Manually checking restraints and safety bars

Engage with like-minded members and discuss the world of theme parks and attractions here.
Nick

Or Atlantica Supersplash, a brand new Mack Supersplash ride that will dispatch with open restraints (see above :roll: )
User avatar
Shent
Member
Member
Posts: 2447
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2005 11:03 pm
Location: Staffordshire

[quote=""leejay""]But staff checking restraints achieves nothing. If the restraint is down, its down and the computer will regester that.[/quote]

Yes, but computers fail.

I think you would be pretty worried if you went on nemmy and someone didnt come and check your harness.
......The one and only... :sus:
User avatar
Dara
Member
Member
Posts: 1146
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2003 10:28 am

[quote=""duckman""][quote=""Nuebelstar""]At the other attractions the check the bars normally[/quote]

Except the pirate ship (where they didn't close the restraints until after the ride had started), and atlantica super splash (where they were pushing down restraints as the boats left the station, or even not bothering at all).[/quote]

None of the Europa Park attractions physically check each bar in the same way UK parks do. ON 2 of the spinning rides in the Spain area, it is not possible for the operator to see every seat from where they are sitting, so they could start the ride without all of the bars being locked.
User avatar
Dara
Member
Member
Posts: 1146
Joined: Wed Jun 18, 2003 10:28 am

[quote=""jordi20012002""]I always feel much safer if a member of staff physically check the restraint for me, otherwise I am slightly paranoid, as much as I love all major attractions, I would want to know I am 100% safe in them whether a control panel says I am safe or not...I think it should be a legal requirement[/quote]

Also, sorry to double post but I thouhgt that in the UK it was a legal requirement. Every UK park does it and I remember when Oakwood got prosecuted over the Hydro incident, something was siad in court about the staff not physically checking the bars.
Anonymous

[quote=""Nick""]Or Atlantica Supersplash, a brand new Mack Supersplash ride that will dispatch with open restraints (see above :roll: )[/quote]

Madness, cant believe they actually sent it like that. Did you complain or werent you bothered? lol.
I mean, if you think about it - on Nemesis and Oblivion, they only really tap the belt to make sure it's in. And if like Titler says, they serve no purpose except a psychological comfort to guests, then what's even the point of doing that if they're not checking the actual restraint?
Kaycee makes a good point.

The majority of the time only seatbelts are checked, which seems weird if they are only there for the piece of mind of nervous guests.
User avatar
Ash
Member
Member
Posts: 5665
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2004 10:41 am
Location: Stoke-On-Trent
Contact:

Not really as guests would be like?

What your not checkign the seatbelt?
Image
Anonymous

[quote=""Titler""]Not really as guests would be like?

What your not checkign the seatbelt?[/quote]

Yeah I know that, but I am just agreeing with Kaycee about them only checking the seatbelts sometimes and not the actual restraint.
User avatar
Ash
Member
Member
Posts: 5665
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2004 10:41 am
Location: Stoke-On-Trent
Contact:

Oh i know, on most rides though when u pull the belt your pulling the restraint.

To be honest its all a show, the ops panel says if there up or down or not. Hosts arent needed if guests can sit themselves down. And strap in and its tight enough etc.
Image
User avatar
Lauren
Member
Member
Posts: 1244
Joined: Sun May 07, 2006 8:32 pm
Location: Nottingham/Wallasey

I notice that some staff push the harness down aswel as check the belt, like in flamingo land the woman almost suffocated me pushing the harness down further on kumali! On oblivion especially they are always on the tannoy shouting seat numbers, i have no idea why. I assumed it was their restraint wasn't properly down?
Image
AstroDan

[quote=""Bicko""][quote=""Nick""]Or Atlantica Supersplash, a brand new Mack Supersplash ride that will dispatch with open restraints (see above :roll: )[/quote]

Madness, cant believe they actually sent it like that. Did you complain or werent you bothered? lol.
[/quote]

I guess it is rather shocking. To be fair, me and Nick were together when it started going and there was no pair next to us, so Nick just slid over and didn't have a restraint.

We didn't mind. There was a general carnival atmosphere anyway, people taking photo's on the ride, drinking beers. Even my restraint, which you can just make it out in the front of the image was only slightly down. It made for good airtime on the bunny hop I can tell thee!

:)
User avatar
Liam
Member
Member
Posts: 3282
Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2003 10:58 am
Location: London / Warwick
Contact:

TBH, all B&M's shouldn't need to be checked. The computer tells if it's safe or not and a visual check will do after that. This way it's say and you keep queues down. OTSRs pop up if they're not locked, and it's pretty obvious is a child only has their restraint on the first notch.
Image
User avatar
Shent
Member
Member
Posts: 2447
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2005 11:03 pm
Location: Staffordshire

[quote=""Liam""]TBH, all B&M's shouldn't need to be checked. The computer tells if it's safe or not[/quote]

True but as i said, comouters fail, but even if the proxy switch on the harness broke, it would just show up as not locked :no:

But yeah, i agree liam.

And at the oblivion post, they shout out numbers becuase they are now down enough to show as locked on the comouter :) or the op just feels they should be down a bit more!
......The one and only... :sus:
User avatar
Liam
Member
Member
Posts: 3282
Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2003 10:58 am
Location: London / Warwick
Contact:

[quote=""Shent""][quote=""Liam""]TBH, all B&M's shouldn't need to be checked. The computer tells if it's safe or not[/quote]

True but as i said, comouters fail, but even if the proxy switch on the harness broke, it would just show up as not locked :no:

But yeah, i agree liam.

And at the oblivion post, they shout out numbers becuase they are now down enough to show as locked on the comouter :) or the op just feels they should be down a bit more![/quote]

I'm sure there is a fail safe system designed in though, so if the computer fails the ride simply does not run, or a back up computer takes over?
Image
User avatar
Shent
Member
Member
Posts: 2447
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2005 11:03 pm
Location: Staffordshire

[quote=""Liam""][quote=""Shent""][quote=""Liam""]TBH, all B&M's shouldn't need to be checked. The computer tells if it's safe or not[/quote]

True but as i said, comouters fail, but even if the proxy switch on the harness broke, it would just show up as not locked :no:

But yeah, i agree liam.

And at the oblivion post, they shout out numbers becuase they are now down enough to show as locked on the comouter :) or the op just feels they should be down a bit more![/quote]

I'm sure there is a fail safe system designed in though, so if the computer fails the ride simply does not run, or a back up computer takes over?[/quote]

I think it just wouldnt run.
......The one and only... :sus:
User avatar
Ash
Member
Member
Posts: 5665
Joined: Sat Mar 27, 2004 10:41 am
Location: Stoke-On-Trent
Contact:

Its a nice big Ride Error Time :D

All the breaks slam shut, lift hill stops and the ride has to be reset
Image
User avatar
Green.Wing
Member
Member
Posts: 462
Joined: Sun Feb 18, 2007 7:05 pm

[quote=""Liam""]TBH, all B&M's shouldn't need to be checked. The computer tells if it's safe or not and a visual check will do after that. This way it's say and you keep queues down. OTSRs pop up if they're not locked, and it's pretty obvious is a child only has their restraint on the first notch.[/quote]

Not true am afraid. Prime example would air with leg flaps. Airs 3 resstraints could all go wrong. Someone could have there legs outside the leg flaps and the computer wouldnt detect that and also if the vest is loose it wouldnt be picked up either.. Also jackets are bad because they get stuck down the side of the harness as they close them and if its thin the computer wont detect the fabric because the bar will be pushed up agaisnt the prox.
User avatar
Liam
Member
Member
Posts: 3282
Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2003 10:58 am
Location: London / Warwick
Contact:

[quote=""Green.Wing""][quote=""Liam""]TBH, all B&M's shouldn't need to be checked. The computer tells if it's safe or not and a visual check will do after that. This way it's say and you keep queues down. OTSRs pop up if they're not locked, and it's pretty obvious is a child only has their restraint on the first notch.[/quote]

Not true am afraid. Prime example would air with leg flaps. Airs 3 resstraints could all go wrong. Someone could have there legs outside the leg flaps and the computer wouldnt detect that and also if the vest is loose it wouldnt be picked up either.. Also jackets are bad because they get stuck down the side of the harness as they close them and if its thin the computer wont detect the fabric because the bar will be pushed up agaisnt the prox.[/quote]
Wow, ok I was wrong. The systems are much less self-securing than I thought, although I would say Air must use a more complicated system than more standard models like Nemesis and Oblivion?
Image
Crofty

[quote=""Dara""][quote=""duckman""][quote=""Nuebelstar""]At the other attractions the check the bars normally[/quote]

Except the pirate ship (where they didn't close the restraints until after the ride had started), and atlantica super splash (where they were pushing down restraints as the boats left the station, or even not bothering at all).[/quote]

None of the Europa Park attractions physically check each bar in the same way UK parks do. ON 2 of the spinning rides in the Spain area, it is not possible for the operator to see every seat from where they are sitting, so they could start the ride without all of the bars being locked.[/quote]

On both rides in the spanish area of the park I noticed cameras dotted right around the room feeding to a monitor in the control box providing a view of the entire ride.
User avatar
HighExtreme
New Member
New Member
Posts: 30
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 2:15 pm
Contact:

It comes down to common sense, when you get on the ride you should pull your restraint closed, if you want to ride with your restraint up you're an idiot for risking your life, as its your own responsibility to look after yourself, as is deciding what to do with bags or loose articles

I think it's important to consider that in Germany there isn't so much of the compensation culture like we suffer from in the UK, so nobody is going to sue the park for the silliest thing like they would over here

Overall this approach is great for throughputs, as Liam has spoken about, it means less waiting in line, personally i agree is a great thing

Is it necessary to take the extra time and resulting extra queuing time to triple check the restraints in person, when in most cases the rides are designed that they cannot leave the station unless the bars are closed

Furthermore humans can also make mistakes, so are we ever 100% certain you're going to be safe on the ride
User avatar
caffeine_demon
Member
Member
Posts: 940
Joined: Thu Apr 13, 2006 10:16 pm

althoughexp. g force had one of the worst throughputs ever - they check your seat belts first and then check the lap bars afterwards!
Post Reply