Six Flags Ohio fined for safety violations

Who, familiar with the park, didn't see that coming?

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

Come on SFO, you have a potentially great park there. Get some better hiring procedures before it is too late!!

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"X" marks the spot in 2001!

I am half shocked that's it. I saw at least 10 when I visited. $2000 is a joke, we are talking about people's life's here.

Anyway, That $2000 will now force them to cutback the work force. Instead of having one operator on the platform the guest now must operate the rides themselves. You go check the lap bars while I press the button and jump in.

You can also read the article from the Plain Dealer.

http://www.cleveland.com/news/index.ssf?/news/pd/cc09flag.html

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Who never plans to go to SFO, because of this kind of stuff.

I doubt it.

As much as I enjoy visiting themeparks, I don't think I'd ever like to work at one. For one I don't wan't to be responsible for someone's life. And the second thing is that it's too repetitive. Can you imagine saying the same thing hundreds of times a day 5 days a week without going out of your mind?

I've done it, wouldn't ever do it again. It's a lot of work, and you don't get paid well for it. I acually worked for Cedar Fair and Disney and it was bad. I can't imagine working for Six Flags.

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Man feeds machine, machine eats man.

-Peter Gabriel

SFO really should hire a more efficient work force if this is all the better they are. Im not saying that everyone who is part of the work force is bad, but just get rid of the ones who are depriving them. Theyre getting a new coaster next year, and this isnt helping.

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CP in 2002, get to the point

That's the problem. Places like CP hire qualified and nice people. Six Flags parks are so under-staffed and hires anybody they can find.

I've never understood how Cedar Point can hire all college kids as ride ops. I suppose it has something to do with the "on-campus" culture at that park, where thousands of people live and work together. It's like college sans books.

I personally don't like the idea of people who can't vote running rides. I love high school kids, and even coach them, but I don't care for them in that role.

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

If the patrons are trespassing and get themselves killed, it is their fault, it is the park's fault for not having enough security guards, and the ones they do have are at the front gate talking to each other. As for getting more security guards and experienced ride operators, if a park could afford 4 roller coasters, a boomtown, and a Hurricane Harbor including a new wave pool that would cost $40 million, can't they afford some experienced employees that actually do their job instead of sleeping on a slide?

I agree Jeff,
Most people under the age of 18 still don't have the concept of what thier actions can cause. Not that all are like that but a majority. It's the old story, when you're young you think you know it all and your parents are just "too old to understand". Then once you grow up you realize just how much your parent's were right. As much pain as it causes you.

I noticed on my trips to both SFO AND SFMM the young age of the ride op's. Now it really didn't cause much concern untill I saw multiple people, with video cams in hand (one on Superman at SFMM and one on Goliath really scared me) as the ride dispatched and the ops looked right at the people and just let them go. Imagine as that camera hits someone on the hill on the way down. A $2000 fine is nothing and a really sad statement as to the value that the parks and the inspecting agencies put on safety.

Granted I'm biased for CP being my home park, but SF seems to be hiring younger people than most parks. Knott's was very well run, Disneyland the same, I'm just wondering how long before something happens due to the age of a ride op and thier possible inablity to grasp a situation as fast as an adult.

Sure they can be, but I don't see many. I for one am responsible and hard working, but I don't my license yet, so I can't drive

Like I said.. not all.. Just some and I've noticed it more the more parks I hit. Which this season has been a rather large # and mainly the problems I've seen have all been at SF parks.

Its too bad this had to happen to old SFO... there were some really good workers there this year, but just let a few bad seeds spoil the crop. The Mind Eraser crew, though really nice people, didn't even know how to properly run it anywhere close to capacity.

But I agree with an earlier post, that $2,000 was nothing. It should have been well over $25,000.

Americana (after the 1999 season) was fined $15,000 just for working younger-aged employees beyond their maximum hours, and the state got them for that!

The reason there is so much neglect by the employees, is that they just don't care!!
If you were making $5.15 an hour to sit in the hot sun and watch people for 6-7 hours a day, with no benefits, would you honestly give it your best? NO! They treat their workers bad, and they get payed scrap! If they truly want quality employees who care they are going to have to start paying the employees more, and are going to have to start giving job benefits.
If the employees are happy, then the guests are happy! That should be the mentality of ALL Six Flags parks!!

The guy one guy on Goliath just pulled it out right in front of an op. He was sitting probably in row 6. Nothing Said..

Saw the same on Viper.. Nothing Said..

The guy on Superman, I saw as we were boarding and he was leaving telling his friends how he just got some great footage. So it was there.. Care to hear from the people who were with me?
*** This post was edited by Red Garter Rob on 1/9/2001. ***

Why am I not suprised.

You couldn't be more wrong.. The 3 people I was with have never even BEEN to CP. One from L.A. (who hasn't been to SFMM since they put in Superman, one that flew in from Seattle, and one drove up from San Diego. Once again, none of them from teh east)

But that still doesn't explain why I didn't see any problems at Disney, or Paramount Kings Island or Kennywood this year does it?

I'm not one of the people who thinks that CP is the end all of all parks. Every park has it's own merits, I'm just saying that between SFO and SFMM I saw more lax rules. SFGA was fine (made it there Oct28th on a trip to NJ for other things).

My park count this year was higher than most and I started to look for more things to compare. Ride op's just happened to be something that stuck out at me. I hit 10 parks this year and most of the problems I saw were at SF parks. *** This post was edited by Red Garter Rob on 1/9/2001. ***