How can people be afraid of coasters? Believe me, quite easy...
I remember back in 1991 on my first trip to Carowinds, I rode Scooby Doo and then a few hours later I threw up (because of a pre-existing stomach virus, not because of Scooby) For the following 7 years I was terrified of the "big downs" and the "loop-de-loops." Somehow I did manage to get myself on a few coasters, (Big Thunder Mountain at Disney World, Gold Rusher at Carowinds, and Big Bad Wolf and Wilde Maus at Busch Gardens).
Around 1997 something happened where I became exteremely interested in coasters (reading the old Thrill Ride! on the internet, watching the Discovery Channel shows etc.), yet would still not ride a one featuring "big downs" and the "loop-de-loops."
Then in May of 1999 my mom got me RollerCoaster Tycoon and I played it pretty much the entire summer. Then on the Saturday before Labor Day we went to Carowinds, with the sole intent of riding something more than Scooby and Gold Rusher. We started off small at Gold Rusher, then moved on to Cyclone where I would get my first "loop-de-loop" experience. I must have liked it because I rode it 2 more times immediately after that first one. From there we went to Vortex which I liked, but not enough to do it again (still do that, lol). Finally as dusk approached we made our way to Top Gun. We sat somewhere near the middle and as we started up the lift hill night had approached. That ride was and still is completely undescribable. As soon as we hit the brakes I knew I was hooked (on steel ones at least). I did not percieve it being the hobby it is now though. I did not ride Thunder Road or Hurler because they were wooden, and I had stupidly thought that all woodies were "rough and rickety."
In 2000 we went to Six Flags Over Georgia where I rode all the steel coasters, and finally rode a large wooden one. I remember my dad teasing me because I wouldn't ride them, but they soon left due to my mom's eyeglasses fell into Thunder River (a whole 'nother story entirely LOL). Right after they left I felt myself gravitating toward Cyclone. I would finally ride it and GASM that day.
Since that incredibly life-changing ride on Top Gun in 99 I have been on 105 different coasters and I'm due to ride around 80 or so more this year. I never imagined then that it would become the hobby it is today, and I never ever would have believed I would have made some of my very best friends due to coasters.
Err.. back on topic...
I guess what I'm trying to say is that
everyone is afraid of something (weather it's coasters, spiders, public speaking, the color green or the number 9), lots of times for reasons even they themselves don't understand. It's not quite that easy to just face a fear that you've had since before you even remember. Let me use another example.. if you had been afraid of spiders your entire life, you're obviously not going to want to be near a spider, let alone let one crawl all over you. You would probably think it would sound pretty insensitive if you overheard someone say "Why is he so afraid of spiders, why doens't he just play with one!?"
--Jay (Who repects everyone's fears, especially coasters since that is one less person in line
)
