Boy Killed on Kansas Water Slide

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I heard it reported on the radio that his dad is in the Kansas State Legislature. Can you say "lawsuit"!

It was elected official day at the park, elected officials were allowed in the park at no cost. Why does this translate into a lawsuit?

Please--there will probably be a lawsuit b/c a kid died a horrible death regardless of parents' professions.

Not much good in Kansas. They have a $250,000 cap on non-economic damages.

The slide was built in Kansas because Kansas is the only state that didn't have regulations to prohibit it.

I know it's wrong, because a child just died, but I wonder how the father feels about tort reform and deregulation of industry now?

Yes, it's wrong, you creep.

Call it creepy, but there's one political party hellbent on dismantling regulations and this is precisely the sort of tragedy they're meant to prevent.

There is a time and place for politics. This is not that time. Please --please -- seek therapy.

Therapy? Seriously? For bringing up the point that regulations can help prevent this sort of tragedy? Wow.

Everyone knows that regulations can help prevent safety problems. That's an obvious point. Injecting politics into this tragedy is what is so very bizarre.

The Kansas Republican party would not agree with that statement. They would say that regulations hamper innovation and don't make anyone safer. Caleb's father is a member of the Kansas Republican party.

Karma is a bitch.

I don't agree with Republicans on many things. But I find your sentiment here disgusting. This family is suffering a horrific ordeal. Shame on you.

It is a horrifying ordeal. It is a horrifying ordeal caused in part because of the father's political positions and his role in the Kansas state government. The dad contributed to this event happening. The poor kid didn't deserve it, but his father's positions on low regulation for businesses absolutely created an environment that allowed this to happen.

If Dad was an AA woman who let her child wander into an animal enclosure, people would be ready to burn her at the stake. This father doesn't deserve less criticism.

PP, you are a true asshole. Regardless of the fathers political leanings, this kid died a horrific death. His father had NOTHING to do with it!!!!!

His father was part of a state legislature that blocked regulations for businesses. Lack of regulation contributed to this child's death. His father had everything to do with it.

You're a sick person.

[Anonymous]

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Not only that but there are plenty of YouTube videos showing kids on the ride with adults and the ride attendants casually shooting the breeze before the ride starts saying things like "it's not scary!" Nothing like skydiving or whatever where a trained professional rides with you and goes over what can go wrong and how to avoid that. It's a ride ins family park that was bound to kill someone and finally did due to some combination of faulty equipment + bad judgment.

You have to watch a safety video at the bottom before you hike up the stairs.

One of the YouTube videos shows a small boy at the side, waiting for the next raft. He looks no older than 10, himself. He then yells, "Hope you don't die!" to the adults waiting in the raft (guy in back must have a Go Pro on, since everything in front of him is being filmed). The guy in the middle responds, "Me too!" It's scary and weird to hear, considering the present circumstances. Also, the netting and the frames that it is attached to, looks very close to the top of the riders' heads. If poor Caleb flew from the front spot, directly into one of those frames, it is not surprising he was injured in such a horrific manner.

Finally, though, when all of that is said and done, the GoPro footage didn't appear to be all that scary or fast. The weight of the adult male riders distinctly slowed the raft down as it was going up the second hill. I have to imagine that Caleb's raft was seriously underweight and that his harness released. If the Velcro had released on the front passenger in the YouTube video, he probably would've been fine (although it was clear that person was smaller). Without any weight to hold the raft down, tragedy ensued.

More weight doesn't slow you down on those rides. It makes you go faster and higher.

you fail physics 101? Everything falls at the exact same rate, heavy or light. There is more sophisticated engineering going on here than any of us know about, even the engineers because they aren't familiar with that slide.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:
Not only that but there are plenty of YouTube videos showing kids on the ride with adults and the ride attendants casually shooting the breeze before the ride starts saying things like "it's not scary!" Nothing like skydiving or whatever where a trained professional rides with you and goes over what can go wrong and how to avoid that. It's a ride ins family park that was bound to kill someone and finally did due to some combination of faulty equipment + bad judgment.

You have to watch a safety video at the bottom before you hike up the stairs.

One of the YouTube videos shows a small boy at the side, waiting for the next raft. He looks no older than 10, himself. He then yells, "Hope you don't die!" to the adults waiting in the raft (guy in back must have a Go Pro on, since everything in front of him is being filmed). The guy in the middle responds, "Me too!" It's scary and weird to hear, considering the present circumstances. Also, the netting and the frames that it is attached to, looks very close to the top of the riders' heads. If poor Caleb flew from the front spot, directly into one of those frames, it is not surprising he was injured in such a horrific manner.

Finally, though, when all of that is said and done, the GoPro footage didn't appear to be all that scary or fast. The weight of the adult male riders distinctly slowed the raft down as it was going up the second hill. I have to imagine that Caleb's raft was seriously underweight and that his harness released. If the Velcro had released on the front passenger in the YouTube video, he probably would've been fine (although it was clear that person was smaller). Without any weight to hold the raft down, tragedy ensued.

More weight doesn't slow you down on those rides. It makes you go faster and higher.

you fail physics 101? Everything falls at the exact same rate, heavy or light. There is more sophisticated engineering going on here than any of us know about, even the engineers because they aren't familiar with that slide.

No, but you did.

A heavier group keeps more of its momentum and goes faster through the hills and turns. That's why one of the ways to cheat in the bobsled event at the Olympics is weight the back of your sled.

[Anonymous]

There is more sophisticated engineering going on here than any of us know about, even the engineers because they aren't familiar with that slide.

What on earth does that mean? An engineer does not need to be familiar with a particular water slide to explain how water slides generally work. It's a water slide, not a to secret nuclear weapon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Not only that but there are plenty of YouTube videos showing kids on the ride with adults and the ride attendants casually shooting the breeze before the ride starts saying things like "it's not scary!" Nothing like skydiving or whatever where a trained professional rides with you and goes over what can go wrong and how to avoid that. It's a ride ins family park that was bound to kill someone and finally did due to some combination of faulty equipment + bad judgment.

You have to watch a safety video at the bottom before you hike up the stairs.

One of the YouTube videos shows a small boy at the side, waiting for the next raft. He looks no older than 10, himself. He then yells, "Hope you don't die!" to the adults waiting in the raft (guy in back must have a Go Pro on, since everything in front of him is being filmed). The guy in the middle responds, "Me too!" It's scary and weird to hear, considering the present circumstances. Also, the netting and the frames that it is attached to, looks very close to the top of the riders' heads. If poor Caleb flew from the front spot, directly into one of those frames, it is not surprising he was injured in such a horrific manner.

Finally, though, when all of that is said and done, the GoPro footage didn't appear to be all that scary or fast. The weight of the adult male riders distinctly slowed the raft down as it was going up the second hill. I have to imagine that Caleb's raft was seriously underweight and that his harness released. If the Velcro had released on the front passenger in the YouTube video, he probably would've been fine (although it was clear that person was smaller). Without any weight to hold the raft down, tragedy ensued.

More weight doesn't slow you down on those rides. It makes you go faster and higher.

you fail physics 101? Everything falls at the exact same rate, heavy or light. There is more sophisticated engineering going on here than any of us know about, even the engineers because they aren't familiar with that slide.

Unlikely. The slide "engineer" was a high school drop out with no formal training. He was a thrill/fame seeker.

[Anonymous]

There's basically no way I would let my kid ride that thing. That is all. (She's 9 not 10 but still).

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:In addition to a civil lawsuit, criminal actions should be explored. How this horrific looking contraption could have been open for public use is beyond me.

The guy who designed it is a high school dropout. He dropped out of school at age 24 and he's the 'inventor', the 'creative mind'.
Great idea.
http://grantland.com/features/the-wet-stuff-verruckt-waterslide-schlitterbahn/

So what. He is an engineer. Other pretty impressive people never finished high school or college. What a dumb thing to point out.

I honestly don't know the answer to this, but don't you have to have some sort of degree to call yourself an engineer? Isn't there some sort of licensing or certification required?

[Anonymous]

I think there is a specific difference between the engineer and the designer. The designer creates the shape and purpose of the ride, the engineer makes it happen (by designing the support structure and identifying the materials used to build it). As we now know, after the ride was built, it had to be partially torn down and redesigned because it was unsafe.

[Anonymous]

Now is the time to discuss regulation. We need to learn from tragedies to stop them from happening again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there is a specific difference between the engineer and the designer. The designer creates the shape and purpose of the ride, the engineer makes it happen (by designing the support structure and identifying the materials used to build it). As we now know, after the ride was built, it had to be partially torn down and redesigned because it was unsafe.

And neither the designer NOR the builder was an "engineer." One was a HS dropout and one had a BS in Biology. Both had a heavy amount of hubris.

Being an engineer is not like being an "artist" - you do actually need training.

[Anonymous]

People Magazine is confirming that he was decapitated. http://www.people.com/article/caleb-schwab-decapitated-water-slide-accident

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I heard it reported on the radio that his dad is in the Kansas State Legislature. Can you say "lawsuit"!

It was elected official day at the park, elected officials were allowed in the park at no cost. Why does this translate into a lawsuit?

Please--there will probably be a lawsuit b/c a kid died a horrible death regardless of parents' professions.

Not much good in Kansas. They have a $250,000 cap on non-economic damages.

The slide was built in Kansas because Kansas is the only state that didn't have regulations to prohibit it.

I know it's wrong, because a child just died, but I wonder how the father feels about tort reform and deregulation of industry now?

Yes, it's wrong, you creep.

Call it creepy, but there's one political party hellbent on dismantling regulations and this is precisely the sort of tragedy they're meant to prevent.

There is a time and place for politics. This is not that time. Please --please -- seek therapy.

Therapy? Seriously? For bringing up the point that regulations can help prevent this sort of tragedy? Wow.

Everyone knows that regulations can help prevent safety problems. That's an obvious point. Injecting politics into this tragedy is what is so very bizarre.

The Kansas Republican party would not agree with that statement. They would say that regulations hamper innovation and don't make anyone safer. Caleb's father is a member of the Kansas Republican party.

Karma is a bitch.

What a repulsive post. Again: seek help or something to rid yourself of the rage inside.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In addition to a civil lawsuit, criminal actions should be explored. How this horrific looking contraption could have been open for public use is beyond me.

More than 500 people per year are killed in bicycle accidents. Accidents happen, but people prefer to think their child can't be gone in an instant.

The argument would revolve around negligence, criminal or otherwise. Sometimes, legal blame must be assigned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I heard it reported on the radio that his dad is in the Kansas State Legislature. Can you say "lawsuit"!

It was elected official day at the park, elected officials were allowed in the park at no cost. Why does this translate into a lawsuit?

Please--there will probably be a lawsuit b/c a kid died a horrible death regardless of parents' professions.

Not much good in Kansas. They have a $250,000 cap on non-economic damages.

The slide was built in Kansas because Kansas is the only state that didn't have regulations to prohibit it.

I know it's wrong, because a child just died, but I wonder how the father feels about tort reform and deregulation of industry now?

Yes, it's wrong, you creep.

Call it creepy, but there's one political party hellbent on dismantling regulations and this is precisely the sort of tragedy they're meant to prevent.

There is a time and place for politics. This is not that time. Please --please -- seek therapy.

Therapy? Seriously? For bringing up the point that regulations can help prevent this sort of tragedy? Wow.

Everyone knows that regulations can help prevent safety problems. That's an obvious point. Injecting politics into this tragedy is what is so very bizarre.

The Kansas Republican party would not agree with that statement. They would say that regulations hamper innovation and don't make anyone safer. Caleb's father is a member of the Kansas Republican party.

Karma is a bitch.

I don't agree with Republicans on many things. But I find your sentiment here disgusting. This family is suffering a horrific ordeal. Shame on you.

Yes--shame on you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People Magazine is confirming that he was decapitated. http://www.people.com/article/caleb-schwab-decapitated-water-slide-accident

Just awful.