Six Flags has changed their on-ride recording policy

A few days ago I saw that Six Flags changed their on-ride recording policy. They used to ban all recording on rides, but now they are allowing camera glasses only. This makes sense, because they have always allowed glasses with a strap. (I think Vengeance is an exception.)

I have mixed feelings about this. Firstly, I'm glad they changed it because it's been something they needed to take a look at for a very long time. Every year that they did not change it I was like, "Come on! Get with the times!"

However, I think it's not enough. The Busch Gardens/Sea World parks have been allowing action cameras for a long time now, as long as they have an approved wrist strap. This is exactly the kind of thing action cameras were designed for. And everyone and their mother is an "influencer" (I hate that term) these days. Way to go, BG/SW parks.

I understand those who say that we should leave POV videos to the professionals, or the parks. I get it. Who wants to see the same old POV of the same old roller coaster over and over, with crappier quality.

But these glasses are not going to do the thing I like the most about when someone records on a coaster. When at Six Flags, people videoing the ride are not going to be able to point the camera at themselves. No reaction videos. That's what I like most when someone records on a coaster (as long as it's allowed.) Example, Jacob the Carpetbagger does not like coasters, but he loves theme parks, so for the laughs, he ride the coasters and record his reaction. It can be really funny sometimes.

I don't think we have any other YouTube creators on CoasterBuzz, so it would be interesting to get your all's opinion about it.

I still don't understand the allure of POV. But the last one that I uploaded, for a park that just gave it out, it got 400k views.

Video glasses are creepy.

Funny you say that. I don't understand the allure of anything that's NOT a POV.

I just want to see what the ride is like and I usually watch without sound. I don't want to see some stranger's over-exaggerated "reaction," I fail to see what purpose a Reverse POV serves, and I certainly don't care that "WE'RE TWISTING!!!"

Well, yeah. It depends on the personality. The few Vloggers that I watch for their personality are fun to watch in a reverse POV, but I don't care to watch reverse POVs from someone I don't know about. I especially don't want to see a reverse POV from someone who annoys me with "Here we go", and "Weee..." You know who I'm talking about.

I love off-ride footage. I want to feel like I am standing there watching the ride run. It calms me. LOL

And yes, these video glasses are very creepy. All kinds of technology these days is creepy.

I had a similar view about video glasses until recently. My aunt has dry AMD. Her vision has rapidly degenerated over the last year or so to the point she only has peripheral vision left. My daughter jokingly suggested we get her a pair of Meta AI glasses. These things are pretty amazing. They can read mail, books, rebate forms, etc. to her, describe objects (including paintings), play music, take pictures, make phone calls, and answer general queries.

I have honestly considered getting a pair when I get my next prescription. Battery life is still a concern though.

I thought it was creepy at first too, but then I realized there are cameras everywhere these days. When you’re out in public, between security cameras, traffic cameras, doorbell cams, dash cams, and everything else it’s actually pretty rare not to be on some kind of camera.

I always understood banning handheld cameras since they’re loose objects that could injure someone, but banning video glasses with a strap while still allowing regular glasses with a strap never really made sense to me.

I mean I wouldn’t want my doctor to have them on when they’re giving me a hernia check but I can’t imagine a situation where I would be threatened by someone wearing a pair. You know when someone is recording* more than you do when someone is recording on a phone

*Yes, one could cover the recording light with tape.

I think it’s likely that most men have a different opinion of those glasses than most women do.

I find I like reverse POV videos, not for the emotional reaction of the rider, but for the physical. Especially when it's someone with longer hair, you can truly tell where the good airtime is when their hair goes flying upwards and their body leaves the seat.

Agreed that it should be OK to film with camera glasses secured by a strap. Tons of people already ride like that safely. Fully agree with you LostKause, that the off-ride full layout ones are the best.

Later,
EV

Personally, I do not trust the public with any sort of camera other than the ones on the glasses. Heck, even as someone who wears glasses to see I don't trust the people who wear glasses much on the rides. I think Six Flags keeping a ban on all other cameras is a fine deal, because too many people are just plain stupid.

RCMAC:

I think it’s likely that most men have a different opinion of those glasses than most women do.

In Japan, it's forbidden to take pictures in the subway (and maybe other trains), and all phones must make an audible sound when taking pictures. There's no way to silence it. (Obviously, phones brought in from overseas aren't subject to the latter.) This is because of various scandals involving men taking pictures of women, especially young women. Wondering how glasses-mounted cameras will play there.

A light flashes before photos and there’s an audible sound that you can’t turn off. Same with videos but the light pulses for the duration.