How to deal with people

When I am in line people come up and talk with me because they usualy know I am a coaster enthusiast. The ploblem is that people tell me completly wrong facts and try to out do as if they accomplished somthing. I say it plain out I don't know everthing. How do all you deal with this I try to ignore them but for 3 hours. I would be interested what everyone says so please share.

TTD was built

TTD was broke

TTD is alive

You know, I've found that no one in line is nearly as smart and knowledgeable as I am. I usually have a small collection of bodyguards to fend off the riff-raff. They keep trying to touch me, perhaps due to the faint glow I give off while in parks. One toothless old woman even asked me the meaning of life! Geez! It's not like it isn't perfectly obvious to the casual observer.

How would I deal with it? I'd first try and figure out how people know I'm an enthusiast, and work on correcting that.

Classic, Vater :)

I've never had anyone ever ask me coaster facts (other than someone with me maybe asking - when did they build this?) and I really don't care if people in line are saying a ride is this or that when it's not because, quite frankly, it doesn't matter.

Vater gets "Post of the Week."

Yeah, maybe it was the gazillion patches on the denim jacket, or the worn out Shivering Timbers fitted tee...or maybe it was the occasional spiel about ride facts no one knows or cares about. I have never had this problem either, plus people say I have a mean look on my face.....a evolutionary trait from NYC natives.

I have to make sure I don't bore the people that are with me with facts(they, thankfully, understand, though). I bore of talking "Coaster-Geek" after a while, though, and just downgrade to talking about some of the more Fugly people or weirdos in the park...

I leave my "I am a coaster enthusiast" shirts at home.

The best thing to do is not say anything at all. When working for the parks I have worked for in the past I have kept a low profile. Frankly, when I am in a park having a good time I don't feel like getting bogged down in correcting people or spouting off about what I know. I just like to enjoy my day.

Working under the assumption of "You can't see me if I can't see you" I usually just stand there and close my eyes. (funny... that USED to work when I was 3)

Bad points are:

- I bump into lots of things

- People yell at me alot ("Hey, you... Yeah... the idiot standing there with his eyes closed... the line is moving!")

Good news is... they don't ask me about coasters.

Simple. I just talk to them. I like putting out the image that Coaster Enthuiasts are not snotty,overweight virgins, whose saving grace in life is that they know a lot of pretty useless facts.

I must be the Brian Knoble of Chicago-except I dont have bodyguards.I fend them off myself. Also replace toothless old ladies with big fatties.Vater that line was hillarious.

Methinks with CPDude it's not people recognizing him as an enthusiast but rather him saying something that makes it known he is an enthusiast, like correcting people when they're wrong. Perhaps like saying "No, the tallest and fastest coaster in the US is Dragster. I know that because I'm a coaster enthusiast and I've ridden Dragster 100 times...." or something like that.

I hear people using wrong facts about coasters all the time, from height and speed stats to the classic "someone died" or "the train comes off the track" myths. What do I do? Smile politely, agree, and walk away.

mOOSH

*** Edited 3/11/2004 10:26:14 PM UTC by Mamoosh***

I just talk about my band.

I thought you weren't in a band anymore, Rob, or is there something I've missed?

No duh Moosh, theres a story teller/ self proclaimed expert in every queue, "Part of WT broke off and landed on the beach", "BS was built in the 20's" and on and on and on. I find it more fun to stand there and listen to the BS and see how warped some people are, rather than correcting a moron. You know coming from little kids its funny, coming from demented adults is just down right sad but in a funny way.

I maintain a healthy, non-geek persona by quipping wilder imaginary factoids and whacked-out tales than anyone.

I especially enjoy terrifying children with morbid tales of on-ride manglings...unless they like that kinda stuff.

Sick little freaks. What's wrong with America today?

-CO

Clint, you got me. Deadbang. ;)

I used to.

Playa's got the ride idea! Terrify the peeps and thin out the lines a bit ;)

mOOSH

I find throwing up violently clears a few people out of your way quickly.

Amateur. Never send a barf to do an SBD's work!