How do people get away with smoking in line?

I, an avid non-smoker, do my best to make sure that there is no smoking in the queue lines. Being at Power Tower, it is very easy to see and catch smokers (and line jumpers) but, as much as I, and my crew, want to put a stop to it, sometimes it is just not possible. As much as we point out signs, and polietly ask people to put out their cancer sticks, we still get dirty looks and the claim "I didnt' know" (as they stand 3 feet from a no-smoking sign.) Bottom line, we all do our best to stop the smoking in line, but the rude and inconsiderate smokers just don't care.

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Millennium Force- 2001
ATL Power Tower- 2002

I am wondering if people smoking in lines bothers you guys as much as me. I know it is not permitted, but people are still getting away with it. I am trying to think if there is anything i can do, but also realize i am just one person. The smokers are allowed to smoke in other places inside the park, which i think shouldn't be allowed, yet they all do in the lines as well. It's not fair and i am going to try and do something about it, what do you guys think. Do i have any support?

Read the previous posts.

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BTS Cedar Point
http://www.btscedarpoint.tk

MFJedi, I stand beside you on this one.

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Winston306 said:
Why don't employee's enforce the rule? I enjoy it and if I take the last 20 years off my life, oh well. IMO I can do without those years because they sure look like they suck. I'll enjoy what I can when I'm young.

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First, employees care, but we have to stay in our assigned positions. If we are walking passed the line and happen to see it we tell them to put it out, but we don't have anyone to stand and just moniter the line. We don't have enough people per ride. Second, it's your choice to smoke and to die younger, but are you looking forward to dying of lung cancer or other related illnesses? To me it would be like drowning because you wouldn't be able to breathe. I would hate to drown, I can't stand the feeling of not being able to breathe. I guess there are some people who don't mind it though

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2000 - Mean Streak/Magnum
2001 - Mean Streak ATL
2002 - Magnum TL

Tomaso. Focus on the queue line smoking first. By saying you are going to try and ban smoking from the park entirely is not going to happen.

Why you ask? Because the park knows they will lose some business because of it.

I know alot of people think smoking is disgusting, harmful, ect., ect. However it is still a "legal" thing to do so places of business (especially businesses that are outside), will continue to allow smoking in certain areas.

As I previously mentioned earlier in this thread, I am a smoker, but I am considerate enough to get away from people when I light up. I wish all smokers were this way.

Ok i understand that, and like i said it was just a thought, or even a wish. But still CP must do something to abolish smoking in line, I dont see why they haven't or cant do this. They do what it takes to make sure people dont cut or throw things off the rides. Why dont people do these things, CP has strict rules that thye inforce very strongly. Why cant they do the same with smoking in line. I think they should start announcing it on the Micro phones. That way everyones "knows" about it. No excuses should be accepted then.

Tomaso: I would be willing to wager that *every* rule that CP has is violated regularly, with no type of punishment coming to certain ones doing the violating. The fact of the matter is, you can NOT catch everyone doing everything. Hell I've seen smoking of cigarettes, cannabis, line jumping, lewd conduct, public drukenness, indecent exposure and public urination all happen @ CP (actually, all this happened during one particularly long wait for Millennium Force). Only the Drunk line jumpers were actually "caught". It's just hard.

Though I have to admit that anytime smoke has bothered me and I've asked the person to put it out, I've always gotten their cooperation (of course I also ask nicely...try it, it works).

lata, jeremy (a former smoker)

Good Points 2Hostyl, i to have asked many people to out there cigarrette and many times i have had cooperation. But here is always those certain drunkin, punks that dont give a rats arse about you or anybody else. Same type of people who purposely kick off one of there shoes from on top of Power Tower, only to be laughed at by his college group of 10 or 15 guys. Yes, i realize there is only so much CP can do, but i feel they arent doing enough. I will continue to politly ask people to stop smoking in line, but eventually to politeness will end and things could get ugly.

Mother Goose - The reason I think that most the employees don't care is because I have witnessed numerous violators walk right past them without a word being said. That's not to say all of the employees don't try to enforce it, I just haven't seen it happen and don't think I will.

BTW - Your opinion on smoking is noted and dismissed. I don't bother others with my smoking so don't bother me with your lectures on all the evils of it.

I have a better idea....How 'bout I fart in the queue while you smoke in it? Then it's an even exchange of unwanted aromas.

Besides, I won't even give you cancer--I think. After a deep-dish pizza, you're pretty much taking your chances.

-'Playa

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The CPlaya 100--6 days, 9 parks, 47 coasters, 2037 miles and a winner.....LoCoSuMo.
*** This post was edited by CoastaPlaya 10/23/2002 1:42:59 PM ***

CoastaPlaya - As I stated in a previous response, I don't smoke in lines or anywhere that it may bother others. I think that's down right rude.

I dont mind if you smoke or not. Just thought I'd bring up some of the side effects, and I don't think I was agressive about it.

BTW - Your opinion on ride ops is noted and dismissed.

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2000 - Mean Streak/Magnum
2001 - Mean Streak ATL
2002 - Magnum TL

Sorry to bring this back from the dead, but I've been meaning to share this story for awhile.
Several weeks before closing, I got in line for MF about 10 before 8 (on a Sunday when they closed at 8). Right around 8 o'clock, the group in front of me, about 6 people, decided to all light up. I said very loudly and obnoxiously to my friend "Hey, doesn't that sign say 'no smoking'?".
One woman if front of me who was smoking turned around and told me to shut the f*** up or else she would burn me with her cigarette. My reply was simply telling her that smoking in line is cause for removal from the park. She proceeded to take a big puff and blow it directly into my face.
By then I was mad, but that was also when I noticed a MF ride op cleaning up the line area near me. I flagged him down and explained to him what had happened, and since they had all continued smoking when he came over, he threw all of them out of line. Since it was after closing, those poor suckers weren't able to ride anything else either, so I felt justified.
It just goes to show you that not all employees look the other way on the issue.

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-Chris Woodard
"If you're standing in an uncomfortable position, that means you are in the right position because you are riding Mantis!" - Mantis ride op doing spiels on closing day.

yea the ashtrays would be nice, i always throw away my refuse in the bin but i have to make sure that its no longer lit...

Well, if we gotta drag this thread back up--here's another one.

CBaby was really ticked off by all the smoking in the queues the last time we were in the park. She complained all day--especially in the WT queue at night.

"Daaaaaddeeeeee.......they're smoking again! It stinks!"

"Yeah, I know--but what are you gonna do?" I said in a very obvious and overly loud tone. "Some people only get out of their trailers once a year, and once they get out the double-wide they just don't know how to act."

"But Daadeeeee?" she gasped, pointing to the people right next to us in the nexxt row that she was complaining about. My back was turned to them.

"And?" I answered. "It's not like those sort of people speak in full sentences anyway."

When the line moved up, one of them tried blowing smoke in our direction. Cowards. They missed by a mile, but I should have gone running back just to see them crap their pants. .

-'Playa
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The CPlaya 100--6 days, 9 parks, 47 coasters, 2037 miles and a winner.....LoCoSuMo.

*** This post was edited by CoastaPlaya 11/7/2002 6:05:35 PM ***

Ralf Wiggum,

Blowing smoke in someone's face is disgusting. As is smoking in line.

MrScott (who ..gasp!...smokes)

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"If we go any faster, she'll blow apart for sure!"

The worst cases of line smoking that I've seen have been at SFWoA. I saw a group of kids smoking pot in line, we were right by the station in front of the walkway up too. At CP, the most notable line smoking is in the long MF waits. I heard one guy say to the people around him "Hey, do you mind if I smoke a cigarette?" (we were on the walkway up). I have only seen 1 person kicked out of line at any park for smoking in line.

What is irritating to me, and I assume to Mr. Scott, is that obnoxious smokers who don't give a rat's a$$ about other people, give smokers like US a very bad name.

It's just common courtesy. Sure we are outside, but why deliberately offend someone who can't get away from it?

I do wish CP had ashtrays in more locations that just to entrances of lines. I'm one who puts my cig out, then puts it into a trash bin, but I feel for the poor sweeps who have to deal with butts from people who just toss them.

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I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead

Even if there were ashtrays, it would not make THAT much of a difference. I own a bar in Erie, and I have learned that it doesn't matter how many ashtrays there are, people will still put their "butts" out on the floor.

As far as trying to stop people from smoking in line, it will never happen. Some will get caught, most won't, and CP should throw out those who brake the rules. If a person wants to light up, they are going to, no matter what someone else says. Think of it this way: banks do as much as they possibly can to prevent getting robbed, but they still do. CP can only do so much to PREVENT it from happening, they will never be able to stop it. A majority of those who choose to smoke in line are younger adults that just don't care about other's feelings/problems, and if you confront them about it, it causes a problem that potentially can get out of hand. All you can do is let a employee know when it is happening, and hope security is around.

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The best thing about Six Flags "Worlds of Adventure" is that Cedar Point is nearby!