Front Cab Rides: A Right or a Privledge?

[steverails]

Every time a monorail pulls into the station one of the first things people
notice are the four guests sitting in the operating cab. To many guests,
riding in the cab with the driver makes their day. There are certain guests,
however, that abuse and ruin this experience.

Lately, I have noticed more and more guests have been flat-out inviting
themselves into the cab. I experienced two occasions this recently. One
night while driving the Epcot line, I was pulling into Concourse (the TTC).
There was only one loader in the station, so the station was being
shot-gunned, meaning that all the gates are left open and the guests are
allowed on the platform once the train is parked. As I get out to open the
exit doors, I hear my other cab door opening, and a party of six guests were
taking their seats in my cab. I looked to see if the CM on the platform let
them in, but the CM was over loading a special (wheelchair). They had
invited themselves in without asking!

I was slightly irritated, but I decided not to say anything since it was late.
The situation grew more interesting when he invited more of his family up,
totaling six in the cab when only four "bodies" should be riding. I explained
the policy to him, but his little son said they were permitted to have six up
front earlier. I finally managed to split the group up. It made for a nice ride
to Epcot with the father, who wore a "Life is Good" shirt told me how it was
an outrage that more could not sit up front the whole way to Epcot.

For those of you who do not know, back cab rides are totally forbidden for
both guests and CMs, unless it's a coordiantor, training group, or a manager.
The other night while working the GF, some guests invited themselves into
the back cab. I asked them to leave, but they gave me the stock answer:
"We've been doing this all day. No one told us we couldn't ride here. We
can't hurt anything."

She said this as her child was sitting in the driver's seat playing around with
the controls. She also played with the controls trying to prove to me that I
had no idea what I was talking about.

They got out. Had they stayed in, I would have liked to seen what would
have happened if "Little Topher," whose day was ruined, would have got his
hands on the Breakers or Bypass switches, which are active or they couldn't
figure out how to get out of the cab at their destination.

[Big Wallaby]

Thanks for those, Steve. JP was telling me about the time he had some
people up front and Daddy was telling his children how the CM doesn't
actually control the monorail.

As I am sure you have seen plenty of times, when we enforce rules in
Transportation, it often becomes a one against many situation, since we are
alone with those we transport (I'm pretty sure that's one of the reasons they
complete our background check before offering us a job, whereas in other
departments they get the new hire started and then hope the FBI check
comes back clean).

And it's so much fun when you get those trips where someone complains at
you the whole way and it's your fault, they're never coming back to Disney
World, you're a horrible person who doesn't know how to project the magic,
etc., etc., etc... in my line of work it's, say, from Downtown Disney to the
Grand Floridian, or Magic Kingdom to Animal Kingdom. For you, it's that run
from TTC to EC. Of course, you have the added whammy that the person
sitting in front of you. At least if I say that I wasn't listening for a moment
because I was navigating, they'll believe me. If you were not listening
because you had to do something, I'm sure they wonder what the heck you
mean, since "all" you do is speed up and slow down... oh, and bring a 120'
train to a stop on a dime (and they often leave that part out).

Anyway, welcome to SGT! I'll keep an eye out for you next time I ride the
Epcot line. Actually, upon looking at your bio, I think I have met you. I'll
verify next time I see you.

Mwa ha ha ha ha ha!

[Princess Susi]

If we are guests at WDW and wanted to ride in the front cab, what do you do?
It is just my big kid (hubby) :D: and I. Do we ask the CM on the platform if we
might be able to ride up front? We are so polite we get pushed out all the time
or never get the fun things. I do not want to be a stupid guest. It would be a
treat and fun if we could ride up front some time.

Welcome to SGT! You WILL have fun here! :twisted:
sues

[mechurchlady]

I rarely rode at DL with the monorail driver. The last time was someone who I
was helping out. I always asked permission to ride up front and felt honoured to
be there. The other great honour was the only time I ever got to ride in the
caboose on the train.

People also think the Mark Twain parks itself like the Jungle Cruise. Small World
does not need operators either. A lot of people do not seem to understand that
there are federal and state rules as well as company policies and insurance
policies that restrict what people can do.

I probably never will be back to WDW but if I do then I would be honoured to
ride up front with you. I would promise not to ask too many stupid questions
like "Can you let me off at my car?"

[Big Wallaby]

I probably never will be back to WDW but if I do then I would be honoured to
ride up front with you. I would promise not to ask too many stupid questions
like "Can you let me off at my car?"

B-b-but you hafta come ride my bus! Y-y-you just hafta! You d-d-don't ev
[HICCUP] even hafta go into the parks!

Now look what you've gone and done, you made me cry. A crying wallaby.

But at least I'm gonna bring the Bubble Ladies over. You sure you don't wanna join them and us?

Oh, and Steve... Did you hear the story of why you now don't allow
passengers in the cab before you get in? Having talked to pilots who were
there for the incident in question, I guess it made for an interesting,
manager-filled night.

[mechurchlady]

Wallaby you missed my stories on pin trading. I was a pin trader who ran into
a bad crowd of people who spread lies, had someone working in DLR at
Innoventions and DCA, who stole and stalked me and others. I begged
security to do something but they instead decided I was selling pins in park.

I made more in trading than I could in selling ever. I got what I want without
spending a lot of money. I was not the only person who was harrassed and
accused of selling pins. I miss Disneyland but will never go back as long as
my record is corrupted. I was called every name in the book and once was
minding my own business when they harrassed me. I was the bad person who
if I was a white anglo saxon female aged twenty five and voluptuous then
they would have thrown the lot in jail.

I am in constant pain physically, I have a 50th birthday that I cannot afford
and will get nothing, my mother's birthday, the $1000 in car repairs, the trip
to San Antonio next year and severe depression which keeps me from paying
bills and stuff. I will never be able to afford an ECV and the cost of going to
WDW. I also am afraid that if I went I would again be harrassed by security
when I was an innocent viction.


Now I am crying. I was so happy when I came here as this ia my island away
from life.

[vixen101485]

If we are guests at WDW and wanted to ride in the front cab, what do you
do? It is just my big kid (hubby) :D: and I. Do we ask the CM on the
platform if we might be able to ride up front? We are so polite we get pushed
out all the time or never get the fun things. I do not want to be a stupid
guest. It would be a treat and fun if we could ride up front some time.

Welcome to SGT! You WILL have fun here! :twisted:
sues

Ask nicely of the CM at the gate on the platform. You may have to wait a
train or 2 if someone else is waiting or already in the cab when the train pulls
in. They will probably ask you which stop you are getting off at. Getting on at
a resort is a better bet for getting on quicker. Not as many people waiting.
There is a limit of 4 people so if it is just you and the hubby tell them you
have no problem if 2 more people want to join you. We did this for a little girl
who wanted to ride up front while her parents rode in back. Her face was
worth it.

I love how quiet it was in the front cab. We will probably ask again this
upcoming trip. I would like to get a pic of my DD4 each trip like this.

BTW...be prepared for some (dirty) looks from other folks.
Shrugs**hey if they dont know to ask--not my problem. LOL

[Big Wallaby]

Geez, Churchy, I missed all that. I'm so sorry. In your position, I would have no
desire to go back either. :(

I have a few businesses that have done stuff like that to me... not on such a
scale, but they tried. Now, I wouldn't have the decency with them to beat
them if they were on fire to try to put them out.

Burn, baby, burn!

[Driver_dylan]

The official way.
ASK That is it. I can't tell you how many people will just walk up to the
front and stand there. Then when someone asks, I get the inevitable. "But we
we were waiting." The good news is that I have not yet caved to these people
and usually make them wait another train. Just remember, Safety before
Efficiancy. Also, remember that the number in the cab is set by Reedy Creek,
and not by us.

[Big Wallaby]

the number in the cab is set by Reedy Creek, and not by us.

I've received complaints about that, and I always say it's a safety issue, tell
them where the front wheel is located and how it would feel if the nose cone fell
onto the beam (I'm sure I exaggerate on this one).

That usually gets them to think and not complain about it, but sometimes, it will
be very nice to have that info. May I quote you?