Restraint Failure

Has anyone ever had a restraint fail on any coasters.
I have had it REALLY happen on one, and KINDA happen on another.

The one it KINDA happened on was on Serial Thriller at Six Flags Ohio. Near the bottom of the drop at the rouugh spot, it popped open about two notches. I was able to push it right back down and enjoy the ride.

The one it REALLY happened on and scared me to death, was believe it or not, Mantis at Cedar Point. Going up the lift was fine, but as we rounded the turn just before the drop, it popped up the WHOLE way. Meaning, the only thing that stopped it was the belt. I was able to re-lock it midway though the ride. But, that one scared me to high heaven.

Why did this happen? Is it a regular occurance? I thought that restraints were 100% fail safe. I mean, if it ever happened on say, a Huss Top Spin, a Chance Chaos, a Chance Inverter, you wouldn't have much of a chance now would ya!

Anyway, has this ever happened to anyone else? If it has, tell me what coaster it was on!!

Thanks.

That's why the belts are there, in case the restraint does fail.

RideMan explained this once on GTTP, so let me see if I can remember the details. In a nutshell, if the restraint is sitting somewhere between notches and the ride experiences a sudden jolt, the lever that pushed against the notched whatever momentarily pops up, allowing a brief moment where the restraint can move freely. Of course, there is usually some spring tension that immediately locks it back down.

Not the best explaination, but I think you get the idea.

-------------
Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

That would scare the poop out of me.

There was a problem with the restraints opening mid-cycle on one of the early Chance Chaos'. From what I understand that particular seat wasn't occupied at the time, but it did shake things up for it's owner and Chance. Had to do with the interlock electronics from what I have heard.

I was at CP in June,the last Tue.&Thur.,and both days Mantis had stopped on the lift hill,then after three minutes,was on it's way again.I found
out that a harness in the front on the left side
is trouble.I was in the last row when the train stopped while I was on it.That was Thurs.,and while we were stranded I rembered seeing it stopped on Tuesday.The ride ops came running up
and really seemed to go to this specific area.I
am surprised no one has mentioned this earlier.
Mantis and Magnum were only a 45:00 wait these days,so this was where I concentrated my efforts.
A CP mole should be able to clarify this Mantis thing.

-------------
"Let's Take This One For A Ride !"
-DC Talk,'Luv Is A Verb'

It happened to me on the Corkscrew at CP. Going over the second hill you're thrown out of your seat. That's when my shoulder restraint clicked open a few notches. Scared me to death. It was fine though afterwards. Never said anything. I was too shaken.

-------------
Shawn Bailes
Webmaster of Coasters R Us
http://coastersrus.home-page.org
*** This post was edited by Coasterfreakbailes on 8/27/2000. ***

Well, I was in Row 6 and Train 2 the time it happened, and on the right middle.

As for Serial Thriller, I don't recall where I was sitting.

Wow... lots of CP incidents...

It never happened on a coaster to my knowledge, but it has happened on "The Ranger" (huss ride) at SFDL a couple years ago....

now THAT was scary... went upside down about 2 times till she could finally here me and the eople next to me screaming, trying to hold me in...

-------------
Alan Jacyzyn

The Thrill Seekers Guide To Six Flags Darien Lake:
http://sfdlinfo.tripod.com

I wonder how they get themselves out of those sort of lawsuits. I mean I for one don't want to see a ton of lawsuits filed against the amusement park industry, but if some sue happy individual came along and that sort of thing happened to him/her look out.

-------------
Randy Hutchinson
You build it, I'll ride it

Now we know the need for backup seat belts to be *EVERYWHERE* at CP.....

Wow, I have been to CP a countless amount of times, (including today!), and this has never happened to me. But I guess it's the luck of the draw, and thats why they put seat belts on as a backup.

I haven't had this happen to me, but I will say that when I went to Cedar Point and found seat belts on all the rides, I did like this a lot better. I am used to Kings Island where only a three rides have back-up seat belts on them. I know that restraints do not fail often, and can usually be spotted before any problems will occur, but it is nice to have something like a seat belt that is always reliable (if properly taken care of).

-------------
http://www.coasterriders.freeservers.com

I really don't think seat belts get in the way too much. I always fasten them loose and they never get in the way of inhibiting my airtime or anything like that *** This post was edited by MooreOn on 8/27/2000. ***

Back when I was about 13 or 14 years old I was at Wyandot Lake in Columbus riding the Sea Dragon. For those who don't know, it's an old wooden coaster, built in the 50's, I believe. Anyways, there's not much to it, we just rode it to dry off, and we'd act like it was the scariest coaster in the world. Anyways, going down the second hill, our lap bar popped all the way up. Even on this small coaster, it scared the poop out of me and my friend. We locked it down, and held on for the rest of the ride, and neither one of us has ever been on it since.

-------------
UCSigep
Rides to the top of the World: 8

What would happen with rides like Joker's Jinx and Batman and Robin: the Chiller where there is no seatbelt?

I've never had a restraint pop open on me (knock on wood) and I don't care to have one happen. I make sure to hold onto the restraint on rides that require OTSR's, but not always :) Sometimes I get daring (woohoo) and hold my hands up when I can. Most of the time, I just hold on and let the ride do what it does best, you know? Anyways, peace. :)

-------------
Medusa at Marine World: the best in the west!

What about on superman: UE. If the restraints failed there, you would be screwed when the brakes hit in on the back part.

Had that problem at carrowinds in NC. on the hurler. Bar popped open and I held on for my life. Had it out with cuts on my knees and bruises on my back and butt. Still rode everything else after that. Can't wait to ride the new hyper at Six Flags Great Adventure.

It happened to me on the Blue Streak at CP. First the lapbar was stuck so I couldn't get in, then it came all the way up right under the coupla at the top of the first hill. Half way down it just snapped right back into place. That scared me a little, but in retrospect made it a better ride. My story can't compare to the Mantis, though. Wow! That would've killed me!

-------------
Phantom's Revenge:
The Legend Lives On

Did the seat also go up on Mantis?

This is why Cedar Point is so seat belt crazy. That 130 year mint safety record is pretty amazing.

-------------
"...If We don't get you there in five minutes we don't get you there at all. ~Dispatch Master Tran