Michigan's Adventure chaos crashes, injuring several
Posted
The Chance Rides Chaos at Michigan's Adventure collapsed yesterday, trapping several riders and causing injury to several. The ride apparently tipped off its foundation.
Read more and see video from CNN.
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In a forum thread, someone said:
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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"From the global village... in the age of communication!"
I'll tell you where... my paycheck. I'm a fairly liberal guy, but the feds spend enough of my money on things I don't approve of. To spend money on something that has no measurable public benefit is pointless.
"I am not big on big brother but for those opposed to regulation of rides...where exactly does it hurt us if it happens?"
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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"From the global village... in the age of communication!"
How is there 'no measurable public benefit', Jeff? While I respect your opinion on this issue, I disagree. How many more incidents this summer will it take before the Feds step in with some minimal form of regulation? Think of the accidents' impact on those who might want to come to a park but decide against it based on safety issues. I think the measurable public benefit of knowing rides are completely safe will translate into more money/profits for the parks, because those who are skeptical of going to a park will now have full confidence in going.
Think of this summer's pick of accidents:
1. Lake Compounce
2. Goliath
3. Chaos at Michigan's Adventure
4. Canobie Park
various other malfunctions of rides. Where does it stop?
I am just raising the issue.
P.S. The feds are excellent at spending our money, I would agree, but if they came up with some reasonable national safety standards for amusement rides, I would give my support.
Think of this summer's pick of accidents:
1. Lake Compounce
2. Goliath
3. Chaos at Michigan's Adventure
4. Canobie Park
various other malfunctions of rides. Where does it stop?
I am just raising the issue.
P.S. The feds are excellent at spending our money, I would agree, but if they came up with some reasonable national safety standards for amusement rides, I would give my support.
My husband and kids went on that exact ride last year (at Mich. Adventure). I did not like the looks of it to begin with, that ride is just not for me. If I am going to go upside down, I only want to do it on RAPTOR (and I might even try MANTIS). I am a little more wimpy than most of you here. While my family was riding CHAOS, I was on the Boat that rocks back and forth, over and over. :)
Well, at this point, I cannnot make a judgement call on whether regulation is warrented or not. Sure there are IAAPA studies that show rides are safe, but those are internal industry studies and may be slanted. I think that is a good argument for some form of reporting to an outside agency (whether it be the fed or states or a private entity). If the numbers prove that rides are as safe as they can be, Fine, end of discussion. If not, there will be a paper trail that can be used as a foundation for what really needs to be improved.
lata,
jeremy
P.S. The Federal Government (my employer) has shoddy spending/accounting tactics. You try running your business like the Fed runs its. The IRS would have you up on all kinds of charges!
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"Nobody writes about the planes that land." Steve Salerno Washington Times 7-10-01
lata,
jeremy
P.S. The Federal Government (my employer) has shoddy spending/accounting tactics. You try running your business like the Fed runs its. The IRS would have you up on all kinds of charges!
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"Nobody writes about the planes that land." Steve Salerno Washington Times 7-10-01
Yes, there have been a fair number of accidents this season, but how many other rides have been run? How many parks have operated all year without a single injury? For whatever reason, and I'm sure our favorite congressman is part of it, injuries at amusement parks really seem to jump out at the news - perhaps because this is a location that you would think would be perfectly safe, after all, you're probably on vacation or relaxing or something to that effect. I'm really neither for nor against federal regulation, because I really don't see it making that much of a difference. As tragic and unfortunate as they may be, accidents happen, regardless of how much or how little regulation we will see.
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Po!nt of View: A different look at Roller Coasters.
http://www.crosswinds.net/~justmayntz/thrills/
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Po!nt of View: A different look at Roller Coasters.
http://www.crosswinds.net/~justmayntz/thrills/
Turnofthecentury mentions:
"How is there 'no measurable public benefit', Jeff? While I respect your opinion on this issue, I disagree. How many more incidents this summer will it take before the Feds step in with some minimal form of regulation? Think of the accidents' impact on those who might want to come to a park but decide against it based on safety issues. I think the measurable public benefit of knowing rides are completely safe will translate into more money/profits for the parks, because those who are skeptical of going to a park will now have full confidence in going."
Can anyone please explain how any of the proposed federal legislation could have prevented this accident. The ride was certified as safe by the state of Michigan and had been inspected earlier that day by the park. What more could have been done?
Here's what will problably happen over the next few days. FUN will examine the ride to determine what went wrong. Once the defect is found, the other CHAOS's will be inspected for the same defect. It is quite possible that CHANCE will assist in the inspection and will issue a warning to all it's customers concerning it's findings. You can be sure that every park that has a CHAOS will ispect it to make sure that this doesn't happen to them.
Also, FUN and Chance will have lawsuits filed against them. The lawsuits will be settled out of court for an undisclosed sum of money. The rate that insurance companies charge on CHAOS will be increased and some will be removed due to the increased cost ro run them. Parks that choose to keep CHAOS will be forced to follow stricter maintenance policies on the machines in order to be able to insure the ride.
There will never be another accident on CHAOS again. Another level of regulation could not have prevented it. It should be the state's responsibility to regulate the park, not the FED's. The FED simply wants to expand it's responsibilities and it's size so that it can wield more power and collect more money. Be warned, an increased level of regulation will mean increased government spending. Will you wait until the government taxes 90% of your income until you realize that it's spending too much money?
"How is there 'no measurable public benefit', Jeff? While I respect your opinion on this issue, I disagree. How many more incidents this summer will it take before the Feds step in with some minimal form of regulation? Think of the accidents' impact on those who might want to come to a park but decide against it based on safety issues. I think the measurable public benefit of knowing rides are completely safe will translate into more money/profits for the parks, because those who are skeptical of going to a park will now have full confidence in going."
Can anyone please explain how any of the proposed federal legislation could have prevented this accident. The ride was certified as safe by the state of Michigan and had been inspected earlier that day by the park. What more could have been done?
Here's what will problably happen over the next few days. FUN will examine the ride to determine what went wrong. Once the defect is found, the other CHAOS's will be inspected for the same defect. It is quite possible that CHANCE will assist in the inspection and will issue a warning to all it's customers concerning it's findings. You can be sure that every park that has a CHAOS will ispect it to make sure that this doesn't happen to them.
Also, FUN and Chance will have lawsuits filed against them. The lawsuits will be settled out of court for an undisclosed sum of money. The rate that insurance companies charge on CHAOS will be increased and some will be removed due to the increased cost ro run them. Parks that choose to keep CHAOS will be forced to follow stricter maintenance policies on the machines in order to be able to insure the ride.
There will never be another accident on CHAOS again. Another level of regulation could not have prevented it. It should be the state's responsibility to regulate the park, not the FED's. The FED simply wants to expand it's responsibilities and it's size so that it can wield more power and collect more money. Be warned, an increased level of regulation will mean increased government spending. Will you wait until the government taxes 90% of your income until you realize that it's spending too much money?
So what how many rides have run safely???????!!!!!
One accident is all it takes for YOU or one of your family or friends to be injured or even worse. Every time an accident happens, people shrug it off for one reason or another. I want to be assured that if we are going to ride rides, they are as safe as possible. This happened on a new ride, at one of the highest regarded park chains, not a carnival. If they cannot make sure their rides are safe, then someone else is going to have to. PERIOD. You would think we are talking about god with some of these replies of blind faith. If ONE life is saved, then it is worth the effort.
And a level of fed regulation provides the same safety standards for all rides, reguardless of location. Not standards by state. Who is to say the MI inspection was adequate? *** This post was edited by super7 on 7/31/2001. ***
One accident is all it takes for YOU or one of your family or friends to be injured or even worse. Every time an accident happens, people shrug it off for one reason or another. I want to be assured that if we are going to ride rides, they are as safe as possible. This happened on a new ride, at one of the highest regarded park chains, not a carnival. If they cannot make sure their rides are safe, then someone else is going to have to. PERIOD. You would think we are talking about god with some of these replies of blind faith. If ONE life is saved, then it is worth the effort.
And a level of fed regulation provides the same safety standards for all rides, reguardless of location. Not standards by state. Who is to say the MI inspection was adequate? *** This post was edited by super7 on 7/31/2001. ***
I have to agree with super7
All parks have some type of routine safety procedure that they preform on their rides on a daily basis. The problem is that most likely it very from state to state. What may be a routine safety procedure in MI, may not be the same in NY. I think the parks should be able to oversee their safety procedures, but I think the federal government should institute a nation wide safety program, that all parks and carnivals should adhere to. There goes my FUN stock.
All parks have some type of routine safety procedure that they preform on their rides on a daily basis. The problem is that most likely it very from state to state. What may be a routine safety procedure in MI, may not be the same in NY. I think the parks should be able to oversee their safety procedures, but I think the federal government should institute a nation wide safety program, that all parks and carnivals should adhere to. There goes my FUN stock.
I have been on the Chaos at Indiana beach, and have been on it when it just stops in mid run and
lowers itself back down safely to unload if it is unbalanced, it has done this several times at IB and the first time it happened it scared the hell out of me, but it does have that safey feature on it. My guess is that it was out of balance and that safety feature didn't engage and the unbalance is what made it come off it's axis.
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I love the American Eagle at SFGRAM!!!! *** This post was edited by coasterdude16 on 7/31/2001. ***
lowers itself back down safely to unload if it is unbalanced, it has done this several times at IB and the first time it happened it scared the hell out of me, but it does have that safey feature on it. My guess is that it was out of balance and that safety feature didn't engage and the unbalance is what made it come off it's axis.
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I love the American Eagle at SFGRAM!!!! *** This post was edited by coasterdude16 on 7/31/2001. ***
By the way, it didn't collapse at its pivot point... it came off at its axis, where it spins... It didn't collapse at the hinge. I only know this because I live close to the park and I was watching the local news coverage from the moment it happened til they freed the last of its passengers. CNN even says it gave way at "the axle"... basically the same thing I said.
FYI: About the inspections, MA does inspect their rides everyday, and the state of Michigan completes a yearly inspection and you should be able to view an inspection certificate in the area of the ride... probably where the control station is. *** This post was edited by MaqAttaq on 7/31/2001. ***
FYI: About the inspections, MA does inspect their rides everyday, and the state of Michigan completes a yearly inspection and you should be able to view an inspection certificate in the area of the ride... probably where the control station is. *** This post was edited by MaqAttaq on 7/31/2001. ***
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