How are height restrictions determined?

[Mike]

Yeah, myself and Ben went in 2008 and even then it didn't seem like the height restriction was anything new.

The only other rides which I know enforce a maximum height restriction are all kids rides: 4'6" for Rye's wooden Kiddy Coaster (although they've let some adults on before, which makes zero sense given their anality on enforcing their restrictions); 40" for Mount Olympus's Little Titans (despite RCDB clearly showing an adult riding); and most Go Gators don't allow adults to ride given their tiny seats.

 

[marc]

I remember alvey going on and on about his kid being about to ride the vekoma at Disneyland but not the same ride at Magic Mountain.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

And back to the height restrictions. The only ride in SeaWorld Orlando's kiddie area with one for riders WITH an adult is the coaster, all the flats you can have anyone ride, as long as they have an adult with them if their under the posted minimum. (mini-cups, rockin' tug, samba tower)

That's insane... So theoretically, a newborn can come on the rockin' tug with an adult? I bet people do bring their babies on it, too.

The Roller Coaster at GYPB has a height restriction of "no babies in arms"!

That appears to be the restriction on Chessington's Tomb Blaster... As long as individuals have their own seat, they can apparently ride. I've seen mothers with babies unable to sit upright holding them upright in the seat beside them. Lmao.

Regarding Disney and their insanely low restrictions and lenient rules regarding disabled riders........ Is it quite simply that they can take the risk in the name of entertainment because financially, they can handle any case thrown at them?

 

[nealbie]

With regards to leniency towards disabled riders, yes. Height restrictions, no, because that would be stupid and ridiculous.

It's more than likely a simple case of Disney asking manufacturers what the ABSOLUTE safe minimum for a ride is and going with that as the restriction on park.

 

[CanobieFan]

Rye's wooden Kiddy Coaster (although they've let some adults on before, which makes zero sense given their anality on enforcing their restrictions); 40" for Mount Olympus's Little Titans (despite RCDB clearly showing an adult riding)

Rye let ACE//National Amusement Park Historical Association (NAPHA) on the kiddie woodie back in 2005 for their event..

And as far as Little Titans goes - http://www.flickr.com/photos/canobiefan ... 3913602966 - I got to ride it, no questions asked, no child, no bribe.

 

[furie]

I believe it's a case of both. The manufacturer will give a recommended height limit and then it's up to the park to increase the height limit to limit their target audience.

Yeah, I think this the bottom line...

One of the best examples is Thorpe putting Saw at 1.4m when most other Eurofighters are 1.2m.

It's possible here (as Smiler has a 1.4m restriction too), that the more "extreme" Eurofighters with many inversions are falling foul of this? They may think that it's just not a suitable ride, even though riders of 1.2m are safe to ride in the restraints?

In the case of Rattlesnake I heard that a child was once injured on the coaster which ended up on them increasing the height limit, it used to be 1.2m. H&S have always been on top of CWoA it seems.

I know for a fact the height limit on Storm Force 10 at DMP was changed following an accident. The original limit was 0.9m, but a boy leant forward on the drop and when it hit the splash, he smashed his mouth open. So H&S forced DMP to up the limit - yet they didn't force other parks to do the same.

So it may just be risk assessment, and possibly the company insurers who make the demands at certain parks?

When I went to Cedar Point, I noticed their enterprise has a ridiculous height restriction of 54" (1.4ish) when they can be as low as .9m (36"ish). That is a huge difference.

The Enterprise at Alton has a 0.9m limit to ride, but a 1.2m limit for "solo riding". It could be that maybe they don't have this dual option so go for an upper limit? It is very weird though.

And how like, B&Ms here the standard is 1.4m in America it's 54 inches (or is it 52?), which is less. And then I swear the European ones are usually the same as America? Metric spite.

Yeah, it's 1.37m I think for the B&Ms in the US, but in Europe it seems to be 1.4m. At least in the UK, Europa Park and Port Aventura. Possibly the US measurement in other parks, but clearly the rides are safe for slightly smaller riders.

It does beg the question "just how small IS the actually lowest height?"

 

[SaiyanHajime]

In response to Neal... Why? I think being a few inches under a height is far less risky than allowing those unable to walk on most rides. How are you going to get them off in an emergency? Short answer, you're not. The height restrictions are OBVIOUSLY way over what they need be. And whilst other parks make amendments as Furie mentions, Disney just don't.

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[Edward M]

I hate that MF has that low tunnel. All my cousins are 6'5. My grandfather is 6'7. My mom is 6'1.

I don't want to be TOO tall. What rides would I not be able to ride at 6'5?

 

[Hutch]

^ That's my only "fear" that has to do with roller coasters. I know it'd be pretty unlikely for me but man, being too tall to ride any coaster would suck.

 

[EthC]

The thing I dont get is Saw has a minimum height limit of 1.4m. Speed in Oakwood the taller, faster, eurofighter, only has a height restriction of 1.25m. I don't get how the more intense ride has a lower height restriction then Saw slightly less intense one!??

 

[caffeine_demon]

I think with saw, it's more the overall theming that gives it the higher limit

The one that confuses me, is the silly height limit on rattlesnake at chessy.. oh - and the limits on some ferris wheels.

 

[Martyn B]

I presumed that Wild Mouse coasters tend to have higher limits due to the tight hairpin turns, and lap bar restraints?

 

[gavin]

^That's what I'd always assumed - or at least I would have if I'd ever given it a second thought before now, which I haven't.

Really small kid + large adult + hairpin turns = rather unpleasant experience.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

But, why ONLY Rattlesnake?

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[costar]

So it may just be risk assessment, and possibly the company insurers who make the demands at certain parks?

Risk assessment, yes, insurers, no.

In the UK especially, risk assessment rules. The HSE will not enforce anything until something goes wrong. They are almost entirely a 'reactive' organisation. If you've got a decent risk assessment saying "slow moving, no sharp surfaces, high-sided vehicles, etc" you can try any height limit / restrictions you like. Generally the manufacturer and the park and (nobody's mentioned them yet) the independent third party (inspection body) just need to come to some agreement.

Insurers definitely do not get involved. They don't have the expertise or the inclination to influence such matters except maybe to say "make sure you have somebody checking it..."

 

[SaiyanHajime]

Thanks costar, that makes a tonne of sense.

It's worth noting here that Chessington have lowered Zufari's height restriction from 1.1m to 1m. They've changed the restraints from individual seatbelts to a single lapbar which does not seem to even lock in place. That seems weird to me, because, a single lapbar is unusually the reason for a higher height restriction - which was why X at Thorpe Park was 1.4 and after installing individual lapbars is now only 1m.

I'm starting to think it's predominantly risk assessments and fear driving height restrictions and less actual reasoned safety concerns.

 

[furie]

Yeah, I have absolutely no doubt you're right costar. I only mentioned the insurers because we have odd visits every few years from ours here, and suddenly you get all these really odd requests to change procedures slightly "because the insurers have requested it". They tend to be very obscure things too that seem to make sense for insurers, but not for working procedure* :lol:


*My favourite being that our nightly backups should be held off-site at all times. So how do we retrieve a backup from my store during the day when we need to get at backup files if the hard drive we use is ten miles away? Is the backup safer in my home with no security than at work in a locked, fire-proof safe? :lol:

 

[Nemesis of oblivion]

I didn't know where to post this so it's just a quick question. Would Rattle Snake's popularity and average queue time increase if they'd lower the height restriction? Cause the queue is never over 20 minutes.