Problem
Thrill Rides
Why would anybody do it? Do I really want an artificial ride? Do I like crowds? Would I be better off hiking? Isn't it expensive?
How about something I can get off if I don't like it?
Mambers of my family ride motobikes (highly dangerous - just read the statistics. A car company in the USA long ago ran an advertisement, buy your son a motorbike for his last birthday).
One of my relatives did two back to back overlapping volcano climbs, just before the latest eruption in Indonesia. He's already planning the next trek. You wouldn't like it, he says. Darned right.
He doesn't have time for thrill rides. He's beyong that. He's out doing real climbing, real thrills, climbing volcanoes on days when the guides don't refuse to go, taking photos of dangerous snakes.
Time
But that's only for those who are retired, do it for a living (like competition drivers who are sponsored), on a gap year. If you have one day a week off work, there is just time to run the washing machine, drive to a theme park, queue up (Americans say line up), take a thrill ride and drive back home.
Disney itself can take three days. It's a holiday activity, or a long weekend. After walking around, you might need a bit more exercise, a bit more energy-using activity.
As for those people doing fairground rides - Why not just ride a fast bike? Is it the same people, at the same stage in their life?
Answers
Madeira
In Madeira there's a short Skywalk around the top of a cliff. The first part is solid looking. The glass-floor part is the front edge.
After you've seen everybody else do it, and survive, and take photos, you think, I must do that. It costs nothing. (You spend your money on coffee, a snack, the toilets or souvenirs.)
Take a step forward. If you don't like it, takea step back. When you recover your nerve, try again. I liked it. Thrills without spills.
UK
In London, England, one of the popular entertainment areas is Thorpe Park. They had a new ride. After an accident it closed. It re-opened. By then I was put off.
Why? What's Your Motivation?
I've been thinking about the big rides, the glass bridges, the cliff-edge viewpoints and overhangs, the swinging and rushing rides and falls, the motivation. At places like DisneyWorld and DisneyLand you have a mixture of thrills and sedate walk around 'activities'. The whole family can find something. Scary rides entertain the teens and youngsters. Junior versions. Alternative activities entertain grannies.
Safety
What about the dangers? In theory, rides should go though health and safety testing. They restrict you if you are the wrong size for the ride and its restraints, or you have medical conditions. After an accident, the rides are closed so the same thing can't happen again.
You could argue that it's safer and cheaper than crashing your car racing through the streets, or risking your life jumping from tall buildings with no safety. It's cheaper than crashing your car or somebody else's.
Crowds, videos and insurance
At least in a crowd, other people are there to help. People can video you if you need compensation. The park or their insurance company can afford to pay up (unlike the unknown, unemployed idiot who dares you at a pub).
Safety Plans
All around your buildings and cities are warning signs. Do not enter. Danger. Escape route.
Safety First - Stunts
Stunt men don't just run out. They do a check first of all the possible scenarios and plan for them. Prevention rather than cure.
I do sometimes wonder why more rides don't have in-built safety netting and barriers. You can build a slide on a hill or artificial hill rather than in mid-air so that you go sideways onto the same level instead of plunging.
If I stand on a chair to change a light bulb, I put a pillow or two on the ground, so that if I fell I would have a soft landing. You can put life jackets on people on water activities (or duck boats). Nowadays chidlren's parks have rubber-type ground around the slides and swings so that falling and tumbling toddlers don't scratch and scrape themselves or injure themselves.
Aircraft and Parachute Jumping
Aircraft are designed with ejector seats.
You want real thrills? Join the army. You will have plenty of challenges in training and learn skills, ranging from diving to cross-country skiing. And first aid skills.
French Foreign Legion training in France. Author Davric. From Wikipedia.
Watch
You still want to see and try rides? Yes - later? You can buy an annual pass if you want to keep going back for more thrills. Or if you didn't have the courage to try the biggest, but think you might work up to it.
Watch videos on YouTube from your armchair. Read my other past and future posts. Plan you next trip. Please share links to your favourite posts.
Maybe you still want to try some of those rides and activities?
Static Oservation Decks.
In London, my favourite is The Shard.
Moving Thrills
UK: Alton Towers, Gullivers World, Thorpe Park.
ACTIVITES WORLDWIDE
Disney in the USA and France.
Some car and bike races have tracks open to the public afterwards, usually for a fee, either in your own car, or also or instead in a suitable high speed hired car.
Many more options.
Take care!
wikivoyage.org
Useful Websites
COUNTRIES AND TRAVEL PLANNING & BOOKING
BRITAIN & UK
https://www.zipworld.co.uk/adventure/velocity
https://www.thorpepark.com
visitbritain.com
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g186338-Activities-c47-t39-London_England.html
(Top ten London observation decks.)
https://zip-now.co/ (Exciting video of zipwire in London.)
INDONESIA
indonesia-tourism.com
MADEIRA
visitmadeira.com
MALAYSIA
visit-malaysia.com
malaysiatourism.gov.my
RUSSIA
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2141189/The-worlds-scariest-rollercoaster-Russian-theme-park-ride-designed-make-thrillseekers-vomit-themselves.html
http://geekologie.com/2012/05/the-puke-inducer-terrifying-russian-them.php
USA
visittheusa.co.uk
WORLDWIDE
wikitravel.org (Travel ads alongside)
https://disneyland.disney.go.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_roller_coaster_rankings
HISTORY
http://www.cracked.com/article_19302_the-6-most-terrifying-theme-park-rides-ever-built.html
ADVICE & INSURANCE
UK
gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
USA:
travel.state.gov/content/travel
GENERAL
wikivoyage.org (No travel ads)
https://www.moneysupermarket.com/travel-insurance/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_roller_coaster_rankings Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
Thrill Rides
Why would anybody do it? Do I really want an artificial ride? Do I like crowds? Would I be better off hiking? Isn't it expensive?
How about something I can get off if I don't like it?
Mambers of my family ride motobikes (highly dangerous - just read the statistics. A car company in the USA long ago ran an advertisement, buy your son a motorbike for his last birthday).
One of my relatives did two back to back overlapping volcano climbs, just before the latest eruption in Indonesia. He's already planning the next trek. You wouldn't like it, he says. Darned right.
He doesn't have time for thrill rides. He's beyong that. He's out doing real climbing, real thrills, climbing volcanoes on days when the guides don't refuse to go, taking photos of dangerous snakes.
Time
But that's only for those who are retired, do it for a living (like competition drivers who are sponsored), on a gap year. If you have one day a week off work, there is just time to run the washing machine, drive to a theme park, queue up (Americans say line up), take a thrill ride and drive back home.
Disney itself can take three days. It's a holiday activity, or a long weekend. After walking around, you might need a bit more exercise, a bit more energy-using activity.
As for those people doing fairground rides - Why not just ride a fast bike? Is it the same people, at the same stage in their life?
Some like motorcycle rides. Some like to ride. Others like to watch others.
You could watch the Red Arrows, be a passenger in a helicopter flight to see wildlife and scenery, or learn to fly. Join a gang, or join the fire service or civil defence or join the army.
Skywalks. Observation desks. Even children can walk through an enclosed skywalk, glass sides, enclosed roof. This one is K.L. Malaysia.
Answers
Madeira
In Madeira there's a short Skywalk around the top of a cliff. The first part is solid looking. The glass-floor part is the front edge.
After you've seen everybody else do it, and survive, and take photos, you think, I must do that. It costs nothing. (You spend your money on coffee, a snack, the toilets or souvenirs.)
Take a step forward. If you don't like it, takea step back. When you recover your nerve, try again. I liked it. Thrills without spills.
UK
In London, England, one of the popular entertainment areas is Thorpe Park. They had a new ride. After an accident it closed. It re-opened. By then I was put off.
Why? What's Your Motivation?
I've been thinking about the big rides, the glass bridges, the cliff-edge viewpoints and overhangs, the swinging and rushing rides and falls, the motivation. At places like DisneyWorld and DisneyLand you have a mixture of thrills and sedate walk around 'activities'. The whole family can find something. Scary rides entertain the teens and youngsters. Junior versions. Alternative activities entertain grannies.
Safety
What about the dangers? In theory, rides should go though health and safety testing. They restrict you if you are the wrong size for the ride and its restraints, or you have medical conditions. After an accident, the rides are closed so the same thing can't happen again.
You could argue that it's safer and cheaper than crashing your car racing through the streets, or risking your life jumping from tall buildings with no safety. It's cheaper than crashing your car or somebody else's.
Crowds, videos and insurance
At least in a crowd, other people are there to help. People can video you if you need compensation. The park or their insurance company can afford to pay up (unlike the unknown, unemployed idiot who dares you at a pub).
Safety Plans
All around your buildings and cities are warning signs. Do not enter. Danger. Escape route.
If you just want a view, take a flight and sit by a window. If you just want a photo, take photos or videos with a drone.
Safety First - Stunts
Stunt men don't just run out. They do a check first of all the possible scenarios and plan for them. Prevention rather than cure.
I do sometimes wonder why more rides don't have in-built safety netting and barriers. You can build a slide on a hill or artificial hill rather than in mid-air so that you go sideways onto the same level instead of plunging.
If I stand on a chair to change a light bulb, I put a pillow or two on the ground, so that if I fell I would have a soft landing. You can put life jackets on people on water activities (or duck boats). Nowadays chidlren's parks have rubber-type ground around the slides and swings so that falling and tumbling toddlers don't scratch and scrape themselves or injure themselves.
Aircraft and Parachute Jumping
Aircraft are designed with ejector seats.
You want real thrills? Join the army. You will have plenty of challenges in training and learn skills, ranging from diving to cross-country skiing. And first aid skills.
Watch
You still want to see and try rides? Yes - later? You can buy an annual pass if you want to keep going back for more thrills. Or if you didn't have the courage to try the biggest, but think you might work up to it.
Watch videos on YouTube from your armchair. Read my other past and future posts. Plan you next trip. Please share links to your favourite posts.
Maybe you still want to try some of those rides and activities?
Static Oservation Decks.
In London, my favourite is The Shard.
Moving Thrills
UK: Alton Towers, Gullivers World, Thorpe Park.
ACTIVITES WORLDWIDE
Disney in the USA and France.
Some car and bike races have tracks open to the public afterwards, usually for a fee, either in your own car, or also or instead in a suitable high speed hired car.
Many more options.
Take care!
wikivoyage.org
Useful Websites
COUNTRIES AND TRAVEL PLANNING & BOOKING
BRITAIN & UK
https://www.zipworld.co.uk/adventure/velocity
https://www.thorpepark.com
visitbritain.com
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Attractions-g186338-Activities-c47-t39-London_England.html
(Top ten London observation decks.)
https://zip-now.co/ (Exciting video of zipwire in London.)
INDONESIA
indonesia-tourism.com
MADEIRA
visitmadeira.com
MALAYSIA
visit-malaysia.com
malaysiatourism.gov.my
RUSSIA
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2141189/The-worlds-scariest-rollercoaster-Russian-theme-park-ride-designed-make-thrillseekers-vomit-themselves.html
http://geekologie.com/2012/05/the-puke-inducer-terrifying-russian-them.php
USA
visittheusa.co.uk
WORLDWIDE
wikitravel.org (Travel ads alongside)
https://disneyland.disney.go.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_roller_coaster_rankings
HISTORY
http://www.cracked.com/article_19302_the-6-most-terrifying-theme-park-rides-ever-built.html
ADVICE & INSURANCE
UK
gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
USA:
travel.state.gov/content/travel
GENERAL
wikivoyage.org (No travel ads)
https://www.moneysupermarket.com/travel-insurance/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_roller_coaster_rankings Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
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