Space Mountain decapitation

[snopes]

Comment: I've heard stories for years about space mountain. they all end
up in a tall guy getting decapitated or having his hands cut off while
holding them in the air. Is there any truth to these rumors?

[chillas]

I think every amusement/theme park with roller-coaster type rides has this rumor. That's why The Bat at King's Island was closed years ago (or so people said).

Not that it's the end-all of information of course, but the Wikipedia pages on incidents at the parks (here and here) list three deaths following rides on Space Mountain; all were later attributed to natural causes (which, presumably, decapitation is not).

[mags]

In case anyone is interested, The Bat was closed because it was so prone to breakdowns. It was down more than it was up. No deaths are attributed to it. http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Bat_(Kings_Island)

[Lachrymose]

They must be thinking about "King Henry VIII's Wild Ride."

[RealityChuck]

Space Mountain is actually fairly tame as roller-coasters go; the thrill is that it's completely in the dark so you don't know what's going to happen next and can't prepare for it. Seen in the light (I did; there was an accident -- no decapitation -- and they stopped it and turned on the lights), it's not all that high or twisty.

[Meka]

Originally Posted by chillas

I think every amusement/theme park with roller-coaster type rides has this rumor.

Agreed - I'd heard similar rumors about the Magnum XL-200 and/or Millenium Force at Cedar Point.

[Electrotiger]

A rider of indoor coaster Fire in the Hole at Silver Dollar City in Branson was killed by a head-related injury in 1980--as kids we had always imagined that it was a decapitation (and from the description of the accident, sounds like it very well could have been; plus it added some spook-factor to the ride) but the sources don't confirm it.

[Psihala]

I think every amusement/theme park with roller-coaster type rides has this rumor.

The new Elitch's hasn't been in its current location quite long enough for these type of rumors to take hold yet, but there were plenty when it was in its original location. Both the Wild Cat and Mr. Twister roller coasters had decapitation and/or amputation rumors associated with them. One of my high school friends tried to convince me that the rumor that the last car on the Wild Cat wasn't attached to the track like the others were was true (to make riding in that car more exciting)... he wasn't happy with me that I wasn't buying it.

Our other local park, Lakeside, still has a persistent rumor of a roller coaster train ending up in the lake... which is no more true than the Wild Cat rumor.

Both parks have certainly had their share of fatal accidents in the past century of their respective existence but not in the manner I usually hear them told.

~Psihala

[rockland6674]

Originally Posted by RealityChuck

Space Mountain is actually fairly tame as roller-coasters go; the thrill is that it's completely in the dark so you don't know what's going to happen next and can't prepare for it.

I was surprised to learn (back in the '80s) that its top speed is just 27 M.P.H.

[Debunker]

Originally Posted by rockland6674

I was surprised to learn (back in the '80s) that its top speed is just 27 M.P.H.

According to Wikipedia and the MiceChat message boards, its top speed is 35 mph.

My Cousin the Cast Member got to ride Space Mountain at Disneyland with the lights on. She has never been one to Keep her Hands and Arms Inside Vehicle, particularly coasters. She is also 5'10" with long arms.

Her verdict? It's tall enough to put your arms up all the way through if you're normally proportioned. Manute Bol would have difficulty, but he wouldn't fit into the seats anyway.

Now standing up? Nope. But I can't imagine jailbreaking that seating and restraint system. Feet flat on the floor, knees slightly above hip level, pulldown restraint covered with a fat foam tube. It immobilizes the hips and the knees. Maybe a contortionist could do it, but the ride is a quick one...besides, why risk a career folding one's self into jars just to determine Decapitation Potential?

Video - Space Mountain, lights on:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXPFgtfW_yM

Personal observation: I used to ride all scrunched in and hanging on for dear life because you can see and feel other cars whooshing by. Last time I rode, I sat up straight and put my hands up...what a difference! almost like a new ride =)

[barbrainey]

Rumors and myths about roller-coaster decapitations are actually much older than most of us think.

Fifty years ago, an episode of the "Leave It to Beaver," TV series was about a giant, fast roller coaster. "Beaver" Cleaver, his brother, Wally, and friends Clarence "Lumpy" Rutherford, and Eddie Haskell were about to take a ride on this roller coaster when Eddie suddenly cried out, "Look, someone's head just came off!" No, it was a balloon, the others corrected him.

Barb Rainey

[Inzl Kett]

When I was a kid and that was years ago, rumors about decapitation were flying. It's nothing new. They were used to keep kid's hands in the roller coaster car.