July 31 Lethal Cyclone Ride

I'd like to understand better why that poor tourist's neck broke on the Cyclone. This doesn't happen to everyone, obviously, so perhaps he had delicate bones or happened to hold his neck in a very unusual and vulnerable position. So strange that the story reporting his death was published by the Post the day after Astroland closed, over a month after he died. As if they waited until it wouldn't matter so much to business.

Even Die-hard roller coaster freaks have complained to me about needing to visit the chiropractor after their ride. I wouldn't have gone on it anyway, but for the last 2-3 weeks I've been waking up with a sore neck so I have special sympathy for what that man must have gone through.

Not my daughter, though. When I told her about the accident, she got a concerned look on her face and then all the sudden responded "So it's Coney Dieland?" Since someone was last killed at Rye Playland she calls it Die Playland, so she couldn't resist. I understand Nellie Bly's under new management, so she won't get a chance to rename it. And it was pretty tame anyway.

The cyclone rider, Keith Shirasawa, died August 4. Here's a candle for him.