Posted by
Playful Walrus on Monday, April 28, 2008 4:42:22 PM
Major theme parks have a very good safety record. Ride manufactures depend on reputation, and face competition from others. Theme parks are stuck in their location and depend on their clientele feeling safe enough to enjoy the manufactured thrills without utter panic.
The original Disneyland theme park operated for over 40 years, hosting hundreds of millions of visits without a serious accident or injury happening through no fault of the visitor. Any deaths were usually from natural causes (the park does host anywhere from 15,000-70,000 people in a single day, 365 days a year) and could be investigated by the Orange County Coroner. The place was subject to the same building codes as any other business. Safety was drilled into their employees from day one as a top priority.
Then along came some blundering management that didn’t rise up through the ranks at the park, and their bad policies and practices, and after a shameful incident where failures resulted in a fatal accident, people pushing for more state regulation of amusement parks got the opening they needed. It will come as no surprise to libertarian-minded folks that these added oversights didn’t prevent a second fatal accident of like fault. Fortunately, good management was restored and there hasn’t been an accident like those since. Redundant state oversight continues, and will forever, I’m sure.
Add to that a court ruling - in favor of someone who was claiming injury from a ride that million of other people have ridden without a problem – determining that theme park attractions are “common carriers” like public buses and trains; that they are supposed to provide as little stress on the body as possible (despite their goal of thrilling you), and it gets to be ridiculous.
People want to be thrilled on thrill rides. They aren't getting on them to get from point A to point B.
I’m confused, though. The State of California operates an extensive freeway system. Surely, like rail and bus systems (and now amusement park rides), freeways are common carriers? Yet when there’s a fatality on a freeway, the lanes affected are usually reopened in a few hours. Unlike the theme park attractions, modifications are not made to the freeway – no extra restraints, protections, or warnings. No long closure. Why isn’t Caltrans held to the same standards and procedures as Disney, Six Flags, Universal, Sea World and Knott's?
It is even more strange when you consider that unlike theme park attractions, freeways are not gated, nor is there anyone checking you to make sure you are fit to get on it – anyone can get on one.
Now, I don’t really wish to see entire sections of freeways shut down for weeks or months each time there is a serious accident. But where is the consistency?