Why do coaster enthusiasts have a bad image?

Jeff - I am in complete agreement. I think what's needed is balance. What bothers me most is when enthusiasts with little to no contact with park officials, etc., make editorial comments on how parks, rides, etc., should be run. What's even more upsetting and weird is when they claim to know 'sources' within the park that only told them what's going in next year at the park, etc. Who are these sources? Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head? Come on, folks. Hey, I get just as excited as the next guy (or gal), but some of us really need to get a life.

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turnofthecentury said:
"What's even more upsetting and weird is when they claim to know 'sources' within the park that only told them what's going in next year at the park, etc. Who are these sources?"

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I couldn't agree more... and I have to say this bugs me! I don't know which gets to me more... those who claim that they talked to the entire park management who personally gave them a tour of their "secret drawing board" for next year, or those who say "a ride op on what ever coaster assured me that next year the park is getting a 700 foot high, 12,000 ft long, floorless, with out any OTSR that will have 33 inversions and go 178.7 miles per hour!" Okay... that was a bit of an exageration... but you know the meaning.

Granted, perhaps a ride op did tell the person something really exciting the park "is getting" next year. If I were in that position, being badgered by someone about the "trade secrets", I would tell them something, anything just to get them out of my hair!

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"That wheel needs fixed... This thing is a piece of junk..."
- Unknown ride op on Williams Grove Cyclone

This is actually really interesting. My friend and I went to PKI over Easter Weekend, and had a blast. We are both casual enthusiasts. In other words, we know more about stats, etc. than most people, but not nearly as much as others. We were in line for SOB, and there was a group of hard-core enthusiasts behind us who analysed the ride (and the park) inside and out for the entire 30-40 minute wait. Talk about overkill. By the time we got to the platform, we were ready to scream. I asked my friend what seat he wanted to get in, and he replied "I want to get as far away from these people as possible before they ruin this ride for me."

While I understand that these folks weren't trying to bother anyone, there is a point where enough is enough and you should just have fun. That's what these coasters and parks are for.


*** This post was edited by chris on 4/17/2001. *** *** This post was edited by chris on 4/17/2001. ***

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chris said:
While I understand that these folks weren't trying to bother anyone, there is a point where enough is enough and you should just have fun. That's what these coasters and parks are for.

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Exactly! While I'll overanalyze things as much as anyone else out there, when I'm AT a park, it's to HAVE FUN. That's what this hobby is all about, when you get down to it.


Another problem is that there are some "enthusiasts" out there who seem to think that their membership in ACE or other club, gains them "special privileges". They forget that the parks that DO offer perks to club members, are doing so as a FAVOR, not a RIGHT. I think that attitude gives enthusiasts a bad reputation as much as anything else...

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--Greg

http://www.pobox.com/~gregleg/

I'm definetly agreeing with GregLeg, Chris, and Jeff here. However it seems that with any hobby you'll get some guy that overanalyzes everything until what was previously fun isn't.

For instance if you used to really like High Roller a ton, but then you get talking to people a bit and they say how the coasters you've been on suck. And since they're so "knowledgable" you kind of take that in mind, and the coaster isn't as fun as it used to be.

Now, I'm not saying this happens to me, but I can see where it could.

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Randy Hutchinson
Work Harder: Millions of people on welfare depend on you.

Its like with any other hobby where people tend to get a little obsesive about. Those who are really into it tend to be alienated from the GP abit. Nothing personal against any one person, they just don't understand. I have encountered some of the same things when i got involved with animein a big way. Other people just didn't quite get it. I don't let it bother me though.:)

Camel@Work, I don't know it for a fact, but I'm fairly possitive, because I am not a jerk to the GP because they made a mistake, and I don't act like I know EVERYTHING about the industry, and I'm nice to people (unless they line jump or smoke, my two pet peeves).

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MF Drops-15
SOB Rides-2

I think that some of you have summed it up quite nicely. Every group has bad seeds.

I try to not pretend like I know everything, but where I see a lot of people get turned off is towards people who claim to know a lot of stuff but really don't have their facts right. (Example, the enthusiast who wanted to argue with me that they shouldn't have torn down Steel Phantom, because it was only 3 years old. I said, "OK", and walked away.

Also, my non-enthusiast friends seem to dislike certain "very public" enthusiasts. You know the kind, that insist on special treatment.

I certainly don't know a whole lot about coasters, and haven't ridden 500 different ones (yet), but I've run into some people that use their "knowledge and riding experience" to be negative about everything. I heard a group of hardcore enthusiasts badmouth things about the Raven while riding. I wanted to say "Shut up and enjoy the ride!"

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- Peabody *** This post was edited by Peabody on 4/17/2001. ***

I totally agree with you Randy. That's why I always stick with my opinions regardless of what the "coaster snobs" say. Goliath may not have enough "airtime" for them, but I could care less what they think. Just leave the line shorter for me, thank you. For a good example of this kind of garbage, hang out at RRC for a while. Thanks Jeff for not allowing that stuff here. opinions are great, but when you try to dictate those opinions to everyone, you lose me.

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InCLinE LoOpER said:
"Camel@Work, I don't know it for a fact, but I'm fairly possitive, because I am not a jerk to the GP because they made a mistake, and I don't act like I know EVERYTHING about the industry, and I'm nice to people (unless they line jump or smoke, my two pet peeves)."

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Fair enough. I was just being a smart a**. ;)

Seriously, I think way too many people are too quick to point out what they think they know and tell someone else they're wrong. That is why we are given a bad reputation.

heh..... alot of that opinion comes from some's (like me) disgust in "make beleive showoffs". You know.... the people whostand in line and say "Well this id 500 feet high and has a reputation fo killing people. with the speeds of 300 mph it ocasionally rips peoples faces off. It(steel phantom) was the first coaster in the park built in the 1960's, and the thunderbolt was built around it for coolness" etc. lol! I just cant help myself but to correct them, and the get really mad and call you stupid and get your facts right. :) *** This post was edited by Foozycoaster on 4/17/2001. ***

Ooops. I'm probably a problem here. I used to work at a park (CP) although I am not in the business any more. My SO is a ride manager, and we both "enthusiast" for fun.

I'd say I go to a park about 1/3 to have fun, and about 1/3 to see what I can learn -- what to do right or what not to do -- about the business as I do hope to get back in it one of these days. Critical (good and bad) evaluation is often a way for us to pass the time in very long lines.

{In case you wondered, the other 1/3 is shopping!]
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Whatever goes up, must come down, preferably at a speed over 60 mph and leaning into a flying turn

I know this is totally not true, but kids at my school think coaster enthusiats are fat, smelly, and don't have a life. What are they teaching kids these days!?!

Apollos Chariot, you have it close. They also always wear their same catsup stained Coney Island Cyclone T-Shirt every day. I think this stereotype came from all those Discovery Channel shows with the same guy that does that. Now if anyone needs a life, it is him. ("Uh, yeah, Cyclone is the best, no, I think that one is mediocre. Whoa, you know, they have had the Cyclone..." ect..., that guy.)

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V2, Deja Vu... how can it be better? Add Viper! Oh, wait. It's already there!

Everyone has something that interests them. For us, it's coasters. For other people; sports, food, porn, computers, school, beer, working. I could go on.

Everyone that I know of has a hobby, most of my friends all enjoy rap music, football, and girls. I tend to like roller coasters. So what? If people make fun of me because I love to be thrown down a hill, I'll let them. They can be a hater, they don't have to be my friend.

The point is, as someone mentioned before, atleast we're doing something that is harmless, and not violent.

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-Eric L.
www.theamazementpark.com
Coming Soon!

I'd rather get thriller by a coaster than thrilled by drugs.

Good point bigkirby

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This wonderful post was brought to you by the CoasterBuzzer formally known as MindBender!

In any hobby you have those who get to far into it, they tend to go overboard, and trip over themselves to be at the top of there hobby.

In the railfan community, these people are known as "foamers"-as in foams at the mouth to get the picture of the new train, a not so nice name developed by Railroad employees, to describe how they get in the way and make fools of themselves and other more balanced fans. I see symptoms of the same thing in the coaster community.

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As heard on Amtrak 44: "If you look out the left side of the Train you will see the coasters of Cedar Point."

I am a very nice person. And i don't think that the general public has a thing for us. I have learned that they get annoyed if you go on talking about coasters.

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RCman4

Sometimes at school my friends or just other students will start talking about coasters. They sound dumb to me but thats because i know to much about them. But to them they think some of there ideas are cool. I usually put in my two cents and tell them the truth. This also sometimes happens at parks. When i was standing in line for MF last year i heard some teens talking about the layout of it and i couldnt help but listen to them. They were saying its rough, very original, and its nothing special. I know people have their own opinions and all, but thats way off. But to the subject, im not looked at as different in a park just becuase im a coaster enthusiast. Usually like most of you said, people seem to be interested in what i say and dont generally have a bad image toward me.