Why is the clock on Miss City Hall so ugly?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around participants' fears and experiences related to roller coasters, exploring the psychological and physiological aspects of thrill-seeking and fear. It includes personal anecdotes, differing perspectives on the enjoyment of roller coasters, and the nature of fear associated with them.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express a strong fear of roller coasters, citing feelings of terror and nausea as reasons for avoidance.
  • Others argue that the thrill of roller coasters comes from the fear and excitement they induce, suggesting that this is a fundamental aspect of the experience.
  • A few participants share personal stories of overcoming their fears or being persuaded to ride, highlighting the exhilaration that can follow initial terror.
  • Concerns about safety are raised, with some participants noting that proper maintenance reduces the risk of harm.
  • There is mention of individual differences in the need for external stimuli, with some people requiring more excitement to engage their brains.
  • Several participants discuss specific experiences with different types of rides, including water rides and virtual reality options, and how these compare to traditional roller coasters.
  • Some express a desire to experience weightlessness, which they associate with certain roller coasters, despite their fears.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally do not reach a consensus on the enjoyment of roller coasters, with multiple competing views on the nature of fear and thrill-seeking remaining evident throughout the discussion.

Contextual Notes

Participants reference personal experiences and psychological studies, but there is no agreement on the implications of these experiences or studies regarding the enjoyment or safety of roller coasters.

Richard87
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Anyone have fear of them? I'm 21 years old and I still won't go on one.
 
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Only a moron wouldn't be terrified of roller coasters.
 
Guess I'm a moron.
 
BobG said:
Only a moron wouldn't be terrified of roller coasters.

Why would that be? I bet the survivability rate is a lot better than mounting the Annapurna
 
My wife was terrified of roller coasters until we went to Busch Gardens and I persuaded her to go on one with me. She was screaming, but exhilarated, and when the ride was over, She had me take a picture of her with the ride in the background, and then asked "Where's the other one?" We rode that one too.
 
Doesn't the thrill of a roller coaster come from being terrified?
 
Thats the whole point of all roller coasters; they are meant to freak you out imagine how it would be like of no one was scared to go on a rollercoaster and not scream when it does all its sinister twirls.
 
I go on roller coasters occasionally.
I *should* think I would be safe because of all the engineers and workers doing constant maintenance on them. However, when I actually ride it I think to myself,
"Mofo Jesus, I'm going to die! "
 
  • #10
I fear nausea, ergo roller coasters.
 
  • #11
I stopped coming to six flags because it just doesn't do it. If time allows I'll pick up sky diving, base jumping, bungee jumping, and being dropped from a helicopter with a snow board at 14000 ft.
 
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  • #12
Loren Booda said:
I fear nausea, ergo roller coasters.

Same for me. I don't actually fear the coaster itself, but they too often make me nauseous, so I generally avoid all but the gentlest ones.
 
  • #13
Moonbear said:
Same for me. I don't actually fear the coaster itself, but they too often make me nauseous, so I generally avoid all but the gentlest ones.

Same here,the last time I went on a roller coaster(big dipper in the UK)I came off really dizzy and nauseous and it took over an hour to recover.
 
  • #14
I'm too afraid to go on one. I was on kind of roller coaster which consisted of a car that looked like a log and ran in a track of water. When it got to the end there was a sudden drop of about 25 feet at about a 30 degree slope. I did not enjoy the feeling at all and so I don't experiment any more. However, I rather wish I could get over my fear because I want to experience weightlessness and it seems that some roller coasters do a true freefall for a short time.
 
  • #15
I just came back from New Hampshire, where on our last day of vacation, we took our kids to http://www.storylandnh.com/info.html#3" at least ten times!

Woooooooooo Hooooooooooooooo!

(my 6-year-old, can not stop talking about it.)
 
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  • #16
jimmysnyder said:
However, I rather wish I could get over my fear because I want to experience weightlessness and it seems that some roller coasters do a true freefall for a short time.

There are various free fall rides which aren't coasters; as you might expect, they basically drop you straight down.
 
  • #17
I will not stepped in onto a roller coaster that goes really fast and goes upside down if you paid me. How can people get thrilled from feeling terrified? On the other hand, I have no qualms with going on those virtual reality roller coasters like at Disney quest;
 
  • #18
Noblegas, inversions and quick changes in inertia are designed into coasters. You will not be harmed, as long as the machinery is properly maintained. I'll bet more people died trying drive to an amusement park than ever died on a ride.
 
  • #19
turbo-1 said:
My wife was terrified of roller coasters until we went to Busch Gardens and I persuaded her to go on one with me. She was screaming, but exhilarated, and when the ride was over, She had me take a picture of her with the ride in the background, and then asked "Where's the other one?" We rode that one too.

I get teased mercilessly until I finally get on the ride. It's always fun and I'm glad I ride everything, but I still haven't gotten over screaming bloody murder the moment the coaster starts and until the coaster pulls back into the station :redface:
 
  • #20
turbo-1 said:
Noblegas, inversions and quick changes in inertia are designed into coasters. You will not be harmed, as long as the machinery is properly maintained. I'll bet more people died trying drive to an amusement park than ever died on a ride.

I know I won't die, I just don't like being freaked out; not a pleasant feeling; being on a roller coaster ride is akin to being stuck inside an elevator for a while;
 
  • #21
Richard87 said:
Anyone have fear of them? I'm 21 years old and I still won't go on one.

Yep. Can't stand em. Though I have done a few of them when I really needed to prove something to myself. I've haven't done anything modern. Nothing that's been built in the last 30 years at least (though I've done those older ones more recently).

I've convinced myself that a traumatic ride on http://www.astronomy-images.com/day-images/California/Marin-Sonoma/CountyFair/zipper.ride.KI8Q5299.jpg" when I was five years old is responsible for my phobia, but I'm less sure now. A couple of years ago, I forced myself to ride "The Zipper" to beat that particular monkey on my back.

I shared the car with a nine-year-old who laughed the whole way through the ride. I'm not sure if he was laughing because he was having fun, or because I spent the entire ride singing "Inchworm" backwards at the top of my lungs.

Mrowhcni, mrowhcni!
gnirusaem eht sdlogiram!
smees ot em!
d'uoy pots dna ees!
woh lufituaeb yeht era!
 
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  • #22
You couldn't get me onto one of those things at gunpoint. It's not the motion; I'm severely acrophobic. In all seriousness, I have trouble looking over W's (used to be mine too) 1st floor balcony. It's only about 2 metres to the ground, and it gives me chills.
Rather ironic, since the only thing that I ever loved, the only thing that I intended to do for a living, the only thing that I was good at, was flying. Let me strap on an iron bird, and I'll make the sucker dance. Try to get me to stand on a chair to change a lightbulb... uh uh.
 
  • #23
There was a study years ago where they were testing the level of brain activity of individuals.

One group showed a high level of brain activity when the only stimulus was classical music. The second group showed almost no brain activity when listening to the same music.

The first group did not need external stimuli to keep their brains active, while the second group required quite a bit of external stimulation. While the first group found things like loud noises, roller coasters, and high levels of physical activity and excitement disturbing, the second group needed the external stimuli from such activities because they were unable to internally stimulate themselves.

Interesting.
 
  • #24
jimmysnyder said:
I'm too afraid to go on one. I was on kind of roller coaster which consisted of a car that looked like a log and ran in a track of water. When it got to the end there was a sudden drop of about 25 feet at about a 30 degree slope. I did not enjoy the feeling at all and so I don't experiment any more. However, I rather wish I could get over my fear because I want to experience weightlessness and it seems that some roller coasters do a true freefall for a short time.

I'm not sure if you were there but they have a ride like that called The Log Ride at Knott's Berry Farm here in California. At the same park they also have (or had) a ride called Sky Jump or some such that just drops you several meters really fast while standing in a cage.
 
  • #25
Evo said:
The second group showed almost no brain activity when listening to the same music.

The second group required quite a bit of external stimulation.

The second group needed the external stimuli from such activities because they were unable to internally stimulate themselves.

Give them a dose of Night on Bald Mountain.
 
  • #26
Well, welcome aboard Rajuguru.
You're in the right place for just about anything that you're interested in (excluding any crackpot crap). You have world-class experts in any field of science at your disposal. Feel free to snoop around in the serious sub-forums dealing with engineering, math, medical science, physics, chemistry... whatever.
Here in GD is where we just shoot the **** regarding any topic of interest, whether or not it involves science. If you have a question about quantum chromodynamics, there's a place for it in the Physics sub-forum. Wanna talk about a bug that you found in your breakfast cereal, there's room for that in the Biology section.
Stick around, pal... you're in for the ride of your life.
 
  • #27
My friends sister was terrified of rollercoasters. So we got her to go on the rollercoaster that had the most spins and loops etc. Its at Canada's Wonderland used to be called Top Gun don't know what it's name is now.

While we were in line we were telling her about all these accidents that had occurred such as the train coming off the rails at the top and the weird part was that just before we had gotten on they said they couldn't allow us to go on for a bit because they had to fix something. I will never forget her face when they were finally making sure her restraints were on tight enough. Of course I'll also never forget her face after she had finished the ride and got of... then wanted to get back in line to do it again :P

I never understood people being afraid of rollercoasters to the point they can't ride them.
 
  • #28
Sorry! said:
Its at Canada's Wonderland used to be called Top Gun don't know what it's name is now.
Are you talking about the one at West Ed? I know that it had a semi-serious accident a few years back.
As for the not understanding someone being afraid to get on one, you apparently have no idea of what a true phobia is. As I said, I have a bit of trouble looking over W's balcony on the first floor. A buddy of mine from over 20 years ago lived on the 7th floor of an apartment building. I had to stand in the balcony doorway to grab a smoke (non-smoking apartment). One warm evening, all of his guest were standing out there. I forced myself to crawl on my belly to the edge and look over. I was within two quick sphincter contractions of garbageting my pants. Never again.
 
  • #29
Danger said:
Are you talking about the one at West Ed? I know that it had a semi-serious accident a few years back.
As for the not understanding someone being afraid to get on one, you apparently have no idea of what a true phobia is. As I said, I have a bit of trouble looking over W's balcony on the first floor. A buddy of mine from over 20 years ago lived on the 7th floor of an apartment building. I had to stand in the balcony doorway to grab a smoke (non-smoking apartment). One warm evening, all of his guest were standing out there. I forced myself to crawl on my belly to the edge and look over. I was within two quick sphincter contractions of garbageting my pants. Never again.

Hahaha Danger I actually love your posts. 2 quick spincter contractions, lol.

But no the ride is at Canada's Wonderland which is in Vaughan near Toronto. We were just being jerks messing around with her head to make her scared. She was crying as they buckled her in. Ah I'm an *** :).

On that same ride actually I was trying to see if I could get out of the middle of the restraint with my arms as it made the climb up the first hill... Well, I could, and I had one arm hanging out at the top of the hill and was struggling to get it back into the restraint, it was pretty scary but I eventually worked it back in before the drop... but I had repositioned where I was sitting and my *** was starting to slip UNDER the restraint so i was kind of slipping out and most of the forces on this ride force you downwards haha.. I honestly thought I would have my legs ripped off by the supports which my feet come about 1 foot from anyways because of my height but it made it all the more fun :P (The ride is a hanging roller coaster)

I would always pretend I was a pilot and be yelling random stuff to the ride operators they always got pissed off.
 
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  • #30
DaveC426913 said:
I've convinced myself that a traumatic ride on http://www.astronomy-images.com/day-images/California/Marin-Sonoma/CountyFair/zipper.ride.KI8Q5299.jpg" when I was five years old is responsible for my phobia, but I'm less sure now. A couple of years ago, I forced myself to ride "The Zipper" to beat that particular monkey on my back.

Don't get on that ride when you have loose change in your pocket or purse. Actually, I'm not even sure the change belonged to one of us, but flying discs of metal definitely hurt! Little kids were running around under the ride picking up loose change being flung from the cages.
 
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