Amusement Park Guests Concerned After Finding Unexpected ‘Passenger’ on Ride
Apparently, even animals love having some time off. That seemed to be the case when a duck was recently discovered on a roller coaster ride in Sandusky, Ohio.
The incident happened at Ohio’s Cedar Point amusement park. No one could tell how the duck found its way to the ride, but the creature had to be saved from impending disaster.
Like James Bond Catching a Train
Lead actors in blockbuster movies are prolific for jumping onto moving trains, often as a way of portraying how cool the character is.
Similarly, Cedar Point spokesperson Tony Clark believes the duck joined the roller coaster ride while it was already in operation. Usually, there are standby operators that check the ride carriers before each run. Thus, management believes there is no chance the animal got on the ride during boarding.
Saved By a Good Samaritan
Usually during such incidents of stowaway animals on roller-coaster rides, maintenance personnel would be dispatched to stop the ride and evacuate the creature.
However, even before the maintenance team arrived at the scene, one of the guests at the park had picked up the bird and removed it from the ride. The good samaritan didn’t think it necessary to dispatch the Ohio fire service to rescue a harmless duck.
Ensuring Safety on the Rollercoaster
The evacuation of the bird from the ride was important not just for the animal but for the riders, too. Just imagine yourself on a rollercoaster and suddenly feeling an unidentified feathered creature touching your skin.
The adrenaline of some rides is enough to leave guests in temporal shock for some time after the ride has ended. So, ensuring the safety of visitors to the award-winning Millennium Force rollercoaster was also a front burner.
Safe Fun Is Better Fun
Several regulatory bodies ensure rollercoaster rides are safe and that there are zero cases of accidents. Likewise, there are speed limits for rides, depending on the assessed level of safety.
Millennium Force has received numerous Golden Ticket Awards from Amusement Today for “#1 Steel Coaster,” a mark of guests’ remarkable experiences on the ride. Some of Cedar Point’s other rollercoasters operate at speeds of up to 93 mph and are still vetted as safe.