When it's Summer, or even whether you're on vacation, an amusement park is a fine getaway...until the rollercoaster you're on makes an ominous screech, comes to a grinding halt, and you're dangling 145 feet in the air with no prospect of immediate rescue. Those amusement park nachos and cotton candy chaser don't seem like such a great idea anymore. Here's a list of amusement park accidents that happened recently that you can keep in mind on your way to the nearest Six Flags. These aren't all of the accidents, but they are some of the worst.
5.) September 1st, 2005: Woman Thrown From Huge Ride
An amusement park called Adventureland in Farmingdale, N.Y. dealt with its second fatality in two days when a woman was launched from her seat in the Top Scan, a ride that climbs over 65 feet in the air, looping and swinging as it ascends and descends. At some point, Barbara Brady, 45, was ejected from her seat, launched over a 20-foot fence, and landed on the windshield of car. Here's the weirdest part: the ride has a mechanism which makes it impossible for it to begin unless all seats are properly fastened. When the ride stopped, it was inspected, and her seat was found to still be fastened properly, prompting investigators to say "What the fuck?"
4.) May 30th, 2007: Girls Feet Severed
At Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, a girl lost her feet when a cable snapped on the Superman Tower Of Power, where it then dangled underneath the ride as it was raised to the top of the tower. Apparently, the riders attempted to alert the operator, who was shockingly underqualified, and the ride continued as planned. As the car plummeted the 200 feet straight down, the cable hit a bunch of passengers, until it became tangled on the 17 year old's legs, and severed them.
3.) May 5th, 2008: Rollercoast Derails In Japan On Children's Day
Ahh Japan, you've brought us some bizarre things, like creepy animated pornography and square watermelons, which could possibly have been why engineers at Expoland in Osaka, Japan, were too distracted to inspect their rollercoaster for over two years. According to documents, the last time it was inspected was February 2006. Oops! The stand-up rollercoaster, called Fujin Raijin II, derailed due to a faulty axle on one of the cars. It caused the car to run off the track, with the others following close behind. The carnage left a 19-year-old girl dead, and 21 others seriously injured. The whole ordeal was so bad that people on the ground reported feeling sick.
2.) June 28, 2008: Boy decapitated by Batman...(The ride)
A 17-year-old boy was decapitated at Six Flags Over Georgia when he snuck into a restricted danger zone with a friend (who was unhurt), and was struck by the inverted roller coaster that was moving at 50 mph. And why was he sneaking into a danger zone? Eyewitnesses first told police that he was trying to retrieve his favorite hat, which had fallen off while he was riding Batman: The Ride, but police ruled that argument out, and concluded that the two were merely trying to get to the ride the fastest way possible...by climbing two six foot fences, and running under a ride in which people hang precariously low to the ground. Maybe try crawling if you ever devise this plan.
"I'm getting on that ride man."
"B..but...it says "Restricted!"
"I'm getting on that ride...if it kills me."
1.) July 4th, 2008: Coaster Breaks Apart In Denmark
At Tivoli Friheden in Arhaus, Denmark, a coaster known as Cobra lost the front car as it was traveling along the track, where it crashed onto the pavement. Four people were seriously injured, although a statement was released that claims none of the victims will have lasting injuries. That's pretty much the rollercoast enthusiasts worst fear, isn't it? You're screaming and yelling as the train goes down the track, and then the rollercoaster decides to break free, and fly away, WITH YOU ON IT.
Well, uh...enjoy your next amusement park visit!