Line jumping is not a sport.

On my latest visit to the point this year I was waiting in line for Raptor. At about the Free Way point a group of 5 people started coming through the line saying "excuse me, pardon me" yada yada yada and walked right though to the stairs, up the stairs and got in a line for one of the rows.

This really pissed me off but by the time I got to the nearest ride op they were already on the ride.

My question is how do most of you handle this? Do you tell a ride op? Tell them they cannot pass?

Next time I will be telling them they are not passing me. If they try to cause a problem I will be getting a ride op. I am a pretty nice guy and I hate violence especially at Cedar Point. But I can hold my own and I will hold someone back until the propor person can deal with the situation.

I'm suprised no op saw that, it should be pretty obvious when someone pushes past all the way into the station. I say just don't let them pass.

One time I was waiting in line for Top Thrill Dragster. These two people were waiting in line and cut in front of us. I let them just because we were the next train out. I was in line for the front seat. The train launched, then rolled back. Launched again, rolled back. I was about to scream. Third launch they made it over. That taught me to not let anyone cut us. Our train cleared the hill with ease.

I never let them past me. I will say 'excuse me, line jumping is prohibited at Cedar Point.' and I will go find an op right away if I have to.

I can do a pretty good job of keeping people from getting past me, though.

I don't let them by me, but I find it funny when I tell them it's prohibited and they reply "What, do you work here?" That's when I like to show them my ID and watch them stay behind me. :)

As on off-duty employee you are not supposed to be known as an employee. Flashing your badge should mean nothing because you are supposed to be a park guest.

And if it works for shutting up someone who is line-jumping, who cares. The guys asked, he responded by proving he was indeed and employee.

The sad part is sups who get all pissy because regular workers make the park better by doing their job. Was he off duty? sure, but where were the ops who should have kicked those kids out of line?

I remember one time I let this kind, pretty lady and her younger brother pass me on dragster, because it was my first time and I didn't know whether to go left or right on the ramp. She said, doesn't matter and got in the shorter line in front of me. I didn't say anything, figuring, one train won't hurt. Turns out that right after her train took off, and it was my turn to launch, we broke down. So, just because I let the lady in front of me, I cost myself and extra 1/2hr-hr. It seems like anyone can cut in line now a days, if you just say, excuse me, and act professional, most people don't say anything.

-S. Eagle

JuggaLotus I agree.

It would be one thing if Employee's are flashing their badges in bad form. But using it to keep guests from breaking rules is great.

If an off employee was there to back me up or anyone else to settle a dispute about line jumping would be most appreciated.

Being a big guy has it's advantages. If someone asks me if they can pass by I just say, "sure, as long as you get permission from every person standing behind me."

That usually does the trick.

The best line I heard was from Dead Like Me on Shotime.

This lady cut in line at the post office.

"Excuse me miss, is everyone behind you an 'idiot'"
"No"
"So its just you then".

(this was edited for families)

I don't understand CP's policy on them wanting to forbid employees from flashing their badges while off duty. As long as you're not abusing your "power" as an employee I see nothing wrong with it. In fact, I've flashed my badge a few times in order to prevent an altercation from occurring.

I have used it the most to stop people from smoking in line. For some reason the smokers I've run into have much less respect for an everyday guest it seems, because when I ask them to put it out they choose to ignore me. Then I pull out my badge and they do it right away. Does it seriously take them thinking that they could be imminently tossed from the park to get them to obey the rules? I don't threaten to eject them or anything (that would be an abuse of power) but they get the idea when they realize I am an employee.

Another example is in line for Magnum. There was only a line past the stairs, but a huge group of teens decided to cut like 50 people to get with one of their friends already in line. The ride op at FreeWay was preoccupied with stamping people and didn't see it, so once they got up to us we yelled at them for line jumping. The people they cut also started getting into it with them.

We were in between them and their friend already in line, so we refused to let them past. They thought we were joking, and then when they realized we weren't, they threatened to kick our asses. At that point we were up the stairs and let the ride op at turnstyles know.

They were still being hostile towards us, so my friend and I pulled out our badges. Miraculously they shut right up. Oh, and they weren't allowed to ride either. :)

I yell really loud, "line jumper coming though" Usually it gets everyones attention and the line jumpers think twice.

JuggaLotus, that is great, I may have to use that line!

It depends on the situation. If it's a nice older lady trying to get to her kids, and she says "excuse me, could I get up there with my children please?" I'm not going to make her kids stand up there by themselves, and the "make them come back here" logic is more of a hassle than its worth in that situation.

Most of the time, though I'll just stand there with my arms crossed and my back to them while they scream at me to move and I just ignoire them.

-Josh

*** Edited 7/28/2005 7:16:02 PM UTC by e x i t english***

I don't let them pass, and I make a scene if they try it. They don't like it when suddenly everyone starts looking at them.

I don't understand why the park would have a policy of off-duty employees not speaking up either. I can see a certain liability issue of them not being on the clock, and therefore not technically doing the park's work, but I also think that common sense should kick in.

Well, they aren't exactly the FBI. If I've got the 'nads to try to cut in front of all those people it isn't likely that I am going to get worked up about a 17 year old snot nosed kid flashing a park i.d. at me.

I think the policy is in place to limit abuse (ie line cutting by the employees themselves) and altercations that might arise from this very issue.

The best thing an off-duty employee can do is bring something like this to the attention of an on-duty staff person or security guard. As a full time employee I was in the park once and notice a group of kids throwing things off of the skyride. I just walked up to a security officer and said, hey...go check that out and then I went about my day.

I can understand the policy. It's got the feel of an undercover cop (excuse me, John Doe, FBI). If I were on the other end of someone pulling an ID, I'd probably blow them off as someone on a power trip.

I don't think it's an off-duty employee's job to police the park.

Edit - Chief Wahoo makes some good points.

*** Edited 7/28/2005 7:42:45 PM UTC by Walt***

At WT line jumping is a problem because of the freeway line parallel to the exit ramp and people just climb through the railing and go up the freeway...but still, it's VERY easy to catch line jumpers.

That's because we have many ops that can see that part of the line. Unload-2, Unload-3, and Load-3 ALL have wide-open views of the queue, plus, Unload-1 can go into Controls and yell at them through the microphone. Also, the person at Controls can see the queues very well, too, and it's not that far off where they look, either, so they can yell through the mic also. Plus, the person at Freeway constantly keeps an eye out for illegal activity.

That means we have 6 ops that can easily deter line jumpers, especially when the train is going and we're waiting for it to come back.

Jeff said:
I don't let them pass, and I make a scene if they try it. They don't like it when suddenly everyone starts looking at them.

I agree Jeff, that's the best way to do it.
All you need to do its project your voice a get everyone's attention.

Just put your arms on the railings on both sides. There is not a reason that I know of to let someone past. I hate the "my kids are up there" line the most. The kids can come on back - nobody cares if they're going backwards.

I think it fits into the same catagory as stealing. It's your ride time they're taking.

The worst I've seen was in California at Knott's and Magic Mountain. We're talking whole families, led by dad, charging through the line. And when I told the op at Magic Mountain and pointed them out, he responded "they must have been in a hurry" and did nothing. What a joke.