Woman dies after riding Marine World tea cup ride

Is it just me, or does this sound loike a similar accident at another SF park in Cali? They aren't having much luck over there.

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Rollercoasters are the secret of life!

http://www.woodencoaster.com

In June, 28-year-old Pearl Santos of Fontana died after riding the Goliath roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Santa Clarita

Magic Mountain in Santa Clarita?

Davis: Magic Mountain is in Vallencia, which lies in the Santa Clarita Valley.

I Think...

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Jes
Webmaster, Jes's Roller Coasters
www.jesms.cjb.net "Thank You Jeff Putz"

I believe posters here are sincere about the grief over the loss of life. Some, however, think a regular checkup would've prevented these deaths. Sorry, but maybe at best.
The tests needed to find brain abnormalities are generally NOT covered in a standard physical, and are very expensive. Cat scans aren't cheap! Moreover, a lot of HMO's discourage Dr.s from performing them as routine; meaning there has to be a pre-existing reason for getting one done. A person who in all other aspects appears to be healthy wouldn't have the type of tests done that would alert them to the possible danger.
So please, do not even suggest that these incidents could have been avoided by prior doctor visits; that's a silly assumption.
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The GNTP-down but not out

I don't mean to sound rude,

But if you have some sort of pre-existing condition, or cannot tolerate those types of rides (of which there ARE Signs on every single ride in all theme parks), then you should not ride them... plain and simple.

The victim's family had better not file some sort of civil suit for wrongful death because that's just not right. IF... IF she knew about any condition she has had in the past, the she knew the risks she was taking.

If not, oh well... it's not the parks fault. It could have been triggered by any heavy physical activity.

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The Great Escape... Soon to become Six Flags Adirondack Escape!!!

Dawg Byte: If she did know about a pre-existing condition, then she was just asking for trouble by riding it, however, i don't think anyone in their right mind would take that risk, knowing that somthing could go horribly wrong. And I agree with you, it would be dumb to file a suit.

Robocoaster: I agree that a normal checkup probably wouldnt prevent this, and im no doctor, but how could she not notice this? I'm sure she could've noticed some changes in her health. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Another thing, maybe a regular checkup could've discovered this through symptoms, How many people claim to have discovered their cancer through a regular checkup? From what i hear, lots, and one more thing, if its not possible to discover this by a simple checkup, then how would one discover it? I know one way is if its too late and you die, but im sure other people have discovered a problem in their health similar to hers before it was too late, maybe they had a close encounter and almost died, or maybe they complained of symptoms and went to their doctor. Again, correct me if I'm wrong, but that's what i think.

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"Thank you for challenging the Raging Bull. We hope you enjoy the rest of you're day, here at Six Flags Great America." *** This post was edited by RagingBullGuy on 8/17/2001. ***

Have some compassion for her family and for her loosing her life, its tragic.... My word people..its SO sad, forget about being so protective of your rides for a moment and have enough humanity to at least agree that this is just so sad!

and Jeff if you dont want to hear about this stuff, WHY POST it on your page? You dont have to run this ...you have the option since its YOUR page..yanno? most of these posters dont read the accident pages.. they would never know about this other then reading it here...

I wont comment otherwise on this, I am sure you know how I feel.. mostly though, I just feel sick to my stomach about it.. it makes me so blue..I dont feel good, I am not out to prove anything to you guys..I want you all to enjoy yourselves at these parks..(I wish you would believe me) I wish this didnt happen..I would never want this to happen to any of you just to have you listen and agree that bad things do happen to good people at amusement parks.. I hope one day you will believe me and I really hope no one else dies...

being a survivor.. it makes me so sad..I send her family my deepest condolences..


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I would've rather won Powerball then be your 1 out of 22,000,000!! *** This post was edited by BB on 8/17/2001. ***

BTW, I am sure I am gonna pi** a few of you off...
but here I go again...

Yes the rides DO say that you ride at your OWN risk, but those are supposed to be REASONABLE risks, according to the law..

(riding a teacup ride with the RISK of death is not reasonable..at least I dont think it is ..)

Whereas running with the bulls in Spain; getting gored is a reasonable risk with that activity...see how the "reasonable risk" policy works?

So there is legal precedent for her family to pursue further legal action ..

I dont know if it appropriate in this case..we dont know enough about it all to even conjecture in a some what coherent manner about this situation.. so lets see what happens and what facts emerge..

And you arent going to like this, but if an accident aggrevates a pre-existing condition, then the defendant is liable for what the aggrevation did..( not the pre existing inury/condition-JUST the aggrevation and complication thereof) so unless she was told by a physician not to engage in this activity..the victim's family has clear legal ground to present a case on...

But lets not conjecture on whether or not she knew she had a brain condition till the facts emerge.. Ok.. lets not get so hyper-reactive here..it is just so sad!

Its sad for her and her family FIRST and foremost!!! and its sad that once again you all feel that your love of rides and the ability to ride is threatened by what "could" happen if the government got too aggressive in trying to do something...

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http://members.aol.com/rides911/accidents.htm

I would've rather won Powerball then be your 1 out of 22,000,000!!

Honestly, if you think the risk of death is that great on any amusement ride, you really should become the bubble boy. If I go while on a coaster, so be it, that's my time.

I get the strong impression that if it were up to you to "protect" us, we wouldn't be able to do anything other than ride the antique cars.

So if the same person dies and aggravates the condition from sneezing, then who do they sue? Who is liable then? God? Do we start suing the divine?

Yes, it's sad when people die. However, crap happens, and death is a part of life. If you want to go on through life fearing it, fine, but don't spoil my fun in the process.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com
"From the global village... in the age of communication!"
Watch the grass grow: http://www.sillynonsense.com/subdivision/

Jeff did you even read what I wrote? I dont think so.. I DO want you to have your fun.. I just think its sad!

And I replied to some of the legal aspects- Since I am knowlegable about that.. but I really wish you would re-read my post, cause you have me ALL wrong!

I am adding this:

Jeff, I didnt even put the word "protect" in my posts, so I dont know who you are quoting.. I really think you misunderstand my point of view, and what bothers me most is you think I want you to avoid rides... I dont.. and I specificly stated that we dont know enough about this to determine what is resonable..
I dont know if they should sue or not, but I answered some fo the questions that have been tossed about...WE dont know enough..

And if anything re read my post, you will see that I specificly addressed that I do have sadness for you enthusiests..becuase you feel threatened.. and its just a bad deal all the way around..I am not the enemy here..OK?

Just a survivor with a different point of view.. not one that wants the industry regulated, or to prevent you from enjoying your G's.. ok? For the record and the last time: I WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO RIDE! I wish i could enjoy what you can..but I cant.. and that is just the way it is..


in some cases these things can be prevented..( and I want the preventable ones prevented!) that is a fair place to come from.. especially after my experience!

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I would've rather won Powerball then be your 1 out of 22,000,000!! *** This post was edited by BB on 8/18/2001. ***

Theme parks assume no responsibility connection with the condition or use of the park. You can't just say " its the ride fault, because if you really look at it does anyone blame the car when some goes out of control, no, so it is un fair to any park because some lady had a high blood pressure which may have probably been a factor, after the ride said those with high blood pressure should not ride.

She happen to become a statisic

Apollo15-
Actually I believe there is a major lawsuit against Ford for the tires they put on their new vehicles ...( Explorer Model) and wasnt there a nation wide recall of tires because cars did just go out of control? Through no fault of the driver...? Cause the tires were faulty and caused death, dismemberment,et...

And you're right, the park doesnt assume responsibily, becasue they ARE RESPONSIBLE, no assumptions.. of their premisis..and of their employees, the food, merchandise...so your arguement is flawed.

You are assuming she had high blood presure.. why dont we wait and see what information is released and from that determine the facts.

So far all we really know is that she rode a ride twice, complained of immeadiate problems, was taken from the park via ambulance to the nearest hospital-stabilized- then transfered to a hospital in her HMO and then died 2 days later. WE dont much more then that.

Yes, this could just be a fluke.. we dont know enough to be conjecturing with much merit.

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http://www.saferparks.org

I would've rather won Powerball (8/15/01)then be your 1 out of 23,000,000!!

BB: Aren't you the same person persuing a case against Six Flags Darien Lake for the "mishap" that you experienced on the Huss Ranger many years back in which the lap bar didn't lock??

I think you mentioned a lot of what happened to you during that experience, including pernament injuries...

...but because of that, I think you are now getting very defensive on us coaster/ride/extreme thrill enthuisasts who say that this lady took the assumption of risk into her own hands, so it's not the parks fault and her family should realize that.
1) There were no failures in the mechanisms
2) The ride didn't malfunction.
3) The restraints (if any in that kind of ride) worked properly, AND
4) The ride operator did his/her job properly.

You are now on the offense to take any little accident/death on a ride personally showing too much passion (I.M.O). As Jeff said, s**t happens! You can't go through life fearing that everything you do will have the risk of death or injury. That's part of the fun on extreme (in this case, milder) or thrilling rides...

They post those "ride at your own risk" signs for a reason.

Parks are NOT responsible in any way if the ride functions properly AND the ride operator makes the ride function in the proper manner (ie: not too fast, not too long).

Sorry, but that family doesn't have a case if they tried... it's a case of "accidental death" and therefore, nobody is responsible. Plain and Simple

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When you have have a brain aneryesium cause is high blood exciment and which it cause her death, it is really plain and simple you can not jujst blam the park as you so put it. They CAN NOT tell millions of people what is your health problem.
And if there is no mechanical then it was not the ride fault, it is the lady fault!
I'm not talking about ford tires, it the tires fault not the people. But other accident, for ex. Drunk drivers, sleepeness, careless drivers.

I feel sorry for the lady's family, and is she didn't have a pre-existing medical condition then that is pretty convincing evidence that it was the ride's fault, however, if she's ridden it before then that means that it had to have been an unknown recently developed pre-existing condition.


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DawgByte-

I do not think any death is "little". And I do feel very sad about it. And believe it or not, that is a very realistic reaction.

I love the way you wrote "mishap" LOL..like you have any understanding of what happened.

YEs, as a survivor I do care for those others injured- cause I know first hand what a an imapct it has.

ANd as for APOLLO15- I simply looked at your example and found the flaws in it.. and again, Drunk Drivers are taken to civil and criminal court for their actions..careless drivers are found criminaly negligent all the time..even falling asleep at the wheel..people are prosecuted for that as well...its called reckless endangerment

I dont "blam" the park. I dont know what a "blam" is.

I am very surprised at this accident..and I am very curious to future findings. However.. I am willing to wait and see what information comes out before I start conjecturing on responsibility whereas many of you just cannot wait to attack the rider before getting information.

I am much fairer to the parks then you are to the injured. So sad.
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I would've rather won Powerball (8/15/01)then be your 1 out of 23,000,000!!


*** This post was edited by BB on 8/18/2001. ***


*** This post was edited by BB on 8/18/2001. *** *** This post was edited by BB on 8/18/2001. ***

I put mishap in quotes only because if I remember correctly (and I don't want to give too much info out so everyone can read it), you have waited well over 5 years before you are even persuing something against the park. You didn't bother to report your injuries at the time or fill out a injury report at the time with the park. You kind of took for granted that the staff there would do everything they could to help you (of which, I think I remember... they didn't do anything).

I guess I just question why you waited so long to bother to pursue this now instead of then. They may have some statue (is that the right word?) of limitations or you may have no clear-cut evidence...

But back on topic,
I bet very little will be heard on this accident again because it's not a high-profile case. She didn't die on the ride nor even at the park. It was two days later, so unless you can get the local paper from their area, you won't hear much about it...

...keeping that in mind... I, as with the vast majority (but not everyone) of people here, will agree that the park is in no way responsible since everything functioned properly and at the time, nothing appeared wrong.

Just because parks are a large multi-million business... doesn't mean that you can blame them for any little accident that you can trace back to them. They didn't become multi-million with claims such as this lingering on them all the time. If that were so, the parks would be broke, and every guest would find some way to mooch a few hundred grand off of them.
"owwww, I stubbed my foot on the bench. That's it, I'm suing the park because this bench is too far out into the midway!"
"*cough*, this water almost made me choke. I'm gonna press charges on the park for making this log ride too wet!!!"

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The Great Escape... Soon to become Six Flags Adirondack Escape!!!

DawgByte,
You are very wrong about my case.

1) The statutes of limitation have never been in question.(your accusation that the I took five years before I filed a suit is incorrect)

2)My case began immeadiatly after my hospital release. (instigated by my father to protect me)

3)I have a copy of my accident report with the park, ..your statement was ;"You didn't bother to report your injuries at the time or fill out a injury report at the time with the park. You kind of took for granted that the staff there would do everything they could to help you (of which, I think I remember... they didn't do anything). "



4)I have copies of their maintence reports submitted via the discovery process too, so my evidence isnt in question ...

So can you be man enough to admitt that your information was wrong? Or is it more comforable for you to continue to attack me?


Your source of information is VERY questionable. Or you may have me confused with another accident.. You do not appear to have the accurate information about my case in particular..And attempting to attack my integrity is a reflection on you more then it is on me....

So lets examine that shall we? Here I am, and I have given details about my accident to a few people via email, and yet ..even though I am available to ask directly the staus of my case, you STILL have incorrect information.

So isnt it possible that misinformation and confused information about many of these other incidents is possible?


And again I urge you to reread my above posts. I did not say this was the parks fault.( I am speaking of the MArine World death : not my case in this paragraph) I will stand by my opinion that there are not enough facts out about this to determine anything but the facts I stated in an above posting....the facts I am going from are the LA Times article that was given as a link via this webmaster..



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I would've rather won Powerball (8/15/01)then be your 1 out of 23,000,000!! *** This post was edited by BB on 8/18/2001. ***

I have to agree with BB on this one. Instead of making suppositions that this poor woman was responsible for her own death (or that the park was responsible) why don't we wait until the whole story comes out. In the meantime, a little sympathy for the victim and her family is on order. Even if you think she was somehow responsible (not that I am saying she was), surely you can have some sympathies. If someone drives there car into a tree and dies, would you just chalk it up to bad driving and say "too bad" ?
There seems to be very little compassion for any who is involved in an accident at theme parks. Some of the posters here, as soon as an accident or incident is mentioned, automatically blame the victim and accuse the media of sensationalizing. (Yes, in some cases those things are true but not in all!) One poster even had the gaul to speculate the Lake Compounce maintenance worker death was sucide!
How about a little more respect for victims in here?
On another related note.... cut BB some slack. If you reread her posts she is saying the same thing as the rest of you. No federal regulations!!! There is nothing wrong with wanting (or even expecting)the parks to be responsible in monitoring themselves.
Also to DawgByte... that was an incredibly pissy thing you said to BB. Just using the word "mishap" in italics shows you feel somehow she is at fault and making a mountain out of a mole hill. It is really a condesending thing to do and exactly the type of post I am talking about above.

Please, EVERYONE(!) try to have a little more empathy for others.

Thank you.

Raging Bull-my apologies for "silly"comment, but you flat out stated "....see a doctor. Because if she had, there would be no Goliath tradgedy." I'm saying how can you be so SURE. True, it might have, but for all you know maybe she did, and it just wasn't caught
You also state "but it was her responsibility to have regular checkups to detect this kind of thing. That's what checkups are for."
You make the assumption that she didn't have regular checkups. How do you know? You continue to make more such statements in your post. However unthinkable, some doctors aren't as proficient as we would like them to be. Some, not many, may not even be that good. A Dr. once told my mom I was on hard drugs when I was screaming my head off in pain and throwing up blood. Turns out I had meningitis that almost killed me.

I personally see no fault with the park. I know of no fault on the part of the victim, either. A tradgedy is what I see. Like the young athletes who drop dead on the field every year. One such case happened here, and while I do not remember the details, I do remember the parents stating that he recently had a physical as required by the school district, and he was pronounced healthy. The article went on to say that there are few available tests that would have detected his condition. Granted, most of the athletic cases happen becuase of a heart malfunction instead of a problem concerning the brain, but it just goes to show that yes, some conditions do escape a regular physical or a checkup, and you should not be putting forth statements about how well someone took care of themselves unless you are a close friend.
I don't think your cold, but that particular post wasn't fair to the people you mention who are not here to set the record straight.