swindled myself and many others over his Inside Track publication) book White Knuckle Ride when I got it as a birthday gift in 1997. It was described as the most insane flat ever designed, but I never rode it so I couldn't compare it to a Zipper. I still find it hard to imagine a crazier ride experience.

I'm surprised at those of you who say you've never rode a Zipper. I've ridden them more than a few times in my life. I thought everyone and their mother has rode one before.

It's a crazy ride. Imagine riding a Whip, but upright, flipping upside down when you go around the curves. You are stuck in an uncomfortable cage, sitting on a hard, cold bench, with a metal bar over your lap. It's fun, but sometimes intolerable.

I'll probably pass the next time I see one, but everyone should ride it at least once before they die. On second thought, after watching this video, maybe not.

Well, if the video is any indication, you’ll ride it right before you die.

Video of a different chance zipper malfunction:

Pfffft. Everyone knows if you want a quality zipper you go with YKK.

hambone:

Chance Rides describe how they designed it so change would fall out of people's pockets to the ground where it could be collected by carnies.

I have to say, this was one of the greatest perks about working Geauga Lake's Big Dipper. It might not be hyperbole to say that I sometimes took home more in loose change than I made in an 8-hour shift.

There is/was a 40 miler that played a lot of church festivals in Southern California. The amount of creaks and groans that their rides made when running was definitely a cause to turn around and walk off the lot. The state periodically inspect the portable rides, but as I recall unless they have a reason to not every time the set up. I would imagine that every piece of pig iron on that outfit is being gone over with a fine tooth comb at this time.

Memories fade with age, but the Turbo remains the MC best flat ride I’ve ever ridden. Closest thing to it in the modern age is a tips can, but even that isn’t quite the same.

Dave A. Will have the precise words, but the way the tuna were mounted you were nearly horizontal at the top. The rotation of the wheels and the center rotation almost always allowed for at least one complete face plant at the bottom of the rotation. Barely 2-3 feet from the ground.

in world before B&M coasters and any of the Mondial/KMG flat rides, it was incredible.

CreditWh0re:

the way the tuna were mounted

CreditWh0re:

Closest thing to it in the modern age is a tips can

That tip jar is full of $20s and $50s - what kind of establishment is it from?

(Also reminds me of the giant mayo jar at Conneaut with the handwritten sign “help us pay our taxes.”)

Those are the tips I received for all the typos I’ve called out.