Dateline investigates safety at amusement parks

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In fact, the industry says you’re more likely to be struck by lightning — twice — than be killed in an amusement park, and the industry may very well be right. But how can anyone know for sure?

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Don't you love the unbiased reporting from MSNBC? They let the trial lawyer (who is getting rich off of these lawsuits) have more say in the interview than any of the amusement officials. Disgusting.

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Who likes the idea of 'fair and balanced' news.

i belive they should have to report these injuries. i belive its in the publics best intrests. and why shouldent they have to report injuries if you were seriously injured on on of these rides you would be calling for safety too.

I totally agree Syntax, the whole thing is sickening. It's sad that some people have been injured on rides, but they never talk much about how many people safely ride these rides every year, and that most accidents can be avoided by following the rules properly.

There is always an investigation that comes up during the summer preventing people from going to theme parks, because they think they are unsafe. Resulting in the loss of money, then no more new attractions. I hate investigations, and another thing why do rides seem to malfunction in the summer the most. Don't tell me I already know. It is due to the overwhelming amount of guests on the attractions.

Safety is the foremost concern at any amusement parks. Some have outstanding safety records, others don't. If someone sees a potential hazard, I believe it is that persons responsibility to report it to park management. I have done this to a certain amusement park about a certain ride and they did nothing. That is unsafe and wrong!

And that's the point Just Coasting. Yes parks are incredibly safe, but they should be just like most of the other places out there and have to report on injuries and other problems, and keep records available to the public.

That doesn't change how safe they are at all. Be sure to include on the report the cause (ride, patron, or other. There really isn't anything to fear here, but by refusing to go along with it, it looks like the parks are trying to cover up some horrible, sinister secret. Stop acting like congressman Condit and be open and honest.

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Willow? Yes, my name is Willow. Would you stop pecking on me on this big droooopppppppppp......

This is Bull ****. Why should parks have to do this? Because people like Novak want to get rich off of other people getting hurt. I have been hurt at PKI (not seriously), but I know that when I get into a rollercoaster I am taking a risk. Its just like getting into a car: you are taking a risk. Anything that weighs a lot, and moves past 2 MPH is dangerous, people should know that. But parks shouldnt have to report the accidents. It will mean less money because people will think that just because one little accident happened on such and such a ride means its unsafe.
Oh that girl with the near fatal hemmorage, I say that is wrong. There is no way a ride can cause an injury like that unless she was doing something. There is no way that she was completely healthy. What was she doing before the ride? This fits into that Goliath story where the doctor diagnosed too quickly and immediately blamed the coaster. But then he reversed it.
All in all, I say the media just wants to completely destroy the industry. Fackler had a right to complain, but she is taking it too far. If parks had to report every accident, then they would go under. I know that there are relatively few, but what the general public doesnt know, wont hurt em.

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http://www.islandguide.8m.com
all about PKI
the Beasts` Den

This is kinda like that Titan disgrace that happened a few days ago. Talk about sensationalism.

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http://expage.com/rollercoastersurvivor The ONLY website dedicated to Roller Coaster Survivor! Goliath is gone, and now it's time to vote off a wood coaster. Come vote for which one you want voted off! VOTE NOW!

That mother on the show got annoying. She is ******ing about the park not keeping track of accidents. The show said that all of the rides that had accidents were the rider's fault. My point said there, all of the accidents in the show were the rider's fault.

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Don't Fight It: Ride It! Raging Bull

Didn't that show air last friday on NBC?or is MSNBC just re-broadcasting it?

I don't want to hype a site other than Coasterbuzz, but (sorry Jeff) I put a long post about ride safety onto the URC forums, North American parks page. Since it was so long, I thought I'd mention it here rather than post it here.

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rollergator - intent on improving the "guest experience" - coming soon to a park near you

60 injuries in one year, is this really worth the trouble, why don't people in government focus on the things that are harming millions of people and not just 60!!

You know what turns my ear... The part about... "There I was, with my arm over his shoulder... And his foot was under the car on the track." He's five right? How the heck is this possible? Does this kid have 4 foot long legs?

Ok I think you people are missing the point. It doesnt matter if the accident is the fault of the rider or the park. Reporting accidents like these is necessary, not only to substantiate the claim that an amusement park is a dangerous place to be, but also to prove that it's the safest. Reporting injuries is not going to put any company out of business and I can't understand why most of you are siding with the parks. These are not nice little family run parks anymore, they are multi-billion dollar corporations who claim their main interest is public safety only because they know thats what we want to hear. "Safety" is a front for consumer confidence. If parks really cared about our safety more than the effect an unsafe reputation might have on attendance, they would have no problem reporting these accidents. To me, the fact that it seems as if they are "hiding", and I use the term loosely, data only incriminates their interests further. By no means do I condone frivilous law-suits...but I am in agreeance that there does need to be an impartial government agency (excuse the oxy-moron) to oversee enforcement of park safety. Let me state that I dont think parks are unsafe, because I expect to be accused of that.

I am amazed at some of the posts here

"I think they should report injuries"

and stuff like that. Well guess what, parks do report injuries, b/c most states with major theme parks require that. In fact, New Jersey requires theme parks to report dizzines and papercuts. Dateline should've researched this before making statements like that.

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Join CRAMB (Coaster Rider's Against Markey's Bill) today.

www.angelfire.com/my/cramb

The parks should not have to report an injury or death if it was the riders fault. It would not pertain to the overall safety of the ride if the riders injuries were caused by thier own stupidity.

Stupidity has absolutely nothing to do with it. What about someone who doesnt have the mental capacity that is considered normal? It would pertain to the safety of the ride if someone were let on the ride that didnt belong on it, or if its safety factor could be jeopardized by the simple act of trying to exit too soon. And RTC Freak: Just because SOME states may require it does not mean that parks do or are reprimanded for not reporting. There is no harm in documenting these things. *** This post was edited by Willthethrill on 7/24/2001. ***

Actually RCTFreak while there may be some reporting in NJ, not every state is like that. Some states dont require reporting. Kathy F. was not dealing with things on a state by state level. She was advocating reporting to a federal body, so that ALL parks in the USA would be held to the same minimum standard. Your arguement about NJ state law is irrelavent and therefore moot to the discussion at hand. Perhaps it is not Kathy who needs to do some homework.

Personally, I do not have a problem with documentation. In fact, I think that FULL reporting (including causes) would show how amazingly safely amusement parks run their rides. Then maybe we wouldnt have all these ridiculous "bigger rides cause injuries" crap.

Funny, airplanes go higher and faster than any rollercoaster, yet no one claims that they cause brain hemmorages...
lata,
jeremy

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"Nobody writes about the planes that land." Steve Salerno Washington Times 7-10-01

Good point, jeremy! Remember, the story focused specifically on California, which did not have any reporting requirements until about a year and a half ago; and on Florida which has reporting requirements but which exempts any park which employs more than 1,000 employees.

Which, to me, is terrible. I'd rather have strong state ride safety laws that apply to ALL parks.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.