June 26, 2017

Police seem to confirm what most viewers of the viral video were saying.

That girl was to blame for falling out of the Sky Ride gondola.

Of course, it was decent and good for people to gather underneath and risk injury to catch her, even if she was to blame for getting herself into that dangling-from-a-gondola predicament.

Here was a memorable comment that appeared on the WaPo article that appeared yesterday (before the police blamed the girl):
As a past ride operator at an amusement park I am going to chime in here. The way she was situated at the beginning of the video suggests to me she somehow got herself into that predicament. I'm not saying definitively this is true. But, I've seen people do pretty risky things on rides. One trick is to lift your knees as the staff is checking the bars are secure. This allows the bar to not be as tight as it should be. I've caught hundreds of people doing that in my years as a ride operator. Another thing people do is try to rock carriages to scare each other. I don't know if it is possible on that ride. In terms on the knee bar lift, it is the responsibility of the ride staff to catch people doing it. It is also the responsibility of the staff to not let people ride who are super anxious. Who knows if she was or not. At the end of the day, I'm sooo happy she is ok! How amazing the people who caught her!....

21 comments:

Tari said...

"The ski lift-style gondolas, one of the oldest rides in a park that opened in 1954 as Story Town, offer riders a slow-moving view of other attractions."

Story Town! We used to go every summer when I was small - there and Frontier Town. Good memories.

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/18/nyregion/a-western-theme-park-turns-into-a-ghost-town.html?mcubz=0

Peter said...

That ride doesn't look much different from a ski lift. And if you were to ride a chairlift at a ski area, raise the restraining bar, and ended up dangling from the chair and were subsequently injured, I'd guess that the ski area would not be found liable for any injuries you might sustain.

But what do I know? The purpose of a thrill ride is to provide the thrill of danger while not actually being dangerous, whereas the purpose of a ski lift is just to take you to the top. And so, perhaps a lower level of diligence is reasonably to be expected from customers at an amusement park (and thus a higher level of diligence on the part of the park's ride operators)?

Then again, this ride doesn't really seem to deserve the label, "thrill ride" (even if it is in an amusement park).


Ann Althouse said...

I rode a thing like that in Disney World and found it very scary. I think ski lifts are scary.

tcrosse said...

Sure. Blame the victim.

Yancey Ward said...

Ski lifts are scary.

tcrosse said...

Ski lifts are scary, but it's that going downhill part where all the hurt is.

Yancey Ward said...

Every one I have ever ridden just seemed so fragile to me, and I am not even afraid of heights in general. I would rather ride a roller coaster than ride a ski lift.

gspencer said...

Yet once again, the responsible pick up for the irresponsible.

Democrats, liberals, the left, yuuuuuuuuck!

California Snow said...

I try not to think about the lack of safety features on a ski lift. It would ruin all the fun.

Paul said...

Freaking wannabe Darwin Award winner.

Beloved Commenter AReasonableMan said...

The overlooked story here is that carny folk read the Washington Post.

Humperdink said...

A few years ago, my youngest daughter, the rebel, decided to have her wedding at the top of a ski slope (in June). Guests were to arrive by ski lift, young and old alike. I asked my daughter how the invalids and timid folks might arrive. Golf carts, she responds.

My daughter and I arrived on the last lift. I was fortunate not to face-plant coming off the lift, not to mention her dress getting caught in the chair lift.

Funny, there were a lot more people at the reception than attended the wedding. Not sure why.

Bill said...

I love the father and daughter who saved her (with help, of course). What brave people.

JLScott said...

Of course it was decent of people to save her--I mean, it's not like she landed in a gorilla enclosure.

Unknown said...

Clearly the young girl worked her way out of the seat. But we were all young once and many of us are lucky we survived... glad she is OK.

Be said...

I have no knowledge of the situation. Just made me think of when I was talked into riding this thing at one point and, mid ride, my gondola split open and stopped.

Hate heights. Do not like gondolas. Am glad that, whatever happened to cause problems, the young woman made it out Okay.

http://www.bastille-grenoble.fr/

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

"Blogger AReasonableMan said...
The overlooked story here is that carny folk read the Washington Post."

Given the content these days, not remarkable.

The Cracker Emcee Refulgent said...

Srun Por probably meant to comment under the travel ban decision post. Happens to the best of us.

Chanie said...

Ann says, "it was decent and good for people to gather ...." This brings to mind so sharply: "It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this." Is this symmetry intentional? Was it both good and decent for people to gather to catch the girl?

Darrell said...

not to mention her dress getting caught in the chair lift.

I helped a woman in Wisconsin whose dress got caught in a ski lift. It started to pull her dress off over her head and I grabbed her and helped get the dress off before it injured her badly. I gave her my parka afterwards, considering the temperature and the fact that she was now topless.

Jose_K said...

her fault so let her die?