Thrill Ride

Amusement Park crowd acts fast, saves girl from harm

Alot of folks love amusement parks. And who can blame them? The popular vacation destinations offer a chance to have some family fun time. A way to escape from the pressures of everyday life. There are always plenty of food choices as well as shows usually featuring popular cartoon and movie characters. And then there are the rides. Some people love the rides. Others won’t go near them. But they are the big draw in any amusement park. The offerings range from somewhat slow and small rides—just right for the small fry—to fast and exciting thrill-a-minute things that test the nerves of even the bravest among us.

There is always the sense of danger in these rides. They are designed that way, though in truth they are pretty safe. But sometimes things go wrong. On Saturday a 14-year-old girl somehow fell from a gondola ride at Six Flags Great Escape in Lake George, N.Y. She held on to the side of the car and dangled 25 feet above the ground for a number of minutes. If she had fallen to the ground, she could have been injured—or worse.

Luckily, other park patrons stepped in. They gathered below the girls and called for her to drop. They would catch her.

And they did. The girl was taken to the hospital but suffered no serious injuries. Now that’s a great escape. It’s unclear how she fell from the gondola ride. An inspection of the equipment showed no defects. And the ride was cleared to resume operations the next morning. But the park plans to keep it closed pending further investigation.

The crowd thought and acted quickly. They deserve kudos all around.

Usually patrons come home from an amusement park with a story or two. But few will be able to top the story these people can share with the folks back home.