Amusement Park Bans PDAs and Smartphones 474
Ant writes in with news that an amusement park in the UK is trying out a ban on smartphones and PDAs, with the intent to enable families actually to have fun together. The press release says that from May 25 to June 1, adults found using a PDA will be asked to drop it off at a "PDA Drop Off Zone" — no word on what happens if they refuse. But both the Sun and BoingBoing, which picked up their brief story, strike a more ominous note with the claim that "special wardens" will confiscate the devices. If the experiment is deemed a success the park may make the ban permanent.
I understand their point... (Score:4, Insightful)
Just don't go. (Score:4, Insightful)
So instead of having SOME family time... (Score:1, Insightful)
This is a triumph. I'm making a note here... HUGE SUCCESS.
Smart... (Score:5, Insightful)
Who are they going to call? The parents without the cell phones?
Oh Please... (Score:5, Insightful)
Isn't it the other way around? (Score:2, Insightful)
Stupid. (Score:3, Insightful)
I've tried telling the office to only call me for emergencies when I'm on vacation. That didn't work. Now they know that I'll check my messages at night, and if they haven't fixed the problem, I'll remote in and fix it when I get a minute.
Vacation means vacation. The fact that they're not willing to hire someone else who can take some of the load off of me, doesn't mean that I'm going to give up my vacation time (says the puppy, posting from work on Sunday on a holiday weekend).
Re:Just don't go. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Not Going to Work.......I Think (Score:4, Insightful)
Define 'fun' ? (Score:2, Insightful)
Fun fun fun!
This is what we can all PR gimmick (Score:4, Insightful)
Good for them! (Score:2, Insightful)
A corresponding story:
I think I am the only one in my family who actually hates sitting down for dinner because either 1. no one ever sits down for dinner at the same time, or more importantly and more relevant 2. everyone turns to watch whatever is on the TV at the moment, even if their back is to the TV they'll take a bite and turn around to watch while continuing to chew their food. (And before anyone tries to cry foul and point out the obvious, yes, I have mentioned my extreme distaste for their actions more than once, but they don't listen)
I am usually the aloof and solitude type, but I would love to sit down to dinner and have a full conversation with my whole family and be interested in what is happening with everyone else's lives and have others be even slightly interested in what I'm doing (since I'm off at college except for about three or four weeks out of the year). That never happens though. They'd all rather be watching Who Wants To Be A Millionaire or Dancing With The Stars or Desperate Housewives (yes I'm a guy living in a house with too many women).
You wonder why families seem to be so much more dysfunctional and broken nowadays? Well it's no illusion. Families are more discontent and broken nowadays because society is falling to the pits and worrying more about possessions, money, and kissing their bosses' ass than worrying about their families, loved ones, and the things that truly matter the most in life.
This also goes along with those people who take "vacations" yet take their smartphones with them and never really disconnect from the office and their work while they're supposed to be relaxing and enjoying time off from work. I never want my cell phone to do anything other than make phone calls. Like this phone: http://dvice.com/archives/2008/04/claritylife_pho.php [dvice.com] Hell, I'd be happier without a cell phone.
I am disgusted with society today, but major props to these people for trying to do something right by the world and society.
Re:I understand their point... (Score:5, Insightful)
The fact is, private amusement parks can have rules, and can ask you to leave if you refuse to follow them. This is just an example of that.
If you're so very important that you can't turn your blackberry off for a day, you have the option of not visiting Alton Towers. If you really are that important, maybe you should turn your PDA off anyway, so your employers can be prepared for if you ever die or move jobs.
Re:Sniff, sniff.. (Score:5, Insightful)
First question: Are they confiscating all cell phones, or only smartphones?
If it's only smartphones, it's a liveable policy -- provided you can buy everyone a non-smartphone. It's still moronic that they're trying to enforce fun -- it's not like it spoils anyone else's fun if you want to spoil your trip by playing Solitaire on your smartphone the whole time.
If it's all phones, well, you've just eliminated a useful tool for finding lost kids, or for preventing kids from getting lost. It's all well and good to say "We'll meet here at 5:30," but it's nice to be able to call if they don't make it.
You're all missing the point (Score:5, Insightful)
"Amusement Park Provides Secure Drop-Off Point for PDAs and Smartphones" would be more like it. To advertise this service they have a kid dressed as a policeman "banning" people from using PDAs and pointing them towards the drop-off point.
Re:Smart... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Just don't go. (Score:5, Insightful)
And second, being callable doesn't mean you'll necessarily take a call. My phone is always on, and always on me, short of airplane travel -- but I'm only rarely called.
Just so you know... (Score:3, Insightful)
I highly doubt they're going to kick up a fuss or cause an argument for the sake of it, they'll more than likely go to the kids and be all "hey kids, tell daddy to put the phone away! I'll even take it off his hands and put it in a safe place, how about that?!". As cheesy as it sounds, it might ACTUALLY work.
Heh. If we're talking about sad... (Score:3, Insightful)
But the couple that stuck to my mind were a boy and a girl having a picnic on a blanket on the grass. Well, when I say 'picnic', it was more like the girl was sitting there idle watching other couples go by, while the boy was typing furiously on his laptop.
Not sure if it would have been better with a policy to take his laptop, though. I had a feeling it would have been akin to taking the oxygen tank away from a scuba diver
Re:Oh Please... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Oh Please... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:I understand their point... (Score:5, Insightful)
It's a minor story about a crap gimmick Alton Towers are using to get some publicity, and it's being presented here as an "OMG!!!!! They're taking away our rights!!!!!!!!11111" story.
Aside from the fact it's a private amusement park (not a pseudo-public space like a shopping centre), it's not even being done for the usual surveillance-state bullshit "pedos might take photos of our children" type reasons. (*)
You don't like it? Don't go to fucking Alton Towers! I wouldn't...
(*) Given the popularity of using pedos to justify every ludicrous measure, if this isn't the reason being given in public, then it sure as hell isn't the true reason either.
Re:The smartphone dilemma (Score:4, Insightful)
IMHO this ban is protection from asshole bosses who think they own you 24/7/365. When you go to one of these places you can say "I took my kids to such and such, they don't allow cell phones inside."
Clearly this doesn't work for anyone who has a job that requires 24/7 availability (for example, you need to be notified if your data center catches fire.) However, if your job is one where your availability ISN'T needed 24/7, but your asshole boss THINKS it is, then this works.
They allow phone calls (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Just don't go. (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Oh Please... (Score:5, Insightful)
A manager at the store blocked my path once, immediately after I purchased something, and asked to see my bag.. the bag the check-out clerk just gave me. I told him to get out of my way or I'm calling the police. He first looked like he'd be happy to have the police there until a little spark went off in his little reptilian brain and he got out of my way.
If I hang up a sign in my house saying "I reserve the right to cavity search" or "I reserve the right to confiscate your property", it doesn't mean I suddenly am exempt from laws against assault or theft perpetrated against people I asked onto my property.
Re:Oh Please... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Oh Please... (Score:5, Insightful)
That's only vaguely true, and not even vaguely relevant. The owners of private property have every right, legally and ethically, to require visitors to that property to agree to (practically) any terms they want. The visitors are free to leave if they find the terms unacceptable. I can't imagine any US or UK court upholding terms that allow illegal behavior, but for anything short of that, what do you think "private property" means?
And in this case, there's nothing remotely illegal about the terms being set. The amusement park operators are simply not allowing certain devices on their property, and offering a (free?) storage service for those disallowed devices. Visitors can leave their smartphones at home, or in the car, or in the park-provided storage. If you don't like those choices, don't go to that park.
The real issues are:
- Would you personally visit an amusement park with this policy?
- Is this policy a sound business decision?
My answers are no to both, as I assume yours are, but this is ABSOLUTELY NOT a legal/civil liberties issue.Re:Intrafamily phoning (Score:4, Insightful)
On a recent trip to Disneyland with relatives, cellphones were used a couple times to check in and coordinate. Very handy if you ask me.
Personally, any park that says I can't have my phone won't get my business.
Re:I understand their point... (Score:5, Insightful)
Parents are being ASKED to relinquish/put away their PDAs etc, in order to spend 'quality' time with their children.
The article says 'no word on what will happen if they refuse' because nothing will happen. There's no story here, no news, just an advertisement...
...and no need for any nerd to get their knickers in a knot. ;)
Re:Oh Please... (Score:3, Insightful)
I agree that anyone bothered by this should just take their business elsewhere. I also agree that this isn't a legal issue. But I disagree about it being a civil liberties issue. This is yet another little bit of presumptuous oversight that people will eventually acclimate to. It's not some huge step in Big Brother control, but it is yet another situation where people will get used to surrendering things because the authority figure said so. No single raindrop believes it is responsible for the flood.
Re:Oh Please... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Oh Please... (Score:5, Insightful)
this will backfire (Score:3, Insightful)
The type of person who is going to be using their smartphone/PDA at an amusement park generally isn't going to be doing so because they think it's more fun than hanging out with their family or going on rides, they're going to be doing it in most cases because they have to be able to have those communication options to even be able to get away. If the person's family doesn't have a problem with it, then why should the park?
What about people who want to have their smartphone AS A PHONE?
This is just so stupid and I think that it will cost them business. For any person who would find this appealing, there are going to more than twice as many who will hate it.
Re:Oh Please... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Sniff, sniff.. (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Oh Please... (Score:4, Insightful)
Re:Oh Please... (Score:5, Insightful)
Smartphones/PDAs are not just used for business, after all.
Re:Oh Please... (Score:3, Insightful)
Yeah, but you didn't have your six year old with you with his noisy hand-held game.
Country clubs are wise, they stop the problem right at the source. They don't just have a policy against devices, they have a policy against kids. They either prevent you from taking the kids in with you, or they have you check your kids at the door (so they are placed in their own waiting holding area). At an amusement park, apparently it's too much to ask that they confiscate your kids as well, and that you only get to retrieve them when you've had your fun at the end of the day.
What a GREAT IDEA! (Score:4, Insightful)
Correct me if I'm wrong since I'm in the US... but where in the UK law does it say "Right to bear cell phone"... it doesn't you twits.
This is a terrific idea made by a PRIVATE entity on THEIR property. I cannot tell you how often I hear loud obnoxious people on cell phones distracting from MY fun. How the families they are with are like "Come on dad" or "Honey can't you do that later" and they reply "Just one sec" while being blissfully ignorant of the line behind them.
I WOULD go to this theme park simply because it removes the ADD enhancing objects in our lives and lets us focus on conversation with each other and paying attention to ones surroundings.
Waiting Time Killers (Score:2, Insightful)
Waiting in line for rides/attractions is a pain in the ass. Yes, I suppose you get to chat with whomever you're with, but geez...It's nice to pull out a PDA with SlingPlayer on it and watch some TV, or surf the web, or whatever.
Perhaps they should allow PDAs when in line, but not on benches...But that seems too arbitrary. I really just think that there are enough legitimate uses for PDAs to enhance the experience at an amusement park (which is meant for amusement, right? not boredom, standing in line?) to warrant a ban on such devices.
Re:Oh Please... (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:I understand their point... (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Sniff, sniff.. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Sniff, sniff.. (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:Oh Please... (Score:2, Insightful)
1. Not everyone who disagrees with you is a troll. It's egocentricity of the highest order to convince oneself that a differing opinion cannot even be taken seriously.
2. No-one's deciding what's best for you or your daughter - neither I nor the theme park. It shows an irresponsible lack of depth to take feedback from one private individual, or a policy on some private ground, as a general commandment.
3. Freedom requires property - if you don't think so, watch me walking into your house, finding a comfortable seat, taking out my 'phone, and using it to call whomever I please. I have a better idea - when I'm on your property, you can set me boundaries; and when you're on mine, same applies.
4. Back to the point - millennia of teenage daughters not feeling the need to have a permanent line to their parents: it's not necessary. Something about the last 12 years has changed that, causing your daughter to feel the need (as you allege it - I've heard so many parents say "but my child wants it this way..." and the child relate otherwise) to have a permanent line to you. She has lost the notion that she is able to be independent, for some reason, and that's a loss of freedom - psychologically programmed, perhaps, but that's how most freedoms are eroded.
4.
What? But I'm a Doctor, on call...! (Score:5, Insightful)
How will those who are doctors, law enforcement officials and such who are on call or other emergency personnel be able to remain in touch with their call-in stations then and who are required to carry such devices (and may even be issued them as part of their standard equipment)?
And isn't that called "theft?" Or, at least violation of personal property under UK law?
While I appreciate the idea of not having to be interrupted at every turn by some idiot either playing a video game or answering a mindless "WHASSUP?!" call in the middle of a show, there should be some better way to do this.
And what happens when someone loses their claim ticket or, worse, the park loses their smart device? The cost to the park will be far in excess of the "social savings" this ban might give them.
From this side of the pond, it's just another sign that every petty administrator, everywhere, wants to control a little slice of the lives that come into their sphere of influence.
They are going to have a LOT of very angry people to contend with when they try this because, more and more, smart devices are becoming the norm, rather than the exception. What a wonderful way to turn the happiest place on earth into a focus for seething animosity!
Well done, park officious officials!
Re:I understand their point... (Score:1, Insightful)
I couldn't agree more. I'm in the USA, but any place that tells me I can't do such basic and, now, intrinsic things as carrying my cell phone, is the last place you will find me. Courthouses I believe prohibit camera phones (i.e. practically all cell phones), and the only time I'd ever go there is if I can't get out of jury duty.
Sure, we could all probably benefit from a simpler lifestyle, but who's a themepark to force that change on you... for half a day? Sounds like this should be left up to the family to decide and work out.
For example, if I could stand to make, say... a few hundred bucks by logging in with my cell phone during a 5 minute break at Disney... they can pry my phone from my cold dead hands, and my hypothetical family certainly could understand, or they could pay for their own damn Disney trip.
I think the real reason is so that when somebody dies on a rollercoaster, you won't see footage of it on YouTube and CNN iReport within 5 minutes.
Criminal damage (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Oh Please... (Score:3, Insightful)
You DONT have a right to have you phone on their property. So quit acting like you do.
Re:Oh Please... (Score:3, Insightful)
You don't have the right to confiscate the property, but you also have the right to not allow with people with cell phones onto your private property. The "drop off" point that this amusement park is providing is nothing more than a convenience. You're free to leave your phone in your car or at home if you choose.
Re:Oh Please... (Score:3, Insightful)
Fine, just don't take my gun... (Score:2, Insightful)
The Law of Unintended Consequences (Score:3, Insightful)
Given such a situation, this attempt to encourage family togetherness could just result in LESS family togetherness.