NEW Policy with MF seatbelts?

Not the point, Shawn. Employees get reprimanded for posting stuff as a representative of the park. Some even get fired. It's just not a good idea.

I concur with Jeff. If I were the kid's supervisor we'd be having a a very quick but pointed conversation.

I dono maybe his supervisor, if he even saw his post at all would be happy. To get it out there in the open. You never know people are different.

We'll if that's the case, he must of had a change of heart because I know Steel Monsters never posts on here during his season at work because it could cause trouble so it could be a lot of things.

Was borderjumper's post inflammatory in some way?

The post seemed fairly benign to me. Did he say anything that most folks here didn't already know?

I'm just curious why what he/she said would be so problematic.

Or is this just a matter of Cedar Point being Cedar Point, some sort of totalitarian regime that SHALL NOT be betrayed in any way, shape, or form? Where's the gulag?

At any rate, what's the deal here?

Thanks

I was wondering is this topic the longest or what?

Meanspirit, have you ever had a job? Most companies/agencies that I have ever worked for have had rules about commenting about the company in public. Why is that so unusual?

I happen to know more-or-less where the gulag is at Cedar Point, but that isn't important right now...

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Of course, I've NEVER had a job. Great personal wealth allows me to sit around and sip scotch all day and amuse myself by observing the struggles of the "LITTLE PEOPLE."

So much for that fantasy.

Actually, I"ve been in the same business for 22 years and have worked in nine different places in that time. I suspect that most of my employers wouldn't be too keen on me or any of my colleagues "commenting" about those companies in public, but there's a distinction to be drawn here:

Calling a press conference or commenting to the media is one thing; making remarks in this type of forum is another.

Based on some of the posts that followed borderjumper's, I get the impression that there's a concern Cedar Point officials are actually combing through this site (and perhaps others like them) just looking for things like the post of borderjumper. If that's the case, it's a little disturbing.

And no, none of the companies I've ever worked were that obsessed about keeping their finger in the inhouse information dike (sp?). Not even close.

I have heard of places -- the CIA and National Security Agency, for example -- where people aren't supposed to discuss their work outside the workplace or even acknowledge where they work.

On the other hand, Cedar Point is an amusement park, for Christ's sake.

Do some of these clowns at CP really think that posts like borderjumper's are somehow injurious to their business (God knows, you wouldn't want someone divulging the recipe for the gravy at the Midway Market)? Or is it simply a company with a control-freak management philosophy?

For what it's worth, I don't find it surprising in the least, particularly given the heavy guest-focused nature of the business. When you interact with the public, you want to have one unified voice, always.

For example, the one thing my students hate above all others is when one of my GSIs says "X", and the other says "not X" in answer to a question about a project or some such. That creates a big tarpit for me, and I'd rather spend my time doing something other than dealing with a (very justifiably) upset student. That's why I tell my GSIs that if they ever aren't sure of an answer, to ask the rest of us first.

Of course, graduate students are sometimes wrong, but never in doubt, so they rarely ask. If I didn't have that problem too, I'd be upset about it. ;)

I don't think CP officials are sitting around sifting through websites looking for employees to say damaging things but I suspect they do bounce in from time to time and see what is going on.

Borderjumpers post came off as if he were a public spokesperson for Cedar Point and Dragster. He is not. I work for a City. In the big scheme of things I am not really important. When I speak to reporters or residents I am very clear about the fact that I don't speak FOR the city and if they want official responses they need to look to City Hall.

Also, don't give the media that much credit. A lot of their background information is coming from the internet these days and I know of many cases where they have pulled quotes for stories right out of message boards. It doesn't say much for the media but it is happening.

You say, "it is an amusement park for ____ sake." Well, no, it is a business that happens to be an amusement park. Protecting internal information is important...even if it appears to be something minor. You think this is bad? You should see Disney in action. They are obsessive about it.

Hey Chief:

I didn't view borderjumper's post as coming off as a spokesman for the park. He (or she) just sounded like someone who was trying to explain why things are the way they are, while trying to defend the "little people" (aka the ride ops).

And while many people on this thread have have defended the ride ops, I see no problem with one of them defending himself.

But then again, I'm employed in THE MEDIA, the folks who you shouldn't give too much credit to (sorry about ending a sentence in a preposition). And folks such as me always are most interested in keeping lines of communication open (never know what you might learn). After all, who's to say that someday some lowly park worker discloses a legitimate issue of public concern that his/her employer would prefer to keep buried. If it were a safety issue, it might even qualify for whistleblower protection, or at least it might if that Ed Markey had his way with regard to amusement park rides.

At the same time, I wouldn't even begin to dispute that companies need to keep certain proprietary information close to the vest. But what borderjumper was talking about was pretty much an exercise in the obvious. Plenty of other folks have said the same thing on this site.

Just out of curiosity, which media are you referring to when you say that they "pull quotes for stories right out of message boards?" I'd be interested in knowing not only the quotes and the media source but the context in which they were used.

At any rate, I believe that the gods of Cedar Fair/Cedar Point should cut their workers a little more than AN INCH OF SLACK!!!!

meanspirit,

What media are you employed in and what do you do? I may know of a media board where you can post things about where you work.

Of course, your employer may be watching that board and you may be fired for doing so. It's happened before.

The issue of posting about one's employer is not exclusive to Cedar Point.

MrScott

What borderjumper said my very well be benign. But CP, as I understand, employs a blanket policy. The reasoning for this is that if someone gets punished, there is no "Why me and not him?" Yes it may seem unfair, but it makes it black and white, with no gray in between.

John

Mr. Scott:

Fortunately for me, my employer (which shall remain nameless for myriad reasons) seems more consumed by larger issues. And it helps to work in an environment where the workers have a say in determining where the lines that you don't cross are located.

And why would I want to post on some media board when I can have so much more entertainment engaging in such thought-provoking exchange here?

Regardless, Mr. Scott, your point is well-taken.

On the other hand, why are so many people here concerned about Cedar Point's public disclosure policy and who might be violating it? I say that if someone wants to be a rebel, let him, and let the park's thought police go on a fishing expedition.

Power to the WORKING PEOPLE!!!!

On the other hand, again, I guess we've all gotten a little off point here since most of these recent posts, including mine, haven't dealt with Millennium Force. It is a fine ride, after all, especially when one fits in the damn seat.

Hey, I'm just trying to do my part to keep this most impressive thread alive.

I say let borderjumper posts whatever he wants (within reason, of course). It sounds like his post was something he wanted to get off his chest and wanted a medium to communicate it through. Think his supervisors would want to hear all that dissertation?

-Brian, who remembers Kennywood telling us we could not speak to media, especially in relation to accidents. But nothing regarding comments on a fan site messageboard..

Meanspirit,

Now that really cracks me up. You won't even disclose where you work or what you do on an amusement park board (and you don't even work in the industry), yet you bash Cedar Point if they have issues with comments made by their employees on the same board.

I guess I DID make my point, huh?

MrScott *** Edited 7/5/2004 4:53:31 PM UTC by MrScott***

"Accross."

I don't think so.

Pepeole meak tipebos?

Has anyone been to CP lately? Do they seem to be relaxing the seatbelt rule a bit?