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What was your first coaster with inversions?


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My first looper was The Demon at Six Flags Great America.

I was like 12 years old.

 

I was slightly afraid of it, well in actuality I was very afraid, since it was my first coaster that was 100ft!!!

 

Then came Shockwave like a few hours later, and that was 170ft, with seven inversions!!! It wasn't so much the loops that bothered me, but the height. I found out I liked going higher, the first drop wasn't so bad. However it gave me quite a headache!!!

 

I loved Shockwave!!! I rode it as much as I could before it's demise at the end of 2002.

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^^Wow, congrats on getting over your fear of inversions, emiroo! That's quite a tale & I'm glad you now feel free!

 

^I believe those were my first two inverting coasters as well, beamer3k! I <3 SFGAm & miss Shockwave dearly as well. I didn't fully appreciate it untill it was gone.

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Turn of the Century at Marriott's Great America, I think; either that or the Crokscrew at Knott's. We went to both parks within a day of each other in the mid-to-late 70s, and I cant recall precisely which was, but I think TOTC was.

 

Scott

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I loved Shockwave!!! I rode it as much as I could before it's demise at the end of 2002.

 

I never got to ride it, but it was simply a GORGEOUS coaster. If they ever dismantle it's West Coast sister (Viper @ SFMM), I will cry. Seriously. I will be heartbroken and probably quite literally cry.

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^ It totally depends on the person. Each person has a different reason why they may fear inversions (or heights, or bugs). I know I used to be afraid of looping coasters when I was younger because they looked intimidating. Maybe they give the rider a strange feeling or maybe there's the fear of getting stuck in the inversion and not being able to escape.

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^^ It's extremely hard to explain. For me personally, it was almost an automatic protective response from my brain. I wasn't scared of actually going upside down. I knew the ride was totally safe. I wasn't scared of the heights or drops. The coasters always looked intimidating, but that wasn't really it either. It's almost like my brain would say "a person is not supposed to go upside down" and then would start screwing with other systems in my body so I physically could not (due to nausea, panic, diarhea, etc) get on the ride.

 

It's hard to get your body to do something the brain doesn't want it to do. Example: try to hold your breath until you pass out. You can't do it. My fear of inversions was this intense.

 

You guys cannot imagine how wonderful I have felt ever since I conquered this fear. I'm not kidding when I say I now feel free. A huge weight/burden has forever been removed from me.

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I know I'm not answering the question, but am I one of the few who have never had a fear of inversions what-so-ever? Just curious why going upside down is such a scary concept(not to sound insulting to those with the phobia)

 

I was way more scared of the height than anything else. I still have a fear of heights, but being locked into a train locked to rails makes me feel secure. If I have to go stand on the roof of a building, though, I get nervous still. It's irrational.

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On the topic of being scared, I was still scared of coasters themselves on the day I rode California Screamin', so that was a factor. To me, loops were a "stereotypical" coaster feature. If people are scared of coasters, they must be scared of loops. If others are scared, why wouldn't I be scared? That sort of thing.

Fortunately I'd read some advice beforehand saying that loops just feel 'funny' and are over almost immediately. Thankfully, that person was exactly right.

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I know I'm not answering the question, but am I one of the few who have never had a fear of inversions what-so-ever? Just curious why going upside down is such a scary concept(not to sound insulting to those with the phobia)

 

I am not scared of inversions either. We should start a cult.

 

Anyways, my first coaster with an inversion was Silver Bullet at KBF.

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^ LOL I am pretty sure cult is not the word you are looking for. I think you were probably looking for the word club.

 

The I may be an enthusiast, but will not shave my head or pay money to worship a coaster(yes, even if its intamin) ghost

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The Looping Star at Dreamland, UK!! I'm so excited I found it online! It was there only for two seasons, and we rode it in 2002. When we came back a year later, it was gone... and Dreamland continued to deteriorate.

 

I had no idea it was a Schwarzkopf/Stengel coaster. No wonder I liked it!

 

Here it is:

 

www.rcdb.com/id1331.htm

p1419.jpg.3fb345ee85132ecaba5aa35398026ced.jpg

The Looping Star at Dreamland, Margate, UK. 2001-2002. Fond memories!

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I know I'm not answering the question, but am I one of the few who have never had a fear of inversions what-so-ever? Just curious why going upside down is such a scary concept(not to sound insulting to those with the phobia)

 

Well, I don't trust technology! I was afraid I would - fall out. So I was 37 before I went on my first coaster with inversions and I realized loopings weren't really bad at all!

 

I did not go on Holiday Park's Superwirbel when it opened in the 80s, Germany's first corkscrew coaster. It's on my "to do list" now!

 

Though I'm still a little scared of failing technology or human errors... it's not like it never happens!

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I know I'm not answering the question, but am I one of the few who have never had a fear of inversions what-so-ever? Just curious why going upside down is such a scary concept(not to sound insulting to those with the phobia)

 

When I was younger (probably like 7 or 8), I was always afraid that they'd get stuck upside down. Now I ride anything and everything (except extreme spinning flat rides) without any fear whatsoever.

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