Six Flags New Orleans implements new saftey devices where woman died last week

"Donaldson's son, Arthur Donaldson, said several lawyers have approached the family, which probably will hire one soon. Bowens said the family has other priorities, such as planning a funeral."

Don't you just love lawyers? I will say that in this instance the family likely has a case but they certainly don't need blood-suckers cold calling them.

I can only imagine what that ride op is going through. I hope he/she is getting counseling.

I hope the little boy, who witnessed this tragedy, is getting counseling.

That is absoloutely rediculous that the ride did not have a PA system. I would refuse to operate a ride of that manner without the required communication device. I hope all Six Flags parks take a hint from this. I've been asking for curved mirrors on my rides for quite some time now. Maybe we'll actually get them now.

------------------
Jes
Jes's Roller Coasters DJ Jes
Six Flags Worlds Of Adventure Ride-Ops Crew 2002-2003(Find Me, Win a prize!)

Yeah there should have been these things there in the first place, I am a former ride op and cant imagine not having a PA system, and there is no way any ride should have any blind spots from the pannel. I don't think Six Flags can really be targeted for this, yes while the ride should have never been without these things in the first place, is this an old ride left over from the Jazzland days?

------------------
It isn't so bad. . .
Once you're used to it*** This post was edited by Whizzer Boi 7/16/2003 12:28:55 PM ***

Of course they can be held responsible. They own the ride, they train the ride operators.

------------------
Jeff - Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com - Luau II Cam 7/19
DELETED! What time does the water show start?

I used to be a ride operator for Six Flags New England. I had my ride shut down cause we had no microphone and I refused to start my assigned ride on another day until I had a microphone. I am too concerned about other people to start or run a ride without the proper gear.

------------------
RCT2 - The craze is reborn!

There wasn't a PA system? I work in kiddieland at SFEG, and I have trouble making sure everybody hears my speils without a PA system, how is a ride of this size supposed to even have a spiel without a PA system. That is horrible.

------------------
"Here's my ten cence, my two cence is free"-Eminem

The ride was bought in a package from a closed park in Japan.
------------------
If you have a problem with clones, the solution is real simple—Stop traveling.

I don't care, this is Six Flags, they can afford a PA system, and mirrors. That ride is huge, there is no possible way a safety speil could be given and heard by everyone on the ride without a PA system.

I can understand no mirrors, there are a lot of rides that have that, even though they all should.

------------------
"Here's my ten cence, my two cence is free"-Eminem

I think that Intamin Fan was responding to the previous question of was the ride an old ride (from Jazzland days?). I believe he was saying that the ride was used, but newly installed, not saying that its being from Japan was an excuse for not having mirrors or a PA system.

I don't object to the absence of a PA system. Ride operators really shouldn't need to give spiels that every rider will simply ignore; all applicable instructions are posted, and the operator is supposed to visit every tub before the ride starts.

I do, however, object to the operation of a ride with a blind spot. We may be assuming too much to assume that the blind spot was a factor in the incident, but still, it's an obvious problem with that ride. Mirrors will help. An even better solution would be to simply put two operators on the ride.

You know, for all the problems of the Eyerly Monster, I can't help but think that the particular incident that happened at ex-Jazzland would not have happened if the ride were a Monster instead of a Polyp...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Actually I'm not sure but the actual speakers may have always been there. Perhaps the park official is talking about the new auto-speil that I heard. I noticed yesterday that the ride had opened to the public midday and it automatically tells riders what to do etc. As far as I know Batman: The Ride and Lex Luthor's Invertatron have a PA system but not an auto-spiel (I'm not sure about the other new ride Catwoman's whip), it is the operator's choice whether to say anything or not. All of the pre-existing rides have speakers in their queues and in their ride areas, but seldom do I hear the ride operators use them. In 2001 the park added auto-spiels to many of the rides. This year more auto-spiels have been added to other pre-existing rides. There definitely isn't a shortage of speakers. There's probably hundreds of unused speakers in the lines of rides and probably many extras in storage.

As far as I know it's still not known exactly how she got in there. There's a small grassy area in front of the ride that doesn't have a garden in front of it and I noticed a barricade had been placed there.

Even if rider's ignore the announcements, they are MUCH more likely to receive the information than if it was just posted on a sign. Reading is an active activity, it takes effort and is intiated by the rider if he CHOOSES to read the rules. Hearing is not. What is said on a PA is received by almost everyone on the ride, whether they are paying attention or it is subliminally heard. Too much safety is always better than not enough, and having a PA system on every ride should be standard.

Apparently too many of you are used to Cedar Point and think that ride spiels are the norm. There are many parks out there (probably the majority of them) that do not give verbal ride spiels. The lack of a ride spiel does not compromise safety. Personally I hate ride spiels--I think they are useless, and I am quite certain a spiel would not have prevented this accident. The problem as Dave mentioned is the blind spot. There should have been multiple operators signaling each other that the ride was clear before it started. If SF chooses to run with one operator (as they frequently do) then something should have been in place to allow that operator to see the entire ride, like mirrors.

This ride was not leftover from Jazzland, it was one of the rides purchased from Thrill Valley and installed this year.

I have no problem with spiels. I think they need to be given. Not everybody is aware of the risks of standing up or un-buckling your seat belt on a ride.

------------------
"Here's my ten cence, my two cence is free"-Eminem