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[CREMSteve]

http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/07/us/california-six-flags-roller-coaster-accident/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

(CNN) -- A roller coaster car dangled precariously from the track Monday evening at a Los Angeles-area amusement park.

Four people suffered minor injuries and 20-30 were stuck on the Ninja ride at Six Flags Magic Mountain, CNN affiliate KTLA said.

The front part of the roller coaster detached from the track and hanged about a 45-degree angle, pointing to the ground. The car was about 20 feet off the ground, Los Angeles Fire Department supervisor Ed Pittmann told KTLA.

Scary stuff.

 

[Parallax]

i was thinking this was going to be colossus based.

but still messed up

 

[DizzyCaffeine]

I'm going there this weekend, lol.

 

[elrechazado]

Been on it many times - nuts

 

[layzie1989]

Ninja always seemed rickety as hell, and really the whole park seems like its one loose bolt away from falling apart. Hope the injuries aren't too bad.

 

[Chris R]

Been on it many times - nuts

Same here.

Glad to see the measures that kept the thing attached to the track though. Derailment could have been much worse.

 

[out0v0rder]

ninja is old as fuck, i remember seeing the (goat) batman movie with Micheal Keaton and Jack Nicholson in theaters, and then going to six flags right after the movie. Ninja was much smoother back then.

 

[Sub_Level]

That could have gone way more terrible.

 

[The Xtortionist]

Read on Twitter that it hit a tree. Fuckin' Six Flags.

 

[Relix]

Ninja always seemed rickety as hell, and really the whole park seems like its one loose bolt away from falling apart. Hope the injuries aren't too bad.

Busch Gardens in Tampa, as awesome as it is, also gives that impression.

 

[nateeasy]

 

[WesternHeretic]

I haven't been to Six Flags in a good decade. Man that place was so awesome, but reading these stories.... I'm not sure if I want to go back. This is like the 3rd one I've read over the last 10 years.

 

[Escape Goat]

Go ninja! Go ninja! Go!

 

[DarkFlow]

I thought it would have been viper. That one always leaves me hurting after I get off because its so fucking rough.

 

[Lebron]

Yeah, that sounds about right for Magic Mountain.

 

[commedieu]

I haven't been to Six Flags in a good decade. Man that place was so awesome, but reading these stories.... I'm not sure if I want to go back. This is like the 3rd one I've read over the last 10 years.

Its really nice to go during spring break.

If you have shades...

 

[The Xtortionist]

Yeah, so it hit a tree

https://twitter.com/bobwadd1/status/486345740516487168

Hey Six Flags, next time maybe you should make sure there isn't an object anywhere near the ride path of your free-swinging suspended coaster.

 

[BigJonsson]

Yikes

I think I've been on that, but I only really remember X and Tatsu

 

[rkn]

I don't get it, they must run these things before the park opens, just to make sure everything is operating right?

 

[EulaCapra]

Well I'm glad it's not a Final Destination 3 derailment situation.

 

[commedieu]

Yeah, so it hit a tree

https://twitter.com/bobwadd1/status/486345740516487168

Hey Six Flags, next time maybe you should make sure there isn't an object anywhere near the ride path of your free-swinging suspended coaster.

Well. Fuck that...

But, in all fairness. The park seems to be run by 16 year olds. Im sure the senior maintenance/greenery person is in their late ... teens ...

 

[Puppet Shadow]

Between 1990 and 2010, more than 92,000 children were injured in amusement ride-related incidents, according to a study by the Center for Injury Research and Policy at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Ohio. That's an average of more than 4,000 injuries per year.

I found this surprising. You would think by now they'd have this shit locked down.

 

[Tookay]

Yeah, that sounds about right for Magic Mountain.

.

Place is a dump.

 

[The Xtortionist]

So, it may have been a falling tree branch instead.

NBC Los Angeles
‏@NBCLA
UPDATE: Six Flags officials say 25 riders were stranded after a tree branch fell on the Ninja roller coaster track http://4.nbcla.com/1n9pEif

Either way, anything dangerous above, below, or to the side of the ride path should have been dealt with yesterday. SMH.

I found this surprising. You would think by now they'd have this shit locked down.

I'd be interested to see what constitutes an injury in that study. Regardless, coasters are extremely safe. Just googling for a quick statistic:

There were an estimated 1,415 injuries on amusement park rides in 2011, according to a report prepared by the National Safety Council Research and Statistical Services Group for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA). Park visitors took 1.7 billion rides that year.

The article cites a larger number of injuries in another study that included carnival rides, but lol. As far as dedicated amusement/theme parks go, coasters are absurdly safe on their own merits. The real problems occur when riders or staff commit errors, like when a woman was ejected off a coaster because a staff member cleared the train for dispatch despite her restraint not being fully engaged, or crap like this when outside elements (trees) interfere with the ride. As long as park staff and maintenance are half-competent, there shouldn't be a problem. I would definitely be most wary of Six Flags (even if the chance of injury is microscopic). Stick to Cedar Fair properties and Disney/Universal (among a few others) for the best peace of mind.

 

[chadtwo]

Oh cool, I'm going to Six Flags tomorrow (Great America in Gurnee).

So hyped to ride Goliath!

 

[Skunkers]

Busch Gardens in Tampa, as awesome as it is, also gives that impression.

Most of the rides there aren't really rickety. They all seems to be in pretty good order. Gwazi is the one exception. A friend got me into the staff preview for the ride before it opened; back then and in it's early years, it was really pretty smooth for a woodie. Nowadays it will rattle your fillings out, and it really does feel one bolt away from catastrophe. A lot of woodies are a bit rough, but I've gotten to the point now where I think I'm done riding it.

 

[Assanova]

I've been on that ride before. Scary stuff.

 

[The Xtortionist]

Most of the rides there aren't really rickety. They all seems to be in pretty good order. Gwazi is the one exception. A friend got me into the staff preview for the ride before it opened; back then and in it's early years, it was really pretty smooth for a woodie. Nowadays it will rattle your fillings out, and it really does feel one bolt away from catastrophe. A lot of woodies are a bit rough, but I've gotten to the point now where I think I'm done riding it.

Haven't been myself (dying to go, though), but just looking at their coaster lineup makes me want to agree. Busch seems to invest heavily in B&M coasters (Montu, Kumba, SheiKra) which generally offer pound-for-pound the most solid and smooth rides of any company. Despite Intamin's operational issues, their stuff is also said to be top quality - I wouldn't worry about Cheetah Hunt at all. Gwazi is very rough from what I've heard, but apparently it isn't going to be around much longer anyway.

Oh cool, I'm going to Six Flags tomorrow (Great America in Gurnee).

So hyped to ride Goliath!

The drop on Goliath looks fucking nuts. Godspeed and good luck.

 

[NintendoGal]

I thought it would have been Green Lantern. That one always leaves me hurting after I get off because its so fucking rough.

FTFY. Seriously, Green Lantern: First Flight was the most pain I've ever been in after a ride.

Also, I get to go to MM soon and just can't wait with all this news! :/

On the plus side I guess less people? Oh and maybe they'll have checked the rides inside and out?

Oh who am I kidding.