On-Ride Photography: Out of Control

The good news is that because of the developments in the technology, there is also almost no hazard involved with this equipment anymore, either.

I completely disagree. I was watching a maXair ride cycle during its media event. At the top of the arc, a reporter happened to drop a cell phone. I watched it fall more than 100 feet to the midway, where it shattered. If a person would have been standing there, he/she would have definitely considered it a hazard. It's not every day that you see a phone drop 100 feet from the sky, but problems with loose articles are certainly not isolated.

That's all there is to it, and there is absolutely no reason to single out cameras as a particular source of trouble.

Cameras are singled out because they are in a more vulnerable position when being used. What other loose article is held up high and in front of you like a camera? The park's loose article policy is very detailed. Even without the specific photography rule, the use of cameras would still not be permitted on many rides under that policy. Pulling out your iPod on Millennium Force is against the rules, but iPods are not singled out like cameras are. The fact that so many people have cameras and would be tempted to do on-ride photography is another reason to single it out.

I would much rather that he secure the strap to himself before the ride starts rather than try to fumble with it up in the air.

You have more faith in people than I do. :) I wouldn't trust a random park guest to be able to safely secure a camera on a thrill ride.

*** Edited 10/10/2006 2:34:59 PM UTC by Walt***

To be honest, I think Holiday World has nailed it with the loose article policy. They provide free lockers in the station, and the crew will take anything you have to the locker or shelf and bring you a key on a snug wrist strap. No loose articles on the ride at all.

While that works, you have to wonder...

When was the last time someone got hurt by a loose article at a park that ALLOWS them?

Jeff said:
I think it's pretty reasonable to prohibit any loose articles.

And when they start frisking you before you board and make you stick your wallet and keys in a locker I'm sure you'll change your mind.

A wallet secured on in a pocket isn't a loose article.

A phone/camera held in the hand, a purse held on the lap, a stuffed animal stuffed between the legs ARE loose articles.

There is a big difference.

I used to always carry a small back pack around the park with me with water, snacks, poncho and other things i just had to have with me at all times. Since they have started enforcing no loose articles rule on most all the rides I have cut down to just money/ID, cell phone and car keys. I don't even wear my glasses in the park anymore. Since then my park visits have been a lot more comfortable not having to lug all that stuff around all day. Now if I can just talk the rest of my family into it.

I doubt CP will ever allow their employees to carry loose articles to lockers or bins for the guests. They don't want someone to have the opportunity to accuse the ride ops of stealing something.

My wallet and keys aren't loose articles.

The fact of the matter is that someone will be unhappy with the ruling no matter what it is. Either guests will complain that the line is not moving (becuase the crew had to stop operation for a camera) or they will complain about the rider in front of them using a camera throughout the whole ride and the crew doing nothing about it.

This is why I bought a compact digital camera. The case and camera fit nice and snug in my pants pocket.

Jeff says:

Does anyone remember the woman on The Villain at the Geauga Lake (then Six Flags) that got nailed in the face with a phone from someone further up in the train? Do you remember the million dollar lawsuit or the half-dozen surgeries that still didn't totally restore her face?

I thought it was later determined that the object in question was in fact a rock thrown from the picnic grove?

Walt says:

I completely disagree. I was watching a maXair ride cycle during its media event. At the top of the arc, a reporter happened to drop a cell phone. I watched it fall more than 100 feet to the midway, where it shattered. If a person would have been standing there, he/she would have definitely considered it a hazard. It's not every day that you see a phone drop 100 feet from the sky, but problems with loose articles are certainly not isolated.

Oddly enough, I actually have that phone. (Know someone who knows someone who knows someone who...you get the idea...).

Walt also says...

Cameras are singled out because they are in a more vulnerable position when being used. What other loose article is held up high and in front of you like a camera? The park's loose article policy is very detailed. Even without the specific photography rule, the use of cameras would still not be permitted on many rides under that policy. Pulling out your iPod on Millennium Force is against the rules, but iPods are not singled out like cameras are. The fact that so many people have cameras and would be tempted to do on-ride photography is another reason to single it out.

On the other hand, what other loose article is frequently designed in such a way as to prevent loss as it is being held and used? Every still camera I have ever used has had some kind of a strap on it, and when my video camera is snugged to my hand there is literally no way for it to come off accidentally. There are very few other objects I can think of that include such provisions to prevent loss, even during use.

Personally, I think that it is much more important to deal with the problem of *loose* objects than it is to deal with the (problem?) of photography. I think the real issue is that *any* object on the ride needs to be *secured*, and the policy needs to be less specific about what an object is and how it may be secured. Singling out cameras has the effect of effectively exempting everything else from scrutiny. I also don't like the prescriptiveness of the official policy. Let's consider that iPod for a moment. Perhaps you've opted to secure it by attaching it to a strap wrapped around your upper arm, a configuration specifically designed to protect the unit from loss or damage even in a vigorous motion environment. Or you have a Shuffle dangling from a lanyard around your neck and stuffed into your shirt. In the language of the official policy, neither of those objects is "secure" even though in both cases the units are reasonably well protected from both loss and damage. To comply with the official policy would require putting the unit into a pocket or bag which would subject it to a *greater* risk of loss or damage! Fortunately I think in the real world the crews are less pedantic than that.

It's not that I am an advocate for on-ride cameras. It's just that I think concentrating on them to the degree that Cedar Point does, especially to the exclusion of other problems on rides, is a counterproductive waste of time.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Dangling from a shirt and stuffed in a shirt? Those could easily be undone.

A strap tying a camera to your hand? Those things do loosen, you know.

I'm not specifically against the photography as it is having something out in your hands at 93mph, as your hands could only too easily slip and you've lost your camera.

Personally I take anything and everything I want with me in cargo pockets, completely zipped/velcroed up and unable to easily come loose. Keys and money are really all that are needed throughout the day. If I had a camera, I'd have that in a slim case in one of my pockets along with everything else. You're there to have fun, so have fun.

I'm sorry, but I'm new to this forum and I can't figure out for the life of me how to create a new thread! PLEASE HELP!

Go into general, or whatever section you want to make the board in, and the press the big orange button over the stickied posts that says New Post.

Or scroll down on the page and there is a little box you can make the board with. However...keep you board smart and contributive...

Anyway...

I think people at Cedar Point generally have this thought that Magnum is smaller, so it's okay to take a video of it. Every week or so a new Magnum POV was showing up on YouTube, and I'm sure the majority of on-rides don't make it to YouTube.

Gwendolyn, since you're new, here's some friendly advice.

It's not a good idea to start a new thread when you're so new. Especially with only 1 post under your belt.

We sure appreciate it around here when you lurk/contribute to other topics for a while before starting your own.

Maybe a warning/threat would work.

"On Ride Photography is strictly prohibited. We have cameras on the ride and you WILL be caught and your camera will be CONIFINCATED"

*** Edited 10/11/2006 5:20:22 PM UTC by Phantom 1898***

^Well said.

;)

Conifincated???

;)

Yeah, they throw it in the water to see if it floats.

If it does, then it is made of wood and therefore, is a witch.

And what do you do with witches?

BURN 'EM!

Yay! Bonfire at my place! :)