Busch Brawls

[Zachary]

That they are more slap fights than punches or whatever is significant

Is it though? Physical violence is physical violence. Hell, for third parties, loud, disruptive, angry, verbal altercations can have a major negative impact on the guest experience too. Just because no one was sent to the hospital doesn't mean the park shouldn't be doing everything in their power to prevent this shit. None of it is ok.

that last one I'd barely take seriously until the guy butted in

Considering lines like this, I don't know how I could possibly be more charitable in my interpretation of your posts than I have been thus far. You're expressly minimizing (nearly to the point of disregarding) a horrible fight between women until the point where a man got involved. That is, at minimum, one of the cringiest things that has been posted on this forum all year. More likely though, by my reading, it is a reflection of a really gross sexism that isn't gonna go over well 'round these parts. Maybe that isn't what you meant to convey, but if it isn't, you're doing a shockingly poor job of expressing your positions here if you ask me.

 

[Mushroom]

While we don't know whether or not BGW has taken steps to improve this issue, and maybe they have, I definitely think they should take steps to make their efforts (if any) more visible.

I think KD does a better job in this regard (although I'm not claiming KD is a bastion of fight prevention). But maybe BGW should consider emulating KD by:

• Posting prominent "Guest Code of Conduct" signs at the entrance to the park, clarifying the park's zero-tolerance policy against disruptive behavior
• Implementing a "Watch Our World" program that allows guests to report dangerous or suspicious behavior
• Stationing security in ride stations (security is frequently stationed at Twisted Timbers and Dominator on busy days)
• Making security more easily visible with neon-colored uniforms

None of these steps will stop the violence by themselves, but at the very least, they communicate to rule-abiding guests that the park takes the issue seriously.

 

[Zachary]

Here's another interesting idea from another chain:

Six Flags partnership will equip security staff with body cameras

Axon Enterprise Inc. undefined, a public safety technology company, said Tuesday that it has partnered with Six Flags Entertainment Corp. undefined to equip...

www.marketwatch.com

Since BGW security often can't subdue or restrain guests, obtaining good footage of the suspects during the initial confrontation may be the best thing BGW security can do in many situations. It could make re-identifying perpetrators in the park afterwards (with police) a lot easier.

 

[qdeathstar]

I would expect them to address the root causes of this sudden shift in guest behavior.

COVID. It turns some people into mindless zombies. And you don’t even have to catch it! How else do you explain the airplane fights?

I am curious as to what they got into a fight about. There wasn’t even a line! I mean, how did they have time to get angry.

 

[qdeathstar]

Was there last night. Saw 0 fights or any other issues. Barely thought about it. Just good ol' BG.

Couldn't help noticing that 2 of the 3 videos I've seen have been girls fighting. Maybe I'm just out of touch and it probably isn't "sudden" but certainly seems like a shift in behavior since, say 40 years ago. Girls are fighting in the military and every other TV show now, so shouldn't be surprised, equal rights and all. That said, both of those videos look more like push/slap fights. The one where someone ends up on the ground is guys (?). The last one is really weird, suddenly that guy jumps in punching and WAY escalates it. What he's thinking, no idea, could be his chance to punch girls, maybe he wants to show them real fighting, maybe just had enough.

Even the case where the woman was "attacked" surely there was something going on already. I don't see any evidence that people are going "I feel like fighting, let's head to BG". Still, theme parks have long been one of the safest ways to mix with other people, so as a trend it's concerning. Also maybe a symptom of something worse.

Best I can recall the cases of fights at KD Haunt were earlier in the event run, yet crowds are highest later. The earlier nights that are too warm always feel "off" to me. Doesn't change the underlying problem, but it helps when more people are happy and drawn into the event, away from their everyday issues (and not sweating). Also earlier on there are more people that shouldn't be there such as young kids, apparently also hooligans.

Impressive Archibald Bunker impression! You just forgot the /s at the end mate.

 

[rvadude85]

Here's another interesting idea from another chain:

Six Flags partnership will equip security staff with body cameras

Axon Enterprise Inc. undefined, a public safety technology company, said Tuesday that it has partnered with Six Flags Entertainment Corp. undefined to equip...

www.marketwatch.com

Since BGW security often can't subdue or restrain guests, obtaining good footage of the suspects during the initial confrontation may be the best thing BGW security can do in many situations. It could make re-identifying perpetrators in the park afterwards (with police) a lot easier.

You raise a good point. It seems that BGW uses far less security cameras inside the park than other parks I have visited. I‘ve never really understood why they don’t add more cameras inside the park. Seems like a no brained to me.

 

[bill s]

Impressive Archibald Bunker impression! You just forgot the /s at the end mate.

That was a really thoughtful reply. Must have taken hours to carefully nuance.

 

[Nicole]

OK. So, in my experience there are a lot of sexist comments posted to this forum. I'm not sure why this one got so much attention. (Or rather, why people have been comfortable with all of the other degrading comments that are made here.) Regardless, please take that debate to the General Discussion sub-forum, so we can keep this thread focused on what is becoming a very important issue : increasing violence at BGW.

 

[qdeathstar]

That was a really thoughtful reply. Must have taken hours to carefully nuance.

Nah, I can drop bombs like that off the top of my head brah.

 

[WDWRLD]

You raise a good point. It seems that BGW uses far less security cameras inside the park than other parks I have visited. I‘ve never really understood why they don’t add more cameras inside the park. Seems like a no brained to me.

99.999999% of the cameras you see in the park are just for ride operations. Cameras you see at the front gate and at registers are there to keep honest employees honest, same with cameras at the games. There are basically zero cameras for guest security purposes.

 

[snowman6996]

The park can't even get park wide WiFi much less security cameras to watch guests

 

[rvadude85]

99.999999% of the cameras you see in the park are just for ride operations. Cameras you see at the front gate and at registers are there to keep honest employees honest, same with cameras at the games. There are basically zero cameras for guest security purposes.

Ride ops and places where money is exchanged (Restaurants, gift shops, etc.)
But nothing really that I know of more so for general pathways for security. Still not sure why this is the case.

 

[panopticon31]

The park can't even get park wide WiFi much less security cameras to watch guests

I would much prefer security cameras and appropriate monitoring staff than free wifi

 

[WDWRLD]

Thing is cameras will not deture the thugs of today. They simply dont care....pretty much any crime they comit in the parkj will go unpunished and in fact I think some do it just for the street cred or to look cool. Generally you never see a single person by themselves in the park picking fights, its usually when they are in a group and then they act like a pack of wolves all jumping in. Until the park really ups the security game and starts using facial reconigition to keep people out and trespass them and press charges when they come back on property nothing will change.

 

[Rothbury]

JCC Police sent out a news release this afternoon asking for help identifying the people in the video from Apollo's Chariot.

 

[horsesboy]

I am at the park tonight and it's night a day difference in security. At least one police officer at every house and at least one team of officers roaming each hamlet. BGW has gotten officers from JCCPD, COWPD, JCWSD, and YCSO in to assist. I saw some cases where there appeared to have been issues but they seem to have been quickly cracked down on.

 

[WDWRLD]

I am at the park tonight and it's night a day difference in security. At least one police officer at every house and at least one team of officers roaming each hamlet. BGW has gotten officers from JCCPD, COWPD, JCWSD, and YCSO in to assist. I saw some cases where there appeared to have been issues but they seem to have been quickly cracked down on.

Good thats how it should be!

 

[IheartGrover]

Was at the park today (left around 4), and I only saw one security guard the entire time.
However, when I got there at 11, the line to go through the metal detectors and into the park was easily 10x longer than I'd ever seen it. It wound back to the ticket-sales booth, and around several times like a Disney ride, then all the way back to the tram stop that goes to Germany / Ireland / Italy. This seemed completely seat-of-the-pants; there were employees directing us to the back of the line, but there wasn't much in the way of ropes, etc. to guide us. Probably took 30 minutes to even get into the park, and that hour, the parking lots weren't full at all, so it can't have been that crowded. Then by the time we got up to the metal detectors, it didn't take any longer than normal to go through! No idea what the holdup was.
At about 3, we were riding the train, and it stopped on one of the trestles. The guy in the caboose came on and said we were being held up because of an "incident in the park" and once the incident had been "resolved," we could make our way to the Scotland station. We sat for 20 minutes. My wife thought she heard shouting of some kind, but who knows what it was. Things seemed normal once we got off.

 

[WDWRLD]

Want to know the difference from a park that wants the appearance of security and one that has a police force….numerous Kings Dominion park police are wearing body cameras tonight. Busch needs to get their shit together and look at what other parks are doing.

 

[horsesboy]

Want to know the difference from a park that wants the appearance of security and one that has a police force….numerous Kings Dominion park police are wearing body cameras tonight. Busch needs to get their shit together and look at what other parks are doing.

Many if not all of the off duty officers working Busch which are pretty much the same as KD's park police had them on last night. Honestly my personal preference is that places like this use actual officers rather then hiring their own cops.