Funny, Great, Unusual, and Tragic Stories

[JamesU]

My saddest story is the unsolved murder of my beloved co-worker years ago.

He was the greatest guy. He was young and handsome and smart. I had a secret crush on him. I looked forward to going to work everyday because I would get to talk to him. He was so funny. The last time I saw him, he had asked me if he could borrow a nickle to buy a coke out of the vending machine (he was short a nickle). I guess I must have made a strange face because he said "it's not like you'll never see me again"...I never saw him again.

We worked odd schedules and I always looked for his car when I got to work. I was sure he was working the next morning when I pulled into the company parking lot, but his car wasn't there. He was not the type to miss work. He wasn't there. He didn't show up, he didn't call in.

That night as I was watching the news, a story came on about a young man found dead in his car with a single bullet through the head, they said his name.

wow...that's terrible. I wonder who would do that to such a nice person.

Then when I was sixteen years old, there was the guy that thought he loved me and commited suicide because I didn't feel the same way about him. His family and friends all blamed me. I had no clue what was going on in his mind. Maybe I'll write more about that later.

that's way too much obsession. His friends and family shouldn't have blamed you because their son couldn't take one rejection...

 

[hypatia]

A local amusement park was getting ready to close its doors for the last time. So I took my kids and there friends, for one final fling. You half to take a ferry boat there, so its kind of a fun adventure.
It was a really hot, partly cloudy day, and everyone was having a great time.
I don't like most rides, so I was content to walk around remembering things like, my first date there, my parents bringing me there as a kid..ect.
Then the kids start badgering me to ride the roller coaster{ rickety 1940's}, they kept nagging me all afternoon.
Finally the annoucment was made the park will close for good, in one hour. The nagging turned to begging, and finally I gave in. We rushed to get in the giant line, only to be told the line was closed. Now everyone is upset with me.
I scope out the line, and see a group of young kids. So I send my kids over to talk to them..and we sort of just cut/jumped into the line.
As it gets closer to our turn, I notice the sky is getting very dark, and I think if its really a bad storm, they will close the ride.
WRONG!
On the ride.
Our turn, my sons, push people out of the way to get us into the front car.
We get in, fasten up, and off we go up the hill. At the top of the hill, all hell breaks loose..lightening crashes all around us, mega bursts of wind rocket us , swaying the car much further than I could of imagined to be safe.
I think, they half to stop this ride! We crest the hill, and I notice the screaming, not from kids on the ride, but the employees..who look like there scrambling to and fro..pointing up.
I endure the ride, and am relived the end is in sight...oops was in sight..we zoomed right by it! And up the hill we go again!
4 times this happened, the car we were in was filling up with water, and the riders were now wailing in fear.
The 5th time up the hill, someone turned to power to the ride off, and a loud speaker told us to remain still and we would be rescued.
I looked at the walk way down, and in my bravest voice I commanded my kids to follow me. I wasn't waiting to be rescued by a group of people who couldn't figure out how to turn a power switch off!
We got down saftly and they explained the old style coaster breaks{friction} just wouldn't work, and that we should head to the ferry, or we'll be stuck on the island.
On the ferry.
We are sunburned, in light weight summer cloths, temps had dropped, wind had picked up, and we were soaked to the bone...and I notice one of the boys lips had gone blue. The ride back takes well over one hour.
I ask the ferry people to close the windows, and they don't..that did it I cracked.
I and 5 boys stormed the captians deck. I am now crying and ranting incoherently, flashing my Bic lighter, that unless he finds a way to keep the kids warm I will burn the deck chairs!
The first mate calmly turns on a heater and walks out closing the door. lol I think he feared for his life. Anyways, we rode with the captain all the way back.
The parking lot.
Is flooded, my car is floating, trees and power lines down everywhere. NO help in sight. This is several years before everyone had cell phones. It is now dark, 10 PM., and still raining.
I recall a truck stop just down the road,we make it there, phones are out, powers out
Well a really nice trucker{whom I'm still friends with} gave us a ride right to my front door.

I hate roller coasters!

 

[Adrian Baker]

I was on Holiday in Florida about 4 years ago (just north of Daytone Beach) and just before we got there, there had been several reports in the news of Shark attacks. Apparently this was unusual, but there had been 3 in the month or two before we got there.

Anyway there I was, in Florida, swimming in the sea having a great time when suddenly guess what? Yep - two big grey fins in the water about 10 feet from where I was swimming! Not just one shark but two. My only experience of sharks was watching 'Jaws' in the '70s and I wasn't intending to be a victim! I did the 50 metres or so back to shore in a world record time and ran out the water shouting 'Shark!'. The Americans on the beach looked at me in a sort of "Aren't Brits kinda quaint?" way. What was up with these people I wondered - couldn't they see the sharks??

So one took pity on me and explained "Hey buddy, you never seen a dolphin before...?"

 

[Ivan Seeking]

So one took pity on me and explained "Hey buddy, you never seen a dolphin before...?"

That was good!

 

[Danger]

A local amusement park was getting ready to close its doors for the last time.

They closed Boblo? (Or was there another one?) I'm not sure, but I think that my high-school grad might have been there. (Since I never gradded, I don't really know.)

 

[hypatia]

Yep, Boblo is gone..it was sectioned off in lots and homes are now built there.

 

[JamesU]

I hate roller coasters!

I love roller-coasters! no roller-coaster-haters here!

 

[Danger]

Yep, Boblo is gone..

I'm not even sure why that bothers me a bit; I never even went there (I don't like rides). Just another piece of history gone, I suppose. It seems to me that there were safety issues with the place even back in the early 70's. I can't remember if it involved the park itself or the ferry.

 

[hypatia]

lol it wasen't even a big coaster.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

A coaster story

http://img106.echo.cx/img106/9614/coaster21fk.jpg

http://img106.echo.cx/img106/543/coaster16ov.jpg

http://img106.echo.cx/img106/4605/scared4jc.jpg

 

[hypatia]

and in my memory my coaster was wayy bigger



lmao...ok I feel better, I wasen't THAT scared after all.

 

[Moonbear]

http://img106.echo.cx/img106/9614/coaster21fk.jpg

Is that at Cedar Pointe? It looks like it. My friends went on that coaster; I held their bags. They even warn you it might not make it...and it often doesn't. That's what really convinced me to sit it out. I was watching it, and the cars would get almost to the top, or the first car would just get to the top, and it just didn't have enough momentum to quite make it all the way over, so then they'd come back down backward, and try again! The cars went past as an absolute blur as they were propelled forward toward that big loop. The blue one in the background looks like the Millenium Force too. I skipped that as well. Aside from the REALLY BIG hill on it, there were a few too many spirals in a row. I can't handle too many loops and spirals without a straight stretch of track in between to get my orientation or else I get dizzy, then sick.

 

[JamesU]

http://img106.echo.cx/img106/9614/coaster21fk.jpg

my dream

I think I', actually going there this summer and I will go to the bathroom before I get on

 

[brewnog]

I went to Alton Towers on Thursday.

I went on the new one which goes from 0 to 60 in 2.5 seconds. My god, that's quite some acceleration...

 

[JamesU]

. My god, that's quite some acceleration...

I think you've already stated this here:

I 0 to 60 in 2.5 seconds

I want to go!

 

[Ivan Seeking]

I couldn't help but notice something at the bottom of my last post...

http://img106.echo.cx/img106/4605/scared4jc.jpg

The most important piece of advice [for aspiring physicists] is to keep your sense of wonderment alive - Dr. Michio Kaku

I would say that her sense of wonderment is intact.

Moonbear, I don't remember exactly where that was taken. IIRC, the pictures came from a friend.

 

[Moonbear]

I feel sorry for whoever got on the ride after her. And they probably just thought the seat was wet from someone getting on right after a water ride.

 

[JamesU]

I feel sorry for whoever got on the ride after her.

yet nobody feels sorry for the girl herself...

anyone...?




...

 

[Danger]

I couldn't help but notice something at the bottom of my last post...

It would appear that whatever brand she uses isn't as leak-proof as the ads suggest.

I would say that her sense of wonderment is in tact.

Is that supposed to be two words? It would make sense the other way.

 

[Monique]

I once visited Disneyland L.A. and saw my share of people with wetted pants I really felt sorry for those people..

 

[matthyaouw]

I wonder if anyone has cashed in on the idea of spare trousers stalls near the larger rides yet...

 

[Moonbear]

I wonder if anyone has cashed in on the idea of spare trousers stalls near the larger rides yet...

I've never really noticed it being that big of a problem. What's really nasty is when you get drenched on a water ride and are wearing jeans...they take all day to dry. I've always thought they should set up a stand selling t-shirts and drawstring shorts (so you don't need to worry as much about sizes) near the water rides. Maybe sell some flip-flops too for those who don't want to squish around in wet sneakers all day.

When I was at Cedar Pointe and my friends were going on those rides I absolutely refused to go on, I was standing around near the ride exit waiting for them. Those are the rides where they take your picture at some point where everyone is screaming their heads off and are selling the pictures by the exit, plus t-shirts that say, "I rode the..." and the name of the ride. I REALLY wanted a t-shirt that said, "I wussed out on the..." and name of the ride. Seriously, I would have bought one of those and proudly worn it all day. The other friend sitting it out with me agreed it would have been a cool shirt to wear. Everyone brags about riding the rides, but I just think it's funnier to brag about wussing out.

 

[matthyaouw]

I've never really noticed it being that big of a problem. What's really nasty is when you get drenched on a water ride and are wearing jeans...they take all day to dry. I've always thought they should set up a stand selling t-shirts and drawstring shorts (so you don't need to worry as much about sizes) near the water rides. Maybe sell some flip-flops too for those who don't want to squish around in wet sneakers all day.

At theme parks that I've been to, they'd sell cheap plastic hooded poncho-type things near all the water rides. Do they not do that in the US?

When I was at Cedar Pointe and my friends were going on those rides I absolutely refused to go on, I was standing around near the ride exit waiting for them. Those are the rides where they take your picture at some point where everyone is screaming their heads off and are selling the pictures by the exit, plus t-shirts that say, "I rode the..." and the name of the ride. I REALLY wanted a t-shirt that said, "I wussed out on the..." and name of the ride. Seriously, I would have bought one of those and proudly worn it all day. The other friend sitting it out with me agreed it would have been a cool shirt to wear. Everyone brags about riding the rides, but I just think it's funnier to brag about wussing out.

Great idea! They could also make ones that read "I couldn't be bothered to queue 3 hours to go on the ..." possibly with "so I went on the teacups twice!" written on the back.

 

[Danger]

They could also make ones that read "I couldn't be bothered to queue 3 hours to go on the ..." possibly with "so I went on the teacups twice!" written on the back.

Sounds like it's time to break out the old inkjet-printable iron-on transfer paper.

 

[Moonbear]

At theme parks that I've been to, they'd sell cheap plastic hooded poncho-type things near all the water rides. Do they not do that in the US?

They do sell those, but that defeats the fun of going on a water ride in the first place. You're supposed to get wet...it's just not as fun an hour later when your jeans are still wet and starting to chafe. But, the other problem is the insides of the boats are always soaked too, so there's no avoiding a wet butt and wet feet the moment you climb in and sit in the seat.

Great idea! They could also make ones that read "I couldn't be bothered to queue 3 hours to go on the ..." possibly with "so I went on the teacups twice!" written on the back.

It would definitely have to have the teacups comment on the back. That would be great.

 

[matthyaouw]

I may get one printed this weekend...

 

[JamesU]

I need a T-shirt that says:

"I waited 3 hours to get on 'X'"

and on the back:

"but it was worth it..."

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Is that supposed to be two words? It would make sense the other way.

I was just testing you.

 

[BobG]

I couldn't help but notice something at the bottom of my last post...


I would say that her sense of wonderment is intact.

Moonbear, I don't remember exactly where that was taken. IIRC, the pictures came from a friend.

The coaster is the one at Cedar Point (0-120 in 4 sec). It's the second tallest and second fastest in the world as of a month ago - they built another just like it in New Jersey, except a few feet higher and just slightly faster (0-128 in 3.5 sec). Or, since the one in New Jersey broke last week, maybe you could consider Cedar Point's number one again.

BTW, the max acceleration is from the hydraulic lift that shoots the ride up the hill before it free falls down the other side.

Was the picture after the ride or after the wait in line to get on the ride? (Actually, it looks like it was taken in a bar.)

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Was the picture after the ride or after the wait in line to get on the ride? (Actually, it looks like it was taken in a bar.)

They were all sent together as if from the same place. I cropped the one pic to eliminate any faces, but beyond that...?

http://img106.echo.cx/img106/543/coaster16ov.jpg

Yep, that all looks about right to me.

 

[Moonbear]

That view is making my stomach churn! Ugh! Would you believe my nutty friends went on it right after it rained? I think it took a half hour of them running it empty just to get the track and hydraulics dried enough to get the empty cars to the top. You're not even allowed to wear glasses on it, though, as I told them afterward, I'm sure it was best they couldn't really see too well once on it. There is an amazingly long list of forbidden things on that ride...you just know it's bad when they make you take out earrings, leave behind glasses, you even have to go barefoot if you aren't wearing shoes that are secured to your feet well (i.e., anything other than sneakers). I was just mesmerized watching it being tested after the rain and couldn't believe anyone would stand on line for it while watching what I was watching.

 

[Evo]

They were all sent together as if from the same place. I cropped the one pic to eliminate any faces, but beyond that...?

http://img106.echo.cx/img106/543/coaster16ov.jpg

Yep, that all looks about right to me.

Damn, I wet my pants just looking at that.

 

[Moonbear]

Damn, I wet my pants just looking at that.

And it doesn't look any better viewing it from the ground up either. Maybe if you're looking for the experience of a rocket launch, you'd enjoy the way up, but then you still have to come back down! And, yeah, it looked like they braked pretty hard to stop at the end too...that might have been the worst part of it!

 

[SOS2008]

Damn, I wet my pants just looking at that.

You'll have to move under Moonbear's deck for sure--oh wait, the kittens may not let you live there like that.

That doesn't even look real--more like art (no, I haven't been mixing anti-depressants with alcohol...yet).

 

[Ivan Seeking]

PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS
Track Length: 2,800 feet
Lift Height: 420 feet
Angle of Lift Hill: 90 degrees
Vertical Drop: 400 feet
Angle of Descent: 90 degrees
Angle of Twist on Descent: 270 degrees

DESIGN
Ride Manufacturer: Intamin AG of Wollerau, Switzerland
Model: Launched out-and-back coaster
Structure: Steel tubular track
Features: Hydraulic launch system
Magnetic braking system
Tiered seating on the coaster’s cars for better viewing (similar to stadium seating)
270-degree spiral on descent
Color Scheme: Red and white alternating colored track on launch
TIME, SPEED, CAPACITY
Launch Speed: Approximately 120 mph in four seconds
Drop Speed: Approximately 120 mph
Capacity Approximately 1,500 riders per hour

VEHICLES
Coaches: Six 18-passenger trains
Five cars on each train; three four-passenger and two two-passenger cars
Design: Fiberglass and steel coaches with individual lap bars, interlocking seat belts and padded head restraint systems. May not accommodate Guests of Exceptional Size.
Train Colors: Black cherry; Indy green; fluorescent purple; cobalt blue; sunshine yellow; and sunset red

WORLD RECORDS
Firsts for Top Thrill Dragster First roller coaster EVER to top 400 feet
First coaster EVER to reach speeds of 120 mph
First “strata-coaster” built on planet Earth

CEDAR POINT HAS HELD THE TITLE OF WORLD'S TALLEST ROLLER COASTER FOUR TIMES! Gemini (125 feet, 4 inches)
Magnum XL-200 (205 feet)
Millennium Force (310 feet)
Top Thrill Dragster (420 feet)
INVESTMENT
Investment $25 million
http://www.cedarpoint.com/public/inside_park/rides/thrill/ttd/specs/index.cfm