Did anyone witness or hear about the fight in line for maverick on sunday, may 31, 2009 ?

Lines are kind of a "free for all", and whatever justice is brought about in the line seems to be mainly brought about by the people waiting in line.

You have constant problems of all sorts in lines, and "line cops" aren't such a bad idea.

Lines definitely should not be a free for all. When they deteriorate to that point, it becomes an unsafe environment for everyone.

The only people with authority to do anything about line jumpers are park workers. When they don't do the job and people in line feel like they have to speak up for themselves and go vigilante and physically restrain other guests, the situation can get out of hand quickly.

The scariest part of all of this is the slap on the wrist from CP police. What's to say that this won't happen again this weekend or next weekend or the weekend after? Thugs can make park attendance drop dramatically.

I read some complaints earlier about single rider lines and such that I thought were unjustified, but to me, line jumpers are a much more serious problem. Single rider lines fill empty seats, they don't make the line longer for anyone.

I've read stories about parks warning or punishing people for "abusing" the single rider lines like couples going in the single rider lines and such, but line jumpers seem to get a free pass for the most part. They have to go to the back of the line or are told to go ride something else and come back. Gee, some punishment.

I'm definitely going to bite my tongue about line jumpers now. It's not worth getting beat up, especially if the park police won't even back victims. I mean, if there were really that many people in line, you'd have to have dozens of witnesses that could corroborate. Sounds like the park police just wanted to brush it under the rug.

Matt....have you all tried taking this to the mainstream media? Especially if you have pictures or video (of the injuries sustained, obviously you don't have pics/video of the crime since that's what this post was asking for) to back your story. Maybe it'll get some attention drawn to these things happening and parks/CP/CF will have to actually DO SOMETHING about it.

mattmccoy14, that situation sounds horrifying and I hope your friend is ok.

Anymore, I think twice before I say anything to correct a stranger. Situations like this, as well as road rage, are examples of how society is turning away from common manners and decency. While we all know it's unfair, sometimes it's best to take the safe road and let it go, especially in matters as ultimately trivial as line jumping and smoking.

While we like to think of parks, especially CP, as wonderful, safe family environments, truth is you get all types and you never know who you're gonna piss off next. And your encounter with the Cedar Point Police speaks for itself. I learned a while back not to count on them for much, except hassles. They may pride themselves as a Police Force, but I say Mall Cops.

A lot of kids these days are punks, and would just as soon hurt you as look at you. As a long time telephone company employee, I often get the question about whether or not I'm nervous having to go in bad neighborhoods or questionable businesses. My answer, always, is that the places I'm most fearful of are the high schools. (Cussed at, hit, spit on, threatened, and I'm not exagerating)

So as not to sound too cynical, I will say that the first week of the season this year couldn't have been busier with school busses. I was really dreading having to mix it up with all those kids, but was pleasntly surprised by how well behaved most of them were.

So, I'm truly sorry for you and your friend's trouble, and I hope if you find witnesses that something positive comes of it for you. Please, stay as good as you are, and be careful out there!

CP Mac said:
Please, stay as good as you are, and be careful out there!

I was definitely impressed by Matt's statement with regard to pepper spray about how close people were and potential collateral damage. I think most people would have just worried about themselves and the bunch of bigger, older guys beating on them. Shows that he's focused on the big picture and not just his own well being.

This thread is the exact reason why you always need to keep a Louisville Slugger in the car trunk. Follow them out afterward and Barry Bonds a couple out of the parking lot...

Or you can always file formal charges. Get a defendant list from the District Attorney and then drop the charges. Utilize the Internet to find were they live. Then one by one... You would be surprised how someone will cry when alone and do not have their 24 friends with them.

Don't get me wrong Cedar Point is a great park and they continue to add great world class attraction every couple of years or so but that can only get you so far. If you fail to maintain order, maintain a clean park and fail to keep things running top notch, seventeen coasters, thirty coasters, neither will make a difference.

Not to go a rant but it is hard to perceive value when you hear stories like this, especially in the midst of a recession. I personally have not been affected but thousands and thousands have. Combine things like this with $4 popand $4 room temperature french fries and people are going to think twice before spending what little disposable income they have at our beloved park.

Again, just to reiterate Cedar Point is my choice park also. Over the past few years though it seems as if they are losing focus on what is important, the customer experience. I'm not saying that the Cedar Point police should have put these folks through a lengthy interrogation or officially placed them under arrest. Though reading this did cause me to recall a story all to similar to this being featured on a radio station last summer. Thinking back to that, one thing is consistent from both these stories... response time. In both cases I would say it sucked.

Working for a marketing/promotion company, image/perception is everything. This might have well been looped on a local T.V. station. Even then I'm sure it would not have garnered the number of viewers that is did within the park and here on this forum, any others you may have mentioned it on and the guy from last year that was on live radio ranting about a very similar incident.

(Just to clarify by local T.V. I mean the station that cable companies providefor municipalities here in .)

crazy horse said:
I have noticed an increase in line jumping in the past few years. I don't know how to say it without being accused of being a raciest, but 9 times out of ten it is someone of african or mexican decent.

That being said, I have also noticed an increase of more violance in line due to line jumping as more people are saying something to the offenders.

I blame the parks for this. They never enforce the rule.

If someone tries to linejump me, I DO say something to them. I am not going to get into a fist fight with them, but I will not let them past me, and if they go around another way I will turn them in.

I remember a few years ago while in line for volcano at kings dominium, they had a lifeguard chair in the que line with an employie watching over the crowd for line jumpers/ smokers. I think more parks need to look into something like this.

no,u wanna see some cutting? go to any disney park down in fla. and most of the folks who cut there are foreigners(folks from europe and asia,mostly). u yell at them for cutting? they claim "no english" or "i dont understand". amazing.

as far as most u.s. amusement parks,i find the ones who cut are both black,white,brown and otherwise. but they are of the youngish crowd types; u know,the under 21 crowd,who are there with 1 million of their friends,who all have to go to the bathroom while in line and then think they can come waltzing back in line. or,the ones who got separated from their friends but think they can join the line with their friends.

...yeah,and the smokers in line drive me up a wall!

Opening weekend, in line for Manits, a large fellow and a smaller woman got into a heated argument. She cut him in line and all hell broke loose. I honestly thought she was getting thrown into the lagoon, my friends and I wanted to intervene, but he was a large build about 6'6". But anyways, the ride ops couldn't get the two to stop arguing and the CP police had to come.

This is a very sad experience, and I hope the ones responsible are found and prosecuted.

I was at the Point for two days this week. A great two days, I might add. There were hoards of school kids, graduating seniors, and college students there. The place was crawling with them. However, I found them to be well behaved and even polite. Saw some teenage boys get a little carried away on the carousel (yeah I know - carousel?), but that was it. The CP police were also more visible, as were supervisors walking around.

I have been to Six Flags MM when they had to shut down the park due to a gang fight that broke out. SFMM had scheduled a free rap concert for those who bought park tickets. We got out just before the fighting and looting started. Local police and helicopters swarmed the place.

I have noticed over the past 2 years there have been more cops & security around. There is sometimes one inside the maveric quene,(by the telivison inside) 1 watching the millenium lockers, and a few in that mean streak area. It does make me feel alot safer. But i think they should walk the quenes or have camera's to see whats happening. Sure this does create alot of expense, but it would keep a family friendly enviormentlike they want to have. I don't think there have been many gangs or major riots in the park but st SFMM i know there has. :)

I'm surprised and dissapointed to hear about this, because the days I spent in Cedar Point this week everyone in line was courteous and friendly the entire time. There was a couple times where someone would be out of line to get something to drink, or was falling behind, and their friend would either let everyone pass by them till their friend caught up, or would move to the end of the line ot be with their friends. Nobody trying to line jump to be with their friends, or sneaking under gates, it was nice.

Now King's Island, that is a whole different story. Several times at my day (last Wed.) there was people doing blatant line jumping with their friends, smoking in line even while standing under No Smoking signs, and people being obnoxious and breaking rules, like sitting on station gates, or not putting their lose articles in proper places. The poor ride operators were constantly explaining the rules and repeating themselves multiple times to get control of the line and crowd. It was completely unruly, and hurt the experience for me a little. This park seriously needs some more security watching the queue lines, eventually they are gonig to have an incident like has happened at Cedar Point.

After hearing about this fight I visited park operations and I now have the direct phone number for CP Police. I always reserve the right to call the Sandusky police since the park is in the city if I am not satisfied with how the CP police handle anything. The victims of this fight should have pressed charges and held the line for witnesses.

Yes I have and It Was In The Maverick Line,No respect for anyone.especially when you wait for 2 hrs to ride
What Makes Them Special?

crazy horse said:
I have noticed an increase in line jumping in the past few years. I don't know how to say it without being accused of being a raciest, but 9 times out of ten it is someone of african or mexican decent.

Actually, I wouldnt say that. I wouldnt blame it on Black People, Mexican, White, or Green for that matter. Its a generation thing. When I was younger, (lets just say 10 years ago) this was not nearly as common as it is today. I've seen EVERY nationality line jump. I think that its kind of harsh to say that 9 out of 10 oue black or hispanic. Kids now of days, (a good majority of them) have a me first attiude. they do what they want and what they want only. If they want to be first, then they dont care who they step on to get there. But its ALL nationalitys. Actually, In all honesty, I see it from more kids from the "burbs" that do the line jumping. Some of them feel that Since there privliaged, the regular rules dont apply to them.......

Kind of odd...mention something negative about the new fountain and you get a response from one of the PR guys at CP....mention something like this attack and nothing from them. Gotta love it!

^fountain=GP info

a fight in line=not

They may think that ignoring it will help it disappear or ignoring it allows them to claim deniability.

thank you all for replying , I was up north and had no internet so the responses kind of piled up.

I find it very unfortunate that all of these people escaped. and I agree, if cedar point/fair dosn't want to play fair, then I won't either. my friends family has a lawsuit filed against the cedar point police. and I have not called my friend today, whose mom, as of thursday, was waiting on a response from several local news stations.

the only reason I used the word 'black' was because at the time that I posted this, it was still early enough for a witness to give a better discription than I could. 'black' was just an adjective, nothing more.