Parks by highways a distraction?

I was thinking are marjor or small parks a distraction next to major highways or inerstates because when ever theres a giant coaster of some sort people always tend to slow down and watch does this get annoying to anyone? Could this cause any accidents just because of this? My hometown park is Valleyfair in Shakopee, Mn. Everytime I drive by people always slow down to watch Power Tower & Wild Thing plus excalibur they are dead even next to highway 101. They had to put no parking sings on both sides of the highway because when Wild Thing opened people were stopping on the shoulder to watch. I realy think it gets annoying after a while when people stop.

*** This post was edited by VIPER on 8/24/2001. ***

I read in a book that when Shockwave (SFOT) was added, it caused accidents on the highway next to it.
-------------
Parks for 2001: SFEG, Lakeside,Funtown USA, Palace Playland, HP,BGW,PKD,Alton Towers.

I know personally that amusment parks by a highway or interstaes are a huge distractions. Many times my boyfriend and I have slowed down to take a look at whats going on at Dorney Park. Especially during the past off season when they were putting up the Talon, and when I was a wee little girl my parents use to slow down and say "look Jeanette there's Dorney".

Ahhh.....The Great SFMM is easily visible from the freeway, you can see every large coaster they have there. I've slowed down a couple of times to be bathed in their splendor. It looks really cool at night too cuz you get to see all the lights and stuff.
-----------------
The SFMM Salvi:
"Goliath Jr. looks to intense for me"
"I want to go on something more exciting than X"

Yea, they can cause annoyances and Accindents... when S:ros was first built at SFDL (the run right after the first turn is all right along the highway) lots of people stop and look at the ride, you can see them swerving on the sides etc.
My mom was catching a glypse of the new Slingshot at SFDL while wating at the parking booth, she was in this own other world just "sitting" there until the attendant yelled at her, lol...
Alan Jacyszyn
-----------------
SFDLnet: The Ultimate Darien Lake Guide
http://sfdl.coasterbuzz.com

*** This post was edited by sfdl dude on 8/23/2001. ***

ice411girl said:
"I know personally that amusment parks by a highway or interstaes are a huge distractions. Many times my boyfriend and I have slowed down to take a look at whats going on at Dorney Park. Especially during the past off season when they were putting up the Talon, and when I was a wee little girl my parents use to slow down and say "look Jeanette there's Dorney". "

I can't tell you how many times I have done that going north on 309. In the winter time we like to drive down the access road in the back so we can get a view of hercules and sf.
-------------
pacoasters.proboards.com

I completely agree that they are a distraction to highway traffic! Everytime our travels takes us down Kennywood Blvd., I've been asked not to drive that leg of the trip!

I know I am guilty of slowing down on the interstate. Every time I drive down i-94 next to SFGAm I purposely get in the right lane and slow down to enjoy the sights and sounds of Raging Bull and Viper.

-------------
Chitowns 6 year old daughter says "Daddy, Dippin Dots are nasty!!" I must say that I agree!!

Yah, I've somehow managed to survive hundreds of SFMM drivebys. How? I don't really know. I guess I've just been lucky so far. Perhaps a certain senator should look into this. ;)
-----------------
Yeeee Haaawwww!

Honestly... they're only a distraction to people who care about amusement parks. While it's almost like a kid walking past a toy store... not everyone is interested. The vast majority of people either just take it for granted, or just don't care.

I don't slow down, but I do turn my head to see what's there. I have come across a lot of parks right on the highway, or visable from the highway... I never noticed anyone slow down in the least, but I do take my eyes off the road which can be a small distraction.

Either way, most people wouldn't consider it a distraction and don't slow down.

SFStL sits just off I-44 and there have been 3 major fatal accidents in front of the park in the last year and a half because people rubber neck instead of reading the signs and realize at the last second either traffic has completely stopped, or that they are in an exit only lane and swerve in to the other lane causing accidents.
-----------------
Just a couple of G-force junkies!

I love Cedar Point's location, we always go down the old causeway along the shoreline while getting closer and closer to the park itself. That is my favorite part of driving that 2 hour drive. Does anyone else go that way?

I know that if I was driving a highway that was located next to a park, I'd probally end up driving into a wall or median of some sort, while drooling and staring at all the coasters. lol

And they tell me that the under-car neon lights are a driving distraction...

-----------------
"Computer games don't affect kids; I mean if Pac-Man affected us as kids, we'd all be running around in darkened rooms, munching magic pills and listening to repetitive electronic music." Kristian Wilson, Nintendo, Inc, 1989

Some parks are on a major highway, but are not visible. Great Adventure is behind a huge mass of trees and is not visible at all, except if your coming to the park from the south, as you pass Prospertown Lake, you can see all the big coasters like Chiller and Nitro. That is a pretty big distraction, I know if I were driving, I would slow down. Also Hurricane Harbor is right off the highway, not that there's too much to look at except for the back of the wave pool. If I were passing any park, though, I would definetly pull over if it was possible.

-----------------
http://greatadventure.0catch.com
1)Batwing 2)S:RoS-SFNE 3)Nitro 4)Medusa-SFGAdv 5)Steel Force

Isn't PKD next to one? My friend said he say Volcano from a highway on a highway to DC.

I have to say I believe that they are! I have caught myself many times driving down I-30 and just about wrecking the car trying to view SFOT!!:) Heck the Shockwave is not very far from the side of the highway!! Such a beautiful sight I must say:):)! I unfortunately am the one driving most of the time when we drive by it because no one else with me likes driving in that crazy traffic!!:(I about totaled the car when they were building Titan:)- trying to stay on the road and wiping the drool off my mouth:)
http://www.coastergallery.com/2001/T22.html
-------------
TITAN FANATIC!!

Please Remember 3!!
Remember the legend 1951-2001!!

*** This post was edited by Frizbee1975 on 8/24/2001. ***

Wow,...you seem happy lol. sorry, couldnt resist.;)

when I went to SFGAm to get my season pass this year I got so lost, but I eventually found the Washington entrance and almost got into an accident several times. I didn't slow down traffic, though, because it was rush hour so everyone was going slow. I eventually found the main entrance and have never taken anything other than Grand Ave. since then. you can't see much coming north on 41 and exiting on Grand, but when I start to see V2 on 41 I know it almost to exit.
-----------------
Knott's Berry Farm Cuba ~South Park

It doesn't really distract me since when I go by a park I don't go past it I usually am going there. As I get off the highway everytime I go to Great America I don't really see any slow down in traffic unless the exit is backed up onto the highway.

-------------
Don't Fight it, Ride it, RAGING BULL!
My Top 5 Coasters:
1. Raging Bull 2.Millenium Force
3. V2 (SFGAm)
4. Viper (SFGAm)
5. Cornball Express /Raptor

If parks are a distraction to highway drivers, then so are the giant beer billboards with sexy women on them.