Theme Park Safety Failure$
"Thrill rides are becoming kill rides."
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Now Available! Purchase your discounted copy here. 108 pages; ISBN-13: 978-1434382382
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REVIEW: Dayton City Paper May 14-20, 2008, pg. 24By J.T. Ryder Now Available! Purchase your discounted copy here.
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Greetings on this July ‘Tooth’ as my 100 year old grandfather renamed his honorary day. In that regards, Hats Off. That same concept of Hats Off goes in honor of the loss involving Saturday’s Batman roller coaster tragedy. On Friday, June 27th in Howland, Ohio I was engaging in conversation with readers at my Borders book signing location. My precise words to them each was the industry being overdue for an incident. A portable swing ride collapsed inexplicably at a fair in Sacramento on May 16th. The same day Cedar Point’s Wildcat injured nine when the anti-rollback did not catch the vehicle after engaging onto the lift sending it backwards, by-passing the drive motors which propel the vehicle’s forwards motion. The single car slammed into a parked one in the loading area. Theme Park Safety Failure$ discusses "A Cursed Name" of another comic book superhero, Superman. Rides bearing the ‘S’-word have a freakish history of graphic and horrific accidents. Adding to the thought, "Look at the actors," writes Stoneking, referencing Superman actors Christopher Reeves’ paralyzing form and George Reeves’ bizarre death shooting. A grotesque Batman-related ride tragedy involving a decapitation occurred Saturday, June 28th in Atlanta. With a Batman film release featuring the recently-deceased actor Heath Ledger’s Joker portrayal, and the Batman ride tragedy, one must question the paranormal remarks in discussion. Especially those hailing from the community of Howland, Ohio. The manager of the Borders store made an announcement involving graphic depictions relating to the tone of Theme Park Safety Failure$, "Thrill rides are becoming kill rides." Two giggling teen girls were presented a copy of the book. Quickly thumbing to the chapter index, they screamed in delightful unison, "A Cursed Name", then "A Ticket To Die" fueling their maniacal hysteria. Uncertain as to whether they were going to make a definitive purchase, they burst into even more unbridled wide-eyed remarks when learning of a cable breakage severing both feet from a teen rider aboard a Superman ride last summer. "We’re witches!!" the two managed to giggle in stereo showing me a thick vampire book they were purchasing. Looking at each other they each reminded the other of a horror film where a cable cut through an entire crowd without hesitation. I had to tell them the title of the film despite my never seeing it, only hearing about it in discussion with children entirely too young to be exposed to such a hideous misfortune. I wonder how much The Witches Of Howland are howling now with a Batman-related decapitation the day after an engaging, yet terrifying little chat? Others from Howland, Ohio with personalized copies are also in elevated concern about the timing. Without question.
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Cedar Point, Top Thrill Dragster During a visit to Cedar Point on May 12, 2008, I couldn't resist recording Top Thrill Dragster's cable which launches trains 0-120 m.p.h. in 3.5 seconds. My position for recording was on the walkway where park attendees are able to witness their loved ones rocketing by before heading vertically skywards 42 stories up. Each and every launch requires the cable to halt once the desired speed is achieved at which point, without fail, smoke emits. A clear fluid then drips down directly onto it. While exiting the park, several crew members of Top Thrill Dragster were walking beside me and a conversation regarding Theme Park Safety Failure$ was initiated. One of the workers commented that he fears the cable used on that ride. In Theme Park Safety Failure$ an incident involving Top Thrill Dragster's cable during the second season of operation is referenced.
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EXTENDED ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
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In the wake of the tragedy at Six Flags Kentucky
Kingdom in 2007 where a young female rider lost both feet aboard Superman:
Tower of Power, author Jeffrey P. Stoneking compiles research and related circumstances in
his new book, Theme Park Safety Failure$. His previous
experience in the theme park industry as Operations and Safety Counsel
with the Walt Disney Company's North American properties during the
pre-Eisner era and several positions with Kings Entertainment's Kings
Island near Cincinnati, Ohio are re-awakened for this writing.
"Last year's incident in Louisville is not isolated in the amusement ride industry. For many years, accidents have been transpiring, but the park owners and ride manufacturers do their greatest to silence the circumstances. It is gravely unfortunate that it takes such a hideous occurrence as the severing of a teenager's feet to wake people up. "Having been around the world at various facilities for both business and pleasure, I've seen too much and am no longer accepting what is deemed permissible. Ride operators are unskilled in dealing with valuable and precious lives. Manufacturers are introducing thoughtless contraptions with virtually no time for error, whose evacuations are also near-impossible. "This book is not only a whistle-blower, but also a light-shedding source of advice to the innocent ones who think they are safe when entering a park. "The writing of it, as with my first book, Reality Therapy: The Influence of Rollercoasters, Religion, and Rock 'n Roll, was in the same capacity of Jonathon Livingston Seagull where an unseen force was delivering it. Those are the indefinable elements which are indicative that some things are truly meant to be. If it offends any industry official or theme park fan, then the truth of what is being fully disclosed is upon their guilty heads." Now Available! Purchase your discounted copy here.
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Haunted
Hotel Trip
