Wounded Vet Denied Ride At Six Flags Fiesta Texas

[therick311]

http://www.keyetv.com/news/features...-fiesta-texas-rollercoaster-16726.shtml?wap=0

Sergeant Stephen Jackel received a Purple Heart after losing both of his legs in Afghanistan, and now wears prosthetic legs. Since then, he spends his time living life to the fullest.

Jackel and his 14 year old daughter spend most of the day Wednesday at Six Flags Fiesta Texas. They had a wonderful time, until they were getting ready to board the Boomerang ride.

"(The Six Flags employee) specifically told me you cannot ride this ride without having one functional leg and one functional arm,” said Jackel. "And that was devastating to me."

Six Flags says it's park policy, to ensure everyone's safety. But Jackel, who was wearing shorts, says none of the park employees told him he wouldn't be able to ride any of the rides.

"I would’ve walked away and took my daughter a long time ago, since I’ve been dealing with this all day. I would’ve went somewhere where my disability -- my physical challenge rather -- is not an issue,” Jackel said.

Jackel says Six Flags tried to make up for the issue, by giving him free tickets for another day, but he says they're useless if he can't ride the rides.

Six Flags officials did not go on camera but they did issue a written statement:

"As a first option, we do offer our guests the opportunity to enjoy the rest of the day and the attractions they are able to experience, and in addition, offer complementary tickets to also visit on another day, now that they know which attractions they may ride. If our guests do not find that option acceptable, then our team can offer a full refund. We will make sure our new team members are aware of all of these service recovery options so we can continue to take care of our guests."

Six Flags says it will be reaching out to Jackel to refund his money. It recommends guests with special needs visit its website to review those policies before going to the amusement park.

I don't blame Six Flags for this policy. They probably did the right thing by not allowing him to ride. However, it was a PR mistake to not offer him a refund.

 

[Youngster Joey]

After what happened at Former Six Flags Darien Lake i'm not overly surprised. They should however have told him at the gate about what he wouldn't be able to ride. At least IMO

 

[nealbie]

I don't know what the ticket booths at the park are like, but it's quite possible the staff did not see his legs were prosthetic, especially as they're not going to be constantly vigilant for something so rare.

Unless he asked and pointed out his condition (which he clearly didn't to be surprised in the ride station), they're not going to distract themselves from doing the job they've been told to do and get as many tickets sold as quickly as possible.

Obviously it's awkward and unfortunate, but yeah, the park have done nothing wrong. Nice bit of non-news; admittedly I was disappointed it wasn't about a pet doctor who'd been bitten by a rabid dog and refused entry to a ride.

 

[Lofty]

Yet another topic about the park enforcing their safety policies. If he'd have rode and the worst case scenario happened, the park would be considered neglectful of safety - so yes, they've done the right thing.

 

[furie]

The thing is, it's this kind of "I'm being treated differently and it's not right" attitude that them makes ride ops embarrassed into making bad decisions that end in deaths.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[nadroJ]

I feel like this is the same issue that the man I had an argument with at Hersheypark had. He was trying to sneak his too short child onto Great Bear. I didn't try to stop him, I just bluntly told him that it's dangerous and she might die. Like, there is a very real risk that she will die because the restraints and measurements that go with them are to stop you from falling out and dying. And that guy got all defensive on me. It's just pure stupidity.

On the other hand ride ops should be vigilant with stuff like this. Yes, it's embarrassing to deny disabled people access to things, but it's more embarrassing if they DIE on the thing because you let them on it.

 

[njn63]

Ugh, glad to see the media has decided to pull the veteran card. :roll:

 

[Gavin]

How dare they discriminate against a true American hero?!

 

[rollermonkey]

The ticket folk wouldn't have said anything, even if they saw his prosthetics because they aren't trained to screen riders for disqualifiers and because US privacy laws regarding medical stuff are crazy. So crazy, that even if they had seen his legs AND known they would disqualify him from riding most of the rides, they still can't say anything unless he asked. There was nothing in his disability that prevented him from entering the park and partaking in activities like eating with his family or spending the day with them between rides, so the staff CAN'T say anything unless he asks or he tries to do something contrary to park policy.

 

[Hyde]

Six Flags is not in the wrong for sticking to their policies, but they are in the wrong for not being able to appropriately screen out the rider before hopping in line.

Impetus is on both ride operators and riders to be aware of ride policies. This was a problem that we would run into occasionally at Cedar Point Guest Services, and it could easily be avoided by ride ops being more aware of folks getting in line.

 

[njn63]

Six Flags is not in the wrong for sticking to their policies, but they are in the wrong for not being able to appropriately screen out the rider before hopping in line.

Six Flags has signs in the queue (and possibly at the ride entrance, can't remember) outlining who can and can't ride. They sometimes have ride ops at the ride entrance but on a lot of rides they do not in my experience.

 

[tribar]

^Yep usually at the beginning of the queue and before the station. He choose not to read them for whatever reason

 

[furie]

Or he read them and then was upset? Dies the article say he was actually at a station platform and refused, or just told "somewhere" he wasn't allowed to ride?

Let's face it though, it's just all very stupid. It seems that some rules designed to protect the disabled (as rollermonkey says) clash with park rules that priest the disabled from being killed on the rides.

It sounds heartless, but unfortunately by being disabled, you can't expect the world to constantly bend laws and physics to your will.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Lofty]

How dare they discriminate against a true American hero?!

It's ok. He should just go to SeaWorld. He'll get a standing ovation before the shows start :roll:

 

[rollermonkey]

Six Flags is not in the wrong for sticking to their policies, but they are in the wrong for not being able to appropriately screen out the rider before hopping in line.

Impetus is on both ride operators and riders to be aware of ride policies. This was a problem that we would run into occasionally at Cedar Point Guest Services, and it could easily be avoided by ride ops being more aware of folks getting in line.

6F rarely staffs ride entrances with fully qualified ride ops. (They are crazy stingy with hours and staffing.)

And again, you are not supposed to address a person's medical issues before it's an issue, and anyone can wait in line and not ride. ==> They really aren't supposed to disqualify riders for medical conditions before they are about to board. If CF is doing it, and someone is lawyer-happy, they could sue, and as stupid as the courts (and the HIPAA laws) are, they could win.

 

[njn63]

And again, you are not supposed to address a person's medical issues before it's an issue, and anyone can wait in line and not ride. ==> They really aren't supposed to disqualify riders for medical conditions before they are about to board. If CF is doing it, and someone is lawyer-happy, they could sue, and as stupid as the courts (and the HIPAA laws) are, they could win.

I'm vaguely familiar with HIPAA and I'm not seeing how this would apply here? I may be missing a subsection somewhere?

I could see a discrimination/emotional damage case by a sue happy lawyer though. I can't even begin to imagine the press nightmare that would be brought about if someone mentioned to one of the *ahem* larger guests that they might not be able to ride certain rides.

 

[Mysterious Sue]

Like Neal, for a second I wondered how on earth this story involved a veterinary doctor.

 

[rollermonkey]

And again, you are not supposed to address a person's medical issues before it's an issue, and anyone can wait in line and not ride. ==> They really aren't supposed to disqualify riders for medical conditions before they are about to board. If CF is doing it, and someone is lawyer-happy, they could sue, and as stupid as the courts (and the HIPAA laws) are, they could win.

I'm vaguely familiar with HIPAA and I'm not seeing how this would apply here? I may be missing a subsection somewhere?

I could see a discrimination/emotional damage case by a sue happy lawyer though. I can't even begin to imagine the press nightmare that would be brought about if someone mentioned to one of the *ahem* larger guests that they might not be able to ride certain rides.

Basically, as I understand it (from working at two parks, I'm no lawyer), since park staff isn't the individual's doctor, they cannot address medical issues with a guest unless there is an immediate reason that would be unsafe for the guest or others. This translates into operating procedures as such:
The folks at the front gate who issue disabled rider passes cannot ask for proof of disability.
Nobody can screen guests for disqualifying medical conditions until the guest is in the station and attempts to ride.
The folks at rides cannot ask why a guest has a disabled rider pass, only that the name on the pass is someone who is riding.

And, yeah. The rider is never too big to ride. "The restraint is too small to close properly and the train cannot be dispatched unless it is closed properly." (Even if the train can be dispatched with everything open, you don't tell the guest that.)

It's all stupid and it sucks, but you can blame the liars... I mean lawyers... and congress for this crap.

 

[njn63]

Basically, as I understand it (from working at two parks, I'm no lawyer), since park staff isn't the individual's doctor, they cannot address medical issues with a guest unless there is an immediate reason that would be unsafe for the guest or others. This translates into operating procedures as such:
The folks at the front gate who issue disabled rider passes cannot ask for proof of disability.
Nobody can screen guests for disqualifying medical conditions until the guest is in the station and attempts to ride.
The folks at rides cannot ask why a guest has a disabled rider pass, only that the name on the pass is someone who is riding.

Thanks for the explanation. From that angle it makes sense because of medical privacy.

 

[CanobieFan]

The folks at the front gate who issue disabled rider passes cannot ask for proof of disability. Nobody can screen guests for disqualifying medical conditions until the guest is in the station and attempts to ride. The folks at rides cannot ask why a guest has a disabled rider pass, only that the name on the pass is someone who is riding.

Thanks for the explanation. From that angle it makes sense because of medical privacy.

Indeed, working at Disney... My area doesnt give out or use the GAC card system (Guest Assistance Card) were a first come first served basis area but from what I've seen. You go to townhall and as long as Guest Relations deems it OK to hand out the card, you'll get one but they can't ask anything about whats wrong.