The Great Escape (TGE) Discussion Thread

Sometimes natural selection just needs to do it's job.I know that sounds harsh, I don't care.

The truth hurts. Sometimes the gene pool needs thinning.

^Do you think that Six Flags.. somehow tends to cater to a crowd that "acts-out" a little more than those who go to a Cedar Fair park?

Maybe, but again I don't see what that has to do with this conversation. Honestly, I've ever been to a Six Flags park where I had any issues with the clientele outside of Fright Fest. I don't remember anything about the clientele at Great Escape so obviously it didn't have any type of negative impact on my day.

Honestly, I've ever been to a Six Flags park where I had any issues with the clientele outside of Fright Fest.

I'm envious!

Thanks for keeping the conversation cool, Bill. It's nice to come on here and talk, with out being berated or called names for having a different opinion.

NY State inspectors looked over the ride and found nothing wrong with it and cleared them to operate it as normal, Six Flags is now doing their own internal investigation, of course in the end it will be rider error and their own fault, you don't just fall out of a sky ride seat unless your doing something your not supposed to be doing.

Its like how some Ferris Wheels require two or more people in each gondola or car (The one at Great Escape Does) because of people jumping out of them for whatever reason they have. People will do stupid things that is no fault of the park or chain or anyone else other than the rider themselves. We cant put a protective bubble wrap on everything for everyone, common sense is sometimes all that should be needed, however that is not always the case.

This was just a teen girl being stupid and doing something she shouldn't have and fell out because of it, in no way is the park at fault for that. Besides how long has the sky ride been at the park and this has never happened before?

This was just a teen girl being stupid and doing something she shouldn't have and fell out because of it, in no way is the park at fault for that. Besides how long has the sky ride been at the park and this has never happened before?

How long with kids half her size not sliding under the bar on the skyride? Sure it can happen on a scrambler but a scrambler exerts centrifugal force that can cause the body to twist.

-I don't wish the girl ill. She's a kid. Kids do dumb things. Sometimes there's even people who are adults who do dumb things to and lack the cognitive awareness to not make them. I don't relish their early demise.

-Great Escape isn't even a "Six Flags" branded park, though they operate it. It's basically a family park. It retains the storybook junk. It lacks the giant coasters that attract the primarily teenage-early 20s crowd.

-Parks generally choose to opt on the side of caution rather than common sense because caution is cheaper. Insurance companies don't care about common sense: They care about not paying out money to families to settle court cases, even ridiculous ones. Whether or not they have actually run numbers to establish that additional restraining systems offer any actual protection to guests is anyone's guess. I would bet real, substantive money that they have not done that analysis. After all, it's really irrelevant. They control the costs of premiums that the parks have to pay and there's a limited number of carriers to go to if you are a park. You might be able to self-insure depending on the state, but that's a whole lotta risk to take.

Anyways, ride the wacky and rare stuff now and put aside the mass produced junk for later. Invariably insurance companies will regulate it out of existence regardless of how safe it is to protect themselves and make sure that you have the most homogeneous and dull experiences humanly possible.

-I don't wish the girl ill. She's a kid. Kids do dumb things. Sometimes there's even people who are adults who do dumb things to and lack the cognitive awareness to not make them. I don't relish their early demise.

After re-reading my posts and how I worded them I guess I should probably specify that I don't either since it kind of came off that way. I'm not happy that she got hurt but I'm also not even the slightest bit sympathetic. Had I been at the park there's a much better chance that I would have been one of the guys sitting on the bench with a beer watching this unfold than one of the guys rushing over to help catch her.

-I don't wish the girl ill. She's a kid. Kids do dumb things. Sometimes there's even people who are adults who do dumb things to and lack the cognitive awareness to not make them. I don't relish their early demise.

 

After re-reading my posts and how I worded them I guess I should probably specify that I don't either since it kind of came off that way. I'm not happy that she got hurt but I'm also not even the slightest bit sympathetic. Had I been at the park there's a much better chance that I would have been one of the guys sitting on the bench with a beer watching this unfold than one of the guys rushing over to help catch her.

And you wonder why people create photoshops like this.

For real tho, I agree 100%. You don't fall out of a 1 mph chairlift unless you are doing dumb sh*t. No sympathy at all from me.

I think the most telling thing is that the other rider with her, who was smaller, was unharmed and inside the gondola at all times. If it truly was the ride's fault, you think both would have been in her situation.

Of the Six Flags parks, I find Great Escape has a much more family-heavy crowd. That's partially because of their ride selection and the park's location. The clientel is similar to what was at Great Adventure's Holiday in the Park.

-I don't wish the girl ill. She's a kid. Kids do dumb things. Sometimes there's even people who are adults who do dumb things to and lack the cognitive awareness to not make them. I don't relish their early demise.

 

After re-reading my posts and how I worded them I guess I should probably specify that I don't either since it kind of came off that way. I'm not happy that she got hurt but I'm also not even the slightest bit sympathetic. Had I been at the park there's a much better chance that I would have been one of the guys sitting on the bench with a beer watching this unfold than one of the guys rushing over to help catch her.

Watching a 14 year old girl die in front of me would harsh my vibe. I'd get up and be one of those people catching her, and then sue the shit out of Great Escape if I busted something doing it. I'm sure she didn't know to take a flat back bump.

edit: lol, yeah, I guess I'm part of the problem. But I'd sue her parents too, and if they had any money, I'd probably be able to drop the Six Flags part.

I mean, it's hard to tell but is this really a height where we're talking about death here? I figured we were only in "serious injuries" territory from the video (barring of course a weird, head first landing). How high is this thing?

Also on the subject of helping, let's be real for a minute. I mean... look at me. Nobody really believes I'd be of any assistance attempting to catch someone falling from a Sky Ride even if I did go over there. Since there were so many people in the area I'd be better off leaving it to someone who's seen the inside of a gym within the last 6 months and has something resembling upper body strength.

According to a friend of mine who is a nurse of some sort (I know that sounds so credible) he has said that regardless of how you land, they begin to consider a fall in the "fatal territory" at 40 ft. Take that for what you will.

A 25-30 foot fall is technically survivable but probably with a ton of compound fractures and blood. I've seen people stage dive off platforms that tall at shows and survive just fine though assuming they hit enough hands to break the fall.

People have died falling out of bed. A flight attendant survived a plane crash from over 30,000 feet. No need to discuss what height is considered dangerous or fatal anymore.

Anyways, ride the wacky and rare stuff now and put aside the mass produced junk for later. Invariably insurance companies will regulate it out of existence regardless of how safe it is to protect themselves and make sure that you have the most homogeneous and dull experiences humanly possible.

I don't believe that anyone has ever fallen from this chair lift at Lake Compounce. But yeah...in this day and age, I can see someone eventually falling out of it trying to do something against park rules.

Nothing but a metal bar separates you from falling to your hot death on a pile of jagged rocks below. No one's going to be there to break the fall either!

To be honest, I can't even recall if the bar even locked - I want to think no?

Near vertical descent with just that little grab bar.

You can bet your sweet a$$ that I wasn't pulling any shenanigans!

I have the feeling, that it was getting to a cell phone, that caused all this.

And hopefully, she'll tell The Truth as to what happened. But then her parents

will probably cook up something more "scary" to add to their lawsuit against the park.

I also wonder what the kid beside her, will be quoted as saying.

^ Cell phone was the first thing I though of as well, Bill.

I haven't read all of the stories behind it, but has a medical emergency or other health (mental or otherwise) issue already been ruled out?

^ I have read at least one or two sources that say that she was neither physically nor mentally incapacitated at the time of the incident. I just hope that this girl did not ruin skyrides for everyone because of her accident. They are some of my favorite rides and for one like this that moves continuously it would be near impossible to retrofit seatbelts, so this ride better not get removed. It's location over the main midway is gorgeous and it is truly a ride that the entire family can enjoy.

The rest is like McDonald's having to pay out for someone spilling coffee in their lap. Of course it's fringing hot. If you spill it in your lap it's your fault!

 

There is actually a lot more to that case than a woman spilling hot coffee on her lap.

Yeah like McDs turning the temp up to a scalding 200 plus degrees so people would slow down on their free refills. Human skin melts at that temperature. No one expects coffee to be that hot. I've spilled regular temp coffee in my lap and the most I got was a sore pee pee. This lady had third degree burns and had to have skin grafts. I'm amazed how many people keep spewing this crap example even though the facts have been known for years.

 

Now back to your regularly scheduled programming.

Um make sure you never touch a hot thing again. You could burn yourself. Sorry just complete bs to blame someone else for spilling something in your own lap regardless of what it is. Just like it would be bs for TGE to have any responsibility for this.

It's silly like the reasoning that cheaper season passes caused this issue.

I think the most telling thing is that the other rider with her, who was smaller, was unharmed and inside the gondola at all times. If it truly was the ride's fault, you think both would have been in her situation.

That moment when the 7-year-old has more common sense than the 14-year-old.

Even my wife (who is terrified of heights and of any ride that goes more than a couple feet off the ground) heard about the story and saw the video, and came to the same conclusion as everyone else; not an unsafe ride, just a stupid teenager doing stupid stuff.

Anyone want to bet the ride is closed the rest of the season and then removed? If the insurance companies raise the rates on sky rides like this it could mean trouble for Waldameer, Lake Compounce, Knoebels or any other small park that operates one. It will be interesting (though probably sadly predictable) to see what ensues.

Anyone want to bet the ride is closed the rest of the season and then removed? If the insurance companies raise the rates on sky rides like this it could mean trouble for Waldameer, Lake Compounce, Knoebels or any other small park that operates one. It will be interesting (though probably sadly predictable) to see what ensues.

The home of hand-me-down rides, Six Flags America, would love to have the sky ride!

Honestly I think we will just get a sign stating "DO NOT TRY TO CLIMB OUT OF THE RIDE".

"No hot beverages allowed either"

^First sky ride with lap bars, seat belt AND shoulder bars.

^First sky ride with lap bars, seat belt AND shoulder bars.

That's exactly what I thought when I first heard the story.Either that or they will ship it off to La Ronde or SFA.