Universal Studios’ newest roller coaster has riders screaming - and LA neighbors up in arms

Universal Studios’ newest roller coaster has riders screaming - and LA neighbors up in arms The thrilling coaster spins cars up to 72 mph — prompting some riders to scream — much to the disappointment of residents in a nearby neighborhood - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments A new rollercoaster at Universal Studios Hollywood has left some of its Los Angeles neighbors furious over riders’ screams — which one local described as sounding like “bloody murder.” The California theme park’s first high-speed outdoor rollercoaster, Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift, soft-launched Monday, bringing thrill-seeking parkgoers along a twisty track that spins cars at speeds up to 72 mph. However, residents of the nearby Toluca Lake neighborhood aren’t thrilled by the noise, describing intrusive screams they say sound like they’re straight out of a horror movie. “When it’s running, it’s constant, and it sounds like bloody murder over there,” Toluca Lake resident Colby Jensen told KTLA, noting it sounded like “a horror film going on. Constant screaming, yelling. Very intrusive.” The rollercoaster features 360-degree rotation of the individual vehicles to create a “seamless sensation of drifting cars as they spin in motion,” Universal says on its website. Although it hasn’t officially opened yet, Universal has been conducting test runs of the attraction in recent days. While designing the coaster, Universal installed sound shields at points along the track to help stifle screams and filled the track with pea gravel intended to dampen noise. “You do hear the screaming, and I heard it late last night with the doors closed and you’re kind of like, what is that? By the third time, you know what it is,” resident John Heim told ABC 7. Heim noted that he could tell the park had been taking measures to try and regulate the noise, but noted, “some days it’s good, some days it’s bad.” Another resident, Kevin Dees, says the park has gotten progressively louder over the years. “There are much bigger problems in the world than how a rollercoaster is affecting this neighborhood,” Dees told KTLA, “But what’s really disheartening is to see some of the comments online, people attacking people who live in Toluca Lake just because we live here, that somehow we deserve this to happen to our neighborhood. That’s unfortunate.” In a statement to ABC, Universal Studios said it is evaluating the attraction and monitoring the sound levels during test runs. “The coaster is currently in technical rehearsals, which are designed to evaluate the attraction over time and under a variety of operating conditions. As part of that process, we are actively reviewing sound levels to ensure the coaster is operating in compliance.” The Independent has contacted Universal for more information about when the ride is expected to open for good. Neighbors told KTLA that the park has been responsive to their concerns about the noise, including opening a hotline and installing microphones throughout the neighborhood to monitor sound levels. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments