Cable Snaps on Slingshot at Mt. Olympus

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/-1/video/p2p-83966593/

Props to the kids for not panicking.

What kind of ride is that? That doesn't look like the usual cable based ride with redundant steel cables, that looks like actual bungie cords.

Here's another link that doesn't redirect: http://www.nbc15.com/home/headlines/Ride-breaks-at-Mt-Olympus-313101891.html

That is one cool kid! He's all, "What's that you say? The ride that was about to shoot me into the air is disintegrating around me? No sweat!!" :-)

Thankfully that happened before launch.

It's so strange, in slow motion he barely appears to acknowledge it's happened!

The first slingshot ride I ever rode was two bungee cords that they stretched to the top. It provided a less controlled flight, but the cable/spring version is a lot safer and more reliable. I didn't think many of those bungee rides were still in use, and I'm shocked that Mt. Olympus continues to use the old fashioned design.

or.. am I?

That was horrifying. I would have panicked. Couldn't the ride have possibly still launched since the 1 cable was still attached and taut? Obviously the ride hosts should see the failure and immediately e-stop the ride, but given the past Mt Olympus has, and the ride host behavior I saw on my one and only visit many years ago, I have to wonder how much worse this could have been on multiple levels.

Side story, when I was there, I got stuck at the base of the lift of the now demolished Dive to Atlantis water/hybrid coaster-thing. The ride hosts actually left the control panel completely unattended, walked over to where we were, and started jumping on the front of our boat... while the lift chain was still running. I have pictures documenting the whole thing...

What a bizarre, poorly run park...

Josh M said:

Couldn't the ride have possibly still launched since the 1 cable was still attached and taut?

You mean... like this?

Exactly... Why does no one seem concerned in that video? I think I even heard laughter?

Great job Mt. Olympus! Two accidents in two years!

I would hardly call this an accident.

I agree with Josh M. That was horrifying. Just a few more inches and that boy would have been absolutely killed dead. I really don't think he knew at the time exactly how lucky he was. I think that the cameraman knew though.

Jeff said:

What kind of ride is that? That doesn't look like the usual cable based ride with redundant steel cables, that looks like actual bungie cords.

There are two distinct types of these rides out there; the "cage of springs" versions and the bungee cord versions. The latter can be found at fairs all over the place; they're quite a lot more intense.

One of my friends is a showman and he told me ages ago that it's a requirement to replace the bungee cords after a certain number of cycles regardless of whether there's any visual defects or not. Perhaps that's didn't happen here?

LostKause said:

...would have been absolutely killed dead.

As opposed to have been absolutely killed alive?

~Rob

I was being dramatic for effect. I was still bothered when I typed that. :D