GoKawiil
Tech News
A 42-year-old man, Hassan Jihad Ibn Kariem, died Monday after being ejected from the Goliath coaster at Six Flags Over Georgia, striking other riders before falling to the ground. Six Flags has temporarily shut down nine similar coasters across North America as a precaution, while manufacturer Bolliger & Mabillard says it is investigating the cause.
Six Flags Magic Mountain announced it is permanently closing its X2 roller coaster following lawsuits alleging the ride caused serious brain injuries. Park president Brian Oerding said the ride 'consistently passed a multitude of safety tests' but that closing it was 'the right thing to do.' The coaster had been shut since July after two women were hospitalized within a week of riding it, one of whom remains in a vegetative state after emergency brain surgery.
Universal Studios Hollywood has launched Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, a new outdoor roller coaster themed around the movie franchise. The ride sends replica muscle cars, including a version of Dom Toretto's 1970 Dodge Charger, spinning along more than 4,000 feet of track at speeds up to 72 mph. A separate version of the attraction is expected to open at Universal's Florida park next year.
Universal Studios Hollywood spent three years and heavy engineering—pea gravel track fill, glass 'scream screens,' and a 940-foot sound wall—to minimize noise from a new 72-mph looping coaster near a residential area. The measures worked during rider-free tests, but once real passengers boarded, nearby residents reported constant, piercing screams every 30 seconds throughout operating hours. Universal is now adding more sound barriers and adjusting hours to address the ongoing complaints.