Woman dies while riding Six Flags roller coaster

[azurnoir]

Source: Yahoo

A woman riding a roller coaster at a Six Flags amusement park in North Texas died Friday, and witnesses say she fell from a ride that is billed as the tallest steel-hybrid coaster in the world.

The accident happened just after 6:30 p.m. Friday at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington. Park spokeswoman Sharon Parker confirmed that a woman died while riding the Texas Giant roller coaster but did not specify how she was killed. However, witnesses told local media outlets that the woman fell.

"She goes up like this. Then when it drops to come down, that's when it (the safety bar) released and she just tumbled," said Carmen Brown of Arlington. Brown said she was waiting in line to get on the ride when the accident happened.

Six Flags expressed sadness over the death and said it was temporarily closing the section of the park around the accident site. It didn't say how long the area would be closed. A message left for Parker by The Associated Press was not returned.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/woman-dies-while-riding-six-flags-roller-coaster-014156111.html

[tofuandbeer]

1. Very sad. And she was seated next to her son. That's awful. :(

[silvershadow]

2. You would think there would be redundant safety systems on rides such as these. How tragic.

I quit riding rides a few years ago, except for a few simulators.

[DonCoquixote]

3. Six flags

I remember well when the Haunted House at Six Flags great adventure (aka the NJ park) burned. That park also had people fall off rollercoasters.

I will say that every time I have been to a Disney park or Universal, they do not skimp on security. The sfaety bars on steel cpasters are always nice thick metal, with straps as a redundant measure.

[LarryNM]

4. Victim had Concerns About Safety before Ride Began

According to Fort Worth Star-Telegram's on-line story, witness said victim was concerned about restraint mechanism being properly adjusted and voiced concerns to attendant before ride began. Witness said clicking sound on fastening restraint did not sound like that of other riders before the ride began.

[JI7]

5. if true this just adds to the it since it could have been avoided

[yellowcanine]

7. Anyone in that position should flip the bar up and announce loudly, "Hold it, we are getting out!"

And then proceed to do just that. The attendant would have to shut down the ride for a safety inspection.

[Rstrstx]

8. Her account is highly unlikely

A certain lady (Carmen Brown I think was her name) made the claim that the victim was complaining and said her restraint only clicked once vs three times like on everyone else. That's BS, the ride uses a hydraulic restraint system which is silent, there would be NO clicking sounds. She also stated she saw her tumble down out of the ride but she was in the station when it happened and judging from where the body was recovered it is not possible to see that area from the station. Yet it has been reported all across the world like it was the truth because she was one of the few people who were talking.

There'll undoubtedly be lawsuits filed against the park, the coaster maker (RMC in Idaho) and the maker of the trains (a German company). At this point it's too early to tell what happened other than someone fell off the ride. I'm sure they'll be checking out the restraint system on that seat til it's nearly worn out. Considering 100,000,000+ people get on coasters every year in the US and there are usually only a ride-related fatalities a few times a decade I'd say it's one of the safer things you can do. Cold comfort I know to the family and everyone else on the train who watched someone thrown/dropped to their death, very traumatizing.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

6. This should not have happened

very sad

[Politicalboi]

9. They should still have to have

Safety belts that make an X on your body along with the bars. That must have been terrifying for her and her kid too.

[blkmusclmachine]

10. .

.

[wordpix]

11. I don't like these rides anymore than I like driving the NJ Tpk in heavy traffic

The difference is that I have to drive the NJTpk sometimes to get from here to there. I don't have to volunteer for a dangerous ride.