Shea's Blog

By Shea Stewart

SUMMER OF FEAR

Posted July 3, 2007

The summer of 2007 is shaping up to be the summer of the killer amusement park ride. In the past 10 days along, a 13-year-old girl hit her head while on a Magic Teacup ride at Boomers in Florida, putting her in intensive care; a 21-year-old Rye Playland employee was killed when she was thrown from a ride in New York, and a 13-year-old Kentucky girl had her lower legs torn off when a cable wrapped around them on a ride at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom.

Now, all we need is for TIME magazine to add to the hype by exposing the dangers, much like the magazine did to sharks with its 2001 cover, “Summer of the Shark,” striking fear into millions even though unprovoked attacks in 2001 were less than the year before.

As more people journey to amusement parks in the summer months, perhaps people should be warned about the dangers lurking: roller coasters flinging riders out of their seats, Ferris wheels rolling through crowded city streets and merry-go-round horses trampling their riders.

You have been warned. Let the hysteria begin.