Sony Electronics Shows Fans How to Get Kicked Out of a Theme Park

A national magazine ad for a Sony Electronics product urges theme park fans to put the lives of fellow coaster riders at risk.

A magazine advertisement for a Sony digital camera encourages theme park fans to do something that many theme parks have vowed will lead to fans being kicked out of their parks.

An ad for Sony's Handycam digital camera running in editions of this week's Entertainment Weekly magazine in the United States shows a fan riding a wooden coaster while holding a Handycam. The fan and other riders are all shown with their arms outstretched.

The powerful G forces that riders experience on many coasters can pry handheld items like camers from the grip of riders. That is why park operators insist that riders stow cameras, backpacks, hats and even glasses before their roller coaster train leaves the station. Still, many coaster fans smuggle cameras on board, ignoring the fact that these items can become dangerous missiles should they fly from their owners' hands en route. In 1998, a physician riding on Space Mountain at Walt Disney World suffered brain damage after being hit with items that fell from other passengers in other cars on the track.

Earlier this year, an American Coaster Enthusiasts member died after ignoring safety warnings and cheating the restraints on The Raven coaster at Indiana's Holiday World. That incident prompted Holiday World to cancel all coaster club events at the park and to send a warning letter to several clubs, declaring the park's intention to expel any rider who violated the park's safety policies, including by bringing a camera onto a ride. Cedar Fair, owner of Cedar Point and Knott's Berry Farm, has also sent letters to several coaster clubs, warning that it will also cancel club events in the future should members be found bringing cameras on rides.

So theme parks fans who decide to imitate the Sony ad by taking a Handycam on board a coaster run the risk of getting themselves kicked out of the park, plus getting coaster clubs banned from that park's entire chain and, even worse, endangering the lives of their fellow riders.

Any park employees or patrons care to comment on Sony's ad?

I believe you all are right. The people riding should not bring stuff like this on rides with them. It is not safe.

I agree. This ad may be the fuel to getting many coaster riders kicked out of theme parks. Two years ago, someone brought a disposable camera on the Giant Drop, and that tempted me to imitate her example. But I never did.

But alas, that might not stop riders from bringing cameras on Space Mountain. Especially when it features NightVision.

I agree with the thoughts expressed by Robert N.
I am a coaster enthusaist and a member of ACE and i hope idiots who are members of coaster clubs or not members dont follow the dumb example that this ad gives. Their actions will danger other riders on the ride and park policies should be follwoed for everybody's well being.

I don't worry about the hardcore coaster enthusiasts as much as just Joe Teenager that sees that ad in a mainstream magazine like Entertainment Weekly and thinks that would be really cool to try at his local Six Flags. I pray for the person sitting behind him that he doesn't lose his grip on the camera. Am I to believe that there was no one in Sony marketing who saw this copy and didn't think of the obvious dangers?

Can someone come up with the appropriate email address to protest this corporate irresponsibility?

AHHH! I can't believe that Sony Electronics would be so brain dead. Don't they know how much damage that can cause. As a Supervisor at PCW, I have to continually tell people not to take cameras or other loose articles on the rides...I can't believe the irresponsiblity that this shows on Sony's part.

To anyone who may be thinking of getting the "ultimate" vacation video. Don't. Cameras can cause some serious damage if they hit someone else at coaster speeds. Also, the odds of you losing it are just about the same as the odds of you being able to hang onto through the entire ride...

To anyone who shares the sentiment that this is a completely irresponsible action on the part of Sony...let them know. I'm trying to find out who the contact person is for this type of thing, and as soon as I know, I'll post it.

I absolutley agree that no one should bring expensive and dangerous things into a rid. BUT! Some ride managers allow you to bring things like walkie talkies onto rides like Collosus, because the object has straps and the ride is not intense, but bringing objects on X are definatley a bad idea.

Brain dead? This whole country is brain dead! :)

I just noticed something else while looking at this ad again-- Since the person filming has the camera turned backwards, there's not even a chance that he has his hand in the leather camera harness thingy.

I see a lawsuit on the horizon!

Well...I wouldn't say the whole country is brain dead (though many of my fellow Canadians would dispute that fact...), and certainly the US doesn't have a monopoly on stupid guests at parks...

That was sort of my opinion. Look at the mass growth of our suburbs. Ergo, look at the traffic problems in LA and Chicago! What a burden it must be for these commuters! I'm so glad I don't have to drive smack dead into the city to work every day. And I don't plan on it anytime soon. Brain dead or not, the US still needs to get it's act straightened out.

As someone mentioned before about holding the camera backwards, once somebody begins to follow this example he or she better hope to escape from it unharmed. It would not be pretty to see something uncool happen because of this.

What stupidity. ROFL!

The ad must have had some affect as I just saw the camera being used on the Test Track at EPCOT

No offense, but oh my word!
Sorry Robert, but you can't be serious! Make a whole artical about an ad that sony released with a camcorder on a rollercoaster! I'm sorry, but this topic is soo incredibly dumb that I can't controll it.

I don't think that anyone active in ACE would think it dumb, since Cedar Fair's on record as saying a few incidents like this will get ACE banned from Cedar Point.

Doing what this guy in the ad is made to look like he's doing is genuinely dumb. The vast majority of accidents on rides at theme parks are the result of riders doing something dumb, or ignorant. I've long tried to use this site as a "bully pulpit" to get people to act smarter in theme and amusement parks, so I couldn't let this rather prominent ad go without comment.

Now, I suppose if you want argue that it's just an ad and no one pays attention to advertising, then you might have a point. Of course, if you are right, then publishing industry's got some serious economic problems there, but we'll leave that as a topic for something like Poynter.org rather than for this board.

I dont think Robert is dumb at all for poiting this add out. Their are alot of people who can easily be influenced by ads like this and do something stupid that could seriously hurt someone on a ride. As a coaster enthusiast we can suffer by actions of a few idiots like the HW incident has shown.

Hi everyone, I was reading this last night and decided to post here.
About the complaint on "it`s just an ad".Your right it is just like any other ad.BUT it shows something clearly,completely,full fledgedly STUPID.Even if only one person tries to repeat what they read it is still one accident,or one life,or others hurt by one person.No matter how many were effected this type of accident should be reduced to zero and we should not just say "well not everyone is that stupid",key words are NOT EVERYONE.There are a small ammount.Yes it is small but you need to think of what could happen.These people from this small amount could become famous,important,save lives in the future or do something great and all we need to stop it is have them wound up dead.
Point is:It is just a ad and not too many will be stupid to repeat it but obviously someone will.And once they do they can harm themselves,others,get banned,get certain clubs banned [The Raven anyone?],or mess up the ride.
Think of all possibilities from all angles.
I hope for the best right now that no one will be stupid,if they do than [please don`t bash me for saying this religous remark] but God have mercy on the influenced riders and the idiot who caused this' soul.
Please, just hope for the best.
-the anonymous rider

Clearly, there was a momentary lapse of judgement in Sony's marketing department--and that's a kind way of putting it.

This is an important issue for us folks. Let's face it, it's not called 'Theme Park Insider' for nothing, and whether you're a card carrying coaster club member or a self-professed fanatic, loose articles on a roller coaster can hurt everybody. It's just that coaster clubs can stand to lose more.

AND when it comes to people doing stupid things, there is the old adage: a crowd is only as smart as its dumbest individual.

ummmm, its just a dumb ad.....dont get all bent out of shape. are we really all that ignorant?? i hope not.

Seriously, yes, it is yet another dumb ad--doesn't mean one should ignore it. People imitate what they see all the time--especially in regards to advertising. Does the word, "Whassup?" ring a bell?

Yes, that was a joke, and a poor example, but to get back on track, I think the point that we want to make is this advertisement clearly encourages an act that would appear harmless, but can have serious consequences. Hey, it's happened before this ad was published, and it will likely happen again, but why encourage folks who thankfully haven't thought of doing it?

Running on that idea, I think this is more a matter of people need to know the reason why this (the ad and the act of) should be and is discouraged. It's just downright dangerous.

Now, we're all reasonable individuals (most of the time) and I'd like to think we're intelligent enough (an assumption on my part) but God's honest truth is that there are a lot of people in this country, let alone the entire world, and while their intelligence might be questionable, common sense has LONG been a resource in short supply. That's likely why a lot of folks (myself included) feel it necessary to point out the potential hazard, because it might not be clearly evident to begin with.

And that's my calm, level-headed response.

One of the most important aspects of Amusement Park Safety is EDUCATION. This applies to manufacturers, owners, staff and employees of parks, as well as enthusiasts and the general public that attends amusement parks. We should attempt to educate SONY by pointing out the recklessness and the danger of holding one of their camcorders on a roller coaster. I believe that SONY did not consider the potential consequences of the ad and will remove the ad and place another ad saying that it is inappropriate to use the camera in this situation.

I was happy to see so many people point out the danger. I was not happy that they attempted to bury SONY without allowing them to correct the problem in a positive way.

Leonard K. Lucenko

So has any one thought about contacting Sony to point out the consequences of their advertising? I know it may not accomplish much, but on the other hand if we are serious about safety why not at least let them know the dangers behind what they have told the world to do.

While i believe most of my points have already been made, I feel the need to say some of them again. Is it "just an ad?" of course it is, but "The Program" was just a movie (hope people still remember that one) and Grand Theft Auto is just a game, but people have been stupid enough to do dangerous things because they were inspired by such things. True, the vast majority of us are not dumb enough to lay down in the middle of the road because we saw it in a movie, or shoot people with a sniper riffle because we had fun doing it in a video game, or take dangerous items on roller coasters because we saw it on an ad. However, it's obvious that there are people out there who don't have as much common sense as the rest of us. It's not like they do it to purposely harm others most of the time, generally they just think, "hey that looks like fun! let's try it!" as an employee of both a public school and a retail store I can tell you that ignorance and lack of common sense are an abundant reality in the world we live in. That being said, should we have an entire thread dedicated to this topic? absolutely! more than that we should try to make Sony aware of the problem. I am quite certain that no one at Sony purposely set out to portray such a foolish image. "they" are a company out to sell eletronics. that is their business and that is what they know. "we" are fans, enthusiasts and experts on theme parks. that is what we know, so of course we would notice the potential danger. to them it was probably just a cool idea for an ad. who wouldn't want to do something like that IF IT WERE SAFE? let's try to use our knowledge for some good and keep reality in check. there are people out there who don't realize these dangers, we do, which makes it our responsibilty to educate them for the sake of OUR OWN safety and sanity. anyone know how to contact Sony?

http://www.sony.com/siteindex.shtml then choose "Help".

According to the website: "If you're looking for customer service and tech support, need answers to your burning Sony questions, or just want to give us a piece of your mind, you've come to the right place."

You should find an email form buried here.

Jason, just so you don't feel bad...I remember the Program. In fact, I drive by the section of road where they did the "laying in the road" bit nearly everyday.

I sent a message to sony regarding the add. I couldn't find an email to their marketing department, so I sent it to their digital camera department and asked that they forward it to the necessary people.

I tried to be polite and offer constructive criticism rather than just telling them they are idiots or something like that. Hopefully others do the same thing, as being rude gets us nowhere, but sitting around doing nothing has similar affects.

If anyone wants a copy of my own email, i'd be happy to forward it to you. Just click on my name up top and i'll reply.

Just curious...does anyone recognise the coaster? They surely must have let the represented park know what they were doing, so I wonder how they feel about it.

I had another thought this afternoon that they may have realized how foolish the actions they depicted were and possibly put some fine print on it saying something about "not trying this at home." but alas, they did not. Only thing it says is "screen images are simulated." so, we're right back where we started. anyone have any luck contacting them yet? or is there any other way to get the word out about such things? just curious.

I did give SonyStyle a call today. I spoke with a customer service rep who took all of the information from me and was going to pass it on to their Marketing department. I made sure that he put on the form that I would like a response, so I'm hoping to hear from them by the end of the week.

I sent an e-mail to the address Deborah Davis came up with also expressing my disappointment with the company.

You know, its a shame that these sort of actions dont only hurt the people commiting them. If that was the case, I'd gladly support such campaigns as this that were dedicated to clearing out the gene pool.

Hey, at least this guy isn't holding a camera phone taking a picture, now that'd be bad!

I showed this ad to 5 people today outside my office. 4 of them wanted to know more about the camera (thinking I was selling for Sony), not once mentioning anything about a guy fliming himself aboard a roller coaster.

The one other person asked me, "why would a guy want to film himself on a roller coaster?" "I'd be holding on for dear life!" I then asked her if she felt this ad encouraged unsafe roller coaster riding, and she stated, "no, it's an ad selling a camera, which I wouldn't buy anyways."

As an enthusiast I see an ad which shows an idiot putting people's well-being at risk. But once I think outside the enthusiast circle, I see an ad selling a camera. Nothing More Nothing Less.

Completly off topic, But I'd like to wish the people of the California Fires best of luck, and they are in my prayers!!!!

ITS AN ADVERT... FOR A CAMERA
don't get too worked up
the exorcist shows some1 turning their head round 360* and i have to admit its a good while since i saw some1 trying to do that

Although I don't think Robert is dumb for pointing this ad out, I do think that you are kind of overeacting about it. It's an advertisement, and there are so many ads that have stuff twice this bad. In fact, I don't think anyone who isn't a coaster enthusiast would have thought twice about the message in the ad. I didn't see the harm until you pointed it out.

I think if you increase the size of the camera - and it's weight - you will be able to hold on to it and it won't go flying. So take as BIG of a camera as you can and have some great fun! I use an over the shoulder professional ENG camera that the television folks use. So I feel it is fine doing this as long as the camera is really huge and weighty. Good times, everyone.
:-)

If only we could arrange for all the would-be on-board videographers to ride together....

Then, once they've knocked themselves into oblivion, the rest of us could enjoy our rides in safety and in peace.

Really, I'm quite surprised that Cedar Fair, Six Flags and the other parks have remained silent to date on this. Or perhaps they only bother standing up to coaster clubs on the issue of safety? When it comes to standing up to Fortune 500 companies, perhaps theme park operators don't have the same resolve?

I would agree with Robert N.'S post. The bug parks would much perfer to go against small coaster clubs than companies like Sony who they hope to get as sponser's someday.

Come On! This is rediculous to even try to blame Sony for showing this. Who Cares. You are responsible for your own actions and if your smart enough, you should also know right from wrong. Just like the lady who sued McDonalds for making her fat. DON"T EAT IT THEN!!!!! I'm sick of people blaming others for their own mistakes. This shouldn't even be a topic.

Thank you for the gracious response, Mr. Johnson.

I like it when something means nothing to someone, yet they rant and rave. On a topic that shouldn't be a topic no less! Wow what are the odds?!

Good topic, Mr. Niles.=)

And thank you, Mr. Herrera.

Hey, if anyone here has the power to mandate that the laws of physics dictate that the camera will hit the jerk that brought it on, and only that jerk, I say, have at it, amateur videographers!

If not, well... that's what I thought.

Yes, but your actions on a roller coaster affect every other person on that coaster. That is why I regularly have to kick people off my ride (and ocasionally out of the park) for doing stupid things. If that camera falls and hits someone else, lets take a look and who exactly it affects other than the person who brought the camera on in the first place.

1) The person (or people) it hit
2) The ride operators/attendants who are responsible for the safety of every person on that ride
3) Anybody who is in the queue house waiting to ride that ride, and who sees the train come back with riders who have serious head injuries.
4) Anybody who is currently on another train on the ride, and gets stuck on the track (in the brakes presumably) waiting for the paramedics to stabilize the victim(s).
5) Anybody watching the ride who sees the victim(s) get hit by a camera
6) Anybody wishing to ride the ride later in the day, as most parks will shut a ride down until they can figure out exactly what caused the injury. And unless someone can specifically say that they saw the camera cave the rider's face in, it may take a while.

So, contrary to popular belief while you may be responsible for your own actions, you also have a corporate or shared responsibility to ensure that your actions don't endanger other riders.

I think Sony should publicly apologize for showing this ad. They should have know better than to have been stupid enough to show this ad without thinking,"You know, someone might try this and hit someone", first. Morons...

Sony is STILL doing it! Haven't you seen the PSP commercials?

As I see the ad is still running to this day, it would seem that representatives from Sony just don't care.

I was at BGW last season, and they closed Apollo's Chariot because some idiot had a cell phone in a buttoned shirt pocket, which hurled through the air and smashed somewhere on the return track. No one was hurt, but the ride remained closed and the guy's entire party was asked to leave the park.

That idoit deserved to have his party thrown out for not securing his loose articles.

This site seems to promote the use of video cameras on coasters:
http://www.themeparkreview.com/contest2005/contest2005.htm

Actually, the folks at Theme Park Review are pretty tough about that as well. I've seen several posts by Robb or Elissa where they pretty much say "don't sneak a camera onto a coaster. We only take cameras on when we have the permission of the park."

As far as the videos in the contest, well...they're not going to discount everyone who has a little onride footage - sometimes ride ops don't care (apparently overseas they REALLY don't care).

And on a final note, VOTE FOR MY VIDEO (in four weeks when the voting actually starts).

The thing that would really bother me about someone carrying loose articles onto a ride is that the individual who is stupid enough to take the risk and ignore the rules isn't the one who gets hurt! Taking risks with your own safety is one things, taking risks on behalf is another.

I got a hat in the face at Universal Studios California after the person in front of me didn't take it off. I was surprised at how much that hurt.

This conversation could be a pre-mise for Final Destination 4: This Time It's The Jackasses Fault!!!
The movie would be more of a dark-comedy about jackasses who can't read signs and follow rules , that evntually kill others accidently.

Isn't it ironic that the ad states: "Watch Your Life Flash Before Your Eyes"?! Everybody knows people will see thier lives after having their skulls smashed by 3lb. electronics on a ride going well above 50 mph!!! DUH!!!

Funny thing is, this is the whole story of Final Destination 3.

In FD3 some idiot takes a camera onto a coaster, which falls, his the train, severes a fluid cable, thus screwing up the restaints, sending riders flying into the air... etc etc etc..

Did Sony release FD3? Is the DVD due for release anytime soon? Is Robert really being paid to place this thread (Probably not)....

BUt , onto the subject.
I was riding Duelling Dragons last Sunday. As we were leaving the station the ride stopped and the announcer started shouting at row 6 to put their cell phone away. Were they actually on the phone or were they trying to take a picture or video clip? Consequenty, the ride restarted and climbed, but at the very top we got stopped because the stop at the bottom had messed the computer up. We were stuck at the top, uncomfortably, for over 10 minutes while they re-set our side...

So add to the pest lest, camcorder users, cell phone users, and idiots who have to wear flip flops without the slightest inkling they're gonna fall off. Derrrrrrrr.

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