You're just TOO BIG to ride!!!

[SlimCoasterRider]

I have been visiting coaster sites for the past eleven years and was heavily involved in forums around the Roller Coaster Tycoon craze. I since have taken a step back and rarely enjoy reading them anymore but something caught my eye, so much so that I have signed up to respond. I apologize beforehand if this topic has already been discussed but I would like to see if I am on the majority’s side and hate the people that dig up old topics.

 

I am going to try and figure out the poll feature but if I can’t here the question: Is it the manufacture’s obligation to accommodate the overweight enthusiasts and public, or should the responsibility lie with the rider to shed some pounds before riding?

 

In your response it would be great if you posted how much you weighed (lbs) just to get a feel on who is really fighting for this issue.

 

Here is the post that made me gag. It was in the topic of GOLIATH the new B&M at Six Flags Over Georgia.

The cars look great! But, I have a feeling this is going to be like Intamin, a "Small people only, no fat people" ride. That's a shame. Even Arrow and Morgan hyper coasters allow big people to ride. Even Vekoma rides with lap bars allow big people to ride. Hopefully one day, Intamin and B&M will realize that there are plenty of big people that ride coasters.

 

My Response to kingdanny:

Think of all the small people that might fall out if B&M made every seat accommodate Americans with weight issues. If you love coaster but can't seem to ride all of them there is one thing that you can do: Lose Weight. It seems like a simple solution.

 

My Overall Opinion (135 lbs):

When I travel to other countries the ratio of obese people is so much smaller then here in America. So it seems to me that American based companies such as Six Flags and Cedar Fair are the ones pushing for these more accommodating rides. When you are trying to tailor to a larger mass (literally) the other end of the spectrum is being left in discomfort.

 

Looking back around 2000 I think that ride manufactures ended up caving in to Amusement Park demands and decided to accommodate the ever-growing weight epidemic in America. I know this was never stated as fact, but it is my true belief that trying to accommodate overweight Americans was the reason behind the three Intamin deaths. For a minute I was scared to ride new Intamin creations because normal, healthy, people were flying out left and right.

 

On some B&M coasters there are already one or two seats larger on each train to accommodate larger people. I have always felt safe on B&M coasters even in the Big Boy seats but they seemed to have a noticeably wider base that can take away from the ride experience.

 

If you are overweight you can do something about feeling uncomfortable or not being able to ride some roller coasters, just lose weight. Why should people that care how they look and maintain a healthy weight be punished with discomfort or the thought they might fall out, so that someone unhealthy can fit in a horseshoe collar restraint? Personally I think it was not Intamin’s desire to make more accommodating seats but the pressure put on by American buyers who’s market is getting fatter and fatter every year.

 

I can already see the future of Theme Parks: YOU MUST BE OVER 200 POUNDS TO RIDE. Thought I would end on a joke and say this is not meant to hurt anyone’s feeling but the overweight pity party has got to stop.

 

--I just pray they never put big boy seats on Swat.

[phazan]

If people are too big to fit into regular seats, IMO they arent healthy enough to ride coasters. I dont blame anyone but the big people for that problem!

 

EDIT:Welcome to the forums!

[arrowfanman]

I just worked my first weekend op'ing the Riddler's Revenge at SFMM, and it seemed like every hour we had to ask one or two people to leave, as they were too large for the restraint. Also every hour we seem to encounter four to six individuals who insist that the restraint will fit, and even have asked for a second ride op to aid in squeezing the seat belt in!

 

But you have to remember...for every 6-7 overweight individual we deal with in that hour, there are at least 1,500 individuals whom we were able to provide a ride too. So the problem isn't as big as some would think.

 

IMO, it isn't the manufacturer's job to accomodate for the overweight. Supposivly they design around the "average" individual, so as to provide the safest ride to the largest amount of people. I'm sorry if you dont fit in that group, but the parks usually wish to get the most people on, as quickly and as safely as possibly. If the park finds it necessary to include larger restraint-capacity, then it is the manufacturers job to cater to the park.

 

-Jahan

[gunslinger]

Frankly, no. A manufacturer should not have to compensate for a problem which, in most cases, is completely avoidable. I like that some rides have special seating for larger guests, it makes sense and clearly shows that those guests are being considered, but having all trains modified is just unnecessary. If one can't ride a ride, they should consider losing the weight necessary to allow them to board. I know some people have certain disorders that prevent them from having a slimmer body shape, but health-wise, should they really be riding coasters? It's a tough issue.

[colinmom71]

I'm not sure it's always that easy to say it's a matter of a person being overweight or unhealthy... Different persons have different physiologies that may prevent them from fitting a "standardized" seat.

 

For instance, I'm a 5'4" female who's admittedly somewhat overweight but doesn't have problems fitting in certain coaster seats better than others. Part of it is due to being long-torsoed & wide-hipped, and the other part is due to some medical issues after childbirth (issues with muscular damage from a complicated C-section) that make some restraints uncomfortable. I have particular problems with PTC trains, but no problems with Gerstlauer, Millenium Flyers, or Schwartzkopf lapbars fitting properly over the pelvis as designed.

 

The majority of coaster enthusiasts proclaim PTC trains as the best on woodies, but for me they're not fun. The seatbelts fit me fine but the bar restraint (cuts right over that damaged muscle area on my lower abdomen) and the seat dividers make the ride experince less than comfortable for me. And yet my husband, while also long-torsoed, is pretty much my opposite. He hates Gerstlauers and barely tolerates Schwartzkopf's trains. PTC's suit him just fine, as do Arrows and Vekomas (he actually loves SFoG's Ninja!).

 

I'm a little apprehensive about how the B&M's clamshell restraints will fit when I get to ride SFoG's Goliath in a month or so. From all that I've read, they *do* seem to fit a lot a riders quite well, but I won't know till I try it out... I've never had problems with B&M's inverted seats on "Batman" though (found them quite comfy actually).

 

I just felt the need to say that restraint and seat fit isn't always due to the person being too overweight... It's just not as easy as your offered poll options allow.

[Twister II]

The way restraint systems are made is to keep the guest safe threw out the entire ride, station to station.

 

People simply must understand that these systems ARE meant to work, and if you can't ride because the restrain may not close, the ride is clearly unsafe for you. As a result, you could end up getting seriously hurt or even killed.

 

The restraints are there for a reason, and they aren't to be ignored.

[Blazen_AZN]

The Manufacturer shouldn't be blamed at all. The fact that people who are too short or skinny can't ride has always been accepted, I don't see why it shouldn't work the other way around for the big people.

 

I have, many times, had friends turned away from Perilous Plunge at Knotts because they were too damn skinny.

 

But that doesn't mean that the people who make the rides shouldn't try to accomidate everyone, they should, aslong as they don't compromise saftey.

[ParkTrips]

Partially both, IMO.

 

Intamin rides should be more accomodating in my mind, the guy who died on ROS was only something like 250 lbs if my memory serves me correctly -- not terribly obese by any stretch of the imagination. However, like I said in the thread that sparked this one, if you are grossly obese, don't blame the manufacturer, and I doubt fitting on a coaster is the person's greatest problem.

[Geoff]

I can already see the future of Theme Parks: YOU MUST BE OVER 200 POUNDS TO RIDE. Thought I would end on a joke and say this is not meant to hurt anyone’s feeling but the overweight pity party has got to stop

 

200 pounds is not that heavy. I weigh about 220, but am not fat, and only just fit into some rides due to being quite broad etc.

 

So maybe yes manufacturers should accomodate larger riders as this doesn't always mean fatter riders.

[paulosthejackal]

I'm 182 pounds and 5'10!

I blame Mc Donalds - its just sooooo good mmmmmmmmmm.

 

The manufacturers should (and do) cater for those who are slightly over weight but IMO don't have to cater for some one who is obease, clinically obease or morbidly obease because these are people with health problems, they are not just a little chubby (like me).

 

We don't have quite this problem (yet) in the UK anyhow.

[krouvi]

Being fat is actually a disease and I do understand the suffer of fat people.

However it is just like small children who can't ride coasters. If you are too small or too big you just can't ride it.

[niiicolaaah]

5'6" 130 pounds here. perfect riding size.

 

There is no pleasing everybody. People just come in too much a varitey of shapes and sizes.

 

But anyway, one of my best friends, one of the like 3 friends i have that actually LIKES coasters, does not fit on S:ROS but has not had a problem at any other ride! Silly Intamin! Incidentally, I love the seating on S:ROS, I think it's the most comfortable of anything I've ridden.

 

So, I guess what I'm saying is... I dunno.

[Hilltopper39]

I think it has every thing to do with the manufacturer. I am 6'2" about 245 pound (depending on the day of the week), but I'm not fat. I play college football and am in prety good shape, I've got friends who weigh 275-300 pounds but arn't fat by any means, they're jsut big people. It pisses me off when I go to Cedar Point and see a larger person who can't enjoy a ride because of size. Now yes there are some people who are simply too large to safely fit into a seat, but there are also a lot of seats that are too small to accomadate a lot of BIG Americans. Is Sahquile Oneil fat? no, but could he ride a B&M? not quite. Same thing with INtamin's. The Intamin OTSR's on Wicked Twister are un accomadatin for people over like 6'4", and you've got any type of chest on ya at all it aint gonna work. I think foreign manufactures need to take a little consideration for "Larger" people, not necessairly fat people who can't fit into a ride.

 

SOlution 1- make seat that accomodate people with larger chests, and heights over 6"3'

 

Solution 2- let Chuck Norris design roller coasters.

[Hilltopper39]

I can already see the future of Theme Parks: YOU MUST BE OVER 200 POUNDS TO RIDE. Thought I would end on a joke and say this is not meant to hurt anyone’s feeling but the overweight pity party has got to stop.

 

Americans are just bigger dude, some of us a lot bigger. How often do you see a japanese person that's 6'4" 280 pounds? there's isn't pity party for larger guests there are jsut some seats that are too F**in small for some large people to fit in. I think that if foreign manufactures are biulding rides in American they need to make an effort to accomadate Americans.

[SlimCoasterRider]

I should have stated that my rant was not geared toward those that have a large stature naturally. I understand that some people are the size of football players and basketball players, but making a train or seat to accommodate Sahquile Oneil would be the same as having to make seats that accommodate small people such as midgets and dwarfs. The fact is most of American’s aren’t the size of the average Center in Basketball, they are plain and simple OVERWEIGHT.

 

The initial comment I quoted stated that B&M’s were for “Small people only, no fat people.” The complaints I am commenting against are from the lazy people who won’t exercise but have no problem complaining every time they try and ride an amusement park ride. I see or hear it at just about every park I visit.

 

I am more concerned with obese weight weighing in as the issue. As I stated before I was joking about the “you must be over 200 pounds to ride” sign, please don’t take that part so literal.

 

I think that if foreign manufactures are biulding rides in American they need to make an effort to accomadate Americans.

 

So do you want all the seats in a coaster train to be able to accommodate larger riders or just one or two seats? This is where it becomes an issue for myself, because when you make the seat more accommodating for larger riders then smaller riders are left uncomfortable. In the “big boy seats” there is more room to move around making the ride sometimes bumpier then it should be.

 

I would be willing to compromise and say that manufactures could make a set of larger seats on each coaster if it was around the middle of the train, that way it doesn’t take way from my experience of the front and back seats. All overweight and large riders should be aware of these seats and which line they should wait in.

 

How do you make a seat that is so accommodating for a big/overweight person and at the same time one where a small teenage girl or boy won’t be able to maneuver their way out of the seat or restraint? Should these seats be strictly for large people?

[verticalzero]

I do blame "Fast Food" companies for the growing problem with people being overweight, it is also people's life style which have changed so much.

 

Less people do not want to keep fit or walk to the shops/swimming.

 

If someone can't be bothered to do the above and they order their food over the Internet or telephone then it's the person's fault for becoming fat.

 

It's not the Manufacturer's Problem as they can't create a single rider seat on a coaster which takes the whole width of the train just for big people.

 

The coaster companies want to put as many people as possible on a coaster train.

[Meteornotes]

My problem comes in when parks like Cedar Point use arbitrary rules that keep a lot of people from riding a ride that they could ride if common sense rules were inforced. If you can get the belt fastened on MF, you should be able to ride. Using some sort of "2 inch" slack rule makes no sense. Belts either fasten or they don't.

 

I think it's good that some B&M rides have the "big" seats. People that need these are not necessarily obese, but may have certain body proportions that keep them from fitting comfortably in the regular seats.

 

dt

[YoshiFan]

I think it depends. No restraint will ever accomodate every person but I think if a ride can accomodate the majority of riders it is fine. What I have a problem with is a company like Intamin where I hear stories of rides like Millenium Force where people with 38" waists are being turned away from riding. I think B&M does it the best where they have the regular seats (which are more accomodating than regular Intamin seats) and then they do have the larger seats which can accomodate evn more people.

[Angry_Gumball]

Well, I would have to go with the fact that it's the rider's fault. Yes, the manufacurers can have an occasional "fatty" seat but that's leaving an empty seat when you have a trainload of the rest of the non-obese riders, resulting to less riders per hour. If the manufacturer made things to hold larger riders, then the rest of us who are within a healthy weight won't be able to ride as we'll be too small. So when it comes down to it, the rider needs to motivate themselves to lose weight. They know where the gym is and how to make healthy choices.

[I_am_Em0_0]

I am 6.3 302 lbs and I can fit on most rides I ride. The only ones I have a problem on are

V2, Grizzly,Xcelerator (not the seat or restraint just the seatbelt) Vortex and Top gun. Other then those I fit just fine. I think that if you dont fit you are WAY too big to be riding those rides.

[YoshiFan]

Yes, the manufacurers can have an occasional "fatty" seat but that's leaving an empty seat when you have a trainload of the rest of the non-obese riders, resulting to less riders per hour.

 

I'm not sure about other companies with larger seats besides B&M but I know with the B&M larger seats, anyone can sit in them. When I was on Hydra, I saw non overweight people using the 2 larger seats on each train.

[ACEfanatic02]

My problem comes in when parks like Cedar Point use arbitrary rules that keep a lot of people from riding a ride that they could ride if common sense rules were inforced. If you can get the belt fastened on MF, you should be able to ride. Using some sort of "2 inch" slack rule makes no sense. Belts either fasten or they don't.

 

Yes, but if the belt is already stressed, when you hit higher g's, it's more likely to snap.

 

I don't think it's the manufacturer's responsibility. Consider this: it's not just the restraints that are a problem. Rides have an overall weight limit as well. Otherwise they simply don't pace correctly.

 

It's commonly accepted that if you're too small, you don't ride. The inverse is just as true. If you don't fit on the train, I'm sorry.

 

Besides, the medical issues behind obesity make you more prone to heart problems. Considering that sending you flying around a track at 70 mph puts even more stress on your heart, it's not good for you. And, especially in America, the park doesn't want the lawsuit when you keel over in the exit.

 

-ACE

[maliboomer]

Why don't we just take one row off every coaster and replace it with 2 La Z Boy chairs with beer coolers and a TV playing white trash. Maybe call it the Mile Thigh Club.

 

Everyone likes stereotypes!

[ECZenith]

I'm 5'11' 190 lbs, I consider myself a larger person but I am in good shape. The problem sometimes isn't one's "gut" but shoulders, long legs, large waist could all factor in as well. I have never had a problem fitting into a roller coaster or any thrill ride for that matter but I have seen countless people turned away for being too big. It must be embarrasing, and I feel bad when I see this, but there's usually a test seat in front of the queue so you don't go and waste your time.

 

I think it is the riders responsibility to be in decent enough shape to ride, and the line has to be drawn somewhere. If you keep making the restraints larger, there will STILL be that REALLY big guy that just won't be able to fit. People that are cruising the fast food drive-thrus instead of hitting Gold's a few times a week should use this as motivation to get in better shape. I see questionable riders getting squeezed in at SFNE on SROS ALL THE TIME and they look like they can't breathe! How healthy and safe can that be?!

 

As far as people that are too tall or have body dimensions that are unfit to ride, it's unfortunate, but as I read earlier in this thread, what about the smaller people? As you make the ride do-able for big people, you may compromise the safety and comfort of the average or smaller person.

 

Just my .02, I say keep it the way it is. Have a couple larger seats but don't overhaul the whole train.

[robbalvey]

I do blame "Fast Food" companies for the growing problem with people being overweight

Yes, it's those fast food companies who are FORCE FEEDING people their food. It's statements like these that make me realize that people just don't believe in personal responsibility anymore. It's never "their fault" so it MUST be someone else's. The fast food companies, the coaster manufacturers, etc.

 

I lost nearly 100 pounds eating nothing but carbs and fast food. It's all about moderation, exercise and your eating habits.

 

Having said that, if you're too fat to ride a coaster, especially if you're a coaster enthusiast, lose weight. It's that simple.

 

It's really not that hard. I lost 100 pounds in about 4 months, and every once in a while when I put on 20 pounds here or there, it's gone in about 2 weeks.

 

--Robb