Basically, coaster0, the debate *was* focused on whether or not the attendant who let the kid on was really a "good" attendant or not (for the reason she let the kid on, not for any other reason). Besides, if Jeff didn't approve of the direction of the conversation he would've closed it by now.
-Natalie
CP Ride Operations '99-'00
For a good atendant story, I will refer to the Coaster Zombies invasion of SFA back in September. Not only did the ride operators let us put five ADULTS in each tea cup car, do syncronized flying carousel riding(Hostyl might be ablr to expain better than me. but it basically consists of we take over the ride, just us for one run, and Sam, our leader, calls out various actions for us to preform like running, flying, ect...), but they also did hand slaps with us and let us take items on S:ROS during the ert time. We had a stuffed toy monkey and a large furby doll that we passed back and forth.:)
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Everybody calm down, the coasters do not open for another fifteen minutes.
AirtimeSROS, don't let me put you off as SFNE is a great place to work especially the unofficial staff room at Bobby's Bar. There are plenty of us in Scotland and England that desperatly miss the park, the coasters and especially the people!
Flyer takeovers are definitely a time-honored tradition, WildOne. ;)
And WildOne, what if SFA let the GP do that sort of stuff? ERT has a completely different set of rules, and even then some people don't know when to accept and still play safe. ;)
Incident during SRM '00 being one good example, somebody standing up. We love to get privileges like that but if we start to abuse them...events turn out like Supermania at SFNE (our night ERT on SROS was absolutely horrendous, culminating when we were stopped on the lift hill so that Jeremiah could come up onto it and basically staple every single one of us because one person had their lap bar up).
I suppose I'll get my first taste this year from the other side of an enthusiast event when I work at CoasterMania for the first time instead of attending (usually I'm in school at the time so I haven't started my seasonal job yet but make the trip down there to ride anyway). I'm looking forward to it.
-Natalie
CP Ride Operations '99-'00
For Airtime, Bukweet iz little coaster-freak's daddy. I know this because I often hear the phrase, "please, Daddy." Therefore, I am confident, that I am male ;).
I think all the inversions, etc., from Dragons kinda helped add a quarter-inch to the pied-piper, so I only had to get another quarter out of her from the rack! It worked....
What I really need is an "inverted year-stretching rack," as I'm 40 next summer :).
For Coaster0, the thread began when I tied the word "good" to an attendant who shaded the rules, omitting other characteristics of "good" (to be found in later posts). It kinda lit a winter fire to have some fun with.
So, ya got a "good" attendant story? Or, what's your opinion? Is "inside an inch close enough? Or are you a hardhead, errrrr, hardliner?
Sorry ;), AT & Lgnd, couldn't pass it by.
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bukweet FL
"kanwegoagain?"
*** This post was edited by bukweetfl on 11/29/2000. ***
Ok airtime, hre's one that's not from an ERT event. Close to closeing during one of the early hallowscream nights when the Zombies staged another unoficial mini invasion, the ride ops on superman let fill in empty seats for the last half hour of operations. Lost my keys and wallet (got the wallet back, have not found the keys yet) and my fingers went completely numb, but I did get eight more laps.
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Everybody calm down, the coasters do not open for another fifteen minutes.
Was reading an old thread, "MF Height Restriction Changes," and hadda thought for Nat, et al, that I just couldn't resist.
They're gonna let 48 inchers on that sick-minded invention, but 53 isn't enough on, say Dragons, even though you might be safely and snuggly "belted and bolted" inside the OTSR?
This iz not for Nat, but for my "insurance-type" friends, whose industry I find to be thoroughly hypocritical and greedy about a number of things.
They are, however, consistent in that they make hard and fast rules to eliminate their risk, demand every dollar they can get right now, and fudge for as much time as they can get (drawing interest) before they pay a claim (which iz their only safety concern). 48 for MF and 54 for B&M? Please.
However, Nat...I promise I'm not heading for MF with my 47 and 3/4 incher ;). In fact, unless my wife iz hiding something in the closet, I don't have one.
48, huh? As long as it's not years. :)
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bukweet FL
"kanwegoagain?"
The reasoning behind MF being okay for 48" is that the restraints on the Intamin megas/giga are made for 48" and above. CP originally set it at 54" because of the magnitude of the ride, but they have now somehow determined that 48" is okay for it. A lot of us thought it would be 48" to begin with, as that is the height requirement for SFDL's SROS, with the same restraints, which predates MF.
The problem with B&M inverters is that the restraints are not extremely adjustable, and a kid less than 54" could very well squeeze out of them, causing a big problem. The OTSRs are the REASON for the height restrictions rather than something that should lower them, you see?
-Natalie
CP Ride Operations '99-'00
You shoulda seen these girls on Ricki Lake yesterday who looked like guys...I dunno.
AT, no response to your male/female question that wuz answered? I though maybe you had a "good shot" waiting for that one!
It iz curious, though. Who gives you the most problems, moms or dads? I'm guessing dads, but as noted above, you wouldn't hear it from me :).
Little-freak knows the deal. No whining.
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bukweet FL
"kanwegoagain?"
Both moms & dads cause equal problems, actually.
The moms usually play on the sympathetic bent more often, I have noticed that. And they are vicious if I say no, and then their kid starts crying and everyone in line looks at me like I'm the devil, and then they grab the kid by the hand and storm away from the entrance.
Dads usually try it by force more than moms. They see me as a small girl, and weak because of that. They sneer down at me and then utter words like "They let him on the Gemini." Like I'm supposed to be intimidated by them or something. We've actually had to call security before because someone was trying to get violent with a ride op who told him that his kid was too short. And the poor kid in the middle of it just looks helpless and scared.
I love my job, I really do, but height checking has to be one of the most trying parts of it, because you basically have the job of disappointing people constantly. And then there are the adults or teenagers who are very obviously tall enough and yet when they walk by they feel like they have to like get in the limbo position and walk by like "Am I tall enough?" and then start laughing hysterically. Bleh.
-Natalie
CP Ride Operations '99-'00
Tell me, one time, a "people story" from the park that makes you laugh hysterically.
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bukweet FL
"kanwegoagain?"
Hey Airtime SROS, you HAVE ridden coasters at the park I work for. You may get free passes from me one day. I could have put in a good word with you when I was with Knizel at Atlanta. Maybe you will get out of those dorms. When they tear Cedars down, I will not miss them one bit. Like living in the back of a truck.
Agent Johnson, Kinzel wouldn't know who I am if you told him my entire work history, showed him a picture, then introduced him to me, lol. Don't know that a "good word" woulda done much, but kewl of you to think about it hehe. And Bayside really isn't that bad... ;)
Oh, bukweet, I could tell you a million stories of awesome times I've had working at CP, just this thread's topic does not lend itself well to it, hehe. I've absolutely loved working there and that's why I continue to go back, and why I love the amusement industry and hope to possibly advance in it.
-Natalie
CP Ride Operations '99-'00
Don't bank on it.He knows more than you think. He remembered me after 10 years, and Falfas was my boss and talks to me every year at IAAPA. They both remember I worked in Frontiertown, which suits me just fine. When I have to pay to get in, then I will have to start with phone calls.
I have a daughter who was a shade less than 54" this year. When we went to CP this year we let the OPS measure her for the rides. She was allowed on mantis without any question. SHe was allowed on Raptor after some thought. However, I noticed that the person measuring for MF wasbeing stricter thatn the others so we didn't even try. SHe was disapointed. However, we'll probably return next year and with the lowered height requirement, she'll definately get on.
I can relate to this topic as do others. Having checked heights for 8 years I have seen and taken safety to heart. People who b**** and complain about there kids height make me sick. Not only that but what I more is when you turn down a kid thats too short and people that saw you turn down the kid (unrelated to the child) get up in arms over the whole ordeal. Ride Operators deal with a lot of ignorant people who don't have a clue to what is going on, and they should be treated with loads of respect for doing what they have been trained to do. Letting a child that is too short to ride a coaster or whatever is the same as letting someone shoplift IMOP. RESPECT THE RIDE OPS - they deserve it.
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BMCOASTER
bmcoaster@aol.com
*** This post was edited by BMCOASTER on 11/30/2000. ***
BMCOASTER, you maded some good comments there until you tried to parallel people getting angry about ride ops not letting little kids ride big coasters to shoplifting. I'm not seeing the connection.
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Randy Hutchinson
You build it, I'll ride it
Meaning that if employee's see someone stuff something into their pocket and do nothing about it. Which I was making the relationship with a ride op that doesn't check height or one that see's that the kid is close and lets them go.
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BMCOASTER
bmcoaster@aol.com
