Roller coasters are a fun way for people to experience the adrenaline rush that so many people crave. They are precisely engineered to thrill riders without causing them injury. In order to accomplish this and remain safe, they are engineered to safely handle the majority of riders. This means that there are height and weight restrictions. People who fall outside of those norms will have issues being properly restrained by the ride’s safety systems. This is why amputees are sometimes told they cannot ride, because the lack of limbs can cause them to fall out of roller coasters.
So we have amputees complaining that they should be able to ride roller coasters, while claiming that their rights under the ADA are being violated, and also complaining that they get injured when the ride isn’t able to protect them. You can’t expect the kids who staff these rides to be able to judge the ability to ride on a case by case basis- they aren’t engineers or doctors.
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
2 Comments
Angus McThag · April 7, 2019 at 5:40 am
Being a tubby bastard, I have been told by the staff that I'm too big to ride on a couple of coasters (but not all of them).
You can see the fear in their eyes when they deliver the news.
You can also see the genuine shock when I say, "well I knew my gut might cause this…" then ask how to exit.
SiGraybeard · April 7, 2019 at 5:12 pm
The thing is, engineers love challenges. If they asked the engineers to design accessible roller coasters, I'm sure they'd attack the problem like Oprah on a baked ham.
Since those seats aren't there now, I'd imagine it costs a lot to do.
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