OUTLAW RUN---New Restraints

sarahdickson · July 29, 2013, 11:36:49 AM

we just got back from SDC yesterday we went Fri&Sat and Friday before it started raining to hard, we rode O.R. and no problems. Saturday when we went to get in line (2 hr. wait) there was a guy at the entrance with a seat from the ride having people sit in it, if the green light came on you were good, if the red light stayed on you were either too tall or your belly was too large. I asked the guy and he said it was the manufacturer had required a change in the seating restraints, they are not much different but enough different that some people who could once ride it now cannot, my dad being one of them

I didn't see any posts about it so I thought I would let yall know. I asked the guy if it had to do with the Texas Giant accident and he said that he assumed it probably was. so for all the bigger people they can diet and ride again some day, but for those who are too tall....nothing can be done

ETA: On a related note, my 7 y/o rode it for the first time, and now his new favorite ride is switched from PK to OR!!

okiebluegrass · July 29, 2013, 11:48:37 AM

Hadn't invisioned being too tall being a problem, but doing the math if a high enough percentage of your body mass is above the lap restraint, I could see that being an issue.

sarahdickson · July 29, 2013, 11:50:52 AM

I think it has to do with the bar across your shins closing in tighter or something, I know it fit different on my legs than it did on Friday.

chittlins · July 29, 2013, 11:58:11 AM

Quote from: sarahdickson on July 29, 2013, 11:50:52 AM
I think it has to do with the bar across your shins closing in tighter or something, I know it fit different on my legs than it did on Friday.

I fear this will exclude me with my shoe size being Sz 14. And...I'll be PO'd.

Joy · July 29, 2013, 03:51:26 PM

Oh no! I was just there on Wednesday and I fit okay... now I'm worried that with the changes, I may not be allowed to ride! I'm a large person; quite overweight. But the restraints fit me fine, and as the train goes up the lifthill, it rearranges my body, and I can get the restraint to push down even more. I felt quite wonderfully secured on Wednesday during my two times on the ride.

Man, if this ends up with me not being able to ride, this is really gonna make me mad.

Sungod · July 29, 2013, 09:20:49 PM

Well I'm 6'8" and have rode just fine. So if I'm all the sudden too tall to ride was the park putting me in danger in the first place? Of course not. This is probably a knee jerk reaction to the Texas accident. Which shouldn't even matter to SDC since RMC didn't make the Texas Giant cars.

chittlins · July 29, 2013, 10:03:00 PM

Quote from: Sungod on July 29, 2013, 09:20:49 PM
Well I'm 6'8" and have rode just fine. So if I'm all the sudden too tall to ride was the park putting me in danger in the first place? Of course not. This is probably a knee jerk reaction to the Texas accident. Which shouldn't even matter to SDC since RMC didn't make the Texas Giant cars.

The spin I saw on another site said this was "in the works" and part of evolving the prototype trains to provide a more comfortable ride. My response was, yes, by reducing the size of the possible complaint pool.

Joy · July 29, 2013, 11:06:25 PM

The only thing that needs to be done to make it more comfortable is to add some kind of padding or something to the metal bars so that one doesn't walk away with bruises.

chittlins · July 30, 2013, 07:16:23 AM

The update on screamscape sure sounds bad saying men being turned away in droves and not fat ones but farmer/athletic builds. Size 36 waists a tight fit. Aback overreaction and I'll voice my displeasure loudly.

sarahdickson · July 30, 2013, 10:07:42 AM

Quote from: chittlins on July 30, 2013, 07:16:23 AM
The update on screamscape sure sounds bad saying men being turned away in droves and not fat ones but farmer/athletic builds. Size 36 waists a tight fit. Aback overreaction and I'll voice my displeasure loudly.

YES! I seen this one guy walking away saying "sucks to be fat" he was probably 6ft and 38" waist at most my brother is short (5'8" ish) and a 36 waist and he was still ok but barely.... and its not SDC who changed it, it was the manufacturer of the seats/restraints

Ozark Outlaw · July 30, 2013, 10:19:18 AM

As our society in general becomes a bit larger - both in size and height, it would beg to reason why the coaster manufactures don't design the seats, and restraints to accommodate a larger range of individuals. Sure, it is very difficult to do a "one size fits all." However they could design at least one row to fit larger folks. I believe Wildfire has a couple of seats that are designed to give a bit more room in the restraints.

chittlins · July 30, 2013, 11:21:41 AM

Quote from: sarahdickson on July 30, 2013, 10:07:42 AM
Quote from: chittlins on July 30, 2013, 07:16:23 AM
The update on screamscape sure sounds bad saying men being turned away in droves and not fat ones but farmer/athletic builds. Size 36 waists a tight fit. Aback overreaction and I'll voice my displeasure loudly.

YES! I seen this one guy walking away saying "sucks to be fat" he was probably 6ft and 38" waist at most my brother is short (5'8" ish) and a 36 waist and he was still ok but barely.... and its not SDC who changed it, it was the manufacturer of the seats/restraints

And yet I remember Rocky Mountain boasting about testing a 300lb woman and it was just fine. Ithink redesinged trains may be in order. The problem is that Americans are larger and it not just one factor but many I struggled to find AZ 13 shoes as a teen, now it's common place. The issue arises when companies want to sell globally, The Chinese are just smaller than what the melting pot of American genetics produce.

shavethewhales · July 30, 2013, 12:35:03 PM

Quote from: Ozark BBQ on July 30, 2013, 10:19:18 AM
As our society in general becomes a bit larger - both in size and height, it would beg to reason why the coaster manufactures don't design the seats, and restraints to accommodate a larger range of individuals. Sure, it is very difficult to do a "one size fits all." However they could design at least one row to fit larger folks. I believe Wildfire has a couple of seats that are designed to give a bit more room in the restraints.

It's not nearly that simple. It's always a massive pain in the ass coordinating larger riders around on Wildfire, and that's with four seat rows. You'd have to have a separate row for each body type on OR to accommodate everybody.

It's certainly disappointing that these changes are necessary, but you really can't give them any grief about it. If someone gets thrown out through a freak set of circumstances it will have a massive impact on the park for way into the future. Outlaw Run is simply a much wilder ride than anything that exists at most parks, so there's little room for error. We'll see what happens down the line as they do more research on the seat design and operating procedures.

And chittlins, RMC did do extensive testing with a number of riders. What they couldn't take into account for was that at some point an operator would get tired and not check the restraints carefully enough, and someone who looked like they might have been seated correctly really wasn't. All this hubub comes down to the PTB trying to make sure that their risk is as close to zero as possible. I wouldn't go out on a limb and say they need to redesign the trains - RMC's trains have been a clean operating record so far. They might add seatbelts, but who really knows, none of us are in a position to say what they should or shouldn't do.

chittlins · July 30, 2013, 12:55:10 PM

Quote from: shavethewhales on July 30, 2013, 12:35:03 PM
Quote from: Ozark BBQ on July 30, 2013, 10:19:18 AM
As our society in general becomes a bit larger - both in size and height, it would beg to reason why the coaster manufactures don't design the seats, and restraints to accommodate a larger range of individuals. Sure, it is very difficult to do a "one size fits all." However they could design at least one row to fit larger folks. I believe Wildfire has a couple of seats that are designed to give a bit more room in the restraints.

It's not nearly that simple. It's always a massive pain in the ass coordinating larger riders around on Wildfire, and that's with four seat rows. You'd have to have a separate row for each body type on OR to accommodate everybody.

It's certainly disappointing that these changes are necessary, but you really can't give them any grief about it. If someone gets thrown out through a freak set of circumstances it will have a massive impact on the park for way into the future. Outlaw Run is simply a much wilder ride than anything that exists at most parks, so there's little room for error. We'll see what happens down the line as they do more research on the seat design and operating procedures.

And chittlins, RMC did do extensive testing with a number of riders. What they couldn't take into account for was that at some point an operator would get tired and not check the restraints carefully enough, and someone who looked like they might have been seated correctly really wasn't. All this hubub comes down to the PTB trying to make sure that their risk is as close to zero as possible. I wouldn't go out on a limb and say they need to redesign the trains - RMC's trains have been a clean operating record so far. They might add seatbelts, but who really knows, none of us are in a position to say what they should or shouldn't do.

If it was OK for me to ride until Sat, what changed. I'm to fault for your attendants not checking the restraints properly? If it's so important now, why did you place me in danger previously? I can give them plenty of grief, it's now not what they sold me which was the belief that I as someone that's 6'2 could ride. Maybe if it wasn't down so much on my visits and got more rides in before the change I'd be a little less hacked.

qwed94 · July 30, 2013, 01:51:58 PM

Chitlins-I understand why the disgust in your posts, but you have no reason to complain at all. You at least did get the chance to ride.

This year has been meyham for me. I have only been to SDC one time this spring (and it snowed that day-OR was closed). We are planning (what may be our final trip to SDC in 2013) in 2 weeks.

I am not quite 6' tall and about a 38" waist. Some jeans I need to buy 40".

I guess if they are turning away 36" waists. I will NEVER be able to ride OR.

Only way to know is to try sitting in the test seat. I guess. -- I have a friend with a 44" waist. He can just barely fit on Batman at SFSL. He can get to one click. I (on the other hand) can ride Batman, but I cant make the first click. The only thing holding the restraint is the seatbelt for me.