dorney park coaster gets stuck for 90 min with people on it

No, I genuinely wondered but admit it was a topic changer as well. :)

Has getting stuck been a problem with KI's Invertigo? I don't personally remember any problems with it over my last 5 years of visits, but I guess it's not really a focal point when I'm there either.

Edit: According to KI Central, Invertigo has been down for the last week and a half. So, I guess these aren't the most reliable models.

Actually, I don't know if the KI one has gotten stuck, but when Stinger was Invertigo in California, it got stuck for a few hours as well. I'm going to Dorney on Sunday (and SFNE on Saturday...gonna be BEAT), and I'm hoping it will be open by then. I actually kinda liked it. Didn't like going backwards first AT ALL, but hey! It is a learning experience riding coasters!

bunky666 said:

...I still have not seen them running Stinger, and I drove by it quite a few times today.

It broke down part of the time I was at the park today but did reopen later. Maybe it broke down multiple times today?

Could be...I only get to drive by for a minute or so before the park is out of view.

I always miss fellow Buzzers. One person has ever seen ME, and it was while I was reporting that guy with the brain injury or whatever was wrong with him at GrAdv. Wish I was closer to some of the events or didn't work such ridiculous hours so I could see you guys (and girls).

obxKevin said:

LostKause said:

We laugh at his (or her?) funny post, and you call us grumps? That's even more ironic (meaning funny) than calling Andy an ass.

Travis, I hope that wasn't directed at me. Maybe you missed my wit and sarcasm, or maybe I should have used the now non-existant winky? (maybe I'm missing sarcasm in your post?)

I've been posting here since 2004, and if I really though you were all a bunch of grumps, do you think I'd still be hanging around?

Well, honestly, it was directed at you, but I didn't mean anything negative by it. I was mainly looking for a reason to point out that Andy is the least assy-est person around here. I even complimented how funny (ironic) your post was. I hope you can say no harm done. :)

Part of the problem that noobs have here is what happened in this very thread. When someone says something stupid, like magnetic brakes had to be released so a train on The Laser could get unstuck from one of it's loops, instead of telling them that we are knowledgeable enough to know that this is false and juvenile, we laugh at it, often at their expense. That is not nice, but it happens. I was the first to do it in this example, and I am now sorry.

Sometimes a new CoasterBuzz friend is not on the same level, and instead of helping them to fit in, we push them out. It's a kind of hazing. If they can get through that, they may become part of the circle.

I'm probably way off base with that explanation, but that's one way of looking at it.

I was a noob at one time too. Most of us were. It takes time to get the feel for how to behave on CoasterBuzz. I seriously have been trying to be more welcoming lately. It's hard. I believe that the more people we have participating in the discussion, the better the discussions will become.

I owe CoasterBuzz a lot, as far as my morals about communicating and my self-esteem go. I wouldn't be the same person that I am today if it weren't for Jeff's awesome roller coaster fanatic website. I absolutely love being able to came here each day and relax, reading and commenting about my favorite hobby. I would love to see others have that opportunity.

This post contains no sarcasm. It contains my honest, serious, words.

Travis, VERY well said. I was looking for basically the same words yesterday and couldn't figure it the hell out. Definitely when I first came here looking for information and fellow enthusiasts, I felt like I was laughed at and people were very condescending just because I didn't know what all our fancy abbreviations and terms meant (I don't think I know half of them to this day). I'm still way more into the actual discussing of coasters, parks, which seat is best, etc. rather than the technical jargon. Once a thread goes all super technical or business-y, I'm bored and my brain hurts. But at least people don't rip me a new one about it.

But the point is: do we all know that magnetic brakes are not applied to a coaster loop. Of course. Is it fair to pick on the new guy because he doesn't? No. There are nicer ways to make him or her aware of their mistake.

Thank you for posting! And apparently Stinger is running now, BTW.

I hope this doesn't come across as being too much of a jerk, or a bully or whatever, but there's a whole lot of butthurt going on in here.

It's the internet. If you let the way people talk on the internet get to you in real life, you're doing it wrong.

I rode Stinger on Sunday. I don't know if it ran all day, but it was open long enough for me to ride.

As for the other discussion, I always find these topics to be interesting. I guess the first thing I would want to point out as interesting, is that in a case where a couple of people indicated that they don't post here, because they thought they were hated... the focus turns to the accused haters. I find that interesting, because it's an internet forum. Hundreds of people visit everyday and only a handful post anything. Walking away with the perception that "CoasterBuzz hates me" isn't healthy. It just isn't.

Beyond that, I think it's important for any newcomer to spend some time getting to know the community before jumping in and posting things. If one does that, then when the sarcastic jokes happen, there's a better understanding about the intent.

CoasterBuzz isn't for everyone. All coaster enthusiasts are not the same. I will never understand why folks think that because it's a special interest site, that everyone who shares that interest should be able to come here and post whatever they want and be respected for it. I don't know of a single social environment that works that way.

Carrie J. said:

Thousands of people visit everyday and only a handful post anything.

Fixed that for you. :)

Seriously though, where did this thread come from? Online communities are surprisingly a little like real parties. You don't show up in a room full of strangers and expect to be the life of the party, so why would you do so online? You show up, observe, hang out, and before too long, you're like old friends.

Also, why is it wrong to poke fun at newcomers if they say something stupid? 'Buzz veterans say stupid stuff (myself included, though not nearly as often) and are certainly not exempt from being called out on it.

Raven, I actually agree with you somewhat, but I DO think the site gets clique-y enough that eventually it is going to be five or six old geezers talking about how they used to ride the old rollie coaster and no one else will feel welcome. This site actually holds a fair amount of events and get togethers, and what is the point of doing that if everyone hates each other and won't welcome anyone? I don't expect anyone to come in and be welcomed necessarily with open arms, and a little hazing might actually be good for everyone, However, sometimes we just jump on people that just might not know better.

Carrie, your suggestion that people wait a little before posting isn't a bad one. I started off with reading and writing trip reports and making (usually innocuous) small comments. I believe I came out relatively unscathed, though Jeff ticked me off once and I didn't know he was the moderator and I yelled at him. Lol

But I'm done with this topic. It really IS getting to have a definite butthurt feeling to it. Depressing to read at this point.

bunky666 said:

Raven, I actually agree with you somewhat, but I DO think the site gets clique-y enough that eventually it is going to be five or six old geezers talking about how they used to ride the old rollie coaster and no one else will feel welcome.

And I keep waiting patiently, ever so patiently, for that day to arrive!! (winky)

I'm trying to figure out where people are seeing hatred on here. Besides from Gonch, I mean.

Edit: And Carrie...but since hers is only aimed at babies, I didn't think it applied here.

bunky666 said:

But the point is: do we all know that magnetic brakes are not applied to a coaster loop. Of course. Is it fair to pick on the new guy because he doesn't? No. There are nicer ways to make him or her aware of their mistake.

1. Absolutely no one picked on the new guy in this thread.

2. If that were all the new guy said, then someone would probably have pointed it out. But the new guy's comment was WAY more than that.

In real life (for lack of a better term) if someone walked up to me and said that, I'd do everything I could to get away from, stay away from and avoid all future conversation with that person. The second you reveal yourself to be in that ballpark, I'm out.

Flat out, someone who claims to have been stuck upside down in a roller coaster loop for 6 hours until the magnets were released is not someone I have time for and they're not going to fit into this group at all.

This goes way beyond "the newb doesn't know about coasters!"

And then when people started joking - again none even remotely directed at the new guy - then he got crappy and lashed out at one of the nicest and most established regulars on the site.

The idea that we're even questioning it baffles me...

...then I realize we're overdue for the annual "CoasterBuzz is mean" discussion.

After that I chuckle to myself because I realize that the people who are that sensitive and touchy-feely wouldn't last 5 minutes in my family, let alone on this internet forum.

It's like I said - there's a whole lot of butthurt going on, and for no good reason.

I've been through this discussion enough times now in my 11 years here. (I can't even begin to comprehend the length of time it's been, it seems like just yesterday, I was hanging out here, trying to fit in. I'm so old and I don't even realize it anymore.)

We were all newbs to the site at one time or another, and it's easy to get rattled when your comments go unnoticed, or something you say gets pointed out as wrong, but welcome to an online community. No one's immediately accepting, because, much like you're afraid of the established group, the established group is weary of spammers and trolls. You kind of have to prove yourself anywhere you go before people start to trust and converse with you. It's a 2 way street.

Candidly, 11 years ago, I'd have never thought I'd be such a regular here that people would just know who I was - Oddly enough, it happened to me because I just became myself. No need for an online persona (I tried that with the whole "let's be a complete jerk" back in the early days, and that was wrong of me. Not to say I'm not going to call someone out on stupidity or being a general pain in the ass, but I don't go out of my way to be a d).

So, in a way, you're probably right - it's a bit like school, or any other gathering where socializing occurs. There's nothing wrong with that, it's part of how life works.

/wall o' text

Gonch, you are absolutely right. I got sidetracked in the discussion and did not clarify that I was using the magnet thing as simply an example...I think it comes across as defending him, which actually was not my intention. I'm not backpedaling here because sometimes we ARE harsh on newbs, and I think there are sometimes nicer ways to put things, but I really did not clarify. His attack on an established Buzzer was NOT okay, and I did NOT say that, which I should have.

Jeff, yeah, crazy how these discussions go sometimes, innit?

Raven, you raise a good point about us being wary of trollers and newbs being wary of established members. Coasters are an important part of our lives, not just a casual interest. Intelligent conversations about the amusement world are what we're here for. It IS a waste of energy sometimes to deal with ignorance, and as LK said earlier, I think perhaps we haze a little to make sure a new person is not a waste of energy that could be spent doing other things, like having said intelligent discussions.

Now I'm really done. Lol

I just want to make sure I'm clear on one thing...Gonch hates everyone, right?

Ok, that's all I needed to know, I'll go hang out with the Disney nuts again and get called out for enjoying Universal. At least they respond with pixie dust kindness. ;)

Where did the term 'butthurt' come from, anyway? I've never heard of it before and am not completely sure what it means, though I'm guessing it must have something to do with assless chaps...

ButtHurt

bunky666 said:

Raven, I actually agree with you somewhat, but I DO think the site gets clique-y enough that eventually it is going to be five or six old geezers talking about how they used to ride the old rollie coaster and no one else will feel welcome.

I could probably find posts from 12 years ago predicting exactly this. And yet, here we are.

Let's be clear about one thing... I bounced a kid who just signed up, and then called Andy a naughty name without cause (or grammar). I doubt many people on the site are more gentle and less controversial than Andy. That entire entanglement has nothing to do with anything that you seem to perceive.