Cautionary Tales with Tim Harford The Thrill and the Drop: A First Date Rollercoaster
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Feb 14, 2025 Follow Leah and Joe on their thrilling first date at a theme park where they face the rollercoaster Smiler. The ride’s dramatic pause raises questions about trusting technology versus human judgment. Engineers grapple with a safety issue, contrasting automated systems and the need for human oversight. The story takes a poignant turn as Leah navigates the aftermath of a tragic accident, finding strength in resilience and romance. Explore the adrenaline of first dates and rollercoasters, revealing the delicate dance between thrill and safety.
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First Date Disaster
- Leah Washington and Joe Pugh's first date at Alton Towers took a terrifying turn on the Smiler rollercoaster.
- Technical difficulties and a long wait preceded the disastrous ride.
Fifth Train Addition
- Engineers at Alton Towers added a fifth train to the Smiler track while addressing a technical fault, increasing rider capacity.
- This action, amidst windy conditions, contributed to the subsequent accident's complexity.
Test Train Stall
- An empty test train stalled on the Smiler due to wind and its lighter weight, hindering its momentum.
- Engineers manually pushed the train to complete its circuit, unaware of the added fifth train's presence on the track.