Gothamist: Coney Island Cyclone Sending Some Riders to Hospital

sonyactivision

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:50:47 -0500

You can believe anything you read in The post...after it's absorbed enough catshit.

coney fan

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:29:53 -0500

#18 yes, it's landmarked, but haven't you heard of "demolition by neglect." The term means the destruction of a building, or in this case historic ride, through abandonment or lack of maintenance. First off, the owner lets the property become derelict, then they say it can't be rehabilitated, next thing it's declared a public hazard and demolition permit granted. If you're thinking NYC owns the Cyclone, they aren't going to neglect it, think again. It's owned technically by the Parks Dept, which let the Parachute Jump rot for decades. The first attempt to landmark it failed, because funds weren't available to maintain it. The NY Post smear job on the Cyclone was fed to reporter Rich Calder by Thor publicist and ex-Post reporter Stefan Friedman. The story plants the idea the Cyclone is not being properly operated and is a deadly and dangerous ride. Trying to make people afraid to ride it so ridership goes down and it's no longer profitable to run? Trying to make the city fear it's a liability for them to operate. If the Cyclone ceases to operate as a ride, there will be no funds to maintain it. Then it could very easily become a victim of demolition by neglect.

bklyngrrl

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:55:44 -0500

I rode The Cyclone for the first and last time about 5 years ago and had a stiff neck for 2 days, but I never thought much of it.

JenChungsBra

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 10:46:21 -0500

The Cyclone is landmarked -- it can't be torn down. Unlike what Giuliani did to the Thunderbolt.

cucarachita

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 08:17:25 -0500

Definitely a rough ride. I remember being a little scared about my neck while riding it, but thinking, I guess this is a safe ride, just a little violent....

coney fan

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 21:10:28 -0500

That's very funny, sony. I haven't heard a good roller coaster joke in a long, long time. Thanks for the laugh. I don't believe a word of this story. The Post is Thor's mouthpiece. Always writing negative stuff about Astroland. Are they trying to help get the Cyclone closed so Thor can tear it down and build condos? Timing of story, same day as the one about the Mayor of Coney living in the sideshow building bought for them by the city, is very suspicious. Bigtime smear campaign. Have a nice day, suckers

sonyactivision

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 18:15:45 -0500

"Rough" doesn't begin to describe it. Last summer I actually 'entered' the person in front of me after a sharp plunge. This year, I'm bringing lube.

JenChungsBra

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:45:10 -0500

I've been on that thing literally hundreds of times and yes, it's a rough ride. A friend of mine's wife is a coaster enthusiast to the point where she travels around the country riding every huge coaster she can find. She went on the Cyclone around five years ago and hurt her neck to the point where she's still getting treated for it. The worst that ever happened to me was getting squished against the seat by a fat guy.

TimSPC

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:03:46 -0500

Riding in the back seat is rough. I got some nice bruises on my knees from that. One of my favorite rides was when I got in a car solo. You really get whipped around without anything to hold you in place.

rtd2101

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 16:03:04 -0500

It's a pretty rough ride, especially if the only other roller coasters you've been on have been those smooth, modern ones that look like monorails. I'm surprised there wasn't more fuss about the guy who fractured neck vertebrae and ultimately died. I don't remember hearing anything about that.

CR

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:32:15 -0500

I made my ex-wife ride once. She cried all the way. That wasn't the straw that broke the camel's back, but it didn't help matters much.

bornbrednewyorker

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:29:37 -0500

bklynd it says in the story that the malfunction was from it having too much speed on the first drop. The key to the Cyclone is riding near the front. The last cars will whip you around pretty good.

nomnomnom

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:11:04 -0500

I wonder if all these injuries are the reason they were doing one person/car when the Cyclone opened this season.

bklynd

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:08:56 -0500

I looove the cyclone, but at the very beginning of the season last summer I also bruised my freakin tailbone on it. The seat had slid forward a few inches and so I was bouncing up and down against the metal frame instead of the cushiony part. Ow. I do remember a story that the guy who manages it doesn't actually like to ride it, which is not so good. I wonder how long this "malfunction" went on and exactly what caused it.

dandeluca

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:03:49 -0500

Yeah, I just noticed last week that it now costs *eight bucks* for that sixty-second ride, which kind of broke my heart. I figured the high price was to cover insurance costs, but maybe it's more for those out-of-court settlements. And yes, the feeling that the whole thing was incredibly rickety has always been the thrill of the cyclone. But still, you shouldn't be breaking neck vertebrae on it.

brooklynbee

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:53:33 -0500

The Cyclone is rough! I myself have actually never been a big fan of roller coasters. After I rode the Cyclone in 1996 (and got terrible whiplash), I said 'That's it! I'm done with roller coasters, I have ridden the most iconic one and I don't need to ride another one' - haven't ridden one since, don't miss it.

burgeon

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:44:04 -0500

Not to worry, in a few years the most dangerous thing to do in Coney Island will be, I dunno, Build-a-Bear or something.

spnder

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:35:17 -0500

That thing has always been deadly- which is part of it's charm. Still, it would suck to DIE as a result of riding it...

bjornsaucey

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:22:47 -0500

I bruised my taint on there last summer, but fuck it, right?

HowBoutDemCowboys

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:16:15 -0500

It amazes me that people will sue for things like this. There are plenty of warnings before you get on this ride. Plus common sense should kick in at some point and tell you that it's dangerous.

westernqueensland

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:15:44 -0500

AMAZING! I'm glad I was never hurt. I guess I'll have to lay off my son for not going on it with me.