Schlitterbahn

[Rage Against the McKee]

If its determined that these guys broke a law that can result in jail time, then they 100% should go to jail.

That makes sense, but whoever gave the go on this project should be held responsible. Who's the final person to sign off on this death trap?

Nobody signed off on it. They just built a big slide and then tweaked the brakes and ramps and stuff until most of the rafts stopped flying off of it. Then they built a big net with steel bars to catch the few remaining rafts that Newton was wrong about.

[420seriouscat69]

  Well put.

[CHONGS]

Remember, these guys gladly and greedily took in money for a product they knew was deadly and they didn't give a crap until a family had to collect their headless son at the end of the day. IMO these guys seem to "deserve" jail time more than some two-bit weed dealer.

[Dr Rick Daris]

Remember, these guys gladly and greedily took in money for a product they knew was deadly and they didn't give a crap until a family had to collect their headless son at the end of the day. IMO these guys seem to "deserve" jail time more than some two-bit weed dealer.

I agree

[Mrs. Gooch]

Remember, these guys gladly and greedily took in money for a product they knew was deadly and they didn't give a crap until a family had to collect their headless son at the end of the day. IMO these guys seem to "deserve" jail time more than some two-bit weed dealer.

Surely there's a law about knowingly putting people in danger (regardless of whether it is on a waterslide), right....................

[Dugout DickStone]

should have included a waiver of criminal prosecution in their waivers

[cfbandyman]

the fact that clams is having difficulty understanding who to blame is kind of the problem here. there should be a federal testing agency for all amusement park rides. and there already is! but not for water slides, for some reason.

That and failing to understand it's not the structural's job to determine if ride is tested properly. It's like blaming the structural engineer for posting the wrong off ramp speed from a highway. Not his job.

[DQ12]

I'm a little confused as to why people have their panties in a wad re. this guy being in jail. 

[Mikeyis4dcats]

what structural engineer stamped these plans?  you can’t build something like this without that can you?

The structure itself would have been engineered and stamped, that is what the AHLJ (Authority Having Local Jurisdiction, i.e. the City or County) would review and approve in the permitting process.   The slide itsself would be assumed to be designed in accordance with whatever requirements cover it, just as if it was a garage door or other manufactured item.   

The state would have done an inspection prior to opening to look over things such as required safety equipment, egress, etc.   They also would be blind towards engineering and manufacturing aspects.

[Mikeyis4dcats]

You didn't even need those incident reports to see this coming. There was rough ridin' video out there of sleds flying off the goddamn slide from the get go. Anybody with half a brain saw this coming. You don't need bullshit science smack talk to discover that this was a bad idea. Those dudes shouldn't be in jail tho.

I mean, anyone can tell a plan is gonna fall outta the sky and kill people.   If you build one and knowingly let people fly on it after you are aware the engines sometime stop you shouldn't get sued and charged with a crime.

[Dr Rick Daris]

i'm pretty sure I get the engineering guys side on this. who should be held responsible though? the park itself for allowing the ride? the ride designers? the state for allowing it to be built? I think the park ownership but I don't know that I have the law or whatever to back me up on that.

[Dr Rick Daris]

You didn't even need those incident reports to see this coming. There was rough ridin' video out there of sleds flying off the goddamn slide from the get go. Anybody with half a brain saw this coming. You don't need bullshit science smack talk to discover that this was a bad idea. Those dudes shouldn't be in jail tho.

I mean, anyone can tell a plan is gonna fall outta the sky and kill people.   If you build one and knowingly let people fly on it after you are aware the engines sometime stop you shouldn't get sued and charged with a crime.

you should take a few minutes to explain whatever it is that you are trying to explain a little better.

[Mikeyis4dcats]

i'm pretty sure I get the engineering guys side on this. who should be held responsible though? the park itself for allowing the ride? the ride designers? the state for allowing it to be built? I think the park ownership but I don't know that I have the law or whatever to back me up on that.

had this been a case of they built it and the first person to ride it was decaptiated, you probably don't see these charges.   It's the wanton disregard for the safety of the public after knowing not only from testing and the initial days of operation that this thing was unsafe and the ensuing disregard once they knew that and also began covering up incidents and willfully disregarding safety measures.

Construction negligence is similar.  I as an owner of the company can be help PERSONALLY liable if OSHA or the courts find the company grossfully and willfully negligent.  If I tell someone to do something that my knowledge and training have proven to be patently unsafe I can be held responsible in addition to the company.   For example, we erect a scaffold and I know that that scaffold is rusted through and in danger or catastrophic failure and tell them to do it anyway, I can be found criminally and civilly liable.    If I build a building and knowingly and intentionally cut corners that lead to a tragedy, I can be found criminally and civilly liable.

[CHONGS]

I'm a little confused as to why people have their panties in a wad re. this guy being in jail.

You should really @ some people. Your statement is very vague, so I can't tell if you are referring to my posts or not.

[DQ12]

I'm a little confused as to why people have their panties in a wad re. this guy being in jail.

You should really @ some people. Your statement is very vague, so I can't tell if you are referring to my posts or not.

i can see how my statement was vague, but i 100% agree with you. 

i'm @ing wacky and whoever agreed with him a few pages ago.  the talk about the "criminal justice theater."  i can't think of a more obvious flight risk on paper than an owner of an international company who lives in brownsville and is facing murder/manslaughter charges.

[Mikeyis4dcats]

You didn't even need those incident reports to see this coming. There was rough ridin' video out there of sleds flying off the goddamn slide from the get go. Anybody with half a brain saw this coming. You don't need bullshit science smack talk to discover that this was a bad idea. Those dudes shouldn't be in jail tho.

I mean, anyone can tell a plan is gonna fall outta the sky and kill people.   If you build one and knowingly let people fly on it after you are aware the engines sometime stop you shouldn't get sued and charged with a crime.

you should take a few minutes to explain whatever it is that you are trying to explain a little better.

It's just a response to Wacky's cavalierness.     Yes, amusement parks can be unsafe places, but people like Wacky who are excusing the facts here under the guise of "should have known better" are morons.   The public has a right to the assumption of reasonable safety.   Getting on an airplane is also inherent unsafe, but there is an expectation that safety and maintenance are important.    If an airline willfully stops maintainenance and an aircraft crashes, you can bet there will be criminal charges.

[Dr Rick Daris]

You didn't even need those incident reports to see this coming. There was rough ridin' video out there of sleds flying off the goddamn slide from the get go. Anybody with half a brain saw this coming. You don't need bullshit science smack talk to discover that this was a bad idea. Those dudes shouldn't be in jail tho.

I mean, anyone can tell a plan is gonna fall outta the sky and kill people.   If you build one and knowingly let people fly on it after you are aware the engines sometime stop you shouldn't get sued and charged with a crime.

you should take a few minutes to explain whatever it is that you are trying to explain a little better.

It's just a response to Wacky's cavalierness.     Yes, amusement parks can be unsafe places, but people like Wacky who are excusing the facts here under the guise of "should have known better" are morons.   The public has a right to the assumption of reasonable safety.   Getting on an airplane is also inherent unsafe, but there is an expectation that safety and maintenance are important.    If an airline willfully stops maintainenance and an aircraft crashes, you can bet there will be criminal charges.

completely agree

[Cartierfor3]

If the things in this indictment are true, jail time is completely appropriate. This was not a fluke or a freak accident. As has been noted, this was gross negligence and completely preventable.

A death wasn't a matter of if, but when.

[cfbandyman]

i'm pretty sure I get the engineering guys side on this. who should be held responsible though? the park itself for allowing the ride? the ride designers? the state for allowing it to be built? I think the park ownership but I don't know that I have the law or whatever to back me up on that.

had this been a case of they built it and the first person to ride it was decaptiated, you probably don't see these charges.   It's the wanton disregard for the safety of the public after knowing not only from testing and the initial days of operation that this thing was unsafe and the ensuing disregard once they knew that and also began covering up incidents and willfully disregarding safety measures.

Construction negligence is similar.  I as an owner of the company can be help PERSONALLY liable if OSHA or the courts find the company grossfully and willfully negligent.  If I tell someone to do something that my knowledge and training have proven to be patently unsafe I can be held responsible in addition to the company.   For example, we erect a scaffold and I know that that scaffold is rusted through and in danger or catastrophic failure and tell them to do it anyway, I can be found criminally and civilly liable.    If I build a building and knowingly and intentionally cut corners that lead to a tragedy, I can be found criminally and civilly liable.

That is it right there. It's them knowing it was unsafe after testing, and still going forward with it anyways, and touting it as "safe". And yes, that guy should be in jail. Blaming engineering or permiters of building the thing is wrong because that is not in their scope of work in this case.

The real cavalier person in all of this isn't so much Wacky IMO but the guy who said "eh, it might cause us problems allowing people this ride but YOLO" when continuing to operate it.

[mocat]

maybe we can blame the electrical engineers? if they hadn't provided adequate power for the death slide, that kid would still be alive

[michigancat]

did anyone on this blog ride the thing?

[michigancat]

and goddam we got some touchy structural engineers

[mocat]

i was going to but you had to reserve your spot in line at like 8 am or some ridiculous thing

[cfbandyman]

and goddam we got some touchy structural engineers

Lol if you think I'm structural

[michigancat]

and goddam we got some touchy structural engineers

Lol if you think I'm structural

I honestly don't know if I was referring to you but just speaking to the overall vibe the PE's are giving off because clams is clowning on them. but I get it at the same time!