Are the zip lines in Barbados safe?

[burm]

Just how safe are the Zip Lines in Barbados?

 

Your zip line adventure will start with a safety orientation where you will be outfitted with safety gear which includes a harness, helmets and gloves. The Zipline technology is very similar to that used for rock and mountain climbing and has a double line with redundancy to provide a safe environment for users. In addition the course was built by International Construction and Rigging Company Ltd. to standards approved by the Association for Challenge Course Technologists.

 

Does "redundancy" mean that you can zip hands free without needing to use your hands to brake?

 

I was just speaking with someone who almost lost her finger when it got caught when trying to brake with her hands. She was told that accidents like that happened approx once a week.

 

So, is the Barbados system safe?

[Aplmac]

Just how safe are the Zip Lines in Barbados? ===> or anywhere else? :eek:

 

Your zip line adventure will start with a safety orientation where you will be outfitted with safety gear

which includes a harness, helmets and gloves.

 

 

I was just speaking with someone who almost lost her finger when it got caught

-when trying to brake with her hands. ===> Cleverrrr!

She was told that accidents like that happened approx once a week.

 

So, is the Barbados system safe?

I'm no expert on the subject

but it seems to me that it should be about as safe as anywhere

where people listen-to, comprehend and follow instructions in the safety orientation! :cool:

 

 

We get many tourists on the island

who seem to think they're somehow immune from death and injury

simply because they're on holiday

and nothing could possibly...wouldn't DARE happen to them

while they're on Holiday.

 

 

Hmmmmm..

How safe are the taxis in NYC

if I decide to blithely step off the sidewalk in front two of them

as they go thru a green light?

[burm]

I'm no expert on the subject

but it seems to me that it should be about as safe as anywhere

where people listen-to, comprehend and follow instructions in the safety orientation! :cool:

 

 

We get many tourists on the island

who seem to think they're somehow immune from death and injury

simply because they're on holiday

and nothing could possibly...wouldn't DARE happen to them

while they're on Holiday.

 

 

Hmmmmm..

How safe are the taxis in NYC

if I decide to blithely step off the sidewalk in front two of them

as they go thru a green light?

 

It is very true that a lot of people think that safety rules are not for them.

However, not all zip lines follow the same safety standards. There were several reasons why the Honduras zip line appeared to be unsafe.

 

My question still stands: for those experienced zip liners out there, did they feel as if the Barbados lines were amongst the better, safer ones?

(Whistler, BC is supposed to have the highest safety standards)

 

Can you zip in Barbados with your hands free?

[siestakim]

I did the zip lines in Barbados in May. I have done them in a few other places as well and found them to be safe. They brief you before the tour and as long as you listen to what they tell you, you should have no problems. They use a double line that can hold some thousands of pounds so I wouldn't worry about weight being an issue. As far as getting your finger caught...again, if you listen there should be no problem. Your hands go behind you, so unless you are putting them in the wrong place, it is impossible to loose a finger. You can let go of the line but you tend to sway and most people don't want that. But all in all I found the instucters to be knowlegable and very friendly. We had a great time.

[gosaints2006]

I did the zip lines in Barbados in May. I have done them in a few other places as well and found them to be safe. They brief you before the tour and as long as you listen to what they tell you, you should have no problems. They use a double line that can hold some thousands of pounds so I wouldn't worry about weight being an issue. As far as getting your finger caught...again, if you listen there should be no problem. Your hands go behind you, so unless you are putting them in the wrong place, it is impossible to loose a finger. You can let go of the line but you tend to sway and most people don't want that. But all in all I found the instucters to be knowlegable and very friendly. We had a great time.

 

Have you done the zip lines in Jamaica? If so, how does it compare?

[burm]

I did the zip lines in Barbados in May. I have done them in a few other places as well and found them to be safe. They brief you before the tour and as long as you listen to what they tell you, you should have no problems. They use a double line that can hold some thousands of pounds so I wouldn't worry about weight being an issue. As far as getting your finger caught...again, if you listen there should be no problem. Your hands go behind you, so unless you are putting them in the wrong place, it is impossible to loose a finger. You can let go of the line but you tend to sway and most people don't want that. But all in all I found the instucters to be knowlegable and very friendly. We had a great time.

 

 

Thanks!

[siestakim]

No, I haven't done them in Jamaica. I've done them in Antigua, Barbados, and Belize. All were good but I really liked the staff in Barbados the best.

[kruznkanuk]

I did the zip lines in Barbados in May. I have done them in a few other places as well and found them to be safe. They brief you before the tour and as long as you listen to what they tell you, you should have no problems. They use a double line that can hold some thousands of pounds so I wouldn't worry about weight being an issue. As far as getting your finger caught...again, if you listen there should be no problem. Your hands go behind you, so unless you are putting them in the wrong place, it is impossible to loose a finger. You can let go of the line but you tend to sway and most people don't want that. But all in all I found the instucters to be knowlegable and very friendly. We had a great time.

As an insurance person married to an engineer, yes we have ziplined and yes, there are risks. The cables that have failed in various places, including Honduras, were not the fault of the tourist or any error or misunderstanding by the innocent victim. People don't realize that the force on the cable is many times the person's weight when accelerating and decelerating, so to make it safe for a 200 lb person, you need a cable with several thousand lbs weight rating. I don't pretend to know the details, but Many places skimp on the cable rating, connectors and cost. Some do not maintain or check the cables. If the cable goes all the safety briefings in the world won't help you.

The thread http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=739409&highlight=zipline+accident is interesting.

Yes, I would go again, as it was an awesome experience. Other than Canada or US and its territories, I would consider Barbados as more likely to have good standards... but that is just a guess!