Government Control??? NO!

I cannot believe that already over 16% of the people here think that the government should regulate amusement park rides! What good would this do? Personally, I feel that it would just add extra expenses and hassles to the already sufficient maintence of rides. Besides, government politicians and workers do not know nearly as much about rides and their safety as those who are running them now. And as far as regulating the actual designing of coasters, I think it's a dumb idea. Markey thinks that there is a limit to how high a coaster can be built, because he think higher means more G forces. Well, as Jeff has pointed out, The Wildcat gives more G's than Millenium Force, so that is obviously bogus. So when it comes to government control of rides, and especially coasters, I say NO!

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I'd Rather Be Riding Rollercoasters
www.mycoasters.homestead.com/mycoasters.html

okay now wait a minute. Obviously they will figure out fairly quickly that it's not just the amount of g's but also the amount of time the pressure is applied. If they do decide to regulate, hopefully they will consult Air Force and NASA doctors who know exactly how much a body can take. What would be really cool is if they could figure this out so well they could start making 'skill levels' for rides, like they have for skiing. Maybe they could make insane rides that would totally push the limits, and consistenly label them to keep the wrong people off, and stop people from suing amusement parks.

However, if they decide to set some ridiculous standards (like the 4G limit they are pushing around) that would be completely lame. It seems like the amusement industry is large enough that they should have some power to keep that from happening.

Government should regulate saftey on the rides but not the rides itself. But I don't think rides should be regulated to some extent. That is why I am not voting. It is to double bladed sword. I think the poll should be more specific.

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Gosh people can't you take a joke. Just laugh and get on with life.

yeah, the safety is more important, but that is already regulated somewhat. The scary place where safety isn't really regulated are portably rides at any fair. I don't know how often they are inspected, but they got a bill stopped that would have required them to get checked once every 180 days. Once every 180 days? For a ride they set up and take down multiple times a year?

djansi, I take it you're from Texas?

Here in Ohio, all amusement rides are inspected by a state compliance inspector at least twice each season (remember our rides are seasonal up here).

Down in Florida, carnival rides are inspected at every set-up by a state compliance inspector, although rides in amusement parks are not inspected at all.

Remember most State inspection programs use the State inspection to verify compliance with the insurance and inspection rules: that the rides are to be inspected by the operator before every operating day.

And all portable rides are presently subject to CPSC oversight.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

As stated in an above post, it is a double edged sword. The question should have another category... "Yes" "For safety inspections only" "No".

I am not sure what the laws here in PA are, but I know of one local amusement park (I will not say wich one, but I have spoke out about it in the past) that has a 1933 wooden coaster that I am not certain if it is safe, but they keep running it anyway. That scares me a little. (I rode it once, just to say I rode it, but NEVER again!) I don't think the thing could pass a safety inspection, but the park keeps running it.

Anyone know PA's stand on this?

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"I wasn't always this cynical, but then I started kindergarden..."

Would you be talking about the Cyclone at Williams Grove Park?

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I'd Rather Be Riding Rollercoasters
www.mycoasters.homestead.com/mycoasters.html

FloridaCoasterRider said:
"Would you be talking about the Cyclone at Williams Grove Park?

Shhhhhhh...
I said I wasn't goint to say the name. Don't want to get accused of slander.

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"I wasn't always this cynical, but then I started kindergarden..."

Pennsylvania has a particularly strong ride inspection program. One of the keys to Pennsylvania's program is the level of cooperation between the parks, showmen, and State inspectors.

In Pennsylvania, the parks are responsible for the ride inspections, and the State inspectors are there to insure compliance; there is a certain amount of self-inspection permitted. And Pennsylvania has a lot of old wood coasters. One major park has three...and the newest dates back to 1927!

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

RideMan said:
"djansi, I take it you're from Texas?

heh heh, i'm from California, but our portable ride inspection is almost as lax as it is in Texas. I know that some of the major ride operators run routes through fairs in both states. I even heard that one of them is the only ride operating company that has been convicted of negligent manslaughter and is still operating!

*** This post was edited by djansi on 6/19/2001. *** *** This post was edited by djansi on 6/19/2001. ***

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