Rider Liability Law

FlatlandMounty · Post by **FlatlandMounty** » Mar Wed 07, 2007 12:32 am

I heard that in Ohio they have a state instituted Rdier Liability Law that basically states that if a guest does not follow the posted and audio instructions that they are liable for their own injuries.

Anyone know how true this is?

I know that Florida does not have it, and Disney can't even ask the state legislature or they would risk looking like they don't care about guests anymore.

I think this would be awesome. Disney would not stop helping people, but it would eliminate a lot of the stupid lawsuits for people hurting themselves. Maybe people would pay more attention if they knew that they wouldn't get a free ride on Disney Dollars for moving blindly into unlit areas.

EDIT: I just recently found out this law is more severe than what I originally stated. The states that incorporate it make it a felony for not observing signs or listening to rider instruction.

AKLRULZ · Post by **AKLRULZ** » Mar Wed 07, 2007 8:06 am

I'm 10000000000000000% for personal liablity/accountability laws. Hope this is true.

Post by **Dr. Ravenscroft** » Mar Wed 07, 2007 8:42 am

Same here!!
(rant)

If you are to dumb not to follow the simple rules like no standing during the ride and the hands, arms, feet, and legs thing you deserve what you get. It isn't Disney's or any other theme parks fault YOU didn't follow the directions and got hurt. It is like when some parents put lifts in kids shoes to give them a little more height should Disney be checking everyone's shoes?! This would help stop frivolous lawsuit having to do with People being dumb.

I don't find it too unreasonable to follow the simple rules Disney has adopted over the years. And if I did make a mistake and put a hand or foot in the wrong place and "had an incident" I wouldn't hold it against anyone other than myself. I would just feel stupid and be angry at myself. Now if a CM was told to throw rocks at the guests during It's a Small World then I would bring up a lawsuit or criminal charges, but that will never happen.

So YES I would totally support an initiative like this in every state. Theme Parks have been hit hardest with frivolous lawsuits in this area for long enough now, it is time to put a stop to this. Vote YES on prop..............O wait it isn't a political rally.........Oops forgot. But seriously I think Florida, California and all of the other states should adopt this law so we can all have a better Theme Parks experience.

Sarah Turp · Post by **Sarah Turp** » Mar Wed 07, 2007 2:25 pm

Couldn't agree more Dr. Ravenscroft! People have got to start taking responsibilty for their actions. The current compensation culture is ridiculous. People just act as idiots and its bad for everyone.

In England there has been loads of "health and Safty" stunts lately with councils cutting down trees incase kids climb then, fall off and sue. You cant take kids on school trips as they will mess about, get hurt and sue. You cant do practicles in science lessons incase the idots decide to drink the stuff for a bet or something. It all ends up meaning that everyone misses out just because of a stupid few.

Personally I'm all for the survival of the cleverest. If you are dumb enough to get yourself maimed or killed by acting as an idiot then you dont deserve to be part of the gene pool.

Maybe if they stopped you being able to sue other for your own stupidity people might learn to act more sensibly and the world will be all the better for it.

thecleverarachnid · Post by **thecleverarachnid** » Mar Wed 07, 2007 5:07 pm

Sarah Turp wrote:Personally I'm all for the survival of the cleverest. If you are dumb enough to get yourself maimed or killing by acting as an idiot then you dont deserve to be part of the gene pool.
better for it.

Sounds like the Darwin Awards- Theme Park Edition.

Post by **js3901** » Mar Wed 07, 2007 6:02 pm

Sarah Turp wrote: Personally I'm all for the survival of the cleverest. If you are dumb enough to get yourself maimed or killed by acting as an idiot then you dont deserve to be part of the gene pool.

I think the gene pool could use a little chorine, now that you mention it.

I'm all for a law like this to be passed in all 50 states, and Canada (as Paramount's Canada's Wonderland is not that far away from me) as it would stop alot of nonsense lawsuits. Society today has become too sue-happy in recent years. It's the new "Get-Rich Quick" scheme.

AKLRULZ · Post by **AKLRULZ** » Mar Thu 08, 2007 7:41 am

js3901 wrote:I think the gene pool could use a little chorine, now that you mention it.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Might be the funniest line of the year so far!! Totally agree!

GhostHost · Post by **GhostHost** » Mar Thu 08, 2007 8:43 am

js3901 wrote:
Sarah Turp wrote: Personally I'm all for the survival of the cleverest. If you are dumb enough to get yourself maimed or killed by acting as an idiot then you dont deserve to be part of the gene pool.
I think the gene pool could use a little chorine, now that you mention it.

I'm all for a law like this to be passed in all 50 states, and Canada (as Paramount's Canada's Wonderland is not that far away from me) as it would stop alot of nonsense lawsuits. Society today has become too sue-happy in recent years. It's the new "Get-Rich Quick" scheme.

Agreed. Let the stupidly curious get what they have coming to them. I don't buy into evolution or Darwinism per say but there is a lot to be said for the theory of natural selection. We can only protect people from themselves for so long. Eventually, accidents will happen when people are careless and foolish. Sorry but you should not be able to sue someone for not recognizing the height of your own stupidity. Laws, rules and cautionary signs are in place for a reason and when there are those that mock these laws and rules and test the limits out of spite then they deserve what happens to them. Don't go crying lawsuit when you break the rules and it turns out bad for you.

Post by **Dr. Ravenscroft** » Mar Thu 08, 2007 11:10 am

AKLRULZ wrote:
js3901 wrote:I think the gene pool could use a little chorine, now that you mention it.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Might be the funniest line of the year so far!! Totally agree!

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!! I have to agree on both posts.

I have to agree with both posts on that one.

Sounds like the Darwin Awards- Theme Park Edition.

I would love to be the one standing outside the parks handing these things to people saying "you have won this award", and then seeing their reactions when you tell them what the award is actually for.

In England there has been loads of "health and Safty" stunts lately with councils cutting down trees incase kids climb then, fall off and sue. You cant take kids on school trips as they will mess about, get hurt and sue. You cant do practicles in science lessons incase the idots decide to drink the stuff for a bet or something. It all ends up meaning that everyone misses out just because of a stupid few.

I have climbed many a tree in my lifetime and I can safely say that I have fallen out of a few and knocked myself around, but you don't see me suing anybody. I remember one that was in my friends yard, I was hanging from a branch and was trying to do pull ups and as I was doing one the branch snapped and I fell on my face and knocked a tooth out. Now lucky for me it was a baby tooth and no other harm came to me other than bruises. You can argue that someone should have been out there to watch us or that the tree shouldn't have had low branches for kids to climb on but I just consider it a lesson learned, don't climbed out that far on a limb that looks and feels like that. That is called LEARNING. Trial and error. Some people trial the wrong thing and it ends up in disaster but for the most part you learn from your mistakes.

Some folks sue because of money, others sue for good intentions (like that whole Erin Brokovich thing, but others I think sue out of embarrassment. They get upset that they made the mistake and they take it out on others.

foldmama · Post by **foldmama** » Mar Thu 08, 2007 12:07 pm

I'm all for a law such as this. I just wish it could extend into every day accidents. A few years ago I broke my foot at my brother's house. Woke up in the middle of the night, when to check on my nephew and missed one of the stairs on the way down. A simple every day accident. Problem was the insurance companies. My health insurance company wanted me to sue my brother so they would not have to cover the medical. I absolutely refused to sue him, so they had to choice. Law suits today are way out of hand and there needs to be some laws to protect places like Disney who care for their guests. If your stupid and don't follow the rules, it's not their fault if you get hurt. It's that simple! People needs to be responsible for their actions and parents need to be responsible for their children!

Mr.ToadWildRider · Post by **Mr.ToadWildRider** » Mar Thu 08, 2007 12:38 pm

Dr. Ravenscroft wrote:
Sounds like the Darwin Awards- Theme Park Edition.
I would love to be the one standing outside the parks handing these things to people saying "you have won this award", and then seeing their reactions when you tell them what the award is actually for.

Would be kinda hard to hand them out at the parks as the Darwin Awards are the annual awards given to people post-mortum for expiring in stupid yet funny ways.

I have to agree about how this law would be beneficial in many ways, but I have a feeling it will be a long time, if ever, before Florida sees this. Florida relies a LOT on tourism dollars, with a large portion coming from the Kissimmee/Orlando area, between WDW, Universal, and even all the little rinky-dink amusement areas. If they were to enact this law you can believe it would be a national news story under the title "Disney no longer has to worry about rider safety" (which of course isn't true but all news stories need that catch then you watch the story and you get a more accurate recount) or something and would thus injure the tourism market, which these days is NOT something they want to mess with.

On the other hand, I do worry about a law like this being abused. I know that WDW wouldn't, neither would Universal, but some smaller operations may have some sort of small print on their instructions which would under the law keep them safefrom liability. Now I'm sure if that were to happen it would eventually get appealed but then it's up to the courts and in particular WHO hears the case. I mean even WDW and Universal do have fine print on some of their warning signs, has anyone actually read it? I haven't. I'm sure some awful yet clever person could add language which would remove almost any liability in the event of accident under that law. Imagine having a line somewhere lost amidst text on the safety warning for a rollercoaster "Keep your hands on your handle bar at all times" which would mean anyone who puts their hands up (which I'm sure is many of us) or even if they had their hands under the bar would that remove their protection in the event of an accidental injury? It depends largely on how the law is written and it can be tricky with these liability issues.

Disneys America · Post by **Disneys America** » Mar Thu 08, 2007 1:18 pm

When has a little thing like a law ever stopped a jury from awarding obscene amounts of money.

borjoyzee · Post by **borjoyzee** » Mar Sat 10, 2007 3:57 pm

If people can't follow the rules and such, then yeah!

Unless it was a mechincal thing; that's another story.

tmptnr · Post by **tmptnr** » Oct Sun 14, 2007 10:52 pm

I live in ohio. I knew a little bout the law since we go to Cedar Point. This is very interesting. Just Follow the rules....

Jacca5660 · Post by **Jacca5660** » Oct Wed 17, 2007 5:44 pm

I live in Tennessee and have a friend that makes you sign a disclaimer to go in his pool. After everything you hear about, I don't blame him. People think that it's everyone else's fault if they're stupid. YES WE DO NEED MORE CHLORINE IN THE GENE POLL! The shallow end is becoming very crowded!