How to spot a coaster enthusiast:
Dan89 said:
One way to spot coaster enthusiasts is seeing a person take photos of a coaster from different angles.
GUILTY! That was me on Saturday at Adventureland. I don't do it because I am a geek though, I actually love photography and by taking photos at parks it gives me a chance to fuse my two favorite hobbies together. :)
I only wear the event pins/lanyards when needed for ERT or the "buffet" then take them off to not be hassled by the general public during the rest of the day.
I take photos for no other reason than to save for documentation. Coasters can very artfull when photographed right though. I get lucky sometimes with that.
I couldn't even to begin naming people who manage any park so I don't bother asking anyone a million questions about how their park is run...or why this...or why that...or when will this...I like surprises.
What makes you so special? Everyone on this site sound just like other members I've met. *** Edited 8/14/2006 6:06:13 PM UTC by WildThingNative*** *** Edited 8/14/2006 6:07:15 PM UTC by WildThingNative***
Thanks for another great season, VF!
If the higher percent of people in the world followed coasters instead of say, baseball then it wouldn't be nerdy to know history,statistics,etc. of coasters. But since the percent falls the other way its okay for a person to know who played third base for the Yankees in 1946 or any other mindless fact and wear a vintage jersey.
I love the fact that we live in a society that accepts being a sports fan or car nut okay but if your a star trek or coaster freak your an outcast or nerd.Remember there once was a time where being into computers was nerdy.Now almost every one has one and cant live without it.
But I have to respect people who are passionate about any topic.I think it would be a loss to go through life and never find something to be passionate about.I myself have more than one major hobby in life.Yes I am a member of ACE,Coaster Zombies,and Dafe, but I am also a member of the TCA (train collectors association) and an avid Nascar and NHRA fan.But I am not going to look down at a person because he has only one major hobby, or is into something I am not. No mater how fanatical they are.
There are people in this world who are just there.They read a news paper or watch the news everyday just so they can keep a conversation at the water cooler or something of that nature.They take their family on vacation to Fla because they think that's what you do and not because their into theme parks.Some I know take their vacations every year and just stay home.Not because they financially cant afford it, just because they have no interest in anything.And that just sorry.
So if someone is into something so heavily no matter what it is that they can be called a nerd that's cool.(as long as its not hurting anyone in the process) At least they found something that makes them truly happy.And if you want to poke fun of them go ahead.Your probably only doing it to make you feel better about yourself. Or just jumping on the band wagon to try to get accepted in some form of social group.So grow the F up were not (well at least all of us ) in high school any more. *** Edited 8/14/2006 6:47:04 PM UTC by BG Nut***
I miss Drachen Fire
But I know exactly what you mean about coaster enthusiasm being treated as something embarassing and geeky. Heck, look at the tune of many on this site in the past year. "I don't talk about coasters with my friends or family." "I like amusement parks but I don't spend a lot of time thinking about them." Suddenly, this whole hobby has become something of a black sheep. A lot of people want to make it clear how much they distance themselves from it, even though they distance themselves from it while posting on a coaster enthusiast site. How ironic is that.
The truth is, certain hobbies will always be cool and others not. People look at you like you have three heads growing out of the middle of your stomach is you say you don't like sports, yet if you mention liking comic books or model railroading, you're labeled as someone who lives in their parents' garage. I suppose coaster enthusiasm will always been on the same level as Dungeons & Dragons?
I, on the other hand, am proud of what I enjoy, regardless of how "uncool" or "lame" it is considered. I love a conversation about the coasters of western PA AND how effective the Yankee's latest trade acquisitions will be. I'll bring my Nintendo DS with me while vacationing in some far-off place, just to kill some unwanted free time. A wealth of hobbies is a good thing.
I have about 5000 different interests and hobbies. But I have absolutely no interest in the usual sports (football, baseball, etc.), I don't watch television, and I wouldn't recognize 99.9% of celebrities if I shared a subway seat with them.
That makes me the outcast because I would rather discuss something other than The Apprentice and whatever movie award shows are called.
So be it.
I also find it pretty ironic that so many people are distancing themselves from the "coaster enthusiast" label while posting on a roller coaster message board. :)
I know many ACE members and they're all cool, but I've also seen how different some of the ACE members are in some aspects. When we went to Sea World San Antonio on the Coaster Zombie Texas trip in 02', we had no idea that ACE would also be visiting the park and doing a walkback on Steel Eel. When were in the queue for SE and saw the group, I thought "Man, some of those people are strange and I think they're looking down at us." It could be my imagination, but I did feel some snobbery thrown our way.
Also, don't be so oblivious that you can't see when you're losing the person you're talking to. After a point, your knowledge of who manufactured this part for this coaster in this time span does not impress many people. That's the point when I excuse myself to get some Dippin' Dots.
Finally, even if you do know everything there is to know, don't make a habit of informing the world that you do. Don't constantly correct people about one stat or another, and for sure don't try to upstage someone who really is an expert on the subject.
Everything I said applies to just about any interest, not just coasters and parks.
My father has a tiny layout, and has done some railroading ever since he was a kid, and sometimes I like to play around with them, too.
Recently, we went to a train show and met a guy from our town, who invited us to his "house" to show up his Lionel train layout.
I say his "house", because him and his wife (they're both in their late 40's/early 50's) recently got married, in a railroad car, of course, and they reside in his parents' basement. They have a bedroom that is about the size of my bathroom, plastered in train stuff. They sleep with model trains running so they can hear the sound, and he has about $200,000 worth of Lionel trains, tracks, buildings and controllers in the room beside that.
There's nothing wrong with living at home, I understand circumstances might dictate that at times, but when you're that age, there's really no need anymore. Not to mention, you live with your wife at your parents' house. Especially since the 200,000 you spent on train stuff over the years could have bought a really nice house.
Nice guy. Weird, but nice.
*** Edited 8/15/2006 1:58:42 AM UTC by Raven-Phile***
BG Nut said:
So grow the F up were not (well at least all of us ) in high school any more.
Oh my, you have a problem with some good natured ribbing of ACErs and yet you do a fantastic job of perpetuating some of the the very same sterotypes that you seem to dislike so much.
And just for the record, I'm fat, I'm gay, I post on a coaster message board, I like buffets, and I *used* to be a member of ACE.
I'm like the epitome of the sterotypical ACEr but frankly, the organization is 100% useless to me. Sorry, having a little fun at ACE's expense is just going to come with the territory - lighten up.
RatherGoodBear said:
Finally, even if you do know everything there is to know, don't make a habit of informing the world that you do. Don't constantly correct people about one stat or another, and for sure don't try to upstage someone who really is an expert on the subject.
That's where they lose my interest. If someone is into knowing every little single detail about a coaster then that's great. I just stay out of the conversations, especially when they start to argue about the most trivial things.
Personally I could care less about stats. If the coaster feels good then it ROCKS. If it hurts then it sucks. That's all I care about. ;)
-Tina
1. When the other person talks non-stop and doesn't give me a chance to get in a word or two
2. When the other person is oblivious to the fact that the topic of conversation lost me five minutes ago
3. When the other person is completely oblivious to the blatant signs I've giving that indicate I've run out of time and that I have to go
Some coaster enthusiasts- some ACE members, some not- are guilty of one or more of those things. But so are people I work with and people I am related to. It's just the way some people are. I can't change that, so I do my best to stay away from them because I know what that will be like.
What's my point? I don't know, I think I lost my point. Hell, I don't know if I had a point ;)
BG Nut said:
But I have to respect people who are passionate about any topic.I think it would be a loss to go through life and never find something to be passionate about.I myself have more than one major hobby in life.Yes I am a member of ACE,Coaster Zombies,and Dafe, but I am also a member of the TCA (train collectors association) and an avid Nascar and NHRA fan.But I am not going to look down at a person because he has only one major hobby, or is into something I am not. No mater how fanatical they are.
Right on BG Nut, NHRA/IHRA is unbelievable. Ever since 2003 when I went to my first race and my brother began working on a 5-Time World Champion Funny Car pit crew, it has actually taken top priority over my roller coaster hobby. Few things beat the power of those car launching from the starting line.
Corey
MF-37
TTD-54
Intamin Fan said:
When we went to Sea World San Antonio on the Coaster Zombie Texas trip in 02', we had no idea that ACE would also be visiting the park and doing a walkback on Steel Eel. When were in the queue for SE and saw the group, I thought "Man, some of those people are strange and I think they're looking down at us." It could be my imagination, but I did feel some snobbery thrown our way.
If you guys were up on the platform and we were down below walking along the road, would it not have been you guys looking down on us (literally)? :)
It must have been your imagination. We were there to take photos from some behind the scenes areas. I remember some of the zombies waiving, and we waived back. I don't know how you can perceive snobbery being thrown your way as you zipped by in a moving train while we were taking photographs.
*** Edited 8/15/2006 5:27:53 PM UTC by Jeffrey Seifert***
Dustin Kern said:
Do you know what rides they are featuring for ERT? Also, I don't know any ACE members and I haven't heard back from anyone on their main website if I can come and just check it out, any of you know?
Sorry, you must be sponsored by an ACE member who will be responsible for your actions. We were forced to do this when some non-members starting showing up at our events and deliberately caused problems just to make ACE look bad. We actually had a non-member coaster-related website owner try to cause friction between a park sponsoring one of our events and the club. Fortunately the park was aware of what was going on.
If or when such things happen to some of these other clubs, I'm pretty sure they would adopt a similar policy. We are not happy about having to adopt such a policy, but we really had no choice.
I put in the Following: :)
1. You might be a Coaster Enthusiast if....Your Christmas Tree has nothing but Roller Coaster and Amusement Park Ornaments on it!
2. " " " " " " " .... You use the Scenerio Editor in ROLLER COASTER TYCOON 2 to turn your Favorate Cities into Amusement Parks!
Great Lakes Brewery Patron...
-Mark
You must be logged in to post
