Riders stranded on Sky Cabin at Knott's Berry Farm, rescued individually by rope

I can't believe they put a guy on TV who said he wasn't worried and that the US is the safest country in the world. On the other hand, they ended the report implying something nefarious by the fire department and Knott's not giving any new information. It's not like they would have been satisfied with, "Yep, they're still up there," anyway.

There is a service ladder inside the column to the machinery room, which is how he fire dept gained access to the cabin. However, protocol does not allow it's use by the guests in the cabin. So they have to be lowered one at a time in a harness to the ground

Holy crap. Worst (or best?) walk-down ever.

Isn't that ride kind of a p.o.s. anyway? It used to be a combo ride until the chutes were removed. Then it was slated for demo when Windseeker came and was spared with some re-planning. I've been to Knott's three times and it didn't operate at all on two of my visits.

Anyway, I can't imagine something nefarious, or what it would be.

Sounds similar to the 1985 incident on Space Spiral at Cedar Point. In that case, the cabin could not be lowered when it got stuck halfway, but they were able to raise it to the top.

Toledo Blade article

I recall at CP (I think it was 2003) they used a crane with a platform and had the folks walk onto it durning a power outage. They had the whole area / section roped off. I have no idea how high up they were. One of the wildest things I have witnessed at a park.

Too tired (Hungover) to search back at the Knott's Windseeker threads, but I suspect some Vindication for CalOsha at this point.

I have never seen an evac from of these towers like that. I always thought they were able to use the interior tower ladder.

In the CP Space Spiral incident, the riders were able to use the ladder inside the tower. I wonder why they couldn't at Knott's, seems like it would be better for the riders then being lowered down the outside.

The Toledo Blade article seems to indicate that some guests were allowed to use the interior ladder in that evacuation. I would assume a small child or an elderly person using that ladder would be challenging or difficult, so maybe they just had all the guests evacuate via the rope/winch?

Oh, you won't catch me using a ladder down the inside of the column. Actually, they both sound bad.
I'd still be sitting there.

Yeah, either option would have me deep into a panic attack. I like riding Windseekers but always have the 'what if it breaks down right now' question rattling around the back of my mind.

^ I've ridden Windseeker exactly once, and from the moment the ride started until it ended that's all I could think; "What if it breaks down?!? What if we get stuck up here in a storm?!?"

I love love LOVE roller coasters but flat rides with any height freak me out. I'm convinced the hub will come flying off maXair when I'm on it. Windseeker is gonna break down. My Sky Ride gondola will definitely come off the cable. The chains are gonna break when I ride Wave Swinger/Lasso/Yo-Yo, and you won't get me on one of those giant Star Chaser models... I don't know what my deal is with flat rides.

Acrophobia and Cleithrophobia

But is it acrophobia? I'll ride the biggest and baddest coasters... The lift hill doesn't bother me at all. BUT this past year at CoasterMania during ERT on MF the train did a little "stutter" where it stopped and immediately restarted about 2/3 of the way up. Scared the crap out of me. And I don't know what cleothrophobia is.

Yes. Put me on TTD and I'm happy as can be. Ask me to climb a ten foot tall ladder and I'm scared to death.

Google says cleithrophobia is the fear of being trapped... I think my fear is more plummeting to my death while trapped.

I'm afraid of rope.

There's nothing to be afraid of. Just make sure you agree on a safe word before you start.

My safe word is "keep going."