11-Year old girl chokes to death at Six Flags Great America on Raging Bull

I agree with Legendary, and i also often chew gum on roller coasters and while at the park. From what i heard from people in the station the girl was unconscious when taken off the ride and wasnt talking, so who knows whne or where she died but it wasnt the result of any ride malfunction, not that it will stop markey from trying to make political hay over the incident.

I don't know... I am a little suspicious about the whole talking thing. When you're choking, you can't cough, breathe, or talk at all. This leads me to believe that either she wasn't choking (which we know isn't true) or the person who claimed she was talking is full of crap...

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Well, sad, but she was doing something stupid, so they should'nt sue the park because SHE choked on that taffy. They have strict rules about food.

Even if the parks impose a no-gum on rides rule (even though they have a no food policy, some people don't consider gum a food, especially since you're not supposed to swallow it), what about a person putting the gum pack in their pocket (I know that is where I keep mine), and pulling out a stick of gum on lift and chewing it during the ride? Unless you have ops at the tops of the lifts (like they do on the logs @ SFMM) watching people's mouths to see if they're chewing and will stop the ride if they see that until the person spits it out, there is no way to stop people from chewing gum on coasters (or rides in general).

Personally, I believe this is one of those freak accidents that no rule nor regulation could have prevented. I know I'd feel really horrible if she was my daughter (and dying because of one of my favorite activities [coastering], which I consider to be very safe...), so my prayers and sympathy goes out to this family...

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I’m as happy as a vegetarian in a slaughter house, but not quite as happy as an Amish in Circuit City.

This is very tragic. But its common sense here. All we can do is learn from it so we do not the same mistakes ourselves.

I just went to Great America yesterday for physics day, and each coaster now has a "no gum or hard candy" sign posted. I even saw this rule being enforced a few times. Hopefully this sort of accident won't happen again.

Well, technically, if your version new signs is correct, it doesn't cover the type of food/candy that the girl choked on...she choked on taffy...which is neither gum nor hard candy...

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--George H
---Superman the ride...coming to a SF park near you soon...
Currency tracking experiment... http://www.wheresgeorge.com (Referring to The "George" on the $1 bill - Not Me)

the ride ops at GA are carless sometimes... a girl choking to death because she had taffy in her mouth? they do nothing to check for these things...

my girlfriend was at Six Flags Great America and they had to close raging bull because someone had brought a soda onto the ride and it had spilled over everything...

This was an error on the girl for bringing taffy on such an intense roller coaster that could make you choke on your tongue... but this is also an error on the ride operators for not noticing...

my prayers are with this girl and her family