Sandusky police investigating accident at Cedar Point near Raptor

Or potentially a rider saw him and extended their legs to avoid him.

They probably don't want to brand a "people eating bird" aka Valravn when a person was literally just killed on their bird themed Raptor... Maybe they're rethinking the name last minute like they did with Mantis

We've all made a knee-jerk asinine decisions. unfortunately, this instance cost the ultimate price. Seems like an admirable person. My condolences to his family and all those affected.

"I'm not going on Raptor - It isn't safe!"

But Pete, some of the comments do come off as self righteous as if they never made a stupid, risky move that could have ended badly. And not just here by all means. Since he was from my county (Stark) my Facebook is full of comments on this. Some kind, some callous, some downright without any apparent sense of humanity left. Some judging whether he was worthy of living due to his lack of higher reasoning skills! Thank goodness this guy did not echo this belief & feel our worth as humans was contingent on our intellectual capacities or he would not have lived his life to better the lives of the special needs kids. A wise man once said, "let he w/o sin throw the first stone." Personally, I have brought to fruition enough DA decisions to never be throwing any stones.

I forgot how interesting the conversations get on here.

randi b said:

....as if they never made a stupid, risky move that could have ended badly.

This is where I get tripped up. (And for the record: on the autism spectrum and prone to rigid thinking.)

Climbing a fence clearly intended to deny access in order to gain access to a huge piece of equipment with fast-moving trains in operation isn't a "stupid, risky" move. It's a deliberate, considered choice.

noggin said:

Climbing a fence clearly intended to deny access in order to gain access to a huge piece of equipment with fast-moving trains in operation isn't a "stupid, risky" move. It's a deliberate, considered choice.

Well said. We all make mistakes, and we all make choices. But climbing a fence to risk your life for a $100 phone?

This one deliberate act will have consequences we will all pay for at parks in the future.

Now announcement is delayed thanks to the idiot.

One bad apple ruins it for all.

Sorry, I'd have to stand by my interpretation. I do feel it was a stupid, risky move, but deserving of our compassion in light of the tragic outcome.

^^Man you must be the most upset person in the world right now...

Wow.

Announcement Schmouncement....That can wait. Cedar Point is doing the right thing, in my humble opinion.

"Bad decisions" come on a spectrum, though. Of course everyone makes dumb decisions, it's part of life, but there's a certain threshold where the violation of common sense is just so flagrant that you just can't group it with regular bad decisions anymore.

When there's a known extreme danger, and it's deliberately ignored, that's where you cross the threshold. Like people who are electrocuted trying to steal copper from substations, or the man in Texas who ignored warnings about alligators, jumped in the water, and was eaten by them.

I have no problem with them delaying the announcement, though. Better to wait for things to cool down especially if they're 100% going with Valravn as the theme, since no amount of "But we had it planned for years" will alleviate the "too soon!" that would result.

I can see how Cedar Point decided it would be in bad taste so soon after the tragedy to go into their spectacle announcement to drum up excitement for their new ride. "And now for something completely different..."

I think they are having a moment of silence for him, so to speak..

Look at the webcams. A clear view out over Lake Erie, a fuzzy view of the lake and horizon, and a closeup of a flower bed..

Seems a fitting way to recognize it, without calling attention to it..

If that is meant to be symbolic, its certainly very nice. I do find human behavior very interesting though. There have been a number of people who have died on CP rides because of a preexisting medical condition. They were doing everything right, but tragically riding caused this condition to surface and they left us. They were innocent of any wrong doing and were simply enjoying themselves, but yet, they only became a footnote. Then, someone who willfully puts himself and others in danger, breaks all the rules and dies a self inflicted death gets much more sympathy and attention by some people. Does anyone see anything wrong with that? Shouldn't it be the opposite?

I heard a rumor that CP trademarked Butterfly.

Alot of that Pete might have to do with the way it's reported to the mass public. An incident like this has much more shock value and potential controversy (which equals $$) to the media to report. So you've been hearing about this as a national news story. Most of the media has done well reporting this story though... except WKYC, who felt it necessary to remind the public about the SkyHawk event, STR event, Wildcat event in 2011 which has been gone for years now, Dragster event 10 years ago even. I was surprised that a local media source was comparing this incident to those and putting the headline as "Man killed by Cedar Point coaster". It certainly doesn't help the park who gives them plenty of positive headlines every year.

Walt said:
Seems like a lot of energy being spent on prematurely beating up on media and lawyers.

Well I heard it first hand this morning on the radio "rider dies after riding Raptor at Cedar Point"

At first when you hear this title you think wow he died riding the ride. They should have made it the following "rider on raptor was an idiot after riding, jumps fence and dies"

Then people wouldn't judge based on a misleading media title.

Sorry media can be piranhas for stories these days. Stretching what's real and what's not for a story.

campfreak06 said:
Announcement Schmouncement....That can wait. Cedar Point is doing the right thing, in my humble opinion.

Agree with you here, just sucks that one bad apple screwed up the party for the rest of us. Cedar Point did do the right thing.

^ You "agree" about the postponement but you ...

...don't feel bad

... for the...

...dumb idiot.

Gotcha.