(Post bumped with 12:20 AM update adding coverage of state Labor Department’s suggestion for new warnings.)
Roller-coaster enthusiast and torts professor Bill Childs is stealing our thunder in his coverage of the recent Georgia Batman roller coaster decapitation of Asia LeeShawn Ferguson IV, so there’s no point in rewriting his excellent post instead of quoting it:
The family of the young man killed at Six Flags Over Georgia had said pretty emphatically that they weren’t blaming the park (here (“All we know is that we don’t blame anybody.”). But, well, now they’ve got a lawyer:
“Attorney Lamar Flatt thinks warning signs and fences placed near the ride weren’t enough to prevent this tragic death …”
Just as a reminder, there was at least one (and reports indicate two) six-foot fence, clear signs, and, let’s not forget, a multi-ton very loud steel roller coaster all rather prominent in the area. (The manufacturer of the ride, B&M, makes coasters that are sufficiently loud that the phrase “B&M roar” came into existence.) …
But it’s hard to see what more could be expected. Razor wire? A shark-infested moat with sharks with lasers?
Well, Bill, as 11Alive reports:
The Labor Department recommended that security officers should be stationed in the area of the ride until increased signage and fencing could be put in place. The existing signage, the Labor Department found, does meat [sic] state and national standards established by the American Society for Testing and Materials. However, the Labor Department suggested the number and size of the signs should be increased; additionally, it was suggested the signs should include the words “Extreme Danger.”
Presumably, thanks to overwarning, everyone knows to ignore the signs that simply say “Danger.” Thus signs need to be New-and-improved EXTREME Danger-with-an-exclamation-point! I’m just waiting for someone to point out that to the kids of today Extreme means “cool” and increases the attractive nuisance. (Related NSFW Youtube satire on “extreme” relating to the Warner Brothers efforts to Poochie-ize Bugs Bunny by making him more “extreme.” Funny, if tiresome after 80 seconds if not before.)
Sadly, a cynical commenter was correct. Childs has a funny roller-coaster warning sign from a different amusement park, too. Click over there so he isn’t too mad that we’ve quoted so many of the good parts of his post.