Cell phones on rides

[calakapepe]

Yet at Universal the loading and unloading process is relatively smooth and easy due to no loose items

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As is Banshee

[jdawg1998]

You guys do realize how often people take out cell phones on rides, correct? We can't call security twenty times a day about some dumb dad taking his cell phone out on a ride to take a video with his family. I'm not defending them at all, but you have to realize many of them don't realize the magnitude of their actions. Telling them to put their phones away is really the only logical thing to do. Stopping the ride and calling security just wastes too much time. 

[MysticsTimber]

Waste of time an energy.

Energy that I don't have.

[Steph88]

^^ Spending the extra time isn't worth possibly saving someone from losing an eye, or getting a serious head injury, etc.? Or protecting the park from being sued for a WHOLE lot of money because some random guest didn't obey the rules? (And let's face it, they're going to go after whomever has the deeper pockets.)

 

Honestly if they'd make an example of a few people and ban them, and as NoChickens said, put up a sign saying "x amount of people have been banned this season from the park for on ride device usage" you'd see a heck of a lot less of it the following season. People need to start taking it seriously.

 

Or bring on the metal detectors. Better to invest that money now than pay for a law suit AND the metal detectors later. *shrug*

[Magenta Lizard]

And, there's the problem. They aren't paying these minors and young adults enough money to try to enforce rules against entitled jerks, nor making it a high enough priority. There is very little signage warning against it, and what there is does not really convey the dangers. When someone is caught, there are no consequences, except an extended inconvenient wait for all the people who /were/ following the rules.

The real problem with allowing rule-breaking (be it phones on rides, line jumping, smoking outside designated areas, entering lines after park close, etc) to go unchecked and usually even unmentioned, is that these problems snowball. Someone does it once, gets away with it, gets whatever benefits that come with that (free video of their ride to show all their friends, shorter waits, an extra ride). Next time they expect that entitlement again. Heaven help an employee who actually /does/ do their job and enforces the rules, or any other guest who points out rule-breaking, attempting to remove the benefits received, after someone has gotten used to getting extra privileges. People who followed the rules see it too, and see employees turn a blind eye (often even after it has been pointed out directly), and are perhaps less likely to follow the rules themselves in the future.

The culture of the park, at least at this point in the season, is that the way to get what you want is to just do it. It's easier on the employees to just let it go and move on than deal with it. And expecting or even gently requesting rules be enforced is really the best (if not only) way to be considered a troublemaker.

[benny1388]

You guys do realize how often people take out cell phones on rides, correct? We can't call security twenty times a day about some dumb dad taking his cell phone out on a ride to take a video with his family. I'm not defending them at all, but you have to realize many of them don't realize the magnitude of their actions. Telling them to put their phones away is really the only logical thing to do. Stopping the ride and calling security just wastes too much time. 

 

Why can't you call security? I'm assuming the video feed you see in the booth is recorded somewhere for security to review and there is a phone for operators to use. If you can't call because of the slowdown it would cause (lowering the throughput of your ride), then management is the problem because they're putting that throughput as a higher priority than rule enforcement (and therefore rider/guest safety). Management should encourage and empower employees to do their jobs and do them effectively.

 

An alternative would be to have someone from security standing at each ride ready to call their colleagues to escort offenders from the park. Then, the ride operators could just say "the rider in 7-2 has their phone out", then that person handles it from there.

 

Regardless of how the problem is solved, it needs to be solved. I assure you it won't take many instances for word to get around and people will start obeying rules. Even a public "shaming" of sorts would work, "Seven people were ejected from the park today for using a mobile device while on a ride in violation of Ohio law." There's really not much negative PR from saying you're enforcing/following state law.

[diamonbackandbeastlover]

I'm going to look at this from a guests side who was visiting the park the first time. You get on a ride. Think nothing of it and start videoing your kids first ride. The kid is screaming having fun you don't hear the announcements. You get off the ride only to be greeted by security guards. Also, not everyone who visits these parks may speak English. There are alot of factors and ruining someone's day for one time is different.

Now if someone were to pull their phone out multiple times in the same day and you witness it. It would be a different story...

[disco2000]

I'm going to look at this from a guests side who was visiting the park the first time. You get on a ride. Think nothing of it and start videoing your kids first ride. The kid is screaming having fun you don't hear the announcements. You get off the ride only to be greeted by security guards. Also, not everyone who visits these parks may speak English. There are alot of factors and ruining someone's day for one time is different.

Now if someone were to pull their phone out multiple times in the same day and you witness it. It would be a different story...

 

Not speaking the language or not actually paying attention to signs isn't a license to be stupid.  Look at fine print on a pass or daily ticket - by purchase and entry you agree to abide by the rules.  When in doubt, ask.  Or better yet, actually read the rules - something most people don't do unfortunately.  Rules are posted on a sign in front of I believe every ride, yet I suspect you could count on one hand those in a day that actually read them.  The announcement on the ride comes long after said violator had a chance to know the rules.  I may agree that more signage is necessary, but we all know that still will not eliminate the problem.

 

That is the same argument people try to make when they get tossed out of a high school graduation for screaming when their coddled little Johnnie's name is called - and then they go to the media and say, "well yea I signed the form, but I didn't read it."  The media makes the school district out to be the bad person, when in reality, it was the stupidity of someone not reading what they signed.

 

Wait until they experience a dropped phone on a ride causing injury to someone, and the park, the ride op, every employee working the ride at such time get named in such suit, and I am sure a minor will be glad to enforce the rule...

 

Problem with society is most feel entitled and the rules don't apply to them, and simply fail to even take the 30 seconds to read the rules and guidelines.  How many realize these rules are indeed printed on the park guides, which are readily available at entry to park and by almost any employee walking around, including security.  And it states "For safety reasons, taking pictures, videotaping and filming on rides are strictly prohibited."

 

One for amusement is someone with a cigarette in their mouth looking at a park map - um if you read the whole thing you will see you are in a smoke-free area.  I used to say something like "Oh I see you can read, did you notice this" and point to the smoking area or the non-smoking print depending on how they were looking at the map, but most cussed me out, again because they are entitled and the rules don't apply to them.

[WailsLikeABanshee]

One thing I will say, is that multiple times this season, I was VERY pleased with AE's crew. They stopped us on the lift, made an announcement to put the phone away. When the offender didn't put their phone away, it was announced that the ride wouldn't start back up, until the phone was secured. It came with a friendly reminder that it was against Ohio State law, and the longer they take to put the phone away, the better the chance that security would have enough time to be waiting in the station for our train to come in. Considering I was a row or two back on at least two instances, I stopped at Guest Services, and filled out a form, complimenting the crew for being wary of safety regulations, and state laws. AE, in my personal opinion, has one of the best crews when it comes to safety. I've seen them handle guests who tried to get by with just the lapbar, no seat belt, and they handled in a professional, and reasonable manner.

[PKIVortex]

I agree I hear it on The Racer mostly.

Honestly, I think its a pre programmed. seems to happen about the same spot ever-time, and I have heard it standing from the ground. The voice track seems to be the same guy, even when the op is female, at least that has been my experience on The Racer.

On the flats I know its different cause I have seen them say it to guest while riding, ie the scrambler, the zephyr.

Uh no this is not a recording.

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[Tr0y]

What ticks me off is when you get that one person with a cell phone out, turn the flashligh on during a night ride on The Beast. If someone ever does that while sitting in front of me, I will be ripping it out of their hands.

[kingsislandfan1972]

Since we are on the topic...

 

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1gLujXwuWFs/hqdefault.jpg

[The Interpreter]

It doesn't help that the phones in it are ancient fossils.

[Honorarius]

What ticks me off is when you get that one person with a cell phone out, turn the flashligh on during a night ride on The Beast. If someone ever does that while sitting in front of me, I will be ripping it out of their hands.

I think it's only fair that we be allowed to try to make them drop the phone...

[themuska11]

Part of me thinks the park asked its employees to bring in their old cell phones so they could put them in that box. 

[Magenta Lizard]

I always assumed they bought a bunch of broken ones for cheap on eBay or something.

[malem]

I'm sure that many guests' smashed phones have gone unclaimed from lost & found, especially when there's no physical damage insurance plan.

[coasterfanatic83]

What ticks me off is when you get that one person with a cell phone out, turn the flashligh on during a night ride on The Beast. If someone ever does that while sitting in front of me, I will be ripping it out of their hands.

Last weekend there was a young man with one of those glow-stick style necklaces riding in front of me on The Beast... It was constantly flickering and lighting everything up. Not fun!

[MarkB.]

Yesterday, I was on Boo Blasters and heard an announcement to put away a cell phone 2-3 times in less than a minute.

 

                                                 Later,

 

                                                     Mark

[Honorarius]

You guys do realize how often people take out cell phones on rides, correct? We can't call security twenty times a day about some dumb dad taking his cell phone out on a ride to take a video with his family. I'm not defending them at all, but you have to realize many of them don't realize the magnitude of their actions. Telling them to put their phones away is really the only logical thing to do. Stopping the ride and calling security just wastes too much time. 

 

But how much of people doing it stems from seeing others do something and nothing being done about it??? That dad who took out his cell phone on a ride has likely seen it happen with no consequence so he figures 'Hey, why not?'... And what's the worst that happens??? They ask you to put it away... So try again on the next ride, if you get caught, no consequences, try again next ride...

 

[alsoran]

I happened to be a victim of a flying cell phone Saturday night.  At least, I think it was a cell phone.  All I know is it was from the front of the train, rectangle white outlined black thing that glanced off my arm.  Didn't hurt much, but I could see if it would have hit anything solid, could have been quite painful.  I could see it breaking bones easily.  Bad part, when I mentioned it to the crew, it was blown off, as if to say, so what?  Ok, done with my vent now.

[PKIVortex]

Why am I Not Surprised. The crews don't even ask people to put them away of they are out before they are dispatched.

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[electricsun]

I'm surprised no one posted this video yet of a guy's friends recording the proposal. http://ktla.com/2015/09/26/life-is-like-a-roller-coaster-man-makes-touching-speech-during-proposal-at-indiana-theme-park/

If you listen to the video, you can hear them being told to put away his cell phone. Running the risk of losing the ring and getting hit by a camera - sounds...fun? Or stupid. (electricsun who is clearly not feeling sentimental tonight!)

[XGatorHead 8904]

From the above linked article:

The "cellphone" was in fact a GoPro camera, and while the repeated requests were admittedly distracting, Crecelius says, “looking back, it’s really funny.”

 

Yeah, real funny if the guy holding it were to lose it and it went flying... and on Voyage even, a very rough coaster!  Idiots.

 

I'm surprised Holiday World didn't stop the train on the lift.  I've had my phone out in the coaster stations before (even before waiting at the gates with 1-2 people in front of me, not on the train) and the ride ops have insisted on taking it from me then to place it in a locker.  The fact that I told them I keep it in a secure pocket did nothing to sway them. That happened to me several times in one day several years ago, and from that point on I never get my phone out in their stations.

[The Interpreter]

Several years ago, Holiday World was under different management.

Terp, stating facts.

[happyslap]

About the phone issue, I have a little something to share. On Diamondback's brake run, my mom got her phone out to take a picture of some tree. It slipped out of her hands and fell into the gravel below. Luckily, the man working there (who was very nice) actually went INTO the gravels as soon as the ride was over to look for it with no results. We had to stay near DB's area until park closing which was when Maintenance arrived. The other very nice man at Maintenance retrieved her phone. it still worked, but it had fallen out of the case and both the screen protector and screen were cracked. This all happened 10/11/15. Mom (who goes through phones often) has already bought and received a new phone. Let this be a lesson to all people with their phones out on a ride: Don't EVER get a device out on a ride, even on the brake run, because it could cost YOU and OTHERS damage. 

[diamonbackandbeastlover]

Don't forget. Ohio State law does prohibit dropping items from rides.

[XGatorHead 8904]

Several years ago, Holiday World was under different management.

Terp, stating facts.

 

True.  That slipped my mind and I didn't take that into account when posting my experience.

[Voicetek]

Several years ago, a friend of mine lost his phone on Diamondback.  It was safely secured inside his cargo shorts.  However, it somehow managed to slip out and fall from the ride.  This is another reason why my phone stays in the car while I'm inside the park. 

[Airtimeluvr]

Just thought I would add my 2 cents, having been hit with items, stopped half way up on Blue Streak lift waiting on a worker coming up, scolding and taking a guys Nikon camera away, Also I caught a guys hat once and gave it back to him 5 rows up on Magnum. My son and I were in the last row of the last car of one of the last trains of the night for Millenium ERT, while getting out of the seat I see my phone laying on the back of the train on the verge of falling off. I also had my phone in a cargo pocket and did not understand how it got their but i had to jump back on the train before it moved, in my mind all I could see was my phone falling off going into the station. Now I use Coaster Gear that I bought at Cp strapped around my waist under my shirt for wallet and phone as well as the stupid change I get back from concessions.