Ride Injury

[TURKEY]

It's not real new, but one significant ride injury occured at WDW during the 2nd quarter.


Florida theme parks report 2 injuries in latest quarter
By Todd Pack
Sentinel Staff Writer

August 2, 2002

Florida's major amusement parks reported two significant injuries to guests in the second quarter, a state agency said Thursday.

A 47-year-old woman became claustrophobic and suffered an irregular heartbeat from riding The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at Disney-MGM Studios, Disney World told the Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Fair Rides Inspections in a quarterly report filed last month.

The ride "drops" passengers in a pretend freight elevator from the top of a 13-story tower representing a decrepit hotel.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay said a 13-year-old boy suffered a hernia from riding a looping ship called the Phoenix.

The parks aren't required by law to report injuries but began volunteering the information earlier this year as a result of a "memorandum of understanding" entered with the rides inspection bureau.

The document defines serious injuries as those that require "immediate admission and hospitalization in excess of 24 hours for purposes other than medical observation."

U.S. Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., has been pushing federal oversight of amusement parks, but there have been no hearings on his proposals.

Markey claims eight people died from brain injuries on thrill rides worldwide in the past 10 years. Industry executives blame the deaths on pre-existing conditions.

Todd Pack can be reached at tpack@orlandosentinel.com or 407-420-5407.
Copyright © 2002, Orlando Sentinel


http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busi...080202aug02.story?coll=orl-business-headlines

 

[Lord Alfred]

Originally posted by turkey leg boy
U.S. Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., has been pushing federal oversight of amusement parks, but there have been no hearings on his proposals.

Markey claims eight people died from brain injuries on thrill rides worldwide in the past 10 years.

Eight whole people WORLDWIDE over 10 years!!

Puh-leeze! That is so statistically insignificant that I can't even begin to comprehend why someone would even use such statistics to advocate government involvement in the parks.

Then again, some people will use any excuse to have the government involved in yet another industry.

 

[MickeyMoose15]

Are you kidding? They had this one girl on Dateline on NBC (the only reason I watch NBC at all) who claims that she recently went to the doctor and found she had a brain injury. She claims it was from riding a roller coaster and they are suing the theme park industry for her injury.

First off, she was just barely tall enough to ride the attraction.

Secondly, she couldn't have gotten the injury from just riding it once. She must have ridden the roller coaster a dozen time to get that injury.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

Originally posted by MickeyMoose15
Are you kidding? They had this one girl on Dateline on NBC (the only reason I watch NBC at all) who claims that she recently went to the doctor and found she had a brain injury. She claims it was from riding a roller coaster and they are suing the theme park industry for her injury.

First off, she was just barely tall enough to ride the attraction.

Secondly, she couldn't have gotten the injury from just riding it once. She must have ridden the roller coaster a dozen time to get that injury.

First of all...I am a big rollercoaster fan (just wanted to get that out so you didn't think that I was a coaster hater)

Coasters pull a lot of G's and put a lot of strain on the human body. I am NOT doubting that a young child, a teenager, an adult, or an elderly person got a head injury from a coaster.

Second of all...you said that she barely made the height restriction (but...she DID make the height restriction)

Third of all...you said that she would have needed to ride the coaster a dozen times in a row to get that injury...well...if it's in the park...you can ride it as many times as you want...Someone could ride a coaster 2 dozen times if they wanted to...they paid the admission, they can do whatever rides they wanna do as many times as they wanna do them. Who cares if the person rode it a dozen times...the fact is that she got a head injury from a rollercoaster.

 

[Rider]

HATER!! lol


Anyway, how I hate Markey.

I so sad that this person finds they have a brain injury and just blames the parks because she was there some time ago. These things happen.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

Originally posted by Rider
HATER!! lol


Anyway, how I hate Markey.

I so sad that this person finds they have a brain injury and just blames the parks because she was there some time ago. These things happen.

I agree that these things happen...one of my best friend's had a freak brain anuerism and it wasn't from a rollercoaster...but in this case, it COULD have been caused from a rollercoaster or any other type of ride.

 

[WDWFREAK53]

Originally posted by WDWFREAK53


I agree that these things happen...one of my best friend's had a freak brain anuerism and it wasn't from a rollercoaster...but in this case, it COULD have been caused from a rollercoaster or any other type of ride.

granted, I don't think it's grounds for suing the park...in my opinion, if the ride is working properly and nothing goes wrong with the ride...then it's not the parks fault...the parents of that child should have realized that these rides are violent and extremely fast...It's not the responsibility of the park to pass judgement on whether or not someone should ride a particular ride...BUT...parks DO take on some responsibility because they post height restrictions and other health warnings.