I have seen stories on a few of the “news” magazines like Dateline, et al about people who are trying to conquer their fears of roller coasters.
My question is, why is this a fear that should be conquered? It’s not like riding roller coasters is something that will become necessary in daily life. If you are afraid to ride a roller coaster, save the 20 bucks it costs to get into the amusement park and DON’T RIDE THEM!!
If you’re afraid to ride a roller coaster, I feel bad for you. I love Roller Coasters!
The best in the world: The Cyclone in Coney Island, Brooklyn, NYC!!
Opened in 1926, ain’t nobody died on it yet, it’s still the steepest drop for a woodie (as in wooden coaster), and… Oh God, just ride it!!
Yer pal,
Satan
hellokitty
I totally agree with you. There is nothing really wrong with a fear of something purely recreational. Once I was riding a horse at a dude ranch, and it spooked and ran all over the place with me on the back screaming like a cheerleader. I said I would never get on its back again, but the woman running the dude ranch convinced me to get back on, saying if I didn’t I’d never get on a horses back again.
So I did get back on, and rode back to the ranch, and I’ve never ridden a horse since, but the point is: who cares? Having a fear of waterskiing, keno, field hockey or snake handling is never going to get you into any trouble.
I’ve never even been on a Roller Coaster. I’ve just not been in a country/city that’s had one.
I guess I’ll try one one day, but I’m in no rush.
“Well, roll me in eggs and flour and bake me for forty minutes!”
I, too, LOVE Roller Coasters.
There is such a thing as The Royal British Roller Coaster Association or something, and I really want to join them actually.
BTW, isn’t there a Roller Coaster theme park somewhere in the US with some 80 RC’s ? Where is it ? Just to make sure that when I go to the US, I can plan an entire week of my holiday in to visit that park 
Coldfire
“You know how complex women are”
Coldfire says,
The largest coaster park in the world is Cedar Point in Ohio (measured by # of coasters, not park area). They have the most coasters (although no where near 80!), and it’s pretty common for one of their coasters to have the current speed and height record. They’re currently in the process of building the world’s biggest coaster (310 ft high, 92 MPH, 80 degree descent angle) after their previous record holder, Magnum XL, lost the title.
Scope out http://www.cedarpoint.com/
–
peas on earth
nooooooooo not roller coasters… I have such a fear of heights. We have a bridge here called the high level bridge… I was 35 before i ever drove over it… and that day only because i absolutely had to… I was sick to my stomach the whole time. Roller coasters looks great… for others… but i think i would definitely lose my lunch… Sometimes its just nice to be an observer.
We are, each of us angels with only one wing;
and we can only fly by
embracing one another
The thing about some coaster lovers is that they have no empathy, patience or tolerance for any of us “coasterphobes”. I hate going to an amusement park and having my friends demand I ride the coaster with them because, “It kicks ass!” and “If I try it, I’ll love it.” Trust me, if I ride a coaster the result is terror and a full-blown panic attack, not my idea of a good time.
When I tell people I’ve never ridden The Texas Cyclone or Greased Lightning (both in Astroworld) they look at me like I’m nucking futs.
The thing is, my fear of heights isn’t as bad as it used to be, but I know I’d still chicken out of some rides, like the looping Greased Lightning, or the Take-you-up-ten-stories-then-drop-your-monkey-ass-straight-down-in-free-fall rides.
What can I say. It’s not something I’m really worried about. I can fly in a plane with no problems nowadays, and that’s what’s important to me right now.
You say “cheesy” like that’s a BAD thing.
I first rode a coaster(Cedar Point) in 1989.I hated it. I was sure I was gonna be thrown to my death. Never again.
Coldfire, try www.rollercoaster.com for info on coasters around the world. Also try www.ultimaterollercoaster.com/ .
Here in California, we have Six Flags Magic Mountain which has eleven large and small RCs; Knott’s Berry Farm, which has five; and Disneyland, which has three, though Disney’s are known more for their theming, their ability to make you think you’re somewhere else than for their ability to scare. I recently went on Knott’s GhostRider, which is a wicked wooden coaster that constantly surprises you.
To those of you who are afraid, remember one thing: It only SEEMS like you’re going to die. Yes, some people have been injured and even killed on RCs, but you’re safer on a coaster than you were in your car on the way to the park! (I bet Cecil Adams could back me up on this one.)
Tim
“My hovercraft is full of eels.”
I just went to Cedar Point this past summer, they have some great coasters there, particularly the Magnum and the Raptor. Broke my knee while I was there, though, (not on a coaster–I, along with a crowd of people, were rushing for cover from a thunderstorm. I slipped and had a (slight) break in my knee. Funny thing is, I was standing in line for a water ride where you get soaked anyway. Oh, the irony!) Anyway, I think they have about 13 coasters there (counting a couple of small ones for kids). Not too far from there, and worth a visit, is King’s Island in/near Cincinatti. They have 12 coasters, I think, most notably The Beast, which held all the records several years ago. It may still be the longest wooden coaster–it’s about a 1.5 miles long with a ride that lasts about 4 minutes (compared to the usual 2 or less).
During my junior year in high school I went to Elitch Gardens in Denver with some of my friends. It was the perfect day to go-- cold, gray, and dripping rain.
There was no one in line for the Twister, so we ran all the way up to the platform and got on. It was a blast.
When we got back to the platform, there was nobody else in line. The operator asked us if we wanted to go around again, so we did. By the fourth ride, I wasn’t feeling so good. Being the total dips*** that I am, I decided to go around two more times. Finally I told the operator to let me off, staggered over to the nearest guardrail, and puked.
The moral of this story is: All things in moderation, including roller coasters.
Or maybe it’s don’t eat a full bag of gummy bears, drink a gallon of Mr. Pibb, and ride a roller coaster six times, because you will not feel very good afterwards.
– Sylence
And now, for my next trick, I will talk in spooky half-references.
HelloKitty asks,
While I certainly appreciate the charitable attitude with which those remarks were posted, and as much as I concur with the notion that, from the perspective of someone on the outside looking in, it’s simply not a battle worth fighting, I also think there’s another side worthy of some consideration.
Perhaps, to those who dare to try, the issue really hasn’t anything at all to do with roller coasters, but rather, with overcoming the fear itself. The roller coaster merely gives them a place to focus - a yardstick against which they can measure their success or failure as they mount their offensive in an attempt to slay their own personal dragon. It’s not the roller coaster they seek to conquer; it’s the fear.
Fear is an insidious thing - it tends to spill over into other areas of our lives in subtle ways, and nag at us where we least expect it. Another person’s courage isn’t measured against our own set of fears, and while true courage isn’t necessarily fostered by doing something dangerous, it is demonstrated by doing something we’re afraid to do. For some people, simply climbing on board a roller coaster may take more courage than you or I will ever be called upon to find within ourselves.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>-(o)-<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Life is a tapestry.
Each new day brings with it the opportunity to sew by
word and deed within the heart of someone around us.
Let us choose our colors with care.
I am jealous. There is no such thing as a real roller coaster here in Alaska. I have been wanting to ride one since I was a kid. When I was near a Six Flags I didn’t have the time or the money. I’m saving money for many things and one of them is to take my daughter to an amusment park.
For coaster information also try:
http://www.coasterbuzz.com/cgi-bin/talk/Ultimate.cgi?action=intro&BypassCookie=true
Oh yeah. Should resond to the OP. My desire to ride a roller coaster before I die overwhelmed me and I just had to comment on that.
I think it is ridiculous also. I didn’t see any of the shows you described. But the fact that they took time to research and report it is ridiculous. If you have a crippling fear of roller coasters, don’t ride it.
Cabbage, you didn’t happen to be there on July 31, did you? My wife and I went for the “Starlight admission,” where you enter after 5:00 and pay less. It had been beautiful, sunny, temps over 95 degrees all day, but as soon as we got there and got in line for the Mantis, there was a torrential downpour that lasted about an hour. We only ended up riding the Mantis, Raptor and the Mean Streak before leaving. (We only live about 45 minutes away in Cleveland.)
And, coincidentally, the next day I broke my ankle.
“I love God! He’s so deliciously evil!” - Stewie Griffin, Family Guy
Although I love roller coasters (but only the REAL wooden coasters) I hate, despise, fear, vilify, and will not ride ferris wheels. Figure that one out.
…at night, the ice weasels come…
OMG, a fellow freak! I’m the same way. I will ride any roller coaster out there, but you couldn’t drag me onto a ferris wheel.
I went to the Cedar Point web site. The new coaster they are building looks cool. Guess where I’m going next year? (hey, it’s only a four hour drive for me)
Shadowfox
“Most people would succeed in small things, if they were not troubled with
great ambitions.”