Seat belts won't stop people standing up, and you couldn't have restraints that can't be opened on a water ride by the occupant for obvious reasons, hopefully there are no knee jerk reactions to this.
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This is a popular topic that is fast moving Guest - before posting, please ensure that you check out the first post in the topic for a quick reminder of guidelines, and importantly a summary of the known facts and information so far. Thanks. - Thread starter Towerslover
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- Favourite Ride
- Nemesis, Air
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- Crux
- Inevitably some blind spots on the course (and if you have blanket CCTV coverage, trying to watch 20+ boats is very difficult)
- Lots of fast moving water - deep in some places
- Lots of rowdy guests who are in no way restrained
- No option to immediately stop the water - only the platform and lift
Drayton Manor Park - Splash Canyon Incident
Seat belts won't stop people standing up, and you couldn't have restraints that can't be opened on a water ride by the occupant for obvious reasons, hopefully there are no knee jerk reactions to this.
bluesonichd
TS Member
The Disney parks have belts on their rapids rides I believe, least its some kind of deterrent to prevent people standing up
Craig
TS Administrator
Seatbelts are more a deterrent for standing up rather than anything else. The parks that have them in the US are either flimsy plastic buckles or velcro, they do little other than remind you to stay sat down I guess.
Until the facts are established, it's difficult to say what will be done. Whilst at first glance comparisons can be made to the Dreamworld incident, the two incidents would appear to be very different, with Dreamworld's being due to the way the conveyors were modified.
It's awful though for someone to lose a life like that on a school trip
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Until the facts are established, it's difficult to say what will be done. Whilst at first glance comparisons can be made to the Dreamworld incident, the two incidents would appear to be very different, with Dreamworld's being due to the way the conveyors were modified.
It's awful though for someone to lose a life like that on a school trip
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Kelpie
TS Member
It could be a case of less 'standing being silly' and more (as we've all done) shifting to duck a wave and perhaps very unluckily losing balance, tripping, falling...
All H&S is a balance of need to reduce risk without significant negative impact to the operation of the ride - yes, some kind of simple seatbelt (not an OTSR) could be appropriate. But it has to be easily evacuated in an emergency, which we have also seen occur before where boats elsewhere in the world have capsized. So it's weighing up the pro's and con's. While rare, the event is no less tragic for the family.
Will admit some rapids rides perhaps do need to be looked at for their violence. I was once on Legoland Windors rapids sharing the boat with a mum and two kids (seemed around 7 &10?) who were sitting perfectly behaved as per instructions but the force of impact of it going downhill and bashing into the channel barriers threw one of the kid's face first against the centre handrail ring. Never seen that happen before on any other rapids, & dare I say I wouldn't have been entirely surprised if this incident had happened there.
All H&S is a balance of need to reduce risk without significant negative impact to the operation of the ride - yes, some kind of simple seatbelt (not an OTSR) could be appropriate. But it has to be easily evacuated in an emergency, which we have also seen occur before where boats elsewhere in the world have capsized. So it's weighing up the pro's and con's. While rare, the event is no less tragic for the family.
Will admit some rapids rides perhaps do need to be looked at for their violence. I was once on Legoland Windors rapids sharing the boat with a mum and two kids (seemed around 7 &10?) who were sitting perfectly behaved as per instructions but the force of impact of it going downhill and bashing into the channel barriers threw one of the kid's face first against the centre handrail ring. Never seen that happen before on any other rapids, & dare I say I wouldn't have been entirely surprised if this incident had happened there.
Sam
TS Member
Just so lacking in compassion, or basic human empathy. Bizarre thing to say.
That analogy doesn't work if you think about it for more than an eighth of a second.
imanautie
TS Member
Regardless of cause it's a loss of life, it's sad for all either way.Awful to hear
belongstothesmiler
TS Member
Sad news, this will undoubtedly will have a negative effect but I do think it will be forgotten about very quickly unlike the smiler accident.
delta79
TS Member
My thoughts go out to her family and friends. also to anyone that was involved in the incident.
We must not forget the staff that had to deal with this, and the Guest that witnessed it. These people are not used to seeing an incident like this. and the mental and emotional strain it will place on them.
The staff running the ride and the school staff on the trip will most probably have broken /sleepless night with the 'What if' questions running around their heads.
And last but not least, the people who devote their working lives to protecting life. the emergency services. They will be feeling the affects and are usually hidden from the thoughts of the public by the uniform they wear.
I hope everyone involved get the support they need.
A very sad day indeed for the theme park industry in the uk
We must not forget the staff that had to deal with this, and the Guest that witnessed it. These people are not used to seeing an incident like this. and the mental and emotional strain it will place on them.
The staff running the ride and the school staff on the trip will most probably have broken /sleepless night with the 'What if' questions running around their heads.
And last but not least, the people who devote their working lives to protecting life. the emergency services. They will be feeling the affects and are usually hidden from the thoughts of the public by the uniform they wear.
I hope everyone involved get the support they need.
A very sad day indeed for the theme park industry in the uk
Sad news. Shame that this is the second incident on a rapids ride in a relatively short time.
Hopefully drayton will recover from this better than towers (but as far as I'm aware, this is the second fatality at the park?), but of course all thoughts to the family and those on the ride at the time who witnessed it.
I know that it's still unknown what happened, but we all know that it's possible that the girl was standing. If this is the case, is it possible that all of these rides will require one adult per boat? The victim was 11 and on a school trip, there probably wasn't an adult in the boat. Early to think about this though. Just speculation until the investigation is complete.
Hopefully drayton will recover from this better than towers (but as far as I'm aware, this is the second fatality at the park?), but of course all thoughts to the family and those on the ride at the time who witnessed it.
I know that it's still unknown what happened, but we all know that it's possible that the girl was standing. If this is the case, is it possible that all of these rides will require one adult per boat? The victim was 11 and on a school trip, there probably wasn't an adult in the boat. Early to think about this though. Just speculation until the investigation is complete.
Bert2theSpark
TS Member
So after some time thinking about it, I'm going to share my opinion on this...
Firstly a thought to the school and family like the post above. And I'm sure the Drayton staff on the ride will not be very happy for a while with helping someone who has passed away, there efforts were not enough to help her.
As for the impact on the theme park industry, I'm pretty sure Congo and Rumba will be closed for the foreseeable future and we can all say goodbye to the S&S concept rumoured for next year. The UK theme park industry was starting to pick up the accident at Alton Towers in 2015. This may have an impact on SW8 and Icon. I doubt the ride will reopen as, unlike The Smiler, it is not a must-do attraction but will need replacing or redesigned boats. I do wonder though if this will have any impact on Infinity Falls coming next year, or even changes to Congo/Rumba.
Firstly a thought to the school and family like the post above. And I'm sure the Drayton staff on the ride will not be very happy for a while with helping someone who has passed away, there efforts were not enough to help her.
As for the impact on the theme park industry, I'm pretty sure Congo and Rumba will be closed for the foreseeable future and we can all say goodbye to the S&S concept rumoured for next year. The UK theme park industry was starting to pick up the accident at Alton Towers in 2015. This may have an impact on SW8 and Icon. I doubt the ride will reopen as, unlike The Smiler, it is not a must-do attraction but will need replacing or redesigned boats. I do wonder though if this will have any impact on Infinity Falls coming next year, or even changes to Congo/Rumba.
Towerslover
TS Member
Has there been any sort of comformation as to where about it happened within the ride - could have been in the station?
ChristmasPud
TS Member
With respect, you would need significant theme park operation experience to in any way qualify the things you're saying. No need to jump to conclusions whenever something like this unfortunately happens.
Really really sad and as the father of a nearly 11 year old girl she will be getting an extra hug tonight, I can't really even imagine what that family is going through right now.
When you put your trust in schools and theme parks you don't expect things like this to happen but you also can't blame them either unless they were negligent in some way.
I would be surprised if an adult was not on the ride with children that young, (11 is very young) I know at my daughter's school they always ask for parent volunteers for trips like this, but we really shouldn't jump to any conclusions until we get the full details.
When you put your trust in schools and theme parks you don't expect things like this to happen but you also can't blame them either unless they were negligent in some way.
I would be surprised if an adult was not on the ride with children that young, (11 is very young) I know at my daughter's school they always ask for parent volunteers for trips like this, but we really shouldn't jump to any conclusions until we get the full details.
Rick
TS Member
Very sad news indeed. Thoughts are with all. I am sure the facts will come about over the coming weeks and months. After The Smiler incident, I think most of us were 99% sure that we knew the probable cause by the evening of that same day.
There are more possibilities here. Having done some risk assessment work on a river rapids, there are few rides with such a long list of potential issues. Not least:
And as for restraints on water rides - the Dreamworld ride did have them, not sure if that contributed. Cedar Point had a very close call with Shoot the Rapids... Article / Video
There are more possibilities here. Having done some risk assessment work on a river rapids, there are few rides with such a long list of potential issues. Not least:
And as for restraints on water rides - the Dreamworld ride did have them, not sure if that contributed. Cedar Point had a very close call with Shoot the Rapids... Article / Video
