Interesting video Vaughn. I wonder who was responsible for that fiasco? That almost looks like old footage. Ah yes, 1990.
If I remember right, the chairlift I worked on many years ago (like in 1963 or 64) back in New York, only had a small brake on the motor to slow the motor quickly when needed, but the cable drive wheel was on a worm gear drive that was low geared enough that it would not roll free, even if the motor shaft was not connected. I remember that the motor and gearbox were the first things to get connected before we started mounting chairs. The cable itself could be pulled along without too much effort but would stop quickly. We then used the motor to move the cable as we mounted each set of chairs. We mounted one chairset on each side of the lower wheel tower at a time to save moving the cable as often. We were full of inovations.
I'm thinking that the video lift must have had a direct drive system with no worm gearbox or the shaft from their gearbox to the wheel was off and the uphill side of the cable had more weight on it, so it just ran downhill and dumped the chairs.
Expensive mistake I would say. I couldn't blame those guys for running.
I'd have to agree with you and Jump if it started going backwards, and quickly too.
Aloha, Tony