Embarrassing :(

Ok. I'll admit it. I NEED HELP!!!

Ever since I was in like fifth grade (i am in 10th now) I have been obsessed with coaster. My problem is I CAN NEVER RIDE THEM. I live near SFGAm and I won't even go on the Demon. I mean, come on, that ride doesn't even reach over 50MPH (I think). That is lame. I get scared on the Whizzer. In 2000, I went to Disney Wrold and I was scared on Space Mountain and the mine train coaster. That is sad. I really am embarrassed and I think that if I spen 40 bucks to go to a park I should at least ride the coasters. PLEASE HELP ME!!!

Just suck it up and ride the damn thing. Simple as that.

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LeWiS

My friend has a problem with inverts. We waited 2 and a 1/2 hours Batman at Sfog and he chickened out and of course I didn't have enough time to convince him because I was already in my seat. Another time, he left a front seat ride on Deja Vu wide open for me to ride it alone. Wimp. He swears when he goes to Cedar Point he'll ride Wicked Twister or Raptor.

What coasters have you ridden(besides kiddies)? This might help us find your problem. And maybe you just like looking at the coasters.

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This place would be be a nightmare for midgets.

Don't think, just go on.

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Purple cows eat silver moon pies, among fiesty, glowing fireflies.

I was always interested in Roller Coasters (and all amusement rides in general) but I never really rode anything too big until my senior year in High School. Fear of heights is my real problem and I still can't look around too much while going up a lift hill.

I just think to myself "I don't have to do anything but sit in a chair." That makes it real easy.

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Ripple Rock Amusement Park

Go into it looking at it this way: You know you will be fine on the ride physically, you just might get scared. Know that nothing will happen to you if you follow the ride's posted rules. Just get on, hold on, and enjoy the ride...best way to lose your fear.

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"Enjoy your record-breaking ride on Millennium Force"

Alright, I was definitely in your situation not more than two years ago. Here's what you have to do.

First Off, ride with SEVERAL fearless buddies-it helps to peer pressure you (DARE works for me!)

Then, here's a good, logical progression:

Spacely Sprocket's Rockets, Whizzer, Viper, Demon, Iron Wolf, American Eagle, Batman, V2, Superman, Raging Bull, Deja Vu.

This way, you can say, "This drop/inversion isn't much bigger than what I've already ridden", and then, throw in a dose of reckless abandon, and you'll be set.
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Welcome to Six Flags Great America, home of the fastlane and delay-ja vu! We have now officially been deemed the world-wide wait!

Yeah, start small and work your way up to the big ones. I'm sure you can do it. Most people that fear coasters, don't actually fear them once they just face it and ride it, they love them by the end of the first day and can't get enough rides. That's just what I've experienced after taking numerous non riders with me and turning them into a ride NAZI much like myself. :)

My first coaster experience was on the Raven. After that, nothing scared me at all. Sitting in the train for Millennium Force, not one feel of nervousness in my stomach. Just suck it up, and ride it. It's all you can do!

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The future is in the hands of Cedar Point!

Since you're obsessed with coasters, you should know how safe they are, and that any fear you have now is just fear of the unknown.

For me, I took a natural liking to coasters, but I know that that's unfortunately not the case for some others.

I've come to love riding thrillrides so much over the last six years, no ride after my initial few has ever scared me, I just plain enjoy the sensation of riding, and I'm more relaxed on thrillrides than I am almost anywhere else. I have a blast every time I step on a major ride.

Just rest assured that you'll be just as obsessed with coaster riding in the future as you are with the rides themselves at this point. Once you get past that first major ride, you will, in all likelyhood, be hooked for life.
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~ Blast Coaster | BlastCoaster@coaster-net.com | www.COASTER-net.com

This is gonna be hard to swallow but go to the park with an arrogant friend and ride the biggest ride you can get to first. When I was a kid I was afraid to ride anything bigger than Iron Dragon but I went once with a good friend of mine who ripped on me until somehow he got me to ride Magnum. I loved it and figured I've ridden the tallest fastest ride in the world and like it then nothing else can scare me.

Now like alot of other enthusiasts im obsessed with taller and faster, and forever thankful to my friend. Im actually tryin to plan a sky diving trip this summer with college buds.

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One Love

When waiting in the queue, pretend that someone has you at gun-point and your only escape is to ride the coaster. See if that works! :)

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Tales for the L33t

Just get really excited about it. The first ride I went on was Magnum and I remember seeing it from the parking lot. But I didn't wanna be a wuss and wuss out in front of all of the people so I just rode, and since then I will ride any ride. Don't work your way up ride Superman first, then the bull, then Eagle, etc.

Hope will have a blast!

~Fobe~

Hope you will have a blast*

Sorry didn't proofread.

Seriously, SFGAm is a great place to start. I have brought 4 newbies in to that park and they have walked out all liking coasters. Ride Batman, yes Batman. It is a fairly intense (but short) ride that is smooth and one of the best in the park. Plus it has loops, and a funky car, after that one youll be able to anything else. Also, get to the park at opening, while everone lines up for Superman just walk right to Batman that way you will have no line and no chance to change your mind, also as soon as you get into that seat buckle the belt right away, then youre "trapped."

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Summer 03-CP, HP, Canobie, SFNE, SFWOA, and SFGAm.
*** This post was edited by Touchdown 6/5/2003 3:07:26 AM ***

I took my girlfriend on the biggest one I could find first (M. Force) , and it all seemed good from that point.

I had the same problem with certain carnival rides, but Now I ride em all.

Don't let anyone tell you otherwise: Being afraid to ride a coaster is a totally natural thing, it's actually a healthy reflex, and no one should have to feel embarrassed about it.

It's much more unnatural NOT to be afraid of dropping down 10 floors.
I definitely think there is an almost-suicide aspect to coaster riding - to look into the most terrifying eye of desaster and live.
To turn that into a pleasure, you have to let go of certain fears for a while - suspend a part of your natural life-sustaining reflexes for a moment.

I started to enjoy riding coasters because I needed to be kicked out of it to feel reality again, to overcome that grey smoothness that covers life.

As an advice to do that, I would start right on with the biggest and most terrifying coaster you can imagine, just strap yourself in there, live through it like you live through a visit to the dentist and realise afterwards that you still live, your fears did find no real ground, and that it was a hell of a ride :o)

One of the coasters that's really nice to first timers is Riddlers Revenge at SFMM - just try to get into the middle of the train and relax - it looks and seems really terrifying, but it's actually the most religiously smooth coaster experience out there (at least to me) - it's a coaster you can totally trust. .

Greetings,

jo

I had the same problem myself. The change for me happened so sudden. You just get on and ride it. DO NOT close your eyes, it will only make the experience worse.
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YOUNGSTOWN 2010

Also just remember that fear is only temporary but regret can last a lifetime. Just go for it and you will feel so happy and pleased with yourself once you walk out the other side. If that doesnt work, get your friends to pay you!

Don't allow yourself to watch the coaster before you get in line. This nearly made me miss out on Millennium Force. Consider that a coaster lasts maybe 3 minutes. Less than half of that is climbing the first hill, and getting down the first hill takes alot less time than going up it, and after that the ride is literally a breeze. I have a fear of heights myself, but switched my perspective to be fascinated by the views below me instead of scared by them - after all, a coaster thrills mainly through height. If you take away the height, you're just in a train going typically slower than most cars do on the road, or at least most passenger trains. Besides, you've likely done far more challenging and difficult things in life than sitting, secured in a seat, for 1.5 minutes or even 3 minutes. For instance, I get scared when I have to do public speaking, so on a coaster I just think to myself.. if I could speak in front of 100 people at work, then I can do this. And if I can do this, then I can speak in front of 100 people at work. ;-)

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"The most wasted of all days is one without laughter." e.e.cummings