Woman falls to her death from giant roller coaster at Six Flags Over Texas: wasn't properly secure

At least our posters here on ATS are being polite and nice about this lady's tragic death.

I was just reading comments from another, *cough*, so-called website and the remarks are flat out cruel and mean regarding her weight and what happened to her.
What is wrong with people now a days??
No compassion what so ever....disgusting.
Easy to trash talk behind a keyboard I guess.

Thank goodness ATS has T&C ......
Not to mention classy members!!!

Sorry MODS for the rant......
My apologies~
snarky

reply to post by snarky412


I read this last night on Drudge and literally felt sick in my gut.

This thread with updated information made me feel even more sick. She fell out at the first bump? This ride is like TWO MINUTES LONG do you know how long that is when you just saw your mom fall out like that, and you have to wait for the ride to finish?

I have been on this ride -when it was still wooden- and it was very jerky and bumpy. I did not enjoy it as I do other roller coasters because instead of being smooth and exciting it was just rough. Friend and I both has multiple bruises the next day.

reply to post by Ameilia

Being as no final report has been given, I don't know where the weight issue came from.

I've admired people who can ride them but I have no desire to get on a roller coaster.
I like my feet on the ground, so to speak.......

Originally posted by LeaderOfProgress
I have riden this ride many times prior to the steel modifications. With that being said, they did not modify much of the physics of the ride when they upgraded it. I hate to be the one to state the facts, which will soon be out, but it is near impossible to "fall" out of this ride. My personal opinion which is based on the back story of this lady, is that she tried to "get off of" the ride at one of the slowest and highest point of the ride. Now this is based on the fact that she was an older lady who had never been to a theam park. As for the restraint malfunction which allowed her unexpected leave of the ride, she was a heavier lady, which would hinder the restraints operation. So now we have an interesting situation which is sure to get some people heated, should overweight people not be allowed to ride?

Blame the lady for trying to bail out? Really?

It was reported the other people in line heard the conversation where the lady states she didn't think she was fastened in well but the operator seemed to think it was OK. One click of the locking mechanism versus numerous clicks for the other people.

Not sure I would trust a kid making near min wage with my safety.

Awful.... How sad.

I will never ride a roller coaster again.
Eff That. NONSENSE.

I feel bad.. especially the sons.. its never going to be forgotten by them...

I went to a amusement park last week, it ad an 80 degree drop... i saw a women who was a bit large try to get on.. the staff member told her she is not able to ride... that was pretty sad to watch, but maybe it saved her life.

Now we have the makers of the ride, from Germany, coming to Texas to help investigate and inspect the ride.

Company to inspect Texas coaster where woman fell

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) - A German roller coaster maker is sending officials to a North Texas amusement park to inspect a ride after a woman fell to her death.

Tobias Lindnar, a project manager for Gerstlauer Amusement Rides in Munsterhausen, Germany, told The Dallas Morning News that the company will investigate what led to Friday's fatal accident at Six Flags Over Texas in Arlington.

To me, the scariest part of the story was that she reportedly tried to tell the operator that that she was not properly secured in her seat, and the operator nonchalantly said she was fine and started the ride anyway instead of checking her seat out. Unfortunately, this could happen to any of us or our kids- a scenario where an immature 16 or 17 year old is simply there to collect his/her minimum wage, while not taking complete note of the fact that they are responsible for ensuring the safety of each and every person on the steel machine of death.

Scary thought for anyone who frequents amusement parks.

Originally posted by snarky412
reply to post by Ameilia

 

Being as no final report has been given, I don't know where the weight issue came from.

I've admired people who can ride them but I have no desire to get on a roller coaster.
I like my feet on the ground, so to speak.......

If you look at her picture, she is extremely obese.

Her weight definitely comes into the picture since bells and alarms should have gone off in the ride operators head when he saw her. At my local amusement park, I have seen obese people being told to get off of rides when they could not get the restraint to lock properly (the operators personally check their restraints). And I can just about guarantee that she was thrown off rides before unless this was her very first time at an amusement park at that weight. And this is not discrimination, it is obviously a safety precaution for a very valid reason.

Most definitely there is a lawsuit here... There is no way you can miss the fact that she was obese and that her restraint needed extra scrutiny. Let alone having her plea for assistance ignored. Sheer negligence...