Do ride accidents put you off riding?

[Ian]

Right, this is a rollercoaster enthusiast forum so it's hardly a scientific poll, but do accidents put you off riding?

Following the Smiler accident, I've been peddling around different media outlets saying rollercoasters are safe, accidents are rare etc and I'd happily keep on riding. There is no doubt in my mind that they are safe and I wouldn't give a second thought about riding any attraction.

Regardless of the severity of an accident, how do you feel?

 

[Jordanovichy]

I love riding what I ride. I love the thrills and the adrenaline you get when you hurtle around track at 50+mph upside down. I'd ride the Smiler tomorrow if it was open. Accidents are rare but they do happen but I'm not going to let that stop me.

I am not a fan of drop towers just because they feel, to me, unsafe but I ride them because I 100% know they're perfectly safe so what the hell? I used to get scared about coasters, it took a load of persuasion to get me to ride Turbo on Brighton Pier back in 2010 (my first time upside down) but I am so glad I did it. I love what I do and this accident will not change that in the slightest.

 

[Mysterious Sue]

Talking to people at work about this and one guy even suggested that he'd like to ride the Smiler now once it's back up and running because it's infamous and you can brag 'I've been on the dangerous coaster'. I was quite shocked by this as I thought that most people (especially the sensible people I work with) knew deep down that rides are pretty safe. Apparently not. Apparently people think there's always an element of danger.

 

[ATTACKHAMMER]

Accidents don't put me off riding at all.
Occasionally things happen but I understand the safety measures in place and really enjoy my hobby. I see first hand many RTC victims and also many cat bite victims through work, but it hasn't put me off driving or being around cats.

 

[Dan1989]

If someone said do you want to get on The Smiler now, I would have no problem with it, but one ride comes to mind that I never went on cos of a death and thats Hydra at Oakwood. Something really unnerves me about what happened with that.

 

[Chris Coasters]

I think Jordanovichy summed it up perfectly but I will throw in my two cents. Accidents don't really put me off because most of the time its one of people ridings fault in the first place. Most of the time it isn't a issue with the ride but someone doing something they shouldn't do. I understand accidents do happen but if you take out all the times where something happened because of a certain individual doing something dumb the number of accidents are greatly decreased. Very rarely are accidents caused because of an actually malfunction with the ride, and that is why they don't put me off.

 

[ThomVD]

In amusement/theme parks, it doesn't. I'd gladly get on the Smiler once it opens, and I rarely feel like any ride is unsafe. If multiple severe accidents would happen on the same ride, it might cross my mind when I ride it, but it wouldn't put me off riding it.

Fairs are a completely different story.....

 

[Snoo]

Carnivals.. yes. Those unsafe death machines can die in a fire.

Parks? Nope. I believe I have a death cred count of 4-5. Not bad.

 

[GuyWithAStick]

Fairs can die in a hole.

Real parks I'll ride the day it reopens. If I could, I'll even be on the first testing train since an accident.

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[CanobieFan]

Not at all... but when you see things (mostly coming out of China) with multiple deaths (ie: Space Journey and now that Booster ride) its kinda off putting.

I've have the misfortune of actually being at a park when a fatal accident occurred and while it ruined the day and I left the park soon after... I still returned back and as soon as the offending ride reopened, I was riding it within days.

 

[tribar]

For the most part, one accident would not stop me from riding.

 

[Smithy]

You know what, at first I said I'd ride it tomorrow.

Then as time has gone on and they've closed several rides and the injuries have become clear, I've wavered slightly. I'd still ride it, but I don't think I'd have the bottle to ride front row.

 

[furie]

The human in me says"let me out I'd this fat get"

Sorry, the human inside me says "Why would you do that? "

The realist inside me says "after an accident, safety will now be much higher than ever, the ride will have been checked over more than any other and it's now the safest time ever to ride "

I listen to the latter...

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[JoshC.]

Basically what others have said; I'd never have second thoughts about going on rides after an accident on them, so long as it occurred at a reputable place. Safety would probably be higher and the ride would be ever safer.

If the accident occurred at a travelling fair or a slightly more dodgy-looking park, I'd probably have second thoughts. I'd just use my own judgement at the time in that case, and decide whether to ride then..

 

[cjbrandy]

Maybe the one on the zacspin at Terra Mitica would, I dont know the exact detais but I hear the poor 18 yr old lad's restraint simply unlocked due to the forces, killing him. Maybe he was really overweight?
Speaking of overweight, The NTG accident wouldn't put me off at all, it looks absolutely awesome and the poor women was simply too big for the restraints. I guess I would ride The Smiler again but all of Alton's B&Ms are much more fun.

 

[SilverArrow]

If someone said do you want to get on The Smiler now, I would have no problem with it, but one ride comes to mind that I never went on cos of a death and thats Hydra at Oakwood. Something really unnerves me about what happened with that.

Hydra is the only ride I can think of off of the top of my head that has an accident that really makes me worried about riding it but that might be coupled with the fact that the look of the ride is intimidating to me and seems to bit over the top. Perilous plunge's accident and ultimate fate also play a part.

I think it would cross my mind on mindbender as well but I would still go on it.

If it was a recent accident then it would probably pop into my head, but I like others have said as long as it is a legit place and you visually feel like it is ok and not super dodgy looking it would be fine.

 

[SaiyanHajime]

I really don't understand the way guests feel about ride safety. You see people actually stopping to ask staff if a ride is safe and panicking about their restraints, but yet they still ride. Like, why would you do something you genuinely thought could be unsafe what's wrong with you???

To answer the question, no, not at all. Of course.

 

[mouse]

^ Good point, I hear many people claiming the rides and restraints are unsafe but it doesn't seem to stop them from riding. It's almost as if they need to come up with a reason to be concerned about the ride, even though they still choose to go on it :?.
And no, accidents don't put me off riding. Usually the period after an accident is the safest time to ride, as that's when safety regulations are the most strict and the staff are more scrupulous in their operation.

 

[Dan1989]

Talking of unsafe, or at least the feeling of been unsafe. Shockwave seemed to have very dodgy restraints. Obviously I'm still alive so I didn't fall out but something seems very dodgy about them, of course Id get back on it no problem though!

 

[robbeal]

^If a story came out about a Shockwave restraint opening mid-ride, I doubt it'd shock me. I remember the days where barely half the train was operational!

Accidents don't bother me though. I still fly after a plane crash, and i'd still ride a rollercoaster after an accident. The chances of one accident happening are miniscule, let alone two! I still need my Smiler credit too, so it better reopen!