I took my family to Six Flags today and I was quite disturbed by the level of security that was in place. I have permanent medical implants that tend to set off metal detectors at the local county court house and at airports. My titanium implants in my leg and pelvis (plus the painful looking attaching screws) always set off the medical detectors, so I have my implant card at the ready. Except today. I went through the detector and it didn't register a danged thing!

My experience got me thinking, which is a BAD thing. The crowd at Six Flags (in my eyes) provided a target rich environment, with guests from numerous ethnic and cultural groups. My thinking was that if I could walk (actually hobble) in with a 6" plate in my abdomen and a full length rod in my tibia, with about 8 screws, and the metal detector wasn't tripped, would the detectors detect a titanium or scandium frame revolver, or even a polymer pistol, such as a Glock? I don't own or shoot light weight handguns, so I couldn't answer that question!

This even got me thinking more ... what if someone bodypacked an explosive with titanium shrapnel? Not that I am looking to give anyone ideas, but it got me thinking. Amusement parks, such as the ones operated by Six Flags are gun free zones, and a target rich environment, why the Hades don't they have their metal detectors set to be more sensitive? Are their detectors functional or purely there for token appearance?

I hope that I haven't crossed any lines, or given anyone ideas!

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Judge control not gun control!

Even with super high security someone super intent on getting in a weapon, explosives or other deadly devise will always figure out how. It's unfortunate, but there is nothing that will stop a maniac if he is persistent. That is why terrorism to some extent may be harder to perform now but never impossible.

This is why (IMO) people have to be more on the look-out and need to be much better prepared and self reliant. Many times terrorism can not be seen but on the other hand there are times that just well trained and alert civilians can make a difference. It seems that "they" do NOT want self reliant citizens anymore.

Wow. I haven't been to Six Flags in about three years, but the one in Arlington, TX had no metal detectors at that time. The ballpark where the Rangers play did, though.

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Or something like that . . .

Do they have armed guards ready for a quick response to an incident? If so, how well are they trained?

From my long experience in the private security business, I'm pretty sure they're poorly trained and motivated... if present at all.

And a quick armed response is all that'll stop a terrorist . Police seem to take an hour or more to act. By then, a lot of damage has been done.

Don't worry, man - like you said "it's a gun free zone". ;-)

I try to stay away from target rich environments. I don't like to stand in line and don't like crowds. I am a cranky old man.

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Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

Glocks (along with all polymer guns) will set off a METAL detector! They aren't water guns. The whole slide is metal along with the barrel and most of the internals. Porcelain Glock 7 thats capable of defeating a metal detector only exists in Die Hard 2!!!

However, if you actually take a minute to look this up you'll see that not all metal detectors work the same way and depending on how it was set up you may not even set off the detectors in court houses or airports.

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Everybody always forgets the ammunition when talking about plastic pistols . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

I'm not surprised. I think DHS OIG published a report of TSA security inspections they conducted where they were able to get weapons (or simulated weapons...I can't remember exactly) past security checkpoints more often than not. IIRC, they even found a metal detector that wasn't plugged in.

There's a reason they call it "security theater."

I was at Disneyworld last spring and they searched all bags, except a phone size pouch on my belt that is just the right size for a S&W Shield or Ruger LCP etc in addition to the phone. No metal detectors in sight. No I didn't carry anything, but there is no doubt that I could have.

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We used to go to Busch Gardens a lot - the only security measure was visual inspection of bags and strollers. I guess on your body one could carry anything (I haven't seen any metal detectors at the time). Even with those minimal measures lines were huge.

Go to Tampa to watch Yankees Spring Training and they search and wand you

LOL, thanks for that, but on a gun board I would think that is pretty common knowledge

The thing about walk-through metal detectors that some may not know, is that their alarm threshold can be adjusted. They can be set up to be so sensitive that they will alarm if you pass through with a penny in your pocket, or they can be adjusted to be so insensitive that they will allow you to carry a ring of keys through without alarming.

While a Glock does indeed have a metal slide (and ammo) if the sensitivity of the metal detector is adjusted incorrectly the Glock may not have enough metal mass to set off the alarm - whereas an all metal pistol of the same size - like a 1911 - would set off the alarm.

In the case of the ones the OP is talking about at Six Flags, they are obviously set to a very low sensitivity level - or not actually operating at all. If they are adjusted so that they allow the amount of metal he describes then they are pretty much worthless except for show.

And I think that was the whole point he was making. Not that he was trying to say Glocks are un-detectable by metal detectors - or that he believes the Hollyweird BS to that effect.

Maybe. It just didn't read that way to me!

They probably set their detectors that way so that no one needs to take of their belts, empty pockets, etc... imagine that line if everyone was taking off belts and whatnot!?! I did 3 days of jury duty in April and had to spend 10 minutes undressing and dressing after every time I stepped outside! Became quite annoying

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Been to Six Flags NJ,Six Flags Georgia,Dorney PA,Carowinds NC,Cedar Point Ohio,Kings Island Ohio and have NEVER seen the walk-thru detectors indicate something. Could be those walk-thrus are such as only a visual deterrent and not actually operable or at low setting. I have seen the hand wands go off and indicate.

There is a good bit of info about titanium and metal detectors on the Internet. Consensus is that a tibia plate is enough o set off a properly calibrated detector while a screw in a bone like I have from a repaired fracture will not.

Sounds to me that Six Flags has its machines set for too low a detection level. I am not surprised. If they did it would slow down entrynon busy days. That would weaken customer satisfaction. Of course, a bomb going off would do that in spades. That might not have occurred to management.

"It seems that "they" do NOT want self reliant citizens anymore."

I think this is the official but unacknowledged policy of ALL our protectors now. They would rather engage in security theater and denial than give us a say in the matter. After all, the odds ARE against an incident occurring at a given location. And if something DOES happen, well, it's just "bad luck". That's what yellow tape is for...

Personally I have never liked taking advice from people who don't have as much to lose as I do.

Unfortunately our "caring" bureaucracies don't favor this approach.

It isn't necessarily a matter of sensitivity, but what the metal involved is. Years ago when I was still "On the job" we tried a little experiment at the airport with the metal detectors. I had a North American Arms mini-revolver at the time. We found we could walk right through the detector with the revolver and it wouldn't set off the alarm, but a roll of Rol-Aids in my shirt pocket, with just a small amount of aluminum foil, would set off the detector every time!

You have nothing to lose as you CHOOSE to go there. If it bothers you that much, vote with your feet and your wallet.

Considering the difficulty in obtaining a concealed carry permit in your part of the country, that makes everywhere people gather an easy target.
I wouldn't get any sense of security from even a perfectly functioning metal detector used at the entrance to a soft target. It only means that the attack starts there.

Texas Star=maybe you should contact Gecko 45. He's so well trained!

Seriously, before I left SoCal (20 years ago) the gangs and wanna-be's had taken over Magic Mountain so bad families couldn't go, even during the day!

Wands are almost useless-their signals bounce off concrete, rock, brick etc.

I would have probably told them, then asked them why no detection, and then asked if this was a safe place to be......

That may have gotten their attention.

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Hipcocked45

That has changed since this summer. We went to Disneyworld in July, and in most parks, there were metal detectors. They even make you go through metal detectors to go on the tram into the park, and if you walk from the hotels to a park, they have a security checkpoint in the middle of the sidewalk with metal detectors and bag searches.

In about the same time frame, we took a family trip the included a day at Six Flags New Jersey. Even then they had metal detectors. I asked a friend who lives in New Jersey about that and his reply was that the gang bangers from Philadelphia were a threat to the park. I think since then there are more gangs in parts of New Jersey as well.

The city next to my town has a fair every summer. Not only do local police officers heavily patrol the area, but the state police gang task force and the Boston PD have a heavy presence as well. Gangs seem to love amusement parks and fairs for some reason.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

Well they are the NEW YORK Yankees.

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Made it, Ma! Top of the world!

I waltzed through security at Tiger Stadium, or Comerica, or whatever, with a Sig 9 and a model 40.Did the same thing at Buckeye Stadium. It's all Security Theater.

And if they caught you, what is the penalty? Is it a felony?

Send the extra security to Six Flags Over Georgia. Last time I went it was overrun with youths bouncing basketballs all over the place and cutting in line for the rides. Swore I'd never go back.

I have nothing against crowds, and I can tolerate lines. The first sentence alone was worth a "like."

I don't fly anymore because of the detectors and the hassle they cause me at airports ..

I have an implant and also screws and wire cages in my lower spine and always set them off and when you look at the x-ray it looks like a box with wires running out it in 2 directions from it to another box and a wire up my spine .. An implanted tens unit .. and looks much like what I would and they do think looks like a possible bomb of some kind !!!

Even after showing them my card no one says they've seen one and then there is the phone calls and other BS before I am finally released ..

Other metal detectors sometimes are set off and others are not so those I wonder about .. the hand wands are always set off by the implants ..

It's all about the percentages. The metal detectors are a visual deterrent, so maybe the management are banking on that working while they continue to rake it in. As is often said, "Follow the money".

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Release the Kraken

So, they only feel and look like water guns?

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Dave Ramsey Cultist

No. Look and feel like any other gun

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The last time I went to SF Arlington, I was required to give up my tiny 1.5" blade) pocket knife.

I hate the place, anyway.

Anyplace that prohibits legally-carried firearms is already a "soft target". Look how many mass shootings occur in "gun free" zones.

It's probably a good thing, though, that I can't carry in a Rangers game when the Blue Jays and Jose Bautista are in town

given the demographics of the last 6flags i went to (NJ), i'd say enhanced security is warranted.