Knox County editorial

Here's a fun editorial:
http://www.knoxpages.com/Default.asp?NewsID=2136

I understand his disappointment and all, but to say you understand their responsibility for safety then accuse the park of something sinister is kind of silly. He obviously didn't even complain to anyone to get the scoop.

However, it does reinforce the point that the average guest wouldn't care one way or another if it's Intamin or the park's mandate. The park knows it's a ridiculous knee-jerk reaction and doesn't appear to be exercising its influence with Intamin to get it changed.

Of course, maybe Intamin knows they've already lost a customer, between the lemon across the park and the issues they've had with every other one of their rides.

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Boycott Cedar Point and all of its deceitful ways

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What a quote. CP is decietful. Intamin should worry about losing more customers than just CP. They are making parks all over the country change their restraints. B&M is going to be very busy in the upcoming years if they don't wake up and realize that this was an employee's fault, of course, they know this, but in the same respect, they are going to be in a huge bind when they aren't contracted for nurmous rides in the future, just to cover their ass when they know it wasn't their fault.

They need signs throughout the park that say: "Don't blame us, we voted for B&M"

It is an interesting article to say the least, and I can see both sides of it. I truly sympathize with Eric, and any other person that did not know of the new "person of extreme size" before entering the park. I was fortunate enough to hear about it on the Bob and Tom show, and did my research at the CP website. To be denied at the ride cue IS embarassing, as is being separated out in front of a lot of people to be put in the "roller coaster seat for exceptionally sized people". I knew about it, had 5 weeks to lose weight, and was proud to be herded into the chair of doom, just to barely squeak by ( the exact words from the ride op were " you are close, it's up to you to wait in line").

The other side of the argument is the boycotting of CP. If this is truly how Eric feels, then it his right to do so, and to try and get others to do so. It is my right to disagree with him. I know going in the park gates I had a 50/50 shot of getting on MF ( and worried about the other rides listed on the exceptional size blub), but I was ready for it. I know I can have fun at the other attactions. It is unfortunate that Eric was embarrassed, but have a beer in Frontier Town, and move on. He'd have ridden Magnum 3 times before his friend were done with the line at MF.

My son is 5 months old, and next year will be his first CP adventure. I know my ride time will be way down, if I even ride at all. It won't stop me from going, nor will I try and ask for a reduced price ticket because of it. Does Eric realize what kind of logisitcal and managerial nightmare reduced pricing for certain body types would cause?

I read somewhere on this site that CP should have test seats at the gates, and I support that theory. It may just save some folks their hard earned money and an afternoon of disappointment. Another opinion I have read was that losing weight to ride coasters is silly, it should be for other reasons. Once again, I disagree. Losing excess weight for any reason is a good thing, and it was MF that motovated me. The funny thing is, the other coasters that caused me problems ( WT and Mantis) weren't even a factor after I dropped the weight, and I have been asked to leave the WT before in 2003. What a great deal. I also plan to stay on the diet, since there are many benefits to losing the weight.

I am so sick and tired of hearing discrimination this discrimination that. CedarPoint is doing this out of shear safety and if people can't grip that then they need to stop bi***ing about it. It is better than having someone fat person get on a ride and then fall out, closing the ride for god knows how long. In the end it makes everyone happier except those Physically impaired people. *** Edited 7/7/2004 5:53:36 PM UTC by magnumrocks***

Discrimination my not be the perfect word to use in this situation, but I think there is a lack of a better word to describe it. Granted, this kind of "discrimination" is backed up with the excuse of safety (which I still feel is BS, the shorter belts aren't making it any safer) which makes it pretty much the same thing as turning away those who are too short to ride. I still have hope that either CP or Intamin will do something to make this situation better over the offseason, but until then it seems that CP is doomed to continue getting bad press over this rediculous policy.

You would sometimes think that Intamin and CF officials sat around all offseason and discussed the various ways they could piss their customers off this year the way this is often reported or talked about.

Let's say for a moment that Cedar Point actually did take all of their test seats and put them out at the front gate. First off, how many people do you think would actually sit in them? Second, if they were found to be too big, how many people do you think would just turn around and head home?

I said this before and i'll say it again, when off season comes, one of the things that CP needs to do is contact Intamin and tell them to fix the seats. They have what, 6 months to do it so why not take advantage of it instead of being accused of discrimination. A wide bucket seat would be very nice and would allow more guests to ride (Sort of like a Boliger & Mallibard seat). But if you think about it, those are the steepest overbanked turns in the world on Millennie, so why take the risk of having to shut down the ride because somebody of "extreme size" falls out and dies? This is my two cents on this issue.

@$(! anyone that calls it discriminating. It's your own faults you can't ride the rides and you know damn well that you may not be able to ride them. If you really want to ride those rides that big go diet. Quit blaming everyone but yourselves and taking your own disatisfaction with yourselves out on other people, and ruining their day. I am so sick and tired of people bi*tching. NO ONE, I repeat no one, CARES!

Sorry, but I have to get this off my chest.

Oh, and I'm all for allowing the biggest people to get on, provided their estate doesn't sue when they die, even after being warned it wasn't safe

oh, and just for the record, my dad isn't a super large guy..probably 5'10 and only 240 or 250, and most telling him he looks 220ish. Hes just a really big strong guy. Our last trip to the park here barely made it, and knows he may not be able to in the future. YOu know what he says though? I just need to lose some weight before I go back down. Why? Because it's HIS problem. He doesn't blame CP for safety issues. God forbid us Americans take any blame on ourselves.

One last statement to those who cry discrimination:

Grow up. Quit taking your problems out on others, and take the blame on yourself.

Damnit I hate to keep adding posts..but just a quick thought.

I am now filing suit against Cedar Point. THey will not allow me on the Junior Gemini. This is discriminatory against tall people. It's an injustice and it fascinates me they can discriminate so obviously.

^ yeah..you get the point

Well af, your point, though sarcastic, is more telling than you think. Let's say that they somehow managed to redesign the trains with OTSR's instead of the T-bar. Now, bigger people may be able to ride but you may eliminate a whole group of taller people.

A whole new can of worms would be opened.

Here's where I have a problem with the whole seat belt thing. Last weekend we were at Hershey to ride Storm Runner, a 2004 Intamin coaster, no problems with the seat belt (actually had about 3" to spare) I have never been turned away from a coaster until MF with the shorter belt. I have rode MF many times in the past but not now. Will I stop going to CP, no, but we won't be staying for a lot of extended weekends. I feel MF is the exception here not the people and CP needs to address the seat belt issue head on and quit using Intamin as the reason why. GP doesn't care about Intamin. Bottom line is most of the people being turned away are not exceptional size, they can still ride everything else in the park with no problems. MF could easily become the world's largest kiddie ride. :)

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CedarPoint is doing this out of shear safety

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NO! I don't like saftey! Have you been reading the posts here, I take it that you haven't. Or you would know that they are doing it because....Blah blah blah....go read for yourself!

af-187: Maybe insted of three posts in a row, do you not see the "edit" tab on top of your posts? If you have another thought in the future pertaining to the same post, try using it.

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my dad isn't a super large guy..probably 5'10 and only 240 or 250, and most telling him he looks 220ish. Hes just a really big strong guy. Our last trip to the park here barely made it, and knows he may not be able to in the future. YOu know what he says though? I just need to lose some weight before I go back down. Why? Because it's HIS problem. He doesn't blame CP for safety issues. God forbid us Americans take any blame on ourselves.

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5'10" and 240 or 250? That isn't small by all means. He's just a really strong guy, but he admits that he needs to lose weight? That's contrdicting yourself.

God forbid that you can't take blame for your rude, assinine posts.

af_187: FYI..(THIS IS AN EDIT) 5'10 and weighing 240 is classified as being OBESE. Obviously so is 5'10" and weighing 250. And you say he is not big, just stong.....I am not going to go there....... *** Edited 7/8/2004 1:34:58 PM UTC by CurrentlyDownDueTo FillInTheBlank*** *** Edited 7/8/2004 1:36:35 PM UTC by CurrentlyDownDueTo FillInTheBlank***

AF, most of the people who are complaining are people who could ride for the past 4 years with no problems, but suddenly they are now unable to because it would be "unsafe" for them to ride. I feel much safer as a larger guy (although not disgustingly obese) and having a tight belt, than I would as a skinny guy with 5 inches of slack that could loosen up mid ride and do nothing to hold me in the seat.
I am 6'2" and about 240. Yeah I do have a bit of a gut (especially if put next to some skinny little anorexic) but I've also got pretty muscular thighs. Now, I could lose that gut, but that wouldn't affect the seatbelt at all because that goes across my thighs. So now I should penalized for being active and having a muscular lower body?
I'm suprised some lawyer hasn't filed suit against CP and Intamin for putting them in danger for the last 4 years and not warning them about it.

John

They would be covered since it is on the website and the brochure, not to mention they are complying with the Ohio law pertaining to a manufacturers safety request. Plus, it would take a tool like Eric Matthews to take it that far.

AF, and another thing, you are the one "b*tching".

You don't know how these people feel, so you need to start thinking before you start speaking. You're not the one with these problems and neither am I, but I'm not bringing these people down. And how can you get so angry over the topic? Put youself in there shoes. How would you feel? And instead of you complaining, why don't you do what I do and think of ways to make the issue better, like what I said, install deeper bucket seats. There really is no need to say that crap though.

Discrimination against larger people is "the worst kind of discrimination"?

Tell that to a black woman. Or a Jew. Or a Muslim. Or a gay person.

No "larger person" has ever been killed because they're large.

Writer is a reactionary, selfish moron.

They would be covered since it is on the website and the brochure, not to mention they are complying with the Ohio law pertaining to a manufacturers safety request. Plus, it would take a tool like Eric Matthews to take it that far.

Absolute truth.

You are right I am b^tching because I am so sick of this whole American trend of taking my problems out on everyone else, and this more than fits the category. I have tons of friends and family that have had to deal with it. I feel bad for them, but that doesn't permit them to say it's discrimination. Cedar Point is strictly adhering to rules they HAVE to obey. SO for you people to blame Cedar Point is the most ASSININE thing ever. If you want to blame ANYONE (which should only be yourselves) blame Intamin, or maybe LAW.

About the contradicting myself: wrong. And for you to resort to little petty remarks like that makes you look terrible. Don't feed into the trend of using gramatic mistakes and such as arguments.

Take blame for my rude assinine posts? Interesting point, I'll look into that, but I don't understand the "blame" part.

This is my main bif: you (the people who cannot ride) are constantly bitching and whining about Cedar Point. I got a news flash for you tools, CEDAR POINT CAN'T DO JACK **** ABOUT IT. Even if they COULD change it right now, who says law would allow them to do that? This is strictly Intamins problems, so quit blaming the park. If you really want to bitch, go write letters to Intamin telling them how you feel.

The simple fact is: This is NOT discrimination in ANYWAY. People do not file suit against McDonalds for being too tall to play in the play place. BUT..people DO file suit against business's when the business's fail to safely protect customers.

Please, end the discrimination take. It sucks, but it's the way it is, and the way it will be for now, so let it die.

(my apologies, I did not see the edit tab) *** Edited 7/9/2004 12:10:14 AM UTC by af_187***

It's not strictly Intamin's problem. CP has to deal with the angry customers and everything. It's just as much of a problem for CP, if not more.

You all are saying if you're fat you should lose some weight. The point these people are making is that they didn't know of the new policy. They would have no way of knowing that they couldn't ride if they weren't informed, so stop yelling at them.

It's not just Cp and intamin it is also the Insurance companies. My advice to you people who are fat...lose weight... and stop coming and bit**ing to us, who for the most part don't feel any sympathy for you. If you love Cedar Point so much loose weight so you can ride you precious rides.