Smoking in the Parks.

Does anyone out there have an opinion on why people still smoke whilst waiting for a ride?
Last year whilst i was waiting to ride the Georgia Cyclone at SFOG some stupid idiot decided to light up a cigarette and nonchalantly smoke it whilst waiting for his ride turn!!
Did this man have a death wish or what?
You are not supposed to smoke whilst in line, especially whilst waiting for a woody coaster ride? Pray someone please tell me wood does burn doesnt't it!!!

Does anyone out there remember the Kings Cross disaster in the 1980's in London where over 50 people burned to death because some idiot dropped a cigarette stub whilst still alight. I dread to think what would happen if a fire started in a line on a busy park day. I detest smoking at the best of times, but to do this seems unbelieveable!!!

What do you all think? I presume there are still some sensible peeps out there!!!

Very interesting post. I never heard about that event in London.
I can't say as I like smoking, but I don't detest it either. I think, however, that smoking sections should/need to be set up in amusement parks. Heck, I don't know - have they already?

At Paramount`s Kings Island, smoking is forbiden in any ride line and in all of Water Works. Once whiloe I was in line for the Beast with my cousin someone started smoking. My cousin has severe asthma and smoke causes him to cough. At about the same time he felt he was going to start coughing a security gaurd came out of an employee only are and my cousin told the gaurd about the smoker. The smoker had to put out his cigarette. Also, often times in ride lines the ride op will make an anouncement like 'there is to be no smoking in any ride line here at Paramount`s kings Island"

I work at SFEG and we don't allow smoking in the queues, on the rides, and I believe in the water park. I think most people are oblivious to the rules. Most people put their cigarettes out when we ask them to. I think some parks have a policy where smoking is not allowed at all, in any areas.

I totally agree. I hate smoking. Not to excuse why people do it, but I would bet that 99% of people that do smoke around rides, don't even consider that fact that something like a wooden roller coaster could burn down. It's an unconscious habit that people just do.
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Thank you for riding America's Roller Coast

Come on people its open air. Whats it matter if someone smokes? Its different if you are enclosed.

The smoke blows in your face, Coaster Fantom. I detest it, and would really wish that those who feel the need to smoke in line would consider that fact that the vast majority of people in line do not smoke, and have no desire to be with someone who is smoking.
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2001- the year of flight!

but like what ukcoasterlad4 said, if a fire started which I belive is very likely, it would be so tragic,just because someone couldn't stand a little temptation. And plus, in a line, people shouldn't have to deal with that.

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http://www.woodencoaster.com

I don't smoke while in line. I smoke up until I get to the line. =) I can understand that. I smoke on the walks from coaster to another. *** This post was edited by Coaster Fantom on 2/26/2001. ***

Although discouraged, the smoking at Kennywood in line has gotten rather out of hand lately. I found it especially bad in line for the Exterminator. If people want to smoke, that's their problem. But, please don't do it in line with hundreds of other non-smokers who don't want to get lung cancer.

I don't think any park actually allows smoking in line, but like linejumping, it's not well enforced.

What irritates me is that people who do smoke in the queue, often younger people, have total disregard for the people around them. I don't have anything against smoking or smokers; it's not by body. I do take issue with forcing me to be exposed to it in a confined space. That's just disrespectful.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

If you can't go through a queue without having a cigarette, you are in sad shape. I smoke and I know how much it bothers people who don't, so I never do it in areas where you're on top of other people. It's just courtesy. However, if I'm sitting on a bench having a smoke away from others and someone goes out of their way to tell me to put it out, I'll get upset at that.

Personally, I destest cigaretts. Any thing else (especially certain things) being smoked, I usually don't mind. It is extremley rude and disrespectful to subject people to any kind of smoke when they don't want to be. It violates the rights of the park patrons, and I believe it's wrong. In the rest of the park, I don't see anything wrong with smoking, as long as it is done tastefully (When I say tastefully, I mean as to keep it to themselves, and not force it upon anyone else.).
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"Shut up brain, or I'll stab you with a Q-tip!"

~From the brilliant mind of Homer J. Simpson. *** This post was edited by Intamin2K on 2/26/2001. ***

I hate smoking at parks. At Halloween Horror Nights at USF, there were so many people you could barely walk and some idiot lit up a cigarette, and I wound up getting burned on my hand bad enough that it left a scar, just because some idiot couldn't wait until it was a little less crowded before he lit up his cigarette.

I don't think any park allows smoking in line. When SOB was shut down for a while, lots of people in the queue around me started lighting up. That was outside the station house on the concrete and the attitude seemed rather lax about it. When the line started moving again, it seemed people were encouraged to put out their cigarettes.

Maybe they need smoking and non-smoking queues at amusement parks! :)

I hate it when people smoke in queue lines, but I agree with Jeff that it's hardly ever enforced, especially at SFGAm. I don't mind people smoking in "open" sections like walkways and designated eating areas and stuff as long as they don't sit down next to me and then light up. I would disagree with parks that see a need to prohibit it completely, but it sure does suck when someone close to me in line smokes. And I'm somewhat allergic to it (not bad, just get nasal problems) so I do whatever I can to avoid breathing the stuff.

Although the parks are indeed open-air, smoking still stinks when it's being exhaled six inches away from you and it drifts into your nostrils and there's no place to escape to because you're in line for a ride. There should be a few places in the park designated for this (senseless & unattractive) habit, preferably not near any coasters thank you very much!

I think all smokers must be aware that it is completely inconsiderate to smoke in a confined space such as a ride line. In my opinion they obviously don't care about others.

What UkCoasterLad4 failed to mention, was that smoking in line caused a fire at Thorpe Park in the UK last year, resulting in two rides being burnt to the ground, and the park being evacuated.

"Hey dude, that's cool, just like me for being a teen smoker" - yeah right!

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#Life is a rollercoaster you just gotta ride it#

The reason they smoke in lines, when they arent supposed to, is because they are nervous. Think about it. They are waiting in line for a freefall or hyper coaster, and their scare as hell. I geuss their decision of a quick fix is a cigarette. But the ride ops and security guards usually force them to put it out. I think its pathetic people have to light up pieces of tobacco in queue lines, but I geuss that's how they think. *** This post was edited by SROS221 on 2/27/2001. ***

Not saying that it didn't happen, but it is pretty hard to start a fire with a cigarette. I used to smoke alot and you even have to hold the fuse of a firecracker to a gigarette cherry for a couple of seconds to get it lit. You'd have to be in a very unsafe place, unsafe for you to be in even if nobody was smoking. I think we have better safety standards here, and most areas could be smoked in without killing everyone around.

Although I am not into smoking in line, I think I detest the people who freak off the situation much more. Yes, there are alot of people who can't be around smoke, I understand being grossed out by smelling things and some of these people who show up to the park wearing tons of perfume and get near me in line seriously make me cough and have reaction. When somebody sees a person light a cigarette, somebody else is going to see it, and wether or not it is bothering that person or not, they automatically get bent out of shape. Sure, it is something that should never happen. If I broke some park rules, I would get tossed, so why is it OK for certain patrons to get away with things? I was almost tossed out of BGW for looking at the wolves over the fence. Was the guy smoking in line for LNM who lit up tossed or even spoken to, no. But about 50 people had a heart attack and didn't shut up about him for 20 minutes. I guess what my opinion is is that you shouldn't make fun of a person smoking, unless they are breaking a rule, and if a park wants a bunch of people who run around breaking various rules as they see fit, then it's probally time to start snatching cigarettes and if the people smack you, then maybe it's serious enough for the park to start doing something.