12-year-old boy dies on Disney's Rock'n'Roller coaster

[RStar]

My money is on one of those rare anurism things. Something no one could see comeing, and something that will be more common when we build more and more radical G force pulling coasters. It's becoming a real fear of wether you will survive one of these things anymore!

It's a sad day for that family. My heart and prayers go out to them.

~Bob

[Alex]

It's becoming a real fear of wether you will survive one of these things anymore!


But should it be? Since it opened, RnR has had probably at least 25 million passengers (and that is assuming 10,000 per day). Is a 1 in 25 million chance of the ride killing somebody a risk worth worrying about? Especially when the odds of me being murdered this year (assuming they were all committed randomly) is approximately 1 in 18,000?

[jdramj]

You know, you can spit out all kinds of numbers and the average person isn't going to care. What they care about is what the media and news outlets sell them. The average person isn't going to figure out 1 in 25 million or 1 in 18,000. They are going to sit in front of their TV or newspaper and think....."Wow another one!....." It is sad, and I feel sorry for the family.

Of course I am such a Disney freak, that if it happened to me, my family would be happy knowing I died in a place I loved. (not happy I died...just for clarification)

[RStar]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

It's becoming a real fear of wether you will survive one of these things anymore!


But should it be? Since it opened, RnR has had probably at least 25 million passengers (and that is assuming 10,000 per day). Is a 1 in 25 million chance of the ride killing somebody a risk worth worrying about? Especially when the odds of me being murdered this year (assuming they were all committed randomly) is approximately 1 in 18,000?

But it's the fear of whether "I'm going to me the next one in 25 Million" that is strong, regardless of how rational it is. If people live in fear, that's what their going to do. Personally, I don't. Plus I've been on enough coasters that I doubt I'll ever experience this kind of thing. Also, if only we had those kinds of odds on the freeway, I'd feel much better about driving to work!

And yes, death is everywhere, but if someone has an anurisim on a roller coaster it was caused by riding the coaster (and an unknown pre-exsisting condition- the fear part of the unkown). Something most of us can say we do. If they die in a theater or resturaunt, unless there is neglagance (IE slip & fall), then it was most likely just their time to go.

I agree CP, it's not cool to joke about, IMHO.

~Bob

[Ghoulish Delight]

Originally Posted by RStar

B
And yes, death is everywhere, but if someone has an anurisim on a roller coaster it was caused by riding the coaster (and an unknown pre-exsisting condition- the fear part of the unkown). Something most of us can say we do. If they die in a theater or resturaunt, unless there is neglagance (IE slip & fall), then it was most likely just their time to go.

Someone with such an unknown preexisting condition stands just as much chance of dying while taking a particularly large dump as the do on a coaster. Need it be mentioned again that your chances of death are orders of magnitude greater on the drive to and from the park, no pre-existing condition (other than life) necessary?

Several collisions in a row on Big Thunder caused by human/design error had me worried. A few people dying randomly due to the inherently complicatd and fragile biology of human beings doesn't particularly concern me.

[lashbear]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Someone with such an unknown preexisting condition stands just as much chance of dying while taking a particularly large dump as they do on a coaster...

That's what I like about you, GD, you're all class !

[Gemini Cricket]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Someone with such an unknown preexisting condition stands just as much chance of dying while taking a particularly large dump as the do on a coaster.

If it's scary enough, sometimes I wanna doo on a coaster...

[RStar]

Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight

Need it be mentioned again that your chances of death are orders of magnitude greater on the drive to and from the park, no pre-existing condition (other than life) necessary?

No, I agree with you. I was just saying that people don't realize that they can have just as much of a "chance of dying while taking a particularly large dump as the do on a coaster", plus it was worth it just to hear you say that!

It's part of the fear factor about coasters, that's all.

~Bob

[Alex]

I think that is why I don't really feel any excitement on a roller coaster of any type. I don't feel any real risk of death or injury and going fast isn't thrilling on its own.

But yeah, the ability of most people to make reasonable risk assessments is pretty broken.

[RStar]

Originally Posted by Alex Stroup

I think that is why I don't really feel any excitement on a roller coaster of any type. I don't feel any real risk of death or injury and going fast isn't thrilling on its own.

You know, now that you mention it, I always wondered why I thought it was weird when people, even grown men, scream like little girls on these rides. I understand the lack of risk, and could never figure out why they didn't.