Girl struck by cell phone on Six Flags Magic Mountain roller coaster

I’ll be the odd man out here and say I never really cared if people bring stuff on a rollercoaster. Yes, people should make sure their phones are secure, and there will always be the occasional person who doesn’t and someone will always end up getting pelted with a phone.

It’s one of those weird paradoxes where I think people should be trusted to not be stupid and follow rules while knowing full well that some people will always be stupid and not follow rules.

John Knotts:

The same people whining about leaving their stuff will be the same ones whining when they get hit on the head by a Cellphone.

That's a silly assertion since most people have not been hit by a cell phone.

John Knotts:

I don't blame Cedar Point one bit for their strict locker policy. If you don't like it, tough.

I don't care one way or another. Especially with the ability to still hold onto your stuff through 90% of the queue. I guess I just still can't figure out why my stuff is seemingly okay to be in cargo pockets on Maverick, Gatekeeper, Valravn, Magnum, etc., which are all rides that have a lot of hangtime or airtime. But not Steel Vengeance. Same with Kings Dominion when looking at I-305, Anaconda, Dominator, etc., when compared to Twisted Timbers. Do the RMCs really have that much of an increase on loose articles flying out of pockets?

I’m super paranoid about losing my phone and wallet. My favorite time of year has always been rain/jacket season because I have zipper pockets. I feel like my stuff is safer in my zipped jacket pocket than anywhere else, but that’s just me.

Personal responsibility goes a long way. I work hard for my stuff and I’m going to make sure I don’t lose it.

Personal responsibility doesn’t prevent a cell phone to the face. That’s the conundrum.

It doesn’t, but I prefer to be treated as a responsible adult…until I prove I shouldn’t be, not because someone else proved they aren’t.

I prefer it too. But the fact that others have proven they can't means we can't have nice things.

eightdotthree:

Personal responsibility doesn’t prevent a cell phone to the face. That’s the conundrum.

It does from me. If I don’t have a jacket or hoodie with zipper pockets, and a ride could potentially send my phone/keys/sunglasses flying, my stuff goes in a locker.

BrettV:

I guess I just still can't figure out why my stuff is seemingly okay to be in cargo pockets on Maverick, Gatekeeper, Valravn, Magnum, etc., which are all rides that have a lot of hangtime or airtime. But not Steel Vengeance. Same with Kings Dominion when looking at I-305, Anaconda, Dominator, etc., when compared to Twisted Timbers. Do the RMCs really have that much of an increase on loose articles flying out of pockets?

To add to that, why are items secured in cargo pockets ok for RMCs at other parks? I don't mind putting my stuff in a locker as long as it's complimentary. What I can't stand is having to pay for a locker because loose articles are not allowed in the queue. I'm looking at you King's Island.

Jeff:

"That's a silly assertion as most people haven't been hit by a Cellphone".

I disagree. Multiple people have been hit by a phone on Twisted Colossus, including myself, yet not a single person on SV.

CP says leave your crap in a locker and I agree.

Mulfinator, I visit KI a lot, and I've been trying to figure out which rides at the park do not allow loose articles in the queue. Can you please elaborate?

Initially, didn't Cedar Point take the "trust adults to be adults" approach with Steel Vengeance? I recall the first few times I rode it that a park employee would ask people getting in line if they had anything in their pockets. If they said yes, they were directed to the lockers. If they said no (or nothing at all), they continued in the line. If that is the case, Cedar Point changed its policy since then. Was it because of an incident (or multiple incidents). May have had things falling out of pockets with no one getting hurt or someone getting hurt but not making it to the media. Could also be CP legal and/or insurance pushed to change the policy. But expect they look at that before the ride open as well.

I think parks try to balance the "treat adults like adults" (note though that a lot of pre-adults ride rides at amusement parks) with liability issues. Don't expect parks look at slowing down line, making guests upset, etc. just for fun but because there is a need to do that. Everyone may not agree with the need (at least in part because they view the issue through their own eyes and would never ride with any loose articles) but that is a different issue.

I don't mind putting things in a locker, but if you are forcing people to do so to get on a ride, it should be free and lockable (looking at you SFMM with Wonder Woman, who gives an unlockable cubby... Like... uh?). But setups like Velocioaster or even the locker situation now at Vengeance or the other CF RMC's are fine.

It is nice when parks are a bit more chill with it, though. At BGT I was able to keep everything on me in a zippered hip pack with no issues on any ride. Just less hassle which is always nice.

People gotta store.

LostKause:

Mulfinator, I visit KI a lot, and I've been trying to figure out which rides at the park do not allow loose articles in the queue. Can you please elaborate?

Summer of 2020 we travelled with a small backpack. We had extra masks, water bottles, and sunscreen in the bag. At both Mystic Timbers and Orion we were told that we had to put our bag in a paid locker because loose items were not allowed in the queue. Specifically on Orion we were not allowed to bring the bag in line even though our kids were stepping through and not riding. Not a huge deal, just annoying, and felt like a Six Flags move.

Interesting tidbit. Over the weekend at Six Flags Great America, we were walking by The Joker. I look up and lo and behold what do I see, a guys sunglasses (or maybe regular glasses) floating down (well falling down) to land on the roof on the roof of the station area. Too far away to hear the clunk, but, also, glad I wasn't directly in line. Sun glasses are lighter than cell phones, but, pretty sure you would have felt them.

Those stupid rides... Yeeted the sunglasses right off my head at SFFT. No idea where they went.

Never once had an issue with sunglasses on any ride without a strap. However, that ride made sure to make it count. Thankfully, just some cheap $20 glasses so it don't matter.

Long ago, back when I worked X-Flight in 2005 or 2006 at Geauga Lake, someone had lost their cell phone right after the loop and I saw as the phone went screaming into a support. Loud noise, followed by a cell phone that looked like it exploded. Probably was one of them Nokia bricks back in the day, ha.

Ah yes, but at 8:01 PM, the battery life would be 1%... :-)

8:01 PM 3 days later, maybe.

Those phones were complete tanks.