TERRIBLE experience on Saturday!
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| Mon, 09-12-2005 - 9:45am |
So my husband and I are at an asusement park on Saturday and were getting on a ride called Revolution (basically a circle of people attached to a big arm that swings around and spins). The ride guy is going around checking everyone and says to me “switch seats with him” (pointing to my husband) in front of everyone on the ride (and since its in a big circle, everyone saw). Turns out my husband was in one of the “larger seats”…I was so humilated that it took all I had not to cry right there. I had to switch with my own husband! I sat through the ride with a blank expression, and cried as soon as we got off. What confuses me is that other rides had larger seats as well, but I was fine in a regular one! Luckily about 4 other people on the ride had to do the same thing. That was the first time I have ever been singled out like that. I felt like such a loser. It pretty much ruined the rest of my day. Anyway I just had to share. I just wish this didn’t have to happen now, when I’ve finally comitted to losing weight.
Anna
225/221/150

Im sorry Anna....something similar happened to us years ago.
I'm so sorry that happened to you! you've hit on one of my greatest fears - I'm too scared to even TRY to get on a ride at the amusement park, for fear I won't fit, or they won't be able to get me belted/door closed or whatever, and so I haven't been on rides for ages (only the Tilt a Whirl, which I KNOW is very generous in size.) Last June, watching my kids ride and making excuses about how I "don't like" rides, I realized this is ridiculous and I have to lose weight so that I can live my life. However, I've still got a lot further to go than you do ;-)
Stasia
315/294
I'm so sorry Anna.... I was a ride operator once, too, and they trained me to do something similar. We had this octopus ride -- just arms with a two person carriage at the end. There were about eight arms in all. We were told to have the heavier people closer in to keep the ride from RTLing (forgot what it means, but it keeps the red light from coming on). I hated having to ask people to change seats. It was embarassing.
We had to do it for the swing ride, too. It's the one where the seats hang from chains. If you looked over 225, we were told to not let people ride. It was awful when people argued they weren't 225, and the supervisor had to come in. Turns out for me I was never wrong in my guessing, but the fact we had to ask always made my job uncomfortable. I eventually quit because I got tired of the weight/height requirements (height was an issue, too. One little person had to get permission from the park to ride -- can you believe it?).
I felt like I had to apologize to you for some reason... sorry....
I understand completely. In August I went to the fair with my kids. I used fear as an excuse to start with, but not long after we got there I started getting really sick. It turns out I was having a blood sugar low from going too long without eating. I drank a lemonade and sat out the day. The kids had a great time and I didn't have to face my weight.
324/316/175
That's funny that you mentioned Cedar Point because that was the last place and the last time I tried to take my girls to an amusement park.
My girls had wanted to get on a ride that took you way up and then dropped you, but neither one of them wanted to ride it without me. We waiting in line for what felt like hours and when it was our turn to get in, I couldn't get the bar to close down across my legs. The attendant, whom was about the age of my girls (15-16) HOLLERED over to the other operators saying "I can't get the bar down...this one is too big!". One of the other kids came over and slammed the bar down across my legs, shouting "this is how you have to handle these people". All of this went on in front of what felt like a million people. I almost puked because of the pressure across my legs and stomach.
I was so mortified that I thought about complaining to the management, but then I didn't want to admit that I had been too big to get on the ride. I sat out the rest of day feeling like crap and eating fudge while I watched the girls. That was the last time I ever went to any amusement park ever.
I haven't even gone to Cedar Point for a few years becuase I'm afraid of that.
I'm sorry Anna. I don't really know how to respond-- but I see there are a lot of other responses. Hopefully better than mine.
Things like that have never bothered me. I use to be thin but even now at my heaviest I know I'm big.. huge really. I'm ok with it. I know there are certain rides I just can't go on. I would really say its not a big deal. Honestly, people can see how big you are -- its not like they really care if you have to move seats. Only teenages would giggle-- that is because they have nothing better to giggle about!!!
Don't worry -- it will change, until then -- its you just realize its not the perfect you but its you for now. : )
This might not sound like a good response. Sorry -- I just don't know any other way to look at it.