New Slack Policies

If you are still employed there, CPMatt, I'd shut my trap, if I were you.

MrScott

Since when was it illegal to say that having to make the MF crew have to take the most crap for this whole fiasco is wrong? Your whole Patriot Act-esqe "Shut Up If You Know What's Good For You" routine is a load of BS.

Those guys spend more time on the ride than any other employee at the park and have no direct say in the length, amount of slack, or basically anything regarding the seatbelts, yet they're the ones that always have to be on the front-lines with ill-tempered guests who've waited 2 hours in line because they were able to fit in the test seat and are not even able to get the belt buckled on the ride.

Why should a crew who's just trying to do their job have to take all the crap because someone in another department isn't pulling their own weight and actually doing their job (*cough*maintenance*cough*)?

I just got a response from the e-mail I sent CP regarding the problem with MF. Here's the response:

Dear TopThrill182

Thank you for your comments concerning the safety restraints and the test seat belt at Millennium Force.

This week, we changed out all belts in an attempt to ensure a consistent length. We must adhere to the belt length required by Intamin. We were also given approval to require ½ inch of belt tightening or slack.

We must continue to improve our requests that each guest that is close to the body proportions that we are seeing denied from riding are asked to try the test seat prior to waiting in line. Unfortunately, guests refusing to try the seat because they rode in the past, are causing the delays in the platform.

Thank you for your comments. We are working diligently to improve this situation.

Sincerely,

CEDAR POINT

Peggy Bertsch

Director, Training and Development

Park Operations

Ah well, guess that means things have been taken care of. I rescind my previous statement. Management seems to be on the ball at this point.

I have noticed that pulling an inch (or half inch) can vary from seat to seat based on my location in the seat. For example, on a ride on Millennium Force, I had an issue pulling an inch of slack (before the rule change). However, I used the side arm rests and picked myself up and scooted myself back into the seat as far as I could go. Surprise Surprise, I pulled what appeared to be the same amount as I had on my previous ride that day. Perhaps the seat belts aren't as off as we all think, and the problem is in a consistent placement of our butts in the seats. :) *** Edited 6/10/2005 12:33:45 AM UTC by Jeff Young***

You have to also make sure your feet are on either side of the lap bar. That makes a difference as well.

CPMatt said:
Ok, so the slack rule has been changed. Did the idiot who managed to make the ride seat belt shorter than the test seat belt fix his little gem yet or is that problem still there?

Also, the slack rule on TTD is extremely inconsistent. I was told I needed 1 inch at the test seat but was asked for 2 at the platform (I managed to pull it, but a little consistency wouldn't hurt).

*** Edited 6/9/2005 5:07:21 PM UTC by CPMatt***

Well, I wouldn't know if I can fit my little gem in or not. We'll see on saturday!!

And also Matt, this is what I was taking about the inconsistent of the slack rule. Rather its the Higher Ups or the crew. They both need to get on the same page, work together and know what has change in policies. So since you have bashed ALOT of my posts on here and whatnot, maybe you should have more "Consistency" about what you read on here and what you B*tch about on here. And Mr. Scott ^5 to you my man, I agree he should shut up!!!

MF_Man said:

Well, I wouldn't know if I can fit my little gem in or not. We'll see on saturday!!

I was referring to the problem of belt length as a little gem, idiot. Try picking up a dictionary once in a while, or maybe a thesaurus. You seem to be in desperate need of both.

MF_Man said:

And also Matt, this is what I was taking about the inconsistent of the slack rule. Rather its the Higher Ups or the crew. They both need to get on the same page, work together and know what has change in policies.

Thanks for proving to everyone that you never actually read my posts and just try to attack anything I say. I've been saying for QUITE some time that they need a different method to measure slack, if they're going to measure it at all. I'm sorry if you're too illiterate to understand a lot of the big words in my posts, but that's why you should have been more immersive in your studies. Oh, sorry, was immersive too big of a word for you? It means to pay attention. A skill you seem to lack.

MF_Man said:

So since you have bashed ALOT of my posts on here and whatnot, maybe you should have more "Consistency" about what you read on here and what you B*tch about on here. And Mr. Scott ^5 to you my man, I agree he should shut up!!!

Uh, call me crazy but it seems like you're the one that's going out of their way to bash my posts and insult me. It's nice to know you agree with MrScott though. You do have a great knack for knowing when to shut up when nobody cares.
*** Edited 6/10/2005 12:02:19 PM UTC by CPMatt***

The new seatbelts are actually marked with a white line at the 1/2 inch mark to guage the amount of slack, just so you know...

Exactly why I said a few posts up that I rescind my original statement and that it's good to see they're on the ball finally.

CPMatt said:
Since when was it illegal to say that having to make the MF crew have to take the most crap for this whole fiasco is wrong? Your whole Patriot Act-esqe "Shut Up If You Know What's Good For You" routine is a load of BS.

The content of your post is irrelevant. You know as well as everyone else that the park doesn't like seasonals posting online for any reason. Like it or not, while you're employed there, you do represent the park.

Arguing on the internet is about as productive as going the wrong way on an escalator.

No, Vince, when you go the wrong way on an escalator, at least you get some exercise.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I was there Monday - Wednesday this past week, and they changed the Yellow train on Monday, Blue Tuesday, and Red on Wednesday. They ran 2 trains most of the day while switching out the cars. While it did speed up the line a little bit, I didn't notice all that much improvement. Hopefully it will speed it up in the near future.

Wow Fruity, you go all the way to the Point from Utah? I am impressed, I b--ch about my 2 hour ride from Detroit.

RideMan said:
No, Vince, when you go the wrong way on an escalator, at least you get some exercise.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

AAAAHAHAHAAAA!!! From the sounds of most of the whining, that doesn't sound like bad idea for a new "must-ride" at the front of the park.

Tell you what: If a half-inch is soooo much of a problem, try riding MF & TTD BEFORE you mow down that Double-Waaaaa-mburger with a side of French-Cries at one of the many fine food establishments throughout the park. Don't worry, if you feel faint from "starvation," I'm sure a park employee will call the waaaambulance for you.

There. I said it.

You know, some people are just genetically prone to obesity and have a hard time even maintaining weight because it fluctuates so wildly.

Although it is rude attitudes like yours that cause emotional overeating in individuals with low self-esteem.

Grady said:
Wow Fruity, you go all the way to the Point from Utah? I am impressed, I b--ch about my 2 hour ride from Detroit.

Yeah, we make the trip to the Point once a year. This year we got 2 1/2 days there, and a 1/2 day at GL. Awesome trip in all. I would kill to live 2 hours from the Point. :)

Hey, I think there's a few posters on these boards that some of us wouldn't mind if they 'disappeared' ;)

CPMatt said:
You know, some people are just genetically prone to obesity and have a hard time even maintaining weight because it fluctuates so wildly.

Although it is rude attitudes like yours that cause emotional overeating in individuals with low self-esteem.

It's not to be rude. It's honest, maybe a little brutal (just so we don't have a problem with words here, I mean in the dictionary.com sense of "brutal," #4, "Disagreeably precise or penetrating: spoke with brutal honesty"), but, none the less, true.

I was overweight through most of my "development" and "young adult" years. I am now considered eating-disordered, anorexic with bulimic tendencies. In fact, when I was at CP last year, I was forced to eat at Macaroni's by my friend, and promptly lost my dinner in the restroom there. Not because of a ride, but because of my disorder. However, as far as my argument here goes, I am not going to focus on the weight/size issue. I want to focus on "safety vs. disabilities."

You know, many people have many problems, genetic or otherwise, that prevent them from participating in certain activities. In the case of roller coasters, do you think the manufactures are imposing these restrictions because they simply don't like people who are larger than "John Q. Public?" I'm thinking "No." There is a safety reason here.

Having an issue over not being able to meet a requirement of a certain size is like having an issue with letting those who are pregnant or those who have heart/back issues get on the ride. IT IS NOT SAFE. Unless anyone here is a safety expert at ANY ride company (and, I ain't talkin' about the Lemon Chill Guy, here), I suggest you leave the restrictions to the pros. If I had a known heart problem, or I were a pregnant woman (God forbid), I would respect the park and not cry when I couldn't get on a certain ride. If I croaked on said ride, the park, which I seem to love, would suffer. And we don't want that now, do we?

Maybe I was a little harsh in my initial post in this thread. For that, I am sorry. I may have been feeling a little pissy (which, again, I am sorry for, as I have been accused of that more than once). My point was that, if you cannot participate in a certain activity, and you have control over that, do something about it. If you cannot control that specific problem, be it genetic, developed, or otherwise, don't b*tch when people are looking out for YOUR safety, because that's what it comes down to (I'm seeing references to other posts in my mind's eye...). YOUR safety.

Apologies to those that I may have offended, but if you want to drive with an ill-fitting, and, therefore, unsafe seatbelt, do it in your own backyard park. I, for one, don't want to see the park that I and MANY others around THE PLANET enjoy, year after year, shut down because you can't deal with your problems.

I couldn't donate a kidney to save a life because of one of my genetic problems. Your gripe about getting on MF or TTD because of one of yours?... XL200 is a fine ride. So is Mean Streak. Learn to enjoy the park in all of YOUR capacities. I can accept that I'm not going to be on a shuttle to the Moon or Mars due to undeniable and insurmountable issues. Can you?