Unfortunate Experience w/Apollo's Chariot

While riding at BGW yesterday, I was flying away on my first Chartiot ride of the morning, approaching my blessed third hill(RIP) when I looked straight ahead, put my arms up and, something happened! I thought I heard something, and I did not float like I was supposed to, there are brakes on top of that hill! Did I miss something? I asked everybody(ops, employees) I could find to ask what was up with those, and every single person told me they had only riden AC once when it opened! One person even said no, no brakes up there, but what?

Not to mention, the second and third rides were painful because the lady was stapling me in. Fourth ride, I put a space of my hand under the restraint, A HAND'S SPACE, come on people how many times have I even riden with much more space. "Move your hand sir or you're out the park". I wasn't about to have her staple me again and I told her it was hurting. Leave me some room, you know. Fifth ride, the ride supervisor was waiting for me to board! He informed me that not only what I was doing was dangerous, that I did not know how to ride that ride. He was in my face, the other ride ops that were cool with it, if you know what I mean, are just looking at this guy and girl like what's thier deal? The other ops even told me I was well within safety guidelines or whatever. Anyways, this guy(oh, his name wasn't Bill) put his whole body weight down on my restraint, informed me that if I did not lean all the way back into my seat that he was removing me, then pushed the restraint down further! You know what that ride feels like stapled? I told the op and supervisor that it hurt, the supervisor(not that guy Bill, it's not nice to name names) told me to bring a note from a doctor stating that it's OK for me to be comfortable and have room in my restraint! I filed complaint with GR, but for the second time this season, a park has abused me or mine and then put me in a situation where it's like they want me to ask for free passes or something, that's not cool! I'm not going to ask for something, that's just not my style, they know the deal, give it up when you make a consumer that ill. I feel like I've been kicked in the crotch even today, they knew this, what's thier deal?

Bad times, thank God they don't do that on the Bull.
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Ozzfest 2001: The greatest show on earth!

Wow that really surprises me! I rode Apollo's Chariot when it first opened and in April of this year. The ride was as great or even better than when it opened. I noticed no new breaks. As far as the ops go, that behavior was unacceptable. A harness does not need forced down. You make me feel like I was doing something unsafe with my loose harness and sticking my feet up while riding that ride. Breaks and jamming the harness will ruin this great ride.

I hope they don't do that on Raging Bull when I go on it in July.

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Congratulations Ray Bourque!!

Colorado Avalanche: 2001 Stanley Cup Champions!

Oooh, that's low of those people. They are supposed to be nice to people you know? At last they could just tell you nicely that they don't want you flying out or whatever, they would still be wrong but it would be better than what they did.
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Bull rides:51
Batman rides:35

So those brakes were there? Strange I didn't notice or feel them the "X" amounts of times I literally floated on the third hill last August. I mean they're right there on the hill itself, not at the bottom of the second drop or anything, I'm talking right there and they make a noise as bad as those on that first drop of Mean Streak. There are other trims before the brake run, but I've never felt them(there to slow you down should you need to stop on the run?).

SFGA: All I was wanting was a little space you know, some air and some children in the future would have been nice. I know I didn't get any air in BGW except on Loch Ness yesterday(!and that was a first!). *** This post was edited by p_c_r on 6/23/2001. ***

That was a very unfortunate experience and was totally uncalled for. The operator and supervisor should NEVER have put you in a situation that caused pain and made you uncomfortable. At Lagoon, as long as the restraint is NOT open enough for the person to slip out and will put the rider in danger, it is acceptable. If a restraint is down too far, and you are in pain, they should adjust it so you are comfortable, at least we do at Lagoon. I personally feel the operators on AC were on a MAJOR Power Trip. You go to an Amusement/Theme Park to have fun and enjoy yourself, when this type of situation occurs, you no longer enjoy the experience. You should always feel safe and comfortable, never uncomfortable and in pain.

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We Turn Dreams Into Reality - RidgeStone Amusement

Heres a secret i learned on Nitro to avoid the "stapeling" you talk about:
1)- When you put your restraint down, bring it down slowly. Keep your knee underneath the "lip" of the clamshell, so that the restraint is being held by your knee. When the ops come around, just act normal, as soon as you leave remove your knee, and you'll have great floating room. I dont want to be responsible for any deaths, so make sure its not TOO much room.

2)- If you dont feel like using your knee, just put something from your pocket underneath the clamshell. As soon as you hit the lift, just put it back in your pocket.
Use this Information wisely!!

I understand both points. Even though they were wrong in the way they went by forcing the restrain on you I understand the reasoning. I myself have come across this at work. Certain rides have certain procedures. Some ops dont go by the book and some do while others take it to the unnecessary extreme
like you described.

My experience:
I know on Arrow's sit down rides the correct riding position is upright with the harness in contact with the riders body. If someone gets on the ride and is leaning forward or putting something between them and harness, I will tell them that the harness needs to touch them and ask them to make the adjustment. Ive never had complaints becasue im not "stapling" people, but simply putting them in the correct riding position. Its the same thing as our Chance Chaos and Inverter where the harness must touch thier legs.
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"ok everyone go ahead and pull down on your shoulder restraint so you feel nice and stuck!"

I was in line for Rugrats Reptar at PKI thursday with a guy in a wheel chair. We were waiting for some friends to come along in the line, and the head ride op told us that the entrance is wheelchair accessable! the line is so twisted (we even tried) we couldnt get the wheelchair through at all! I think it is uncalled for power trips b/c they have more control.

PS the Beasts line is ramped, but they just let us on the exit line. I think that at least in this situation let some friends go in line, and then just wait for them to go on as well. Its not that hard.

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http://www.islandguide.8m.com
all about PKI
the Beasts` Den

I can't believe how those ops treated you! That is totally unacceptable!!! The guess/customer is always right!!! I've riden Apollo's Chariot more than 30 times in a day and I know for a fact that those restraints are some of the safest in the business! Not to mention comfortable(when adjusted to fit the person, not in your case). Even when it is three notches above snug it is still securing you body in place!! I cannot believe their unrespectfull behavior towards you!! This is an outrage!!

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Steel- 1.Millennuim Force
Wood- 1.The Beast
"We're not worthy, We're not worthy!"

I got stapled on the Magnum, but it was only once. The ride op made me put my arms up and legs out and stpaled me, it didn't hurt though! I can't believe what the ride ops did to you!

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CDNSN

PKI MAN, while the entrance for The Beast is ramped, the pitch of that ramp is significantly steeper than 1:12, and therefore it is not considered wheelchair accessible.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

I leave my restraints up a little higher on wooden coasters all the time, and they dont say much, because I push my body up like I am fat (LOL) and they dont do anything about it. My mom doesnt like me doing it but i dont care, its not unsafe to me, its not like I leave the restraint up 1 foot or something. I just want to enjoy my ride without being uncomfortable, dont you guys agree?

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:)Cedar Point Lover:)

I was stapled on Magnum before too, but not in the station. In the turnaround my bar clicked down a notch! Man did that hurt.

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The Pens will win the Stanley Cup in 2002!

I went to PGA today and I was stapled on Top Gun. Oh man, it was torture it made the ride totally unenjoyable. In my ride pic you can easily tell I'm in pain.

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AKA V2 at CCN! AKA SFMWManiac at SFMWOnline!

On all the rides I've been on, no ride op has ever pushed down the restraint for me. They just tap on it to make sure that it is secure.

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p_c_r said:
I filed complaint with GR, but for the second time this season, a park has abused me or mine and then put me in a situation where it's like they want me to ask for free passes or something, that's not cool! I'm not going to ask for something, that's just not my style, they know the deal, give it up when you make a consumer that ill. I feel like I've been kicked in the crotch even today, they knew this, what's thier deal?"

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What exactly did GR tell you? If you werent satisfied with their response I would write a letter to Anheiser Busch about the situation. The stapling part they will probably side with the ride op and supervisor, but the way they treated and talked to you is very unprofessional. I say take it to the next level.

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""Coaster riding is a disease and SFGAm is the cure!!!!!!!""

Hold on a minute XL-Force 2000. Whoever came up with the brain dead notion of "the customer is always right" should be fed to rats to die a slow death. That statement is the biggest crock ever made. Obviously you have never worked directly with the public, and as a result of that, been cursed at, spit at, had things thrown at you, had a supervisor called because the customer didn't personally care for your tone of voice, ect.

p_c_r has a few valid complaints and did the right thing- he went to Guest Services and lodged a complaint. The employees in question were no doubt reprimanded-that is simply good management and good customer service. BGW is always at the top of the list for having a pretty park and seeing it run politely. The ride op could have been having a bad day or there is the chance that someone did what p_c_r did, and the ride op did nothing, it was seen by a supervisor who in turn reemed out the ride op, so now the op feels obligated to be especially diligent. Unfortunately, he overdid it.

However, to go on a tear about "the customer is always right" is just crap. Customers are right to a point. When they raise their voice and start yelling and becoming abusive, that's where the customer is flat out WRONG. Nobody has any right to treat another person like a doormat because they are in the service industry. You are a guest at a park, so act like a guest, not a self rightous primma donna who expects their prosterior to get licked because they entered a park and paid a fee. p_c_r did the right thing. Remember, when you go to a park, everyone who works there is a fellow human being and in turn deserves to be treated with respect. Having a tantrum at Guest SErvices or yelling at the ride op does nothing.

I have a quick question about those restrains. Are the designed the same way as the ones on Intamin Giga/Hyper trains (like on MF)?

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MF Drops-22
SOB Rides-2