Smiler rollercoaster at Alton Towers - carriage collision

I'm not saying the system you mention wouldn't work, but I doubt it's as simple to implement as you make it sound, These things ain't just knocked up.

They need to find the cause and eradicate it, adding systems like you mention after the fact just gives me the impression they ain't confident this will never happen again.
 
Just stick 1ft rubber 6 inch thick rubber poles on the front? One either side. Stop peoples legs getting crushed. If only for show.

Obv they need to do more than this, but I'd be loads more likely to go on it if I could visibly see my legs were gonna be okay if some dick turns off the safety and crashes my carriage.

I used to work on a fair (a static one, not mobile before anyone starts) and there were daily incidents. I once held up a "fire engine" on a merry go round full of screaming kids as it fell off the track with a 6ft drop beneath. Alton Towers and the like are sooooo... much safer.
 
EVH said:
A lot of machiney is designed to run in an engineer mode, like this because it's simply not possible to test items or components if the machine is not live. In any good business this is controlled very strictly through a permit to work or "lock out" system so that people aren't exposed to hazards whilst in a vulnerable state.

If the machine / ride was in "code zero" mode and someone told it to do something.. It will. It's a machine with the safety features disabled ultimately. A bit like giving average job admin rights on a PC.
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Even at code zero, should the be not some fail safe regardless of mode, to not allow cars to collide on the coaster. Like proximity sensors, fail safe etc etc, Why would you give a human the ability to smash a multi million pound coaster! :confused:

Basically if got one car on track, free rain tuck in don't be shy, you have 2+ cars computer takes over. Code zero becomes code 0.5 because the "Computer says NO!"

See what am saying? Something is very wrong with hard or software! ;)
 
itchy said:
Even at code zero, should the be not some fail safe regardless of mode, to not allow cars to collide on the coaster. Like proximity sensors, fail safe etc etc, Why would you give a human the ability to smash a multi million pound coaster! :confused:

Basically if got one car on track, free rain tuck in don't be shy, you have 2+ cars computer takes over. Code zero becomes code 0.5 because the "Computer says NO!"

See what am saying? Something is very wrong with hard or software! ;)
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Yeah but if there's a multi proximity sensor failure saying there's cars all round the track when there aren't, the engineer still needs free reign to control what's happening.

At work we've recently introduced a LOTO checklist system (it was just LOTO on its own before), which works like a flight checklist is that everything is checked sequentially and ticked off before any maintainance work is carried out. Something like this with a second engineer on the outside with a remote lockout until everything as been checked may be necessary.

Granted this isn't going to stop somebody pressing the 'Send car over hill' button instead of the 'Reverse car back down hill' button but it should make them more aware of the overall situation.
 
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Go to Alton Towers, go on the front row of the smiler... crash... get compensation... use part of the compensation to buy Thorpe Park tickets?

More seriously, I think, if I were them, I'd have to seriously consider pulling the ride down. The incident will be a black mark against the park for as long as it stands... I suppose it'll all come down to the mechanics of their insurance policies (and any commercial agreement is made between the insured and the insurers) as to identifying the cheapest way of causing the minimum loss of profits in future years.
 
They'll probably dismantle it, rebrand it and sell it to some other country. South Africa has loads of Merlin's older stuff.
 
There was a case in Belgium where the ride got stuck upside down for 8 hours.

It closed for years was covered and is now a "new" ride. :rolleyes:

I was always afraid about this type of thing happening but tried to convince myself that this simply "couldn't" happen since there were monitors in built in safety devices.

I'm actually considering no longer going on these rides operated by 18 year old students who seem more intent on chatting each other up :o
 
Haven't there been loads of nasty accidents, including at least one fatality on the Mouse Trap at Blackpool? Yet that's been open years. Seems money > health'n'safety to some people.
 
Poor girl, pretty little thing as well.

I hope she gets what she deserves, no one should have to lose any of their limbs especially in a freak accident which could have been prevented in this day and age.

Got me thinking of bionic limbs after this, anyone seen this?


Technology is progressing at an amazing rate, that is truly astonishing..
 
scorza said:
Haven't there been loads of nasty accidents, including at least one fatality on the Mouse Trap at Blackpool? Yet that's been open years. Seems money > health'n'safety to some people.
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Me and my Mrs almost fell out of that one on a corner and the ride operators was laughing there heads off. Thought nothing of it as I love mad mouse rides as u don't get that genuine feel of "danger' unless u go to travelling fairground roller coaster now.

But she wasn't happy..
 
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