Decapitation at SFoG

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bunky666 said:
I'm betting on a week for the lawsuit to occur. The fences weren't high enough, Six Flags didn't do enough to keep him out, they didn't get to him soon enough after the accident...they'll find something.

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The sad thing? I almost guarantee that you're right.

What's ridiculous is that the people less likely to sue anyone are those that, in my opinion, have the most legitimate reasons to do so. Anyone who was injured on the train (fortunately it appears as though no one was) could and by all means should sue this boy's family or whoever was supervising him for any medical fees resulting from their injuries, because any injuries they sustained would have been 100% his fault and his fault alone.

Let's face it, by the time you're 17, you should know better. I feel extremely sorry for the boy's family and anyone who had to witness the event, but when it comes down to it, he died because of his own intense stupidity and/or blatant disregard for authority, and it's just as simple as that. *** Edited 6/29/2008 1:05:32 AM UTC by BBSpeed26***

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080628/ap_on_re_us/six_flags_death

This article does state that the victim was decapitated. It also states he was trying to retrieve a hat he lost on the ride. He apparently climbed two six foot fences to get into the restricted area.

And yes this is tragic. Even if the kid died from his own stupidity, it's sad when a 17-year old dies so pointlessly. I have a 16-year old son who has done some pretty stupid things in his life. It would be tragic if he was killed, even from his own stupidity. A 17-year old is dead because of a $15 hat....tragic.

And yet everyone complains about the lockers and the loose article policy SF has. If he put the hat in a locker or left it in the car or bus he would be alive. Its like the old saying one bad apple, thats why they made this policy because of the idiots in this world. I know it wouldnt be my son or daughter out there because they are taught to obey rules so some of this has to be blamed on the parents. He was still a minor and the responsibilty of his parents.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned it, but almost the exact same thing happened in 2002:

http://coasterbuzz.com/2003-29-833457.htm

The latest update in the Jouranl Consitution says that the boy that was killed and another boy had left the park to get something to eat.

When they came back they decided to take a "shortcut." They climbed over the park perimeter fence as well as the fence around Batman.

"Its like the old saying one bad apple"

http://youtube.com/watch?v=Fz1qBk00ChM

Sorry, I couldn't resist. ;-)

Shaggy

rtc247 said -

As for the lawsuit, I think it will happen too, and I hope these victims lose, because they really should not have a case

It is the people who really don't have a case who will always file a case a win big money. Those who have real cases often don't bother because they are the ones that get the legal run around a walk away with little to nothing.

Hell, I am thinking of filing a suit against HW because I always eat to much fudge and gain weight. And in todays legal world, I could probably win.

If the boy was mentally retarded, would you all feel any different about his death and the "thinning out" of stupid people?

What if he was trying to fit in with a crowd of really rough kids and they intentionally put his life in danger for their own amusement?

We really don't know how they got into the low zone either. I remember seeing a pic recently (at Zero-G, I think) at SFA where there was a very large opening in a fence on a bridge on their Hang-N-bang. We don't know all of the details yet.

I'll hold my "people are stupid and they all deserve to die" comment until I read the details.

We read all of the time how teens and young adults lack life threatening fear. Science tells us that it is normal for teens to put themselves in danger.

The death of a kid, even a teenage kid on the brink of becoming an adult, is always going to be tragic in my book.Very, very sad.

At least the girl who had her feet severed in Kentucky is still alive to grow up and have an adult life with kids and a career. This boy is dead.

AJrides, if he could have left it in the station, it would not have been a problem either... The loose item policy is neither to blame nor was it the savior for this fellow.

My prayers go out to his family and the people who witnessed it and I thank God for the common sense not to do something like that. *** Edited 6/29/2008 2:24:18 AM UTC by a_hoffman50***

Toss out all the "what-if's" some "if-thens" and all the "maybes" you want to. It doesn't change the fact that a seventeen year old, say it again SEVENTEEN year old kid put himself in harm's way and paid the ultimate price. At 17, you should know better. Heck, at 16 you are allowed to get a driver's licence and thats a lot more responsibility than going to an amusement park.

If the victim's family sues, I really hope they lose.

I do not believe the family will have a case if they do intend to pursue a lawsuit.

The teenager scaled TWO six-foot tall perimeter fences.

There are large red signs all over these fences warning DANGER! and to NOT enter the restricted area.

The park is not liable. They were warning signs in place and TWO fences.

I feel terrible for his family..but I almost feel worse for the poor person who hit the kid with their feet..getting on a rollercoaster and end up killing someone, even if it was out of your control..thats a horrible thing to have to hold onto for the rest of your life..a few years ago my sister in law ran over a woman on christmas day who walked in front of her car..the woman had alzheimers and didnt know where she was going..but it doesnt replace that feeling of responsibility..

And Im surprised these news reports have said there was no harm to the person riding the coaster..hitting someone in the head at 50mph, I would imagine you would at least break your ankle or something.

How could this possibly hurt the reputation of Six Flags Over Georgia?

What do these parks have to do to get the point across? Does the sign need to read "restricted Access - Decapitation Danger" or "You Will Get DECAPITATED If You Enter" ??

How do people not follow rules these days?

Kinda like taunting a man-eating tiger and then blaming the tiger when it reacts.

I better stop now before I start ranting about oil speculators.

Another hat retrieval incident gone horribly wrong. Part of the problem with any Batman the Ride is that the layout is quite confusing after the second vertical loop. It's hard enough to follow riding it, and take someone who might not be familiar with the layout at all and it's a recipe for disaster.

While I find the situation to be incredibly sad, I think this will lead a lot of people left with feelings of anger and remorse, particularly amongst the parents and friends. A lot of marriages get destroyed over incidents such as this, as things are never right again.

I don't know what it's going to take; a video at every big ride featuring a demonstration of what could happen if you go into a restricted area?

Lastly, once again, the AP is showing journalism at its best. The article was going along well, when at the end they just had to bring up the STOP incident at SFKK. The two are completely unrelated. Imagine, if you will, that every time you made a mistake, people keep bringing up past mistakes that have nothing at all to do with the current mistake.

Pretty soon we will all have to sign waivers before we can enter the park.

Sad that someone lose there life. Interesting how the media is saying they were there with a Church Group and his parents.

Maybe the Church or his parents should be held responsible for not controlling there kids?

When did Batman get head choppers?

This is why SF has a locker policy now!

GOOD GRIEF!

Another point also is that most teenagers don't look at the rides as being very dangerous. Sure they know that hoping the fence is against the rules and a park violation, but the power and unforgivable nature of a roller coaster is underestimated. That would be saying it nicely to.

Who's up for an elephant ear? Ya, no kidding. If I was even one hundred feet near that accident I would have packed up and left. Thats not even taken into account if children were witnessing the tragedy. Scenes like this one could and would be traumatic for some people and further help for them would be needed. Very bad day for SF.

What does layout have do with anything in this case?

This is a case of someone disregarding oh - fences, signs, warnings - and receiving the consequences of doing so. This is not about stupidity. This is about disregarding warnings and lacking common sense.

I am sorry that it happened, but I'm angry and disgusted that this continues to happen.

What, is razor wire necessary to get people to stop?? Do parents need to tell their children "No!" a little more? What?!

I don't believe that anyone can be held responsible for this except the person who broke the rules. Sometimes, when someone dies, there is no one living who can be blamed.

Was this kid 17? Unless a 17-year-old kid has special mental needs, what parent, guardian, or chaperone out there would believe that they'd need to continually supervise their 17 year old because they'd play russian roulet with a frickin roller coaster? At 17, I was going to parks with just one of my friends, and no parents. Was that really risky of my parents to allow?? For pity's sake. And no, at 17, i was not crawling around to get intimate with roller coasters and I surely was not going into restricted areas.

Does this need to be part of Driver's Education classes or something??

It was not a lost hat, so NO. This has absolutely NOTHING to do with locker policy. Nothing at all. Nothing.

Near the bottom of page 1, it was told that the kids were looking for a shortcut from the outside of the park...

I really wish the kid's parents would get a CoasterBuzz account so they could put you all in your place. You're not better than anyone. You know that right? Kids do goofy things sometimes. You could have done the same thing when you were a kid.