I remember back in my 2004 season i was working Top gun at Carowinds. We had a storm coming our way but was a good 30 miles from the park. No worry really not until a idiot decided to jump our perimeter gate while we were in dispatch the train was at the top of the lift when the driver noticed it and hit the e-stop. the way he stopped caused a fault behind the already e-stop hit. We had to evacuate 32 people from the top of the lift while the storm was throwing lightning all around. It was scary to look out the sky and see it pitch black with lightning coming closer to the park.

__________________
http://img316.imageshack.us/img316/9...ani20075cj.gif

How about the guy who jumped off the boat at Jaws because he wanted to beat up the shark to save his girlfriend from it? Considering if he'd actually gotten close to the shark, he would have been killed by the lift the shark platform is on.

Or maybe the lady at Earthquake who had a panic attack (I guess that 10 foot long semi truck that's missing a wheel really scared her when it fell from the ceiling) and jumped out of the train ... Then tried to run up the stairs next to the TD booth. You know, where all the WATER comes out at the end of the ride. Thank goodness the TD operator (ahem, *ME*) was paying attention, and hit an E-stop.

__________________

/\ Your kidding...right?! You worked Earthquake...a lady paniced...jumped out...and ran up the stairs to where the water comes out? And you hit e-stop?

Well I think you get the golden award for LIFETIME!! That must of been something.


Oh, and Bayard..being that high on that ride with see-through stairs and a huge storm...OUCH!!

Stuck on Splash Mountain. At the big finale drop, with the log literally dangling over the side, it wasn't like balancing on the crest but there was still a good deal pushed over the top.

__________________
Sesame Street characters at Busch Gardens Europe!?
Take THAT Magic Kingdom!

This wasn't a shutdown, but I heard that there was lighting all around up at Beech Bend during Rumblefest (and the coaster had just been struck by lightning two days earlier)...the operator comes on and says "There's lightning in the area, but if you want to ride climb aboard!"

Then I personally witnessed the train coming too fast into the station that day. One of the brakes wasn't engaging on the brake run.

But did they stop it to fix it? No. They just kept running it! Good thing they only run one train!

__________________

Intimidator Coming in 2010 to Carowinds!

The scariest experience I've had while working at an amusement park is evacuating Chances Chaos when there isn't any power. If any one knows about Chaos and how poorly its design is knows what i'm talking about

One scary shutdown I mentioned once in another column was when we all went for cover at SFNE, do to a really bad thunderstorm. The lights went out and there was total ink black darkness.

__________________
Please remain seated until the ride comes to a full and complete stop.

Just curious, was this in florida or california?

__________________
Life without coasters, is just life.

Just last week I got stuck on freefall, at SFOG for twenty five minutes right at the very top, before it slid out into "drop" position. I wasn't scared just enjoying the view when my friend next to me started screaming. He's afraid of heights. So to calm myself I look down, and that wasn't too good seeing as the caged bottom is see through and I could see down through the metal frame.

P>S>

You wouldn't believe how rusted out the top of free fall is!

__________________
Some of my most recent credits: Superman Krypton Coaster, Dueling Dragons and Hulk, Firehawk and Italian Job
* Wii friend code: 0538 6357 5445 8967