Rebel Coaster Incident Investigation Concluded

[Naazon]

Previous Thread here: 

 

Not sure if this comes as a surprise, but the 2 year investigation into the incident found insufficient evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that any breaches did occur. 

Highlighted in bold the factual part of the story.

 

Result revealed of probe into horror Melbourne rollercoaster accident that left woman brain damaged | news.com.au — Australia’s leading news site

Quote

Result revealed of probe into horror Melbourne rollercoaster accident that left woman brain damaged

The results of an investigation into a horrendous funfair injury at the Melbourne Royal Show that left a woman severely injured have been revealed.

A two-year investigation into what led to a terrible rollercoaster accident that led a Melbourne woman with severe brain damage has come to an end.

Shylah Rodden, now 27, sustained life-threatening injuries when she was hit by a Rebel Coaster carriage at the Melbourne Royal Show on September 25, 2022.

As well as brain damage Ms Rodden suffered serious injuries to her head, pelvis, arms, and legs and back after the fairground ride hit her at 70km/h and threw her nine metres into the air.

Her prognosis in the days after the tragic incident was bleak – with her father revealing there’s hardly a thing that’s not broken” as she remained in a coma.

 

Worksafe probe completed

After a 22 month probe into the horror incident, WorkSafe Victoria has said that no action will be taken.

“After careful consideration of the evidence, WorkSafe has determined not to take further action against any duty holder on this matter at this time,” a spokesman told the Herald Sun.

WorkSafe Victoria had investigated to see three had been any breaches of the Occupational Health and Safety Act.

But it found insufficient evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that any breaches did occur, reports the Herald Sun.

The ride operators will not see any charges made against them.

It is understood Ms Rodden, who had been working at the show on the day of the accident, had walked onto the Rebel Coaster track to retrieve her phone, which she dropped during a ride she and a friend took while on a break.

 

“We are so grateful to see her progress from the horrific injuries she suffered,” Ms Rodden’s mother, Kylie Rodden told the Herald Sun last year.

“She has defied the odds and is now walking, talking and doing things that we were told by doctors, may not be possible.

“Our wish is to keep moving forward and to enable Shylah to continue with her recovery and focus on the incredible progress that she’s making.”

 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

sensible outcome.

[Baconjack]

Tldr: Don’t be an idiot and walk into an operating ride area.

On a separate note rebel coaster’s loose article policy (or lack thereof) is weird. For something with an inversion I would have thought they’d be much stricter even if it’s operationally difficult because of the separate unload and load stations. Like maybe a staff member taking your stuff and leaving it at the exit midway through the queue. Just seems unusual given how strict parks are on this nationwide

Edited July 30 by Baconjack

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

Raging Spirits at TDS has an inversion and all loose articles are carried on board (yes, not Australia, I know). 

I don't think it's as simple as "inversions = strict" and lots of factors come into play - how exposed the ride vehicle is, whether there are negative forces that could eject articles, as opposed to positive forces that will keep them precisely where they are, and also how open to bystanders the ride envelope is.

CorkScrew comes to mind - inversions over the top of guests, and although they did have storage boxes there was no strict 'no items' policy that these days would likely see phones carried on board... (though if it were operating post-2016, we'd probably see nets installed under the corkscrew and metal detectors in the queue, so who knows?)

[Baconjack]

Rebel coaster has a little bit of airtime off the drop and before the curved drop into the loop. If you're not careful shit can fly out, I was hanging onto my wallet keys and phone for dear life.

On the Disney example from my experience you're pretty much carrying loose articles with you on every ride. Have not been on Incredicoaster or Expedition Everest so don't know what that's like on those. 

On the corkscrew example I don't remember parks on the coast being strict on loose items back then compared to how it is now. Certainly don't remember hearing the "nothing in your pockets" lecture on anything barring Superman which is in the realm of the obvious. Though this is 10 years ago we're talking about, memory might be fuzzy.

[Minimap]

18 hours ago, Baconjack said:

Rebel coaster has a little bit of airtime off the drop and before the curved drop into the loop. If you're not careful shit can fly out, I was hanging onto my wallet keys and phone for dear life.

On the Disney example from my experience you're pretty much carrying loose articles with you on every ride. Have not been on Incredicoaster or Expedition Everest so don't know what that's like on those. 

On the corkscrew example I don't remember parks on the coast being strict on loose items back then compared to how it is now. Certainly don't remember hearing the "nothing in your pockets" lecture on anything barring Superman which is in the realm of the obvious. Though this is 10 years ago we're talking about, memory might be fuzzy.

I was at DCA last year and was a bit surprised they didn't mind me taking a backpack on Incredicoaster, just so long as it could be tucked under the seat. 

[TV15]

Disney lets you take just about anything on their rides. Incredicoaster, Expedition Everest, Rock 'n' Roller Coaster, and Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind (just to name a few) all have these same restrictions. I guess Tron is comparable to SE here, with no loose articles allowed at all. 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

I think the main callout from those though is that Tron and Superman both go over guests, whereas for the most part, none of the others do, so if loose articles fall out, they aren't at risk of hitting anyone. (Incredicoaster is perhaps the only exception to the rule, though all of the high force sections are sectioned away from guests, so i'm not sure that it disproves the point)

[Gazza]

I think the main callout is that Tron has a riding position that doesn't make it possible to carry bags, though there is a compartment for small things like phones or sunnies.

Every other Disney coaster is a normal car with a footwell.

Edited August 1 by Gazza

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

1 hour ago, Gazza said:

Every other Disney coaster is a normal car with a footwell.

...that doesn't go over top of guests.

[Gazza]

Yeah but lets be honest I'd say most of the reason would be because of the awkward design of riding on a motorbike that has nowhere to stow a bag.

Incredicoaster goes over guests and its not like there is catch netting, its all open steel structure that stuff can fall through and bounce off. 

 

So therefore the reason would likely be due to the exposed train design of tron:

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

I already explained my view on Incredicoaster so i'm not going to repeat myself for the sake of pedantry. Of course Tron's train doesn't accommodate loose items at all.