petekoloz
Monday, July 2, 2007 6:58:33 AM
Fox News this morning has been featuring the "Mind Scrambler"
accident and bashing the park and the ride industry in general.
They show all appearances of making a crusade.
They've been going back to it with renewed vigor at least once an hour.
The Kentucky Kingdom accident and several others are mentioned and
they are asking why these "Unsafe Parks" are even allowed to operate.
"Unsafe Parks" and "Deadly Rides" appears to be their new buzzwords.
Stay tuned...
Jackpotter
Monday, July 2, 2007 7:01:42 AM
Have had it on all morning here too. They are showing "stock footage" of Reithoffer Shows as well....they haven't specifically mentioned any carnivals by name...but the anchor did say...

"and these accidents are happening at parks..not the kind of carnival you see set up on the street...and parks are supposed to be safer...."
2ndgencarnie
Monday, July 2, 2007 7:03:16 AM
I saw on Headline News this morning they used the line..."a disturbing new trend... deadly rides." The media is more than happy to make us look bad as an industry.
Show Driver
Monday, July 2, 2007 7:04:13 AM
is it true that this is the same scrambler that three years ago someone got hurt. and now this is why we have seat belts on the scrambler. that playland park in rye new york
Show Driver
showpeople
Monday, July 2, 2007 7:24:21 AM
The media will do the Governments bidding as usual. Distract the mindless masses with stories about 2 or 3 deaths in Amusement Parks while an average of 30 of our soldiers are dying every week in Iraq.
But hey, carnival rides make for better visuals than a coffin being unloaded froma plane which just came from a God-forsaken desert half way round the world. (and yes, I do mean God-forsaken)
"Don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see with your own eyes"
http://www.travelingcarnivalmidways.com 
http://www.ridemanuals.com 
petekoloz
Monday, July 2, 2007 7:41:08 AM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by showpeople

The media will do the Governments bidding as usual. Distract the mindless masses with stories about 2 or 3 deaths in Amusement Parks while an average of 30 of our soldiers are dying every week in Iraq.
But hey, carnival rides make for better visuals than a coffin being unloaded froma plane which just came from a God-forsaken desert half way round the world. (and yes, I do mean God-forsaken)


======================================================================
I can't debate you on that.
The problem here is that while it is excellent fodder for
the media beast it can kill our industry.
If they play it up enough our insurance woes will become
unbearable to the point of impossibility.
When that happens,all these expensive rides will become
scrap iron and we will ALL be broke.
SaraAB
Monday, July 2, 2007 7:48:49 AM
Here too, doesn't help that there was an accident at Darien Lake over the weekend...

Now the local media takes it out on everyone... sigh...
Benjibear
Monday, July 2, 2007 8:23:01 AM
That is the media for you. Maybe the people here that love Fox news will start thinking differently. Everything that comes out of a news outlet is propaganda and they have an agenda like everyone.
It is what you learn, after you know it all, that counts.
rsdoran
Monday, July 2, 2007 8:48:40 AM
I switch back and forth from Fox to MSNBC, mainly because those 2 are channels 39 and 41. CNN is a little to dry in their style for me.

I have not seen them say anything that bad for the most part but are definitely showing the story regularly. I think one of the reasons, IF I have my facts right, is this ride had a 7 year old die in 2004 and the girl that operated the ride at that time was the one to die in this situation. They were changing shifts and the girl was helping load passengers when the "other" operator started the ride.

It is hard to prevent human error.

SaraAB
Monday, July 2, 2007 9:07:43 AM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by Show Driver

is it true that this is the same scrambler that three years ago someone got hurt. and now this is why we have seat belts on the scrambler. that playland park in rye new york



This sounds about right, but the girl who got hurt was a 7 year old and was able to kneel in the car and wave to friends which is probably the reason why we have seatbelts on scramblers nowadays, to prevent small kids from slipping under the bar and to prevent people from trying to stand up or kneel in the car.

I just found this story about the incident, but I am not sure on how accurate it is, it seems to include a lot of things that do not add up with what has already been stated:

http://www.nytimes.com/2...=rssuserland&emc=rss 

Anyone think that rides where the riders board in the dark is a bad idea? It just seems like a bad idea and so many possibilities for injury to occur. From what I hear the playland scrambler is just a normal scrambler under a tent to make the ride dark.
Sue
  •  Sue
  • 50.42% (Neutral)
  • Operations Foreman
Monday, July 2, 2007 9:26:28 AM
maybe more details here:
http://www.nyjournalnews...0070702/NEWS02/707020346 
Family mourns Playland operator; park visitors comment on death

By REBECCA BAKER
THE JOURNAL NEWS


(Original publication: July 2, 2007)
RYE - As family and friends gathered yesterday to mourn the loss of Gabriela Garin, authorities continued to investigate how the 21-year-old mother from White Plains was killed on the amusement park ride that she had operated for years.

Westchester County parks spokesman Peter Tartaglia said that according to the preliminary investigation, as described by county officials Saturday, Garin escorted the last few people into the Mind Scrambler about 9:30 p.m. Friday because there were a few available seats.

"She was letting people into the ride," he said. "The ride operator was putting people into the ride and securing them safely. Then Gabriela came in with some more patrons."

Garin placed them into their seats and then got into a seat herself, Tartaglia said, and she was apparently kneeling on the seat as it started.

"For some reason, and we don't know why, she got into a seat herself," he said.

Westchester County officials said early reports by The Associated Press, picked up by other media outlets, mischaracterized their statements.

Garin had finished fastening people into their seats when the ride started, Tartaglia said yesterday.

Tartaglia said the report "misinterpreted or misquoted" him. He said the AP updated its report after he called to request a clarification.

Tartaglia said the investigation was continuing but would not comment on its progress. He would not reveal the name of Friday night's ride operator, whom he said worked for S&L Amusements.

He also said Garin, who had worked at the park since she was 14, was an S&L employee. A message left for S&L Amusements was not returned yesterday.

Garin's death was the fourth in four seasons at the county-run amusement park and the second on the Mind Scrambler. In 2004, 7-year-old Stephanie Dieudonné of New Rochelle was killed after she wriggled out from under the safety belt of the fast-twirling Mind Scrambler.

A year ago this week, 43-year-old Won Yong Kim drowned while wading in Playland Lake. The father from Queens had been celebrating Independence Day by picnicking with his family.

The calm shore of the lake yesterday drew dozens of picnicking patrons who basked in the beautiful weather on a warm, sunny Sunday afternoon.

"Everything is really nice out here," said Brenda Greenhill of the Bronx, who shared a picnic with her daughter, son and his fiancée. "It's so beautiful right by the water."

Surrounding the lake were numerous "No Swimming" signs that the county reinstalled after Kim's death.

Nearby, patrons turned away from the Mind Scrambler, which was guarded by a park ranger.

The Mind Scrambler was among the most popular rides at the park, especially among teens and 'tweens who said they were drawn to its loud hip-hop music, flashing lights and fast spinning.

"You get off of a roller coaster and you want to hear music, you get on that ride," said 16-year-old Tomanathan Rivera from Manhattan. "The ride is great."

David Stillman, a father of two from Manhattan, said he rode the Mind Scrambler as a boy and smiled as he recalled how the inside passenger always got squashed when the ride started.

"There was a lot more laughing than screaming on that ride," he said.

Grace Kaiser, a 10-year-old from Manhattan, said the unpredictability of the ride made it exciting. Her 12-year-old brother, George Kaiser, agreed.

"It's the terror factor," he said. "It's the way people react."

News of the fatal accident didn't stop Grace and George's mom, Alison Estess, from bringing them to the park.

"Sometimes you have freak accidents," she said. "I would bet it's not out of line with other amusement parks. A lot of those other places have water parks, and they're so dangerous."

Teresa and Jose Dadin of Brooklyn brought their 4-year-old daughter and 6-year-old son to Playland yesterday, saying the park is a good bargain, despite its history of fatalities.

"Listen, kids love rides, and nothing is a substitute for them," she said. "Human error exists everywhere. Accidents happen everywhere."

Nationally, an average of four people have died yearly at amusements parks from 1987 to 2005, according to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. And of all ride injuries from 2005, the latest year for which statistics are available, just 7 percent required an overnight hospital stay, the IAAPA reported.

Playland's other recent fatality was 7-year-old Jon-Kely Cassara, who was killed on Ye Olde Mill ride in 2005 after he got out of a boat on the enclosed ride and fell through a gap.

Michael Stillman, David Stillman's father, said he grew up visiting Playland and now enjoys sharing the park with his grandchildren. He doubted that the yearly fatalities would hurt the historic park, which he said has always been a destination for families with young children.

"This park has been in existence for a long time," he said. "I think it will survive it all."

Playland employees who knew Gartin wouldn't talk about her. Some cited rules that prohibit staff from talking to the press.

In White Plains, Garin's family gathered at McMahon Lyon & Hartnett Funeral Home for her wake yesterday. She was the mother of a 2-year-old girl and a student at Westchester Community College.

"She was a beautiful girl," her sister Maria Devenney said before declining to comment further.

Staff writer Desiree Grand contributed to this report.
Reach Rebecca Baker at rebaker@lohud.com or 914-694-5064.
42WLA
  •  42WLA
  • 55.22% (Neutral)
  • Ride Supervisor
Monday, July 2, 2007 9:52:32 AM
Thank you for the post, Sue, That certainly answers a few questions.
I have done so much,with so little,for so long,I am now qualified to do anything with nothing!
SideWinder
Monday, July 2, 2007 12:34:33 PM
Quote:

quote:


Originally posted by Jackpotter

Have had it on all morning here too. They are showing "stock footage" of Reithoffer Shows as well....they haven't specifically mentioned any carnivals by name...but the anchor did say...

"and these accidents are happening at parks..not the kind of carnival you see set up on the street...and parks are supposed to be safer...."



Travelling carnivals are much safer than parks. Where does this reporter get off saying crap like parks are safer.... He doesn't realize that we set up and tear down these rides every week or every other week depending on the show schedule. Because of this we can quickly detect any problems and correct the situation b-4 it ever gets fully set up. This guy has been behind the desk waaaayyyyy to long....IMHO
Jackpotter
Monday, July 2, 2007 4:23:23 PM
Wasn't a guy...it was one of the hot looking Fox News babes. I just watch Fox for the eye candy...I think Martha MaCallum is hotter than hades.
cny_chris
Monday, July 2, 2007 4:55:03 PM
Sue beat me to posting that story, there are plenty of others that are on the Journal News's website, www.nyjournalnews.com . The details are a bit conflicting at present, but one article I read indicated that the ride may have been started while the deceased was helping load those last patrons. Sad that this park has had the track record of fatalities the last several years.
"A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." - Lao-Tsu

"Faith is taking the first step, even when you don't see the whole staircase." - Martin Luther King Jr.

"Only those who dare to fail greatly can ever achieve greatly." - Robert F. Kennedy
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