Texting Ride Operators Create 'Ticket To Danger'

[The Interpreter]

...But that's not what the 2 Investigators found happening at the DuPage County Fair and a festival in Wood Dale this month.

We caught operators ignoring safety procedures repeatedly. What did we catch them doing? They were texting. And texting. And texting on their cell phones.

"I was glad you bought it to our attention," Rob Driskill said.

The man in charge of the controls of one ride called the Super Shot was texting and not paying attention. The ride's owner says it lifts children and adults 60 feet in the air and then drops them abruptly....

http://cbs2chicago.com/topstories/ticket.t....2.1155699.html

[Guest rcfreak339]

I hate ride ops who ignore safety rules. It is most likely the number one Amusment Park pet peeve I have. They are there to operate the ride safely and have fun while doing it. But that is not the case at most amusment parks. Iv'e seen texting at just about every park I have been to.

[Thrill_Biscuit]

Texting's everywhere! This relatively new technology that allows us to communicate with whomever we want--whenever we want--is addictive! I think in five years, everybody will be walking around with their heads down and thumbs a blazin'...

[iChase]

I know exactly how the situation is. You feel you have time to tap out a real quick message and nothing can go wrong in a minute. Right? Wrong. I know the situation all too well, I do it. I'm not proud of it. Then again, I'm not a ride op and I don't take people's lives in my hands every day.

Even if texting is quick and removes your attention for a few seconds at a time, it isn't right to do on the job. Especially running a ride. In my opinion, these employees need far harsher repercussions for texting while working.

[DaveStroem]

I saw a ton of this Saturday night on most of the rides at the Columbus Zoo.

[CedarPointer]

I have never seen any KI rides employee texting on the job. And that makes me very happy. Food and sweepers I have, but that's not a huge deal (to me).

[violakat03]

That's cause they're not supposed to even have their phones on them. That's a park rule that's been in place since I worked there under Paramount - only certain departments allow it. I know in merch if you got caught with your phone on you, even if it stayed in your pocket, you automatically got written up. In rides I'd think it'd be even more important. I have never seen anyone in rides texting or even with a cell phone in hand.

However, at Lakemont, the two girls running Skyliner were texting and not paying attention and a kid was standing up in the train while it was running and reaching out to hit the support posts. Someone in line pointed it out, the ride ops shrugged and said "we didn't see it." Of course you didn't see it, you were texting! I complained at the management office about it, the operations manager was NOT happy!! He also took immediate action, so I was very impressed by that.

[CoastersNSich]

It was not unusual to see ride ops/attendants texting on the phone rather than watching the rides, at the carnival that was at Cincinnati Mall in Forest Park a few weeks ago. This is generally a small part why I don't care for fair/carnival rides - and trust my safety to permanent amusement parks.

[Diamondback FOF]

That was the Ohio State Fair (Well, part of it, anyways).

[KingCobra]

That's cause they're not supposed to even have their phones on them. That's a park rule that's been in place since I worked there under Paramount - only certain departments allow it. I know in merch if you got caught with your phone on you, even if it stayed in your pocket, you automatically got written up. In rides I'd think it'd be even more important. I have never seen anyone in rides texting or even with a cell phone in hand.

However, at Lakemont, the two girls running Skyliner were texting and not paying attention and a kid was standing up in the train while it was running and reaching out to hit the support posts. Someone in line pointed it out, the ride ops shrugged and said "we didn't see it." Of course you didn't see it, you were texting! I complained at the management office about it, the operations manager was NOT happy!! He also took immediate action, so I was very impressed by that.

In the rides department if you bring a cell phone to work it must be put in a locker when you are on the clock, and cannot be with you at the ride. I think that it is a very good practice put into place. With so many things that can be going on at a ride, cell phones and texting just create a disaster waiting to happen.