gavin said:
To clarify, I've never stated Chinese knock-offs are unsafe or dangerous
Well, actually, you really did, which was what prompted the response in the first place:
Well, I guess it's a little hard to do satire or sarcasm on these forums...the emphasis here is on the argument that they are likely more dangerous than say a more widely respected manufacturer.
Then we're going back to "what if" and "would/could/should" arguments that make the assumption that the rides are poorly maintained and that any safety system has to be inferior. I'm not saying that they're absolutely up to scratch because I don't know, in the same way that none of us here knows. We're making assumptions on safety based on some weird shaping, poor paint jobs and accidents that haven't happened.
Obviously, neither of us have any proof over this issue, so none of us can essentially win the debate as such. I'm merely speculating based on the information available to me, as are you. When I'm trying to prove a minor variation in safety between knock-offs and genuine models, I appreciate that with the statistics available, there are too many variables to even consider proving this statistically.
gavin said:
Fair enough, and I'm simply pointing out the "views of countless others" are over-generalised and demonstrated (not from you, but from many) through largely "OMG!! It's such a deathtrap!! LOL". When people have a "view" based on zero actual knowledge of the subject - and this goes for anything, not just coasters - then I think it should be challenged.
If people are bored by this discussion, they don't have to read it. It was a crap topic anyway, with no actually decent points being made beyond "This coaster shook me around a bit; therefore:dangerous!"
Sorry if I hijacked such a thoughtful and exciting thread.
:roll: Agreed, there are far too much exaggerated 'views' concerning these #OMG 'death traps'. Granted, there may be several instances of accidents just waiting to happen, but as you've stated, it's merely a huge generalisation that rightfully should be challenged.
At the end of the day, all I'm trying to say is that virtually any knock-off (so that applies to coasters worldwide) is likely to be more accident-prone than the original design. That's simply just the way the world works, unless you do the same amount of R&D; if you don't have the original blueprints, the 'stab in the dark' as such will be slightly off. Just take knock-off watches for an (albeit slightly flawed) example. That's all I have to say.
I have my perspective and you have yours...so lets let this 'thoughtful' and hugely philosophical discussion continue. I likewise wouldn't want to hinder the imparting of such useful knowledge.