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2016: The Smiler Reopening

Will you ride in 2016?

  • Yes

    Votes: 147 94.8%
  • No

    Votes: 8 5.2%

  • Total voters
    155
Fine would have a starting point of around £5 million I would imagine which will be reduced depending on how much the judge feels things go in ATs favour. My guess in the end it will be £1.5 million.
 
The fine was wayyy too small in my opinion. Merlin make £5m in the blink of an eye. A fine of £50m would have been more appropriate.

Even £50m isn't that bad considering the park was turning over that much annually back in the late 90's.
 
Oh come on, it was never going to be 50 million, realistically. Even if one of the girls had died, it probably wouldn't have been 50 million.
The maximum it was only ever going to be was 10 million. The judge even stated had Merlin not pleaded guilty, worse case scenario, it would have only been £7.5m. £5m I agree is a pretty small figure in terms of Merlin's turnover. But £50m, in my eyes, would have been too much of an example.
 
I too think the fine was laughable, should have been much larger, guilty plea or not.

On a different note, I rode the new train a couple times at the weekend and the difference it makes is startling, almost like a different ride. Still not perfect due to it being built my Gerst and constructed by idiots on unsuitable ground etc, but so much better.
 
Oh come on, it was never going to be 50 million, realistically. Even if one of the girls had died, it probably wouldn't have been 50 million.
The maximum it was only ever going to be was 10 million. The judge even stated had Merlin not pleaded guilty, worse case scenario, it would have only been £7.5m. £5m I agree is a pretty small figure in terms of Merlin's turnover. But £50m, in my eyes, would have been too much of an example.

They should have been made an example of. A fine is supposed to be a punishment, not a cute little slap on the wrist for bad behaviour.
 
I was disappointed to see them run just 3 trains all weekend, even when the queue went past the 1 hour mark.

Not only that, but they weren't exactly in a rush, with trains stacking regularly.
 
Indeed, for some stupid reason they will not run more than three trains at the moment. Initially they were going to allow four train operation but they've taken the cautious approach. Hopefully this will change in the future as the main queue is a nightmare these days.

:)
 
Think they need to play it safe. As you've seen from the past year plus. Every time one of there rides emergency stops/evacuated. Twitter and the mirror erupt with negativity.
 
Only done the main queueline twice, second time was yesterday, very very grotty indeed.
Mind you, not as bad as the exit route after my mate chundered pink fruit stella cidre in several places...
If you were in the queue at the end of the day yesterday, I can only apologise for "Dipper Dave" sharing his lunch with you all.
At least you didn't have to sit next to his groaning all the way up the M6 in the tea time traffic for 3 hours.
Bloody amateurs!
 
I only did the main queue twice this year. Personally, I didn't notice any bad smell, but it isn't the best queue line to spend ages in (although I only queued ten minutes tops). Overall, I'd say I prefer the queue line to Rita's.
 
Went on the smiler on Friday for the first time, it was good, decent throughputs. Not a big fan of the vertical lift hill, but I don't mind those comfy head pads either side of you ;)
 
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