Riding Drunk?

Surprisingly, considering that in my career as an active alcoholic I've been drunk in pretty much every situation I was in, I've never been drunk while coastering.

Except for in Vegas. The High Roller, fortunately, has no airtime, or I might've lost my cocktails.

Since most restraint systems assume an ability to maintain a normal body posture, there are obvious hazards to riding really drunk. I've seen a few people at parks that qualified as too drunk to ride, but I have to admit that I've never seen an incident involving a drunk, though I suspect it may have contributed to some heat stroke cases that I've seen.

^Jim, I completely agree that if someone is so drunk they are stumbling over themselves and slumping over in the seat, they shouldn't ride. I think that qualifies as "tanked" or beyond inebriated.

I'm sure I can speak for most people when I refer to being drunk as more than slightly to moderately buzzed. If I was ever to the point of total inebriation, I don't think I would even want to put forth the effort to climb aboard a roller coaster.

-Josh -There's a bar right in downtown disney at Disneyland that has strong long islands and red-headed "sisters" that makes Pirates of the Caribbean *that* much better ;-)

I understand there is videotape out there somewhere of some nut drinking a beer (successfully) through the loop on California Screamin'.

As for me, yeah, I've had a few beers once in a while at a park, and a hit or two here and there (not simultaneously). However, I suggest having neither on those self-controlled alpine slides; I still have the scars (2 years later) to back up my point.

Hey Joe, "alocohol"?? Perhaps you shouldn't drink before typing.;)

And Raven-Phile, you might want to add an "n" up there, this is a family sight...

And what a beautiful sight it is...

Justin, avoiding any sort of typo since mid-2004.

"Family sight"? Isn't that grammatically incorrect? Seriously though, can everybody lay off the obsession with being "Defenders of the English Language"? Shoot, pick up your daily newspaper and see how many typos you can find. Maybe then y'all will wear yourselves out and not bother the rest of us with your petty drivel.

And keeping on my set of pet peeves, I just may choke the next person I hear advocating their position with the "Let's protect our children" mantra. Cheese 'n' rice, all we are doing is raising a set of people who will be ill equipped to deal with *anything* as adults because they are shielded from *everything* as kids.

I can understand the point about not wanting obnoxious drunks around. I dont necessarily see why having obnoxious people around adults is okay but not kids. Actually I have a proprosal, let's just ban a$$holes! There, problem solved.

I am sick and tired of people blaming alcohol for the actions of a$$holes. Personally, I dont think the alcohol is the main culprit. I think it is more "peer pressure". How many times have you seen a *single* beligerent drunk getting rodwy. Most times, its only when they get that "mob mentality" that they start raising a ruckus.

But what do *I* know, I only had my first drink @ seven....given to me by my parents (Maybe *that's* why I liked Hercules :))

lata, jeremy

It is incorrect.:)
On purpose.
I'm tired of the english teachers on the site as well. Instead of ranting though, I prefer to make subtle fun of them; hence my posting.

I happen to agree with you on the "blame alcohol" part. "It wasn't his/her fault, he/she was drunk"
WTF! If people cannot present themselves in decent manner when they drink, they shouldn't consume in the first place.

-Robo, who has seen plenty of single obnoxious drunks

Gee, definitely want party and hit some coasters with coasterqueenTRN someday!

^ Just be sure to avoid the Enchanted Tiki Room. She may never leave...;)

Kisses for the Queen:)

whoops Robo, my bad! Sarcasm never quite translates into the written word. You're on my list of "good guys". :)

lata, jeremy

Chuck and others have touched on an important point, and that is that people understanding how they react to alcohol has a lot to do with how they behave in public. Teens and college kids are frequently not well equipped to make that judgment because of a lack of experience. If college kids in particular could experiment in a more safe environment and understand their limits, I think it would go a long way to reducing alcohol poisoning, date rape, etc.

jeff: i absolutely agree, and i feel like that's why places like canada and europe, where the drinking age is a much more reasonable 17-18, have a much lower incidences of these kinds of things.

To me its not really worth the time to spend it sitting at a park and drinking beer. I'd rather ride a coaster or doing some other ride.

Sure I have had a beer with lunch on occasion at a park, but I never really wanted to spend the time or money drinking anymore than that. I am not going to sit here and say that I don't like to tie one on every now and then. I do!

At SFA the year that Batwing opened I had to wait about 1 1/2 hours to ride. I was talking to a proud ACEr throughout the wait, and the guy just reeked of alcohol. He was nice enough to talk to, but damn that smell was killing me.

That's probably one of the reasons I don't ride drunk. I wouldn't want to gross people out waiting in line. I think it's worse then people smoking in line for a ride.

*** Edited 5/7/2005 12:48:00 AM UTC by Coasterfantom2***

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Jeff said:Chuck and others have touched on an important point, and that is that people understanding how they react to alcohol has a lot to do with how they behave in public.

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I think that's what it's all about. If the first time you're drinking is at a park, that may not be the best idea. Not only will you not know how you're going to react behavioraly, but how is your body going to react? Restraints on a coaster often assume some sort of rigidity in the positioning of the rider's libs. If you drink and end up walking around like a ragdoll, maybe a coaster isn't best for you while drinking.

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Robocoaster said:
^ Just be sure to avoid the Enchanted Tiki Room. She may never leave...

Kisses for the Queen

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Geez. I am never going to live that night down. Heheheheh.

-Tina

Well, you were Waltzing with the Torches, Tina ;).

I agree that Tina does sound like a good time. My kind of gal. ;)

I have been high, but never drunk. Usually, after my first ride and the adrenaline gets going, it kills my buzz. Then, it's back to the hotel room bathroom. Anyway, there is not anything wrong with walking around or riding and enjoying a nice buzz. Honestly, my coaster buddy and I get buzzed and generally are just talking between us and not bothering anyone. We're usually laughing at ourselves. Someone said they don't want their children to see anyone high or drunk. Well, exactly how do you plan on accomplishing that? Are you going to make your kids stay indoors all of the time? That's the only way you can hope to accomplish that. They will never be able to go downtown because there are drunks. They won't be able to go to ball games because they serve beer. I could go on, but I think you get the point.

No, no one here is talking about being high, just you. There's a difference... you're talking about using an illegal substance.

Nobody's talking about being high? Are you sure?

"I've had my fair share of riding coasters and other rides while "under the influence" of drugs"

"I believe that in an atmosphere where FAMILIES including CHILDREN are present, it should be common sense for people to refrain from abusing drugs or alcohol."

"I have ridden my fair share of rides while high and/or buzzed."

BTW, if you're drunk, you are on a high.

If you're taking prescription drugs and the are not yours, it's illegal. *** Edited 5/7/2005 4:08:18 PM UTC by Coasterbuzzer*** *** Edited 5/7/2005 4:11:11 PM UTC by Coasterbuzzer***