And if they went on and fell out, there’d be a lawsuit for negligence resulting in wrongful death – damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Wonder if Magic Mountain can countersue for such a ridiculous lawsuit being brought against them ? No wonder the cost of everything in connection with amusement parks keep going up.
You’re right on, Deb! Perhaps if they make the amputees sign a waiver stating they “know they cannot hang on and recognize if they fall out and/or are injured by violating park policy” the park won’t be held liable??
I didn’t mean Magic Mountain .. I meant Universal Studios :) What about any innocent bystanders who they might fall on and injure if there were to fall out ??? I think that there would be a lawsuit even with a waiver – you know … they didn’t understand what they were signing or the family could sue because they didn’t agree to it and lost their loved ones ? It’s crazy !
Magic Mountain did have an episode years ago where an oversized woman was tossed from a coaster on her wedding day.
Anybody know if the height requirement for rides goes for short adults, midgets, etc.? No at joke, I just thought of it and have no idea. Thanks to anyone who knows.
The ADA is a great act but we have to have some common sense. People with disabilities may have to come to the realization that they cannot do everything. My son has celiac, he can’t have delicious desserts people make or most cookies in class. He deals with it and life goes on. My example may not be quite the same as a double amputee, but there are things they can do safetly and things they just cannot.
Mikey, couldn’t agree more. The ADA was/is a necessity and I am sure guarantees access for many people in need. But we have to figure out what the essential needs are. For example access to grocery stores, public buildings, hotels, etc. An amusement park ride just may not fit the description of essential.
Did you really just compare celiac to a double amputee? Not really similar at all. While celiac is awful and I dont think I could handle it. Try tying your dominant hand behind your back for a day. (I had to do this as I have an amputee on my swim team and coach wanted to give us a perspective of what she goes through.)
How about these two who are filing this completely frivolous lawsuit? They are a couple of bottom feeders. I detest people like this and then using their disabilities to try and strongarm the park into giving them a settlement. Sorry, I would personally throw them in myself. I am so tired of this crap. You bleeding hearts need to move to France and get the hell out of the USA and use your fake offense and indignation over there.
If we don’t turn around this country soon, there is no going back. Too many people think they are entitled to something from someone else. I say, learn to survive on your own, quit sucking the life blood out of me.
The park was right. I live in Buffalo and it happened here at Darien Lake on 7/8/11 on the Ride of Steel. Sgt Hackemer, an Iraq was vet and double leg amputee, got on the coaster and went flying out of it to his death. Terrible loss for the family, those who witnessed it, and those who planned their summer vacation there because they shut the coaster down for the remainder of the season. Initially the family said they weren’t going to sue…they changed their minds within a week or two, to no one’s surprise.
I think the people were initially hurt because they could not ride the ride and an attorney latched on and is looking for a payday. We cannot continue to live our lives blaming everyone else for our own stupidity. Commonsense has been lost somewhere in the last couple of generations. Its a shame.
You just can’t win. You get sued is you keep them off – you get sued if they ride and fall out. A little common sense would be nice. If you can’t hold on or if you have no legs to keep you in your seat – how in the h*ll do you expect to ride the ride safely for yourself AND others. Since I assume duct tape or crazy glue isn’t an option -stay off these types of rides!!
How many times have you seen able bodied individuals ride a roller coaster with their hands in the air? They are not holding on…. To an extent I can see the issue with having no legs but it really depends on the type of restraint on the ride. A restraint that came over the shoulders would hold an individual with no legs exactly the same as one with legs. Should they sue the park for protecting themselves? Probably not. Do they deserve some sort of compensation? Absolutely! When they entered the park or baught their tickets they should have been told that there are certain rides they cant ride.
The park has a 17 page ADA pamphlet on its website, I would imagine the govt requires theme parks to have such pamphlets as well as signs posted in the park with the various restrictions. We are constantly bombarded by such info…..these guys were aware of ride restrictions, especially since one of them was denied access to the ride a few years earlier. So, they don’t deserve a ticket refund and they don’t deserve compensation. They deserve our scorn.
I remember about 20 years ago or so – entering a Six Flags Amusement park….the gentleman in front of me was a midget and insisted that since he couldn’t ride most of the rides because of his height – then he should pay a child’s admission fee.
And if they went on and fell out, there’d be a lawsuit for negligence resulting in wrongful death – damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Wonder if Magic Mountain can countersue for such a ridiculous lawsuit being brought against them ? No wonder the cost of everything in connection with amusement parks keep going up.
You’re right on, Deb! Perhaps if they make the amputees sign a waiver stating they “know they cannot hang on and recognize if they fall out and/or are injured by violating park policy” the park won’t be held liable??
I didn’t mean Magic Mountain .. I meant Universal Studios :) What about any innocent bystanders who they might fall on and injure if there were to fall out ??? I think that there would be a lawsuit even with a waiver – you know … they didn’t understand what they were signing or the family could sue because they didn’t agree to it and lost their loved ones ? It’s crazy !
Magic Mountain did have an episode years ago where an oversized woman was tossed from a coaster on her wedding day.
Anybody know if the height requirement for rides goes for short adults, midgets, etc.? No at joke, I just thought of it and have no idea. Thanks to anyone who knows.
The ADA is a great act but we have to have some common sense. People with disabilities may have to come to the realization that they cannot do everything. My son has celiac, he can’t have delicious desserts people make or most cookies in class. He deals with it and life goes on. My example may not be quite the same as a double amputee, but there are things they can do safetly and things they just cannot.
Mikey, couldn’t agree more. The ADA was/is a necessity and I am sure guarantees access for many people in need. But we have to figure out what the essential needs are. For example access to grocery stores, public buildings, hotels, etc. An amusement park ride just may not fit the description of essential.
Did you really just compare celiac to a double amputee? Not really similar at all. While celiac is awful and I dont think I could handle it. Try tying your dominant hand behind your back for a day. (I had to do this as I have an amputee on my swim team and coach wanted to give us a perspective of what she goes through.)
I say we offer both of the amputees a free ride on the aligator floating ride.
U R disgusting and cruel – get a life!
Really?
How about these two who are filing this completely frivolous lawsuit? They are a couple of bottom feeders. I detest people like this and then using their disabilities to try and strongarm the park into giving them a settlement. Sorry, I would personally throw them in myself. I am so tired of this crap. You bleeding hearts need to move to France and get the hell out of the USA and use your fake offense and indignation over there.
If we don’t turn around this country soon, there is no going back. Too many people think they are entitled to something from someone else. I say, learn to survive on your own, quit sucking the life blood out of me.
The park was right. I live in Buffalo and it happened here at Darien Lake on 7/8/11 on the Ride of Steel. Sgt Hackemer, an Iraq was vet and double leg amputee, got on the coaster and went flying out of it to his death. Terrible loss for the family, those who witnessed it, and those who planned their summer vacation there because they shut the coaster down for the remainder of the season. Initially the family said they weren’t going to sue…they changed their minds within a week or two, to no one’s surprise.
I think the people were initially hurt because they could not ride the ride and an attorney latched on and is looking for a payday. We cannot continue to live our lives blaming everyone else for our own stupidity. Commonsense has been lost somewhere in the last couple of generations. Its a shame.
You just can’t win. You get sued is you keep them off – you get sued if they ride and fall out. A little common sense would be nice. If you can’t hold on or if you have no legs to keep you in your seat – how in the h*ll do you expect to ride the ride safely for yourself AND others. Since I assume duct tape or crazy glue isn’t an option -stay off these types of rides!!
How many times have you seen able bodied individuals ride a roller coaster with their hands in the air? They are not holding on…. To an extent I can see the issue with having no legs but it really depends on the type of restraint on the ride. A restraint that came over the shoulders would hold an individual with no legs exactly the same as one with legs. Should they sue the park for protecting themselves? Probably not. Do they deserve some sort of compensation? Absolutely! When they entered the park or baught their tickets they should have been told that there are certain rides they cant ride.
Compensation, really comrade? Fine, here’s a REFUND and DONT COME BACK!
The park has a 17 page ADA pamphlet on its website, I would imagine the govt requires theme parks to have such pamphlets as well as signs posted in the park with the various restrictions. We are constantly bombarded by such info…..these guys were aware of ride restrictions, especially since one of them was denied access to the ride a few years earlier. So, they don’t deserve a ticket refund and they don’t deserve compensation. They deserve our scorn.
I remember about 20 years ago or so – entering a Six Flags Amusement park….the gentleman in front of me was a midget and insisted that since he couldn’t ride most of the rides because of his height – then he should pay a child’s admission fee.
I think you may have just answered Anejo’s question from July 12. Do you remember if he did get the discounted admission?