RAWKIN_coaster38 Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 ^^LMAO I am the same way! I went to a Giants game once and everyone was super excited, but I just wanted to get it over with because it was cold and we were going to SFDK the next day. I'm even worse with football. I watched the entire Superbowl for the first time ever this year. Every time a team did something, I'd have to ask, "Was that a good thing that happened?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angry_Gumball Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 It definitely exists in other hobbies. When I"m not riding coasters, I'm yoyoing. I can be out in public doing some tricks and the common things I hear are things like "Oooh, walk the dog!" or "Is that a trick yo-yo?" In the end, I'm not going to walk the dog with a metal yoyo unless I want to ding it up. All in all, it's fun to poke fun at the 'jeeps' and some things are reasonable while others are honestly...stupid. One thing everyone should know is that a roller coaster (most of them anyway) are not powered and run off of gravity, hence the 'coaster.' As far as other stupidities, the same exact stupidities exist everywhere but we just tend to point them out at amusement parks since this is an amusement park website (stupidities such as "Where's the bathrooms" (when they're standing right next to it), "What time does the happen/come on?" etc. With a topic like this, I can now officially declare that we've entered the offseason...though coasters and boobs on the moon are the ultimate off season topics to really discuss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dippindotsguy8 Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 The GP are not a myth. They keep the parks in business. I don't expect them to know as much about the industry as we do. We shouldn't. However, I do think it's ok to laugh at stuff they say. It's funny, while I understand they can't be expected to know otherwise. I'm perfectly fine with people who enjoy other hobbies laughing at what I say... The GP isn't stupid (in most cases), but that thread is always going to be hilarious, and there's nothing wrong with that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chroniq Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 I've got a secret for you. The GP exists and every real coaster enthusiast loves them because without them, this wouldn't exist either. Everything else we say is is in good fun, just like the collective fun we all have at the park. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rcdude Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 The way I see it, everybody who visits a park and is not an employee, representative from another company, or VIP is a member of the general public. Even though some may try to distance themselves from the average citizen, anyone who is a paying customer is a GP in the park's eyes while they are in the park (exceptions may exist during special events). Now, everyone will have a different opinion about most things, but for a park to maximize profit they cater to the majority group. Therefore, while enthusiasts may complain about something like a relocated coaster, the average visitor will simply see it as a new ride and will go ride it. That is probably why something like Green Lantern at SFGAdv gets massive waits even though it is a ride from 1997...most people who visit the park have never seen it before, and to them it is brand new. Meanwhile, enthusiasts look at it as a cheap way for the park to make profit. Hey, if it works, why change the formula? As for stuff like the dumb GP thread, I find a few things in there funny, but most of those come from the least intelligent 1% of the park's visitors. Generally, park guests do stupid things because they are ignorant or not paying attention, not because they are truly that foolish. Also, next time you see something worthy of posting, count how many people are not doing anything "GP Worthy." It is a lot larger ratio than it sometimes appears. As for dumb comments and other things that are said (not actions), you will find dumb people everywhere. However, once again, that doesn't necessarily say anything about their actual intelligence. Most of the people who I have talked to were not entirely sure their facts were correct, and although not always precise they were reasonably close. I'm an enthusiast, and I know a lot about coasters and statistics, but I don't have it all memorized. For a ride like Apocalypse at SFMM, I don't know off the top of my head that the drop is 87 feet, 4 inches, but do know that it is "around 90 feet or so." When I hear people say "it's a little smaller than that white one (Colossus)," I consider that good enough. The only thing I really consider stupid is when I (or someone else) points out the obvious and the person refuses to believe it (ex. Insisting ride 1 is the tallest ride in the park when ride 2 is right next to it and clearly taller). Also, I don't find any favorite or opinion-based statement funny, although it may be a little strange. For example, someone may claim Boomerang is "one of the best coasters ever," and to an enthusiast that is likely not true, but if the person has only been to Knott's and Disneyland and likes "loop-de-loops," it makes perfect sense. Okay, the short version of this long post is that there are people who do or say things that are really funny to enthusiasts, but they are a very small minority, and whether they like it or not, enthusiasts are part of the general public as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dailey Enterprizes Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 I'm not sure how much repetition I can handle. I had to stop reading the posts by the second page because almost every post with exception to Robb's are repeating the same thing. On a side note I discovered something awesome today! Over 100 different variety of Coke products coming from one machine. I'm in love... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chroniq Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 ^Just discovered what coke freestyle machines are? This mean YOU are the general public.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coastermaniac Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 ^Just discovered what coke freestyle machines are? This mean YOU are the general public.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harper83087 Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 I think of it like this Both coaster enthusiasts and the GP will ride a coaster. The reactions are different. GP-"Boy that was a fun ride" Enthusiast-"Boy, that B&M was a bit shaky today. I think I got more airtime in the back than I usually do....." --- Its the same thing with my friends who are into baseball, everyone watches the same game, but they say- "Oh, wow that was a cool hit by (insert name here), that will raise his batting average! They might go to the worlds series." Myself-"Wow, the player hit the ball" --- Goes for any fans of any hobby. Exactly!! This to me is what "General Public" means, not necessarily a negative term, but a term to describe somebody who isn't as much into this hobby we all find so interesting. I don't care much for knitting but somebody could live and die for it, therefore I am a GP of knitting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robbalvey Posted November 2, 2011 Share Posted November 2, 2011 This thread annoys me. I'm trying to think of a more pointless and stupid thread recently posted to TPR, but I'm drawing a blank. --Robb "Stupid thread locked. Quality of TPR goes up!" Alvey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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