Deadliest Thrill Rides Ever Built at Amusement Parks
In the golden age of amusement parks, thrill-seekers flocked to experience the adrenaline-pumping rides that promised excitement and adventure. However, some of these attractions, such as the Revere Beach Lightning and the Perilous Plunge, have left a darker legacy.
One such ride is the Suspended Catch Air Device (SCAD), a thrilling attraction where participants are strapped into a harness and dropped onto a swath of land from a high structure. Although SCADs have been used to study the nature of fear in human beings, they have also been the cause of numerous accidents and fatalities due to their design.
Harry Traver designed the Revere Beach Lightning in 1927, which was part of a trio of coasters meant to provide a jarring ride with sharp turns, sudden inclines, and high speeds. The Lightning quickly became infamous for shaking riders so violently that they experienced bruising or life-threatening injuries. Tragically, within the second day of operation, the first fatality on the Lightning was recorded.
The Lightning was one of the most dangerous roller coasters of its day, and its reputation for danger led to an end during the Great Depression due to increased maintenance costs and decreased attendance rates.
Another notorious attraction is the Perilous Plunge, currently the tallest and steepest water ride in the world. Initially, the ride's design did not provide proper restraints, leading to a near-disaster when new cars with safer harnesses were ordered. The park failed to consider the difference in their weight, causing the ride's chain to nearly break due to stress.
In 2002, a woman riding the Perilous Plunge fell out of her seat and died after plummeting over 100 feet. As a result, the ride was shut down and is currently closed for redesign.
The Cannonball Loop Slide, open for only a month at the New Jersey Action Park, was another dangerous attraction. Designed to send riders hurtling down a small enclosed tube at high speeds, ending in a loop that would shoot them up and out onto a wet mat, the Cannonball Loop Slide was rumoured to snap up test dummies' limbs and leave real-life riders with abrasions, cuts, bruises, and near-concussions. Despite no fatalities, the slide was closed due to its dangerous design.
It is important to remember these roller coasters of the past as a cautionary tale, serving as a reminder of the importance of safety in amusement park attractions. While these rides may have offered thrills and excitement, their dark legacies underscore the need for proper safety measures and responsible design.
However, it should be noted that there is no information in the provided search results identifying a specific company or person responsible for the construction or worldwide distribution of the SCAD (assuming the query refers to the medical condition Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection or another meaning of SCAD). This article focuses on the roller coasters named Revere Beach Lightning, Perilous Plunge, and Cannonball Loop Slide.
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