Open Post: Hosted By A Japanese “Super Death” Roller Coaster That Was Suspended After Injuring Riders

August 27, 2021 / Posted by:

Sorry, adrenaline junkies. Japan’s Fuji-Q Highland Park has been forced to suspend the Do-Dodonpa roller coaster after at least six people reported injuries from the ride. Six people since December. Do-Dodonpa is famous for its “super death” acceleration, the fastest in the world; it hits 112 miles per hour in just 1.56 seconds. Literally breakneck speeds. Like, literally literally; four of the six injured riders claim to have broken their necks or backs on the ride. See, this is why I stick to Ferris wheels and lazy river raft rides. A much smaller risk of neck breakage and wild geese hurling themselves at your face.

Authorities were alerted to the riders’ injuries on August 17, and the theme park claims that it’s the first time anything like this has happened in the ride’s 20 year history. They’ve yet to find any technical issues with the coaster. Maybe it has something to do with Japanese roller coaster riders not being allowed to scream cuz of COVID-19? Swallowing a scream has gotta tense up your neck muscles, right? Right? Any chiropractors out there willing to confirm this hypothesis?

Naoya Miyasato, an architecture professor who studies roller coaster design, told Vice that accidents that result in broken bones are largely unheard of. He says it could possibly be an issue with people not being able to withstand the fast acceleration, or maybe riders are sitting with too much space between their backs and the seat. Apparently one of the people who reported an injury said she may have been sitting forward on the ride.

If you’d like to take a virtual ride on the rollercoaster without risking your neck, you can watch this video. But please note I got mildly nauseous watching this with my face an inch from my laptop screen:

The last time I went on a rollercoaster was the Ghoster Coaster at Canada’s Wonderland when I was a teenager. In case you don’t know, that’s the pussy coaster, a retro one with wooden tracks, designed for children. And somehow it still scared me. I’ll get my kicks reading Wikipedia plot summaries to horror movies, thank ya very much.

Pic: Instagram

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