Joncars05 Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 As someone that lives in the area, it's fairly obvious that you need to get in the left lane driving north, at least if you're an observant driver. For those not, maybe your $18 parking fee and refund wait will make you one. Just my two cents. Yet people who are unfamiliar with the area, in rush hour (or heavy traffic limited to one lane due to construction), and having only 500-1000 ft to change lanes or be stuck in the right lane, have trouble. Just because an area is familiar to you doesn't mean everyone driving is familiar with the area. A simple navigation error shouldn't result in people have to pay an $18 fee then wait over 30 minutes to have the situation resolved. From the video attached in the article it looks like the lane to turn into KI is the only lane open to drive until about 500 feet before the entrance. That is when the left lane opens to avoid entering KI property. If you are in the right lane with traffic whizzing by you, one might opt to stay in the right lane to avoid a collision. Apparently this isn't the only person who this has happened to as the park is aware of the situation and a local news station felt that it was a story that needed to be investigated and reported on. Sure drivers could pay more attention but they also might be staying with the flow of traffic and miss the right turn only signs. It could've been avoided by drivers seeing the signs and KI simply adding a turn lane or turnaround to exit the parking lot. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark6495 Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 Soooo it's the parks fault that drivers weren't paying attention? Maybe they need a turnaround I haven't seen the other turnaround that was mentioned earlier but I'll check soon. But people make mistakes and sometimes you have to accept blame for the errors. Yes the park was in the wrong for making her pay but she was able to get a refund for her error. Remember the park didn't make her turn into the park. She either didn't follow traffic patterns correctly or misread the signs. She was in control of the car. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 Good design takes into account what people will likely do. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark6495 Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 http://www.wcpo.com/money/consumer/dont-waste-your-money/wrong-lane-on-kings-island-exit-can-cost-you-18From the video I grabbed a view stills so we can all see what's going on By the sign it's only the far right lane open At the end of the old drop off area, the new lane and the old right lane are open while the left lane is blocked Lastly coming to the light you can see the ones open up And driving to the entrance are 3 signs stating right turn only. (From the linked video). 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark6495 Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 Separate post to keep objective data (pictures) away from opinion. I get that the road has construction on it but the first sign about right turn only (from the WCPO video) is near the exit of the drop off area. That is plenty of time for you to merge over. The park gave her a refund for the $18. It's not like there was no markings warning of the right turn only. The park didn't keep her money. Should a turnaround be put in? Maybe that would help but ultimately it was her mistake (I don't want to sound callous but the lady seems upset because of her mistake.). A few years back, I made a wrong turn and found myself in an entrance line for a military base. There was no turn around a before I got to the gate. Because I had no military ID we were questioned and then allowed to enter to turn back around (with all military eyes on us just in case). It was my mistake for not reading the signs Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 The miltary didn't charge you $18 and then make you park your car, walk to an office, get a refund, and leave. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark6495 Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 True but I did have to hand over my ID, answer many questions, and then wait for a higher up to clear me. It was my mistake and I had to do what they wanted me to do, luckily I didn't have to leave my car. Will policy change after this? Maybe, probably. (I personally have little to no sympathy to distracted drivers or drivers not paying attention to their environments. This is how more serious things happen. Luckily the outcome of her mistake was 30 minutes out of her day and not a totaled vehicle or loss of life.) Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
festhaus Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 Customer service and common sense. People make mistakes and that is okay. Everything doesn't have to be black and white. Was on Disney property in April. I missed my turn off and didn't realize it. Staring straight at the gate to Animal Kingdom with no turn around. Talked to the lady. 30 seconds later I am through the gate following signs for the exit. No $$$ out of my pocket and heading to my destination. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck norris Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 This is likely a short term problem. Once the center median is completed the right lane can be a dedicated "Kings Island" lane for the entire way. Currently the road is 2 lanes for most of ki drive... But once construction is done it will be three lanes. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 And people entering the South Exit while entrants are trying to cross it and those trying to leave the park are just trying to get out? That temporary, too? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIfan73 Posted May 14, 2016 Author Share Posted May 14, 2016 You have to cringe at the banner they put across for the news story above "Don't Waste Your Money; Kings Island Amusement Park". Probably not what the park was hoping for when they added a new entrance. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 WCPO has a long record of less than favorable Kings Island coverage. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upstop Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 This is becoming a slippery slope. I guess some just can't be creative and use another word. I choose "poodoo". I think Goble would agree with me. Lol Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk At Universal it's $20 (something) to park and $30 for preferred parking.... A racket pure and simple. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 Some Six Flags charge a lot more than that. Parking is seldom free in the DC Metro, even to shop. My eye doctor has parking available for $6. And that's a bargain compared to elsewhere. DC parking meters are getting ready to go to $2.30 an hour. Arlington's, now $1.25 an hour, are also going up. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
upstop Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 Jeesh! No wonder I love the Midwest .... Tehehehe! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freaks76 Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 Some Six Flags charge a lot more than that. Parking is seldom free in the DC Metro, even to shop. My eye doctor has parking available for $6. And that's a bargain compared to elsewhere. DC parking meters are getting ready to go to $2.30 an hour. Arlington's, now $1.25 an hour, are also going up. Makes me wonder how people make it in DC 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stashua123 Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 DC and other East Coast cities have a lot jobs that need higher education(though that is not always the case) with a HUGE Cost of Living expenses, and because of a higher cost of living, employers have to pay more than say Cincinnati. San Francisco a 1500 sq ft piece of grass, just gonna cost you $300,000! (Found here: http://www.fastcoexist.com/3050134/what-kind-of-house-does-300000-get-you-around-the-world) That could get you a nice 3-5 Bedroom McMansion in the Cincinnati area for that price! Its all about Cost of Living wherever you go, Cincinnati is ranked fairly well on the list, though not as cheap as it used to be do to Gentrification. Covington still has a cheap Cost of Living. Back on topic: I think KI should have known better and designed the entrance and tolls better. Though that lady should have known better also. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 14, 2016 Share Posted May 14, 2016 A 20' by 20' ramshackle shed and lot a block down the street from me went for $1.4 million two years ago. It's now gone, and approximately 250 apartments sit on the larger parcel. With 162 parking spaces. You cannot have a parking space for each apartment in new construction here. Downtown they are building a new hotel--with NO parking. To stay there, you must have bicycled in--and be able to prove it, or have arrived by public transportation. Room rates? $350 a night. Up. Mostly up. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark6495 Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 Stashua, what do you mean by design the tolls better? And the south exit and this lady not looking at what lane she was in till it was too late are too different issues. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stashua123 Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 As in the tolls are very badly designed, they go from four lanes to twelve lanes back down to 3 lanes. Signage is poor, the roadway right now to get to the entrance is badly designed and possibly dangerous with no light. However she should have known better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIfan73 Posted May 15, 2016 Author Share Posted May 15, 2016 Is there a light at the intersection if you are turning left (travelling south) on Kings Island Drive? If so, does it have a leading green left turn signal? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 Yes. And yes. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIfan73 Posted May 15, 2016 Author Share Posted May 15, 2016 Thanks! 99.9% of the time that I visit the park, I am turning left. However, I stayed in Mason for the Gold Pass Preview night last month, and have only entered the new entrance from the south. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 Opening weekend there was no such turn arrow. It has since been installed. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark6495 Posted May 15, 2016 Share Posted May 15, 2016 As in the tolls are very badly designed, they go from four lanes to twelve lanes back down to 3 lanes. Signage is poor, the roadway right now to get to the entrance is badly designed and possibly dangerous with no light. However she should have known better. Not an expert but have driven for almost 16 years at this point. The road outside of the park is the responsibility of the municipality. But the reason the toll road goes from 4 to 12 is to alleviate back up leading out to the road. If each interaction takes 10 seconds, with 4 tolls they are only gettin 4 cars in vs 12. The reason it goes back to 3 is to allow the cars to filter off down each aisle. You see this on many high ways where you will have 2-3 lanes open to 10-15 tolls and then back to two to 3 lanes. It's pretty common. Agreed on the signage. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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