State asks parks to shut coasters after accidents in other states (http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/8818417.htm) - Mercury News/AP, 06/02/04
The state has asked Knott's Berry Farm and Six Flags Magic Mountain to shut down one roller coaster apiece because the rides use a restraint system under investigation in fatal accidents in other states.

The parks say they will comply with the order, issued Tuesday. It applies to Knott's Berry Farm's Xcelerator ride and Six Flags' Superman: The Escape ride.

Ironically, STE has been dormant for a bit now, so not to much of an impact for them. But for Knott's to lose Xcel. just as the summer season is starting, ouch. Knott's is going to have a real customer service nightmare if Xcel. comes back with more restrictive restraints (like what is happening at Cedar Point) and suddenly some guests no longer fit. Add La. Rev. to the list of tight fit rides, and possibly Riptide will have the same shoulder width restrictions as La Rev. Knott's will have 4 rides with restraint issues - Perilous Plunge being the fourth, and still fitted with the most cumbersome and uncomfortable restraint harness ever.

In the rest of the article, they mention the girl who fell out of the "spider-arm" ride. The article, and Ms. Fackler, jumped to an incorrect conclusion. The restraint would have prevented the girl from falling out, but she sat on the ride in the wrong position - kneeling on the seat. No ride is going to keep you safe if the rider chooses to not follow the rules.

The seat geometry on Xcelerator is different from the Superman rides that were closed down. This just sounds like stupid politicians thinking they can outdo engineers.

The seat geometry on Xcelerator is different from the Superman rides that were closed down. This just sounds like stupid politicians thinking they can outdo engineers.

I agree. If I remember correctly the lapbar design for Xcelerator is very much like Goliath in that it is made to conform to a person's sitting position and effectively act as a restraint bar AND a lap belt of sorts. Coming from someone who has been on Xcelerator once and only once, the only thing I can see them needing to work on is the padding of the headrest. That thing didn't match up to my head very well and the launch was not a fun experience with the pressure being applied to my skull where it was.

Here's an article (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5086587/) detailing the changes that are being implemented at the Superman ride in MA in response to the death there. They're adding a bar that goes in front of a rider's shins to prevent them from slipping out from under the other restraint.

I am so glad that I got to go on Xcelerator when I went on Monday! It is so fun! I felt safer on that ride than some of their older ones.

What's odd is that on Xcell., I'm not sure how you could fall out with the current restraint system. It's pretty tight (although the headrest could be a tad taller), and on the course of the ride, the G-forces really push you into the seat on the way up, and then there really isn't any sudden neg g forces that push you up out of the seat (unlike the Intamin rides where it's been the neg g's that lift you up that causing the issue). Ditto with STE, with an L shape, there is never a point where you come up out of your seat. Your back is always against the seat, ideally you float for 6 seconds, but you don't feel like you are being pulled out of the seat at all.

I think it's an over reaction on the part of the State.