The chief executive of Six Flags says the company will install seat belts on the Georgia roller coaster from which a rider fell to his death earlier this month. The company’s rides with similar restraints will also get the safety upgrade.
The theme park operator announced the extra safeguard less than two weeks after 42-year-old Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem of Atlanta died after being ejected from his seat on the Goliath coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia.
Thinking back to theme park visits from MY childhood, I have never once in my entire life felt well secured or safe when riding a roller coaster in that style. If you’re a smaller than average person you’re pretty much entirely responsible for your own fate with those. A lot of times the bar didn’t even touch my body at all. I usually ended up clinging onto the restraint bar with my arms, to prevent myself from sliding around beneath it.
The over the shoulders style top restraint is a thousand times better and safer, in my opinion. Never had a problem with one of those.