Six Flags Over Texas to Reopen 'New Texas Giant' this Weekend

 Six Flags Over Texas as released a statement which says that they will be re-opening the roller coaster 'New Texas Giant' this weekend.  The ride has been down since the accident which killed 52 year old Rosa Esparza on July 19th, 2013.

 The park states they've finished their investigation of the ride with assistance from the train manufacturer, as well as internal and external engineering experts and have deemed the ride free of any mechanical failure. It has also passed with the Texas Board of Insurance (who seems to handle these kinds of problems) and is clear to re-open to the public. They have re-designed the padded lap restraints and have added in a seat belt for safety measures, the park is also providing a new 'test seat' for the roller coaster so riders can have a better idea of restraint fit. The company also states that riders with "unique body shapes and sizes" may not fit into the restraint and will be unable to ride.

 The family of Rosa Esparza has filed suit against Six Flags Over Texas to the tune of at least $1,000,000 in damages. Six Flags has no further comment about the attraction or the suit against them. 

 Now, one a personal level I feel very sorry for Ms. Esparza's family and extend them my sympathies but I fully believe this is a two way street with blame going to both parties involved. Ms. Esparza should have gotten off that ride the moment she felt uncomfortable and Six Flags Over Texas should not have allowed her on the ride.

 Before you chew my head off you have to remember something important, amusement parks and theme parks aren't out to kill people. They want their rides to be as safe as possible not only as a legal matter but as a business matter. These parks are, in the end, a big and expensive business to run. People won't buy tickets to a park with a bad safety record in this modern day and no ticket sales means no park. The bottom line is that these parks have to be safe to survive.

 The odds of any random person being injured by a ride are slim to none, accidents are very rare and that's a good thing.  Most of you won't ever even experience a breakdown where your evacuated from a ride much less an accident. Your safer on these roller coasters then you are in your car traveling to the park.