Breakdown At Test Track Leads To Guest Leaving Vehicle By Cutting Through Seat Belt

OliveMcFly

Well-Known Member
We had a similar situation at TOT. The elevator stopped at the 5th Dimension so a guest took it upon herself to crawl out from her seatbelt and exit the ride. I found her right outside the backstage doors and brought her to my manager. She thought it was going to fall.
 

StarWarsGirl

Well-Known Member
In the Parks
No
facepalm.jpg
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
What a compassionate and magical response.
The truth isn't always compassionate. Sometimes the truth hurts, but, has a lot of logic attached. If you are unable to handle the possible consequences don't put yourself in the line of fire. Yes, we would all like to do things that physically or mentally we are not going to be able to deal with, but, when common sense is applied, we don't do them.
 

Dukeblue1227

Well-Known Member
then maybe going to an amusement park isn't in your best interest... people shouldn't put themselves in these kind of situations if they can't handle themselves accordingly

I entirely agree with your idea in principle. As I said though I'm just saying that sometimes people don't know they have anxiety until put into a situation that induces it. Not trying to defend the guy but my point was solely it may not have been a typical "this sucks I'm out of here."

Also I do everything in my power not to let my anxiety control my life. I can't go to my favorite place on earth because of the potential I may have a panic attack if the situation arises? That's legitimately exactly how people become agoraphobic. I do everything in my power not to become that.

Like I said I'd also never cut myself out of a ride. I accept the anxiety. But it took me years to be able to do that.
 

Flight Safety

Active Member
I find this story difficult to believe. There are numerous occasions I've been on this attraction, and many others for that matter, where a CM came over PA system and addressed someone who was attempting to stand or exit the vehicle or some other type of behavior not permitted.

When something goes wrong on TT, the ride is immediately put into a stop because the ride vehicles are self powered. It is a very complicated system in which many different vehicles are executing pre programmed maneuvers simultaneously. For these reasons I would expect this attraction has added security measures throughout.

I doubt someone was able to exit a ride vehicle and wander around the attraction without being noticed. Especially considering they supposedly exited backstage and went unnoticed. I have been backstage TT before and there is a facility behind which houses the repair shop for the vehicles and it's constantly hustling and bustling as technicians are changing belts, tires, etc. I'm pretty sure someone would've noticed a plain clothes tourist walking through a back door unaccompanied by a CM.

Just my thoughts...
 

Dukeblue1227

Well-Known Member
The truth isn't always compassionate. Sometimes the truth hurts, but, has a lot of logic attached. If you are unable to handle the possible consequences don't put yourself in the line of fire. Yes, we would all like to do things that physically or mentally we are not going to be able to deal with, but, when common sense is applied, we don't do them.

I think it's clear you've never dealt with severe anxiety and for that you are extremely lucky. I respectfully ask we leave it at that and don't comment on things such as common sense when speaking on the matter. I respect your opinion but for someone who has spent years going through therapy to cure my anxiety you're just entirely off base with what you're saying. And I'd have agreed with you 8 years ago so I get it.
 

Flight Safety

Active Member
I find this story difficult to believe. There are numerous occasions I've been on this attraction, and many others for that matter, where a CM came over PA system and addressed someone who was attempting to stand or exit the vehicle or some other type of behavior not permitted.

When something goes wrong on TT, the ride is immediately put into a stop because the ride vehicles are self powered. It is a very complicated system in which many different vehicles are executing pre programmed maneuvers simultaneously. For these reasons I would expect this attraction has added security measures throughout.

I doubt someone was able to exit a ride vehicle and wander around the attraction without being noticed. Especially considering they supposedly exited backstage and went unnoticed. I have been backstage TT before and there is a facility behind which houses the repair shop for the vehicles and it's constantly hustling and bustling as technicians are changing belts, tires, etc. I'm pretty sure someone would've noticed a plain clothes tourist walking through a back door unaccompanied by a CM.

Just my thoughts...

And in today's world, no one whipped out their smartphone and got this guy on video?
 

Shane7694

Well-Known Member
The truth isn't always compassionate. Sometimes the truth hurts, but, has a lot of logic attached. If you are unable to handle the possible consequences don't put yourself in the line of fire. Yes, we would all like to do things that physically or mentally we are not going to be able to deal with, but, when common sense is applied, we don't do them.
What if he didn't know?
 

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
I think it's clear you've never dealt with severe anxiety and for that you are extremely lucky. I respectfully ask we leave it at that and don't comment on things such as common sense when speaking on the matter. I respect your opinion but for someone who has spent years going through therapy to cure my anxiety you're just entirely off base with what you're saying. And I'd have agreed with you 8 years ago so I get it.
I'm sorry, but, you will have to explain to me how severe anxiety and common sense are connected. I have a fear of getting hit by a train so common sense tells me not to stand on the tracks. Riding a ride in a theme park, of course, is minor compared to that, but, those with that type of anxiety are aware that they have it. They also can logically understand that something like a mechanical breakdown, though not certain, can happen. So, if that is something that will cause great stress, you don't do it. It has nothing to do with whether or not I have a feeling of sorrow for the person with the plight of that individual, it's just that I think that can be avoided.

It's the same as someone with an anxiety of crowds or loud noises. You remove yourself from those possibilities so that you can be free of that type of anxiety. I'm not talking about talking oneself out of the anxiety itself, I know that isn't the answer, I'm talking about avoiding, whenever possible, exposure to it.
 

MagliteL13

Active Member
We had a similar situation at TOT. The elevator stopped at the 5th Dimension so a guest took it upon herself to crawl out from her seatbelt and exit the ride. I found her right outside the backstage doors and brought her to my manager. She thought it was going to fall.

A lady pulled a similar stunt on foxtrot in the corridor scene. She was never caught though. There were a series of door intrusions and the route she used to exit was easily seen, but she got away.
 

OliveMcFly

Well-Known Member
A lady pulled a similar stunt on foxtrot in the corridor scene. She was never caught though. There were a series of door intrusions and the route she used to exit was easily seen, but she got away.
Geez! This girl actually came up to me. She asked "how do I get back to the normal part". Once I realized who she was I directed her to my manager. Such silly things guests do...and dangerous.
Were or are you a bellhop Maglite?
 

Brad Bishop

Well-Known Member
Regardless of whether the original story is true, I'm sort of on the fence with this kind of stuff.

On the one hand, if the ride stops, I really do think that you should stay put and they'll come and help you and all that. That's normal, to me. It's SOP. It's safe and all that.

On the other hand, though, I think that sometimes common sense ought to outweigh "what does the rulebook say" depending on the situation.

Let's say I'm stuck on It's a Small World at Disneyland for 1+ hours (unlikely, I'll grant you). No announcements. No signs of moving people off the ride. That's the one where only the trough has water, as opposed to the entire building being flooded. All of the boats have caught up to you because it's been so long and you're not going to experience a sudden bump or anything. I'm thinking: Get out and walk on the concrete side walk that's *right there* and leave.

To me, it's dumb for the ride to stop and for people to try to immediately get out and leave. Still, it's dumb for people to sit there indefinitely with no word of what's going on just because there's a rule. At some point my brain says, "This is stupid. If it looks plain-jane obvious to get off of this ride, I'm going to do it." That means I've given operations ample time to make their announcements and show some progress and I'm aware enough to know that everything around me is mechanical and if things are still moving, I need to stay put (like boats still moving, animatronics, track gear, etc.).

I know this will go against the grain of a lot of people but I just don't think you need to sit somewhere indefinitely and never try to save yourself because: There's a rule and someone else will do it.
 

JohnD

Well-Known Member
Before people attack him for being stupid, which he quite possibly was, I suffer from severe anxiety mainly around being stuck or not able to get out of situations easy. I take medication to be able to get on planes. We got stuck on our last trip on Dinosaur just as we were about to unload. We sat there for ten minutes. My heart was racing, I was sweating profusely, and felt like I was going to lose my mind. I quite literally couldn't handle the situation. I was two feet from a cast member and I almost started screaming.

I've dealt with it for a long time and would never cut myself out of the ride ever. However sometimes people don't know they have anxiety until it happens the first time and would be willing to do anything to escape it. I almost jumped into jellyfish infested waters in the Boston harbor and swam a half mile on a cold day the first time it happened to me.

I won't diminish how you feel. There's a reason I don't go on M:S. And that's it. I had the same symptoms before ST and ToT until I rode them. I still get nervous but not like that. I never felt that way about TT, though.
 

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