Welcome to The RCCGB
The Premier Roller Coaster Club
of Great Britain

PLAY SAFE from Andy Hine

The Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain believes that safety in amusement parks is of paramount importance. Safety rules are there for your safety and the Club will have no hesitation in expelling members riding in a dangerous manner. As enthusiasts we all get to know every dip, every curve and every G-force of a coaster and it is very easy to become complacent. Lap bars, seat belts, overhead restraints are all in place for your safety, whether you like it or not. Every time there is an incident Health and Safety officials look to introduce even more rules, some which take some of the fun away. How would you like to ride Megafobia and experience no airtime because you are forced to wear an electronic locking automatic adjusting seat belt, lap bar and overhead restraint? It may sound silly, but around the world various new safety
restraints are in existence as a result of riders ignoring rules. It is just a shame that an industry that gives over 500million safe rides a year worldwide is forced by one or two unfortunate events to have to ruin it for everyone. So please always observe parks rules. Safety is quite rightly one of the highest priorities for all parks, but some of the onus has to be on the rider who should respect speed, heights and G-forces of an amusement ride. So if we all follow the safety rules then we will continue to share many thousands of safe rides. If not, more and more rules will appear and you'll have less and
less fun. Have fun, but please play safe.

Andy's comments follow the letter below from Cedar Fair, owners of Cedar Point, Michigan's Adventure & Dorney Park.

Dear Mr. Hine

I am writing to discuss a ride safety issue that I know the Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain and other coaster and amusement park groups are also currently addressing with their members: the unsafe and often illegal actions of
coaster enthusiasts, and other riders, who willfully circumvent the safety systems on amusement park rides.

Unfortunately, we have received reports from several Cedar Fair parks of coaster enthusiasts attempting to either delete or minimize the use or effectiveness of safety devices such as lap bars and seat belts. In some cases, riders have asked our ride operators to assist in these actions. I know you agree such actions are dangerous, foolhardy, and irresponsible. In several Cedar Fair parks such actions also constitute a violation of state law, whether it is done
by park personnel or by a rider.

Several of these incidents have taken place during events conducted in association with coaster and amusement park groups. However, we realize it is not a problem solely with coaster enthusiasts.

Cedar Fair has always been an industry leader in the promotion of safety at its parks and has worked very hard to achieve and maintain this position. This has been accomplished in part by the insistence of rigid enforcement of ride
and rider safety requirements by our ride operators. Ride operators at Cedar Fair parks are not permitted to knowingly minimize or negate the effectiveness of provided ride or rider requirements or safety devices.

Cedar Fair cannot allow unsafe actions on its rides. Individuals who violate, or request a violation, of established rider or ride safety requirements or devices, are subject to park expulsion and possible arrest.

We know RCCGB has taken a strong position in support of responsible riding, and we applaud you for it. We urge you to continue to communicate the importance of safe riding to your members. The future of enthusiast events at Cedar
Fait parks, and the inclusion of exclusive riding (ERT) in such events, is in jeopardy if unsafe riding incidents continue to occur.

Please share this letter and our concerns with any and all RCCGB members and fellow enthusiasts. We all share a love of roller coasters, and we realize RCCGB members are among our strongest and most vocal fans. In the interest of
safety, we are all on the same team. Please give me a call if you would like to discuss this matter further.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Ronald K. Fussner Corporate Director Loss Prevention

CEDAR FAIR, L.P.

Please also read this safety ride letter from Holiday World