Researchers say rides do not cause brain injury

The really sad thing here is that this actual science will get lost in the Markey-esque hype around the issue. Still, good to have reputable scientists back you up if you happen to be IAAPA and its members.

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Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"There's nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, when it's all in your mind. You gotta let go." - Ghetto, Supreme Beings of Leisure

I'm glad that scientists know that roller coasters are safe and that there doing actual experiments and proving it to the public that theres no way unless you have a pre-existing disorder that you can get brain injury, maybe Markey will shut up?

I don't know why people even care about if they re REALLY safe. Of course there is some danger becaue it is a machine and something could go wrong. But they have alot more safety measures that it looks like. Riding RollerCoasters is alot safer than riding in a car, a plane, and even using a toothpick.

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www.geocities.com/thrillworldonline

VISIT IT!

Actually, there is a negative correlation between going to amusement parks and having a traumatic brain injury. No joke! Amusement park attendees are statistically less likely to have a traumatic brain injury than the average for the general population. Rollercoasters and other rides don't actually do anything to protect the brain, it's just that people who ride them tend to be young and most traumatic brain problems are associated with otder people.

It's a darn good thing this study came out, because we sure can't trust those shoddy, hack roller coaster engineers.

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-Vater
Track Record: 116 *** This post was edited by Vater on 10/16/2002. ***

Looks to me like Jim Fisher is too smart to work with OUR statistical research group....he understands the concept of self-selecting populations...;)

I agree with Jeff's comment that the outcome will get lost in the media. I don't know how many people read People magazine, but they had an article recently about a lady who is suing Six Flags Fiesta Texas for $20 million dollars for getting hurt on Joker's Revenge (probably why it's closed). Do you think People will post this article. Hell no, because it doesn't sell like there usual stories do.
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If you want expensive rides, you're going to pay for them, in one way or another.

Hey I just heard this story on a local TV station here in Pittsburgh. They actually reported the truth, so maybe the media won't overlook this. Probably not, but we can hope.

Same story, shorter, WTOP-radio friendly version of the copy can be seen here. I like the headline on the WTOP version: Study: Coaster Rides Don't Turn Brain to Toast

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Thats good

Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Disney-MGM Studios in Florida; Speed - the Ride, at the NASCAR Cafe in Las Vegas; and Face/Off at Kings Island, in Cincinnati

Those are "Mega Coasters"??? huh?

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"Getting on Iron Wolf is kind of like going in a blender and pressing PUREE"

They are all "high-G force" rides which have been implicated in claims of brain injury. Well, I'm not sure about Face/Off, but it's been frequently cited as a high-force ride.

These researchers were smart enough to look for rides with high accelerations instead of automatically picking on Millennium Force and Superman: The Escape just because they happen to be tall and fast.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I also saw a news clip about the release on WKYC, Channel 3 news at 7:30.

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Jes
Jes's Roller Coasters DJ Jes
Six Flags Worlds Of Adventure 2002 Ride-Ops Crew (Have Fun Trying To Find Me!)

What does seem to be missing from their sample is a major head banger. If anything is hard on your brain riding coasters it's having your head banged back and forth. I'm sure that those forces are much higher that any you would receive from the nominal G forces of a coaster. Speed, The Ride does have OTSR's, but from what I hear it isn't a really bad banger like some other Premiers.

Of course Ed Markey thinks that a woman got a brain hemorage from riding Peter Pan's Flight. He also ignores the fact that she had severe pain in her head while waiting in line to get on rides. Maybe it's long queues that cause brain injuries. (Pardon the sarcasm)

i'm looking forward to that report next year. i can't wait to see what we already know confimed by a Markey sanctioned report.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/10/16/health/main525843.shtml

Another.

Forogt to mention that this is interesting.

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While a coaster such as Face/Off can produce a G-force of 5, simply "plopping" into an easy chair can produce a G-force of 8 to 10, the study said.

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From the CBS story:

Dr. Toshio Fukutake, co-author of a study contending that roller coasters were responsible for four cases of otherwise healthy patients developing bleeding on the brain, said there are much faster coasters than the ones in the Penn study.

I can't believe he doesn't realize speed has no relation to brain injury. It is acceleration of the head Mr. Fukutake that causes injuries, not speed.

I think someone ought to remind Mr. Fukutake that we're traveling at, how many thousands of miles per hour?, even as we just sit here, apparently motionless.

It's ALL about acceleration...