Smiler rollercoaster at Alton Towers - carriage collision

MOOGLEYS · 3 Jun 2015 at 15:45

balky12 said:
Apparently at that part of the track it's only doing 20mph.

Fair enough I thought it was quicker at that part.

balky12 · 3 Jun 2015 at 15:47

MOOGLEYS said:
Fair enough I thought it was quicker at that part.

I could be wrong, quickly read it somewhere. Your point still stands. I wouldn't like to hit anything at 20mph.

DJMK4 · 3 Jun 2015 at 15:54

Not when your legs are in the way and your coming up against metal

ubersonic · 3 Jun 2015 at 15:54

balky12 said:
Apparently at that part of the track it's only doing 20mph.

It's supposed to be doing 20mph at that part, it's also supposed to not be crashing at that part, just saying we dunno how badly things have gone wrong.

squerble · 3 Jun 2015 at 15:59

Pinch of salt, but a post from Reddit:

Hello guys. I know 2 of the seriously injured. They're a couple an 18 year old guy and a 19 year old girls from Barnsley. I'm very good friends with the guy he is called Joe not revealing the second name. He has lost his little finger (hence the blood) and both of his knees have popped out of place however he has been told he will walk again. His girlfriend Leah I'm not very close to her however she has been told she could potentially be paralysed. she had to be airlifted to the hospital. I hope to god they both have a speedy and succesful recovery.

MooMoo444 · 3 Jun 2015 at 16:04

Whoa, if that's true then it's a lot worse than the media have been reporting.

smr · 3 Jun 2015 at 16:08

Horrendous

I think what really hits home about all of this is that it could have been any of us, I usually go to AT once a year, myself and my partner made it something of an annual visit and we certainly would have gone on the Smiler and sat at the front without questionning anything... infact with friends we have waited 5 or so minutes to sit at the front of Oblivion etc.

I've not been on The Smiler as I haven't been to AT for the last couple of years - we've had babies.

But geeze, I hope the people injured a speedy and succesful and as full as possible recovery from this, really feel for them

AS_Platinum · 3 Jun 2015 at 16:10

Hello guys. I know 2 of the seriously injured. They're a couple an 18 year old guy and a 19 year old girls from Barnsley. I'm very good friends with the guy he is called Joe not revealing the second name. He has lost his little finger (hence the blood) and both of his knees have popped out of place however he has been told he will walk again. His girlfriend Leah I'm not very close to her however she has been told she could potentially be paralysed. she had to be airlifted to the hospital. I hope to god they both have a speedy and succesful recovery.

not revealing the second name.
His girlfriend Leah

Still sounds pretty bad.

squerble · 3 Jun 2015 at 16:11

AS_Platinum said:
not revealing the second name.
His girlfriend Leah

Still sounds pretty bad.

I'm sure he meant the surname of Joe, not the second person.

AS_Platinum · 3 Jun 2015 at 16:13

squerble said:
I'm sure he meant the surname of Joe, not the second person.

Makes sense.

balky12 · 3 Jun 2015 at 16:14

DM announced their names about an hour ago.

DJMK4 · 3 Jun 2015 at 16:23

Damn hope she is not paralised

West · 3 Jun 2015 at 16:28

Hearing some absolutely horrendous stuff about this! Wishing everyone involved a speedy recovery.

mattyfez · 3 Jun 2015 at 16:31

I'm really struggling to see how such a simple mechanical device as a roller coaster can fail so catastrophically. Even the software part of it would be incredibly simple.

It can only be gross negligence due to pressure to keep the ride operating.

uncle_rufus · 3 Jun 2015 at 16:33

I could believe it was only going 20mph - then the Daily Mail reporters went:

"Only 20mph?... that's not nearly clickbait-y enough for us!!! Let's see, what's the top speed of the ride? 50mph? Okay good, here's your headline:

TERROR IN UP TO 50MPH CRASH AT THEME PARK - HORRIFIC PICTURES INSIDE - #BENEFITS #IMMIGRANTS #TRASHY-CELEB-PICS"

OpenToSuggestions · 3 Jun 2015 at 16:35

Alton Towers was closed today. To those who PMed me I will send a response later today.

ubersonic · 3 Jun 2015 at 16:38

uncle_rufus said:
I could believe it was only going 20mph - then the Daily Mail reporters went:

"Only 20mph?... that's not nearly clickbait-y enough for us!!! Let's see, what's the top speed of the ride? 50mph? Okay good, here's your headline:

TERROR IN UP TO 50MPH CRASH AT THEME PARK - HORRIFIC PICTURES INSIDE - #BENEFITS #IMMIGRANTS #TRASHY-CELEB-PICS"

That's not DM worthy, try:

Terror at 200MPH

A locomotive rumoured to be a HS2 prototype derailed today in England, homosexual immigrant operators rumoured (by us) to be intoxicated, tax avoiding EU parent company refuses to comment!

Vinno · 3 Jun 2015 at 18:07

Really awful stuff. Can only wish them a speedy recovery really. A day of fun turned into a day of hell. Cant even imagine it.

TheVoice · 3 Jun 2015 at 18:20

Be interesting to see if this results in criminal charges against Alton Towers.

kindai · 3 Jun 2015 at 18:38

TheVoice said:
Be interesting to see if this results in criminal charges against Alton Towers.

I guess it will come down to what the HSE find, at the end of the day, it may just be a tragic accident.

Smiler rollercoaster at Alton Towers - carriage collision

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