Hello,
I am bumping this because I, too, am a refugee of TPR.
The site was mainly just a place for me to keep up with theme park happenings, but I did have around 300 posts over the course of a few years. I always tried to post reasonably, was never warned by any moderators, and always tried to make informed posts.
However, this is why I was banned...
*thread discussing the accident at Schlitterbahn with speculation about whether or not the ride would reopen in the future*
I posted this:
"I think it all comes down to the findings of the investigation.
If they are able to pinpoint a specific cause or failure (whether it be human error or mechanical/design error) and correct it, then it could reopen.
'We found issue X and have corrected it, along with adding other safeguards.'
But if the investigation finds that just 'something' happened by pure chance, and combine that with the ride's well-known issues before initial opening, then I have a hard time seeing it opening again.
'We're not entirely sure what happened, but we believe it's safe now.' "
To which Robb replied:
"This doesn't make any sense at all. Are you saying that the ride could have just "magically" had some sort of problem that couldn't be traced back to any human or mechanical error??!!!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Seriously people. Are you all just TRYING to get quoted in the "dumbest thing posted to TPR" thread? Please tell me that is the case because it makes me lose sleep at night thinking people could actually be this stupid."
And then I followed up with:
"No, not at all.
Example of specific issues: restraint failure, inadequate weight, etc
Example of issue harder to pinpoint: the front of the raft lifted up due to variable forces - which there are a lot of in anything with water - aligning just right (or 'magic')
I'm not saying this is what caused the accident, but there's a possibility that there was not one specific failure that can be pinpointed (happens all the time). If that's the case, it will be harder (if not impossible) to correct it, make the public feel safe, and reopen. Or maybe his restraint failed and they simply need different restraints. Again, completely dependent upon the findings of the investigation."
And then Robb said:
"Please stop. You're just following up one incredibly stupid post with an even dumber idiotic post. Let me just be the one to say it to you so we can save other people from reading your garbage:
You know nothing about what you are writing about.
No additional words by you will make a stronger case that you know what you are writing about.
Stop posting in this thread.
Go find another thread to post it.
Try REALLY HARD not to be dumb in whatever other thread you choose.
And yeah, that pretty much sums it up!"
At this point I was done with him (he had already banned other users and deleted posts in this thread for disagreeing with him that the accident was the parents' fault), so I just replied with a laughing emoji. Seconds later, I was banned (as I expected).
Yes, I was speculating about the incident (as many others were). But for him to say the things he did about what seemed to be a pretty reasonable and straightforward post? That did it for me. Of course, his minions subsequently joined in saying I was spewing "idiotic garbage" and saying I only used big words to try to seem intelligent (huh?). All of this because I said the depth of the findings of the investigation will determine if the ride opens again. It was quite an amazing experience.
That being said...I'm happy to join this community and am really liking what I see so far!