off duty ride op and line jumping

You're using anecdotal evidence and you have a limited view of what really happens in the real world. You guys have no idea what unions do on a daily basis. I had dinner with a guy last night who lost his leg in a rail yard accident. Ask him how much unions exist to protect lazy workers.

I did not say all. And unions (over their entire history from the early part of the last century till now) have done more for the American worker than anything else. HOWEVER that's not to say all unions are still useful. Nor is it to say all union workers are bad. But there are those that take advantage of the system, and the union leadership that lets them take advantage.
You don't hear about the millions of union workers who work their butts off day in and day out without a problem, but you also don't hear about the millions of amusement rides that are safely given every day. But as soon as someone has a headache after riding son of beast its all over the news.

With my personal experience with a union and the anecdotal stuff I've heard about UAW, there are some serious changes that need to be made to some union structures. When we are watching companies ignore our state (namely Honda and Toyota) because they don't want the headache of dealing with the UAW, that hurts all of us, even those who don't pay union dues. They won't come here because of the UAW, the UAW will do everything it can to keep them from coming (because they are non-unionized) however they still pay their workers a decent wage and provide benefits. But because the workers get that without a 15% cut off the top going to a union the UAW hates it.

But there are bad apples everywhere. Everywhere you look there are people who take advantage of <fill in the blank>. That doesn't mean the system as a whole is bad or that it's even the norm.

I'm working directly with unions to get some concept vehicles into production for some major auto companies.

I have developed some respect for them that I did not have and I am also losing some respect (job banks, failure to stop the line, etc)

However, they are working very hard to get labor costs lowered to keep some manufactuers afloat. When a painter says to me "I realise what we are doing to the auto industry in this country, Japan never would of had a chance if it were not for us.."

It makes me think they are starting to see that if they continue this path, they will be out of a job.

Even Wagoner said 2 weeks ago in an interview that they are working with manufacturers now and no longer against them.

JuggaLotus said:
Drunkin - Did the lady ask everyone behind you if it was ok? She wasn't just cutting in front of you, but the whole line behind that. I'll agree its not a bad thing (she wanted to wait with her kids and wasn't going to ride) but its not up to you to "yea or nay" for the entire line.

I'll agree to that DJ. His actions got him fired, not the guest reporting it.

She looked at me. And then looked back at the people who could hear her. She wasn't going to stand on the rail and ask for everyones attention for premission to stand with her kids (Who were probably only 12 or 13.) It was right at the start of the line. The first switch-back.

Thank you for bringing the thread back to topic. :)

Fire the employee for linejumping and castrate him immediately!!

And there is a difference between MSU fans and people who went to MSU. The fans are usually the ones starting the riots, then going back home to pump gas the next day.

Calling someone a waste of sperm just because they cut you in line is a little harsh, no? Taking this whole rollercoaster riding thing a little too seriously, are we?

Exit, I know youve been around for awhile, and make good posts, so your comment stuck out and made me think, "why do i care so much?"

Allow me to digress for a moment, to capture for you why I indeed do care so much.

The reason has nothing to do with rollercoaster riding, but with Cedar Point itself, and what it means to me. You see, I have been going to Cedar Point every year since the late seventies, from Defiance Ohio where I was born, and now from Columbus, and now my wife and I are season pass holders. As I have grown older, I not only enjoy the park, but I care about the park to the point that I really want everyone else to experience the same joy we get out of it. It is disappointing to hear about someone's bad experience, or to see a kid upset when I ride is down. In essence, I simply dont like it when someone has a bad time there.

So, I find it so disappointing that an employee of the park, who should care about it more then I do, would have the audacity to break a "golden rule" of theme parks.

In my opinion, he should be sacked.

And then kicked in the sack.

Hate to tell ya guys, but this is pretty common. Happens every day.

KingOfLouies said:
Hate to tell ya guys, but this is pretty common. Happens every day.

I really would not care if it was a ride with no line. But on a ride such as MF with a typically longer line it is an issue. Now if this common practice, there is a larger problem that none of us have any control over. It is too bad that the powers that be allow this to happen.

I can say that the times I have been to CP there was little to no line jumping. Sadly, down here in south Ga and in Florida there is too much of it. I always report it. Most of the time the person is removed from the line. (SF Georgia, Island of Adventures) I don't report children returning to parents. Although I won't allow my kids (teenagers) to do this.
*** Edited 7/22/2006 4:28:02 AM UTC by Kyle Folds***

Cool! Finally, a person who has the hutzpa to take notice! I remember a few times last year when I had peiople calling for secuity for a "Jumper"

Hate to tell ya guys, but this is pretty common. Happens every day.

Which is exactly why the author of this thread should turn him in.

Speaking of which, if you dont want to do it, pm someone here with his name, or who is he is, and I will happily do it.

The most assinine logic Ive read in this thread is the thought of "well I dont want to be the one that gets him fired". Please. He is the one that will have gotten himself fired. Ugh. It is just so pathetic that this will most likely ultimately just get cast aside.

It's not every day a guest gets a chance to help improve the park. Here is yours.
*** Edited 7/22/2006 3:23:32 PM UTC by Kevinj***

Lets hope someone that can do something is reading. Better yet, lets hope this thread has a convinced people to start saying something. Remember, if you are afraid of getting into a confrontation with someone. There is probably someone there to help you out.

Us CP fans need to stick together!

Kevinj said:
The reason has nothing to do with rollercoaster riding, but with Cedar Point itself, and what it means to me. You see, I have been going to Cedar Point every year since the late seventies, from Defiance Ohio where I was born, and now from Columbus, and now my wife and I are season pass holders. As I have grown older, I not only enjoy the park, but I care about the park to the point that I really want everyone else to experience the same joy we get out of it. It is disappointing to hear about someone's bad experience, or to see a kid upset when I ride is down. In essence, I simply dont like it when someone has a bad time there.

Well said. I think that probably explains how I feel too. Having worked in the park too, I know the hard work that goes into making CP what it is and to have one assmunch doing this and another one defending him just bugs me because it sours the reputation of so many people that work so hard and take a lot of pride in that place.

Well there is something to be said that in 20 years of going to CP, I have never once had any kind of issue with a ride op. I would not let this situation allow me to generalize.

The problem is that you never know which customer is in your place of business for the first time, and which is there for the 300th time.

It is refreshing to hear an employee, though, talk about having pride in CP. :)

To slightly change the subject, one place I have seen line jumping is Magnum. Numerous times I've seen people jump the split rail fence behind the pretzel stand and go right up to the station. This only happens when the line doesn't extend into the ouside queue. Thursday some kids did this but, the people coming from the entrance saw them coming from the wrong direction and wouldn't let them get in front of them.

That is a problem area. There isn't really a good way to solve the problem except for the other guests to shame the kids into compliance. Point them out, call them out, laugh at them and make sure they know they can't do that.