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[Citydweller84]

Saw today that a 12 year old child died while riding Veruckt at the KC Schillterbahn park.

http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article94254507.html

[History Buff]

Just heard the same.

[Joy]

Update: The child was 10-year-old Caleb Schwab, the son of Kansas Rep. Scott Schwab.

[HumphreyHawk]

I had weird feelings about that ride ever since I saw the plans for it.  The design never seemed logical to be safe.  It had all kinds of issues with it before opening including rafts losing control over the hill. Redesign of the hill, rafts, adding netting..etc where all red flags.  How on earth can you 'manage' an airtime hill on a water slide?  I never rode it but apparently you got two face to face safety warnings before sliding and had to weigh-in twice (one before the stairs, and another on top of the tower) for safety measures.  With those intense procedures and crazy variables (weight, raft conditions, slide conditions, safety constraints, weather/wind) of that size of ride.....It just felt like it was only a matter of time before something like this happened.  Just felt like the company was so set on getting that 'worlds biggest' title and attention that comes from that.....that it overlooked long-term safety(IMO).

From what I'm reading/hearing....the boy was riding with two older woman.  They were also seriously injured too but not life threatening.  No one exactly knows the cause yet but it's appartenant that the boy was sitting in front and made contact with with the netting or support for the netting that covers the slide.  Which we can then conclude that the raft lost control over the hill of the slide.  I'm guessing official cause will not be released until legal stuff is completed:(

I've kept an eye on that parks reviews and development closely over the years......Being that I grew up near KCK and still visit often I was excited for that park and really wanted it to thrive.  I've taken my family to WoF/OoF multiple times since that park has opened but for some reason I've never had any desire yet to try it out.  The general feedback I've read both on-line and from friends is that it was way overpriced (not developed enough for the price) and the big slide was dangerous and not that fun.  Most of my friends would recommend just going to OoF, Great Wolf Lodge, or a few of some local aquatic centers around KC that are popping up everywhere with their own lazy rivers and slide complexes. 

I'm guessing (and hoping at this point) that the slide will be destroyed and Schlitterbahn will be fortunate if they save the water park from going under.

Of course my heart goes out to the parents, family, friends.....and the park workers.....it's surely a tragedy all the way around. 

[shavethewhales]

I always thought this slide was a stupid idea. There are a number of ways to accomplish this general style of ride, but they were completely impractical in how they did it. So many other things they could have spent their money on...

[Tmboote]

At the very least, I think they should remove the slide's airtime hill. You don't put an airtime hill on a water slide.

[HumphreyHawk]

At the very least, I think they should remove the slide's airtime hill. You don't put an airtime hill on a water slide.

Exactly....

I never understood if that hill was to help 'slow' the raft down or to add a thrill to the ride.  Either way it is a stupid design for a free falling water slide.  Plus.....the fact that they added a net over it.....doesn't that imply that they knew something like this could happen? 

Hope the general public understand how crazy this slide was and it's not a good comparison to 99% of the other slides that are being used daily.

[Swoosh]

Armchair engineering is always fun, right?
Let's agree that if you have never ridden it, seen it in person, AND talked with the design team that you should not provide your "expert" opinions on the ride. 

1. I never felt unsafe on the ride
2. There were guides the raft went in on the way down the 1st drop
3. The raft usually lost so much momentum that it very slowly goes over the 2nd hill
4. Every MasterBlaster on the chain (except MASSIV) have these nets

Personally I'm still trying to figure out how a 10yo got on a slide with a 14yo age minimum.  He was obviously underweight and had no business being on the slide to begin with. 

[Sungod]

There was no age requirement,  only height minimum.

[sdcfan88]

I am thinking more now that incidents like this is an example for the reasoning behind why SDC removed the Watterboggan. Fear for this eventually happening. (which it really could have)

[Swoosh]

There was no age requirement,  only height minimum.

Unless they just changed the requirements (they haven't) the age limit is 14yo.  Granted the boy could have lied to get around it

[Sungod]

They changed it (you're wrong, again) shortly after it opened. http://www.schlitterbahn.com/kansas-city/rides/all-new-verruckt

[Swoosh]

They changed it (you're wrong, again) shortly after it opened. http://www.schlitterbahn.com/kansas-city/rides/all-new-verruckt

It's still posted at the ride as the age minimum is 14 yo.
It's obvious you're a troll and/or a double handle so you're done. 

[Sungod]

It's also obvious to everyone that you're the most inaccurate, self-proclaimed "expert" on this site.

[HumphreyHawk]

Armchair engineering is always fun, right?
Let's agree that if you have never ridden it, seen it in person, AND talked with the design team that you should not provide your "expert" opinions on the ride. 

1. I never felt unsafe on the ride
2. There were guides the raft went in on the way down the 1st drop
3. The raft usually lost so much momentum that it very slowly goes over the 2nd hill
4. Every MasterBlaster on the chain (except MASSIV) have these nets

Personally I'm still trying to figure out how a 10yo got on a slide with a 14yo age minimum.  He was obviously underweight and had no business being on the slide to begin with.

I was curious what your thoughts about the incident was Swoosh....I know you have had 'relationship' with the park.

Yes....it's completely an monday morning quarterback type of post I made......I wouldn' t have posted about the slide if the incident didn't happen.  Nor can I prove that I had that opinion (ride is too dangerous for me and my family) before the incident happened (but I did).  As a general rule....water slides scare me 200x more than coasters that run on rails.

It's laughable to say that I can not have an informed opinion on the safety of the ride without actually have rode it.....let alone the idea that I can't post an opinion on a online forum because I don't 'know' the designers....you really sound ridiculous when you post from your highhorse swoosh. 

The ride had a ton of coverage (including from swoosh's site) during it's setup and opening.  There's plenty of opinions about the park and ride online, I do know people who have rode it, and I have physically seen it (jheeez).  I'm not saying the park intentionally did anything wrong that would cause it.....riders are informed of the danger and their were still long lines for it.....I'm not mad anyone who likes the ride nor will I be leading any type of petition to close it if it opens back up (just my opinion that it needs to close).  Part of living in a free country is the ability to discern risks and the freedom choose to take them.

Seems to be a debate about the age and if he should have rode it.....other questions has to be around if the restraints malfunctioned? he size cause the restraints to fail?  Did he do something on purpose (stand up?), raft malfunction?  Too many things that could have went wrong