Rollercoasting (one fight and half a victory)

A couple of nights ago I went to my local favorite amusement park to try out their new rollercoaster, advertised as being #1 in Europe and all. I was barefoot, much to my friend's amusement (she's supportive, but still amused). Half way through my wait in line I heard the announcement that shirts and shoes or flip-flops must be worn during the ride. That put me in a very argumentative mood, and in no way made me go back to my car and retrieve my Havaianas.

(Bear with me, I'll try to keep it brief.)

So I get to the gate, and a girl that looks like she's 12 and who's probably half my height says I can't be barefoot.

Me: are there tacks or nails on the floor of the vehicles?
Girl: No, it's in case the train stops and you have to evacuate. You will cut your feet.
Me: I'm sure I've seen worse.
Girl: It doesn't matter.

I just proceed up to the launch platform, where I am able to get into the car when, on my side, an older guy says "You have no shoes?"

Me: No.
Guy: Go get some.
Me (exaggerating, to drive my point across): I don't wear any.
Guy: (puzzled look).

Another girl, slightly older than the first one, approaches us on the other side of the train and almost yells: "You *have got* to wear shoes, it's the rule"

Guy: He says he doesn't wear any.
Girl: He doesn't wear shoes?
Me: I don't.
Girl (running out of patience): You know, I'm really not joking here.
Me: Neither am I.
Girl: You can't be in the park without shoes. Not even on water rides.
Me: I've come to this park for 18 years, I've never had a problem.
Girl (probably seeing that the other riders were getting nervous): OK, you can do this one ride, but that's it.
Me (to my friend): We'll see.

The ride was spectacular. But I would have enjoyed it more if the shoe police hadn't harassed me. So I decided to write a long letter to the park management, explaining the situation. My point will be:

1. In the other rollercoaster (an inverted coaster, that is with rails on top) people are encouraged not to wear shoes – especially not flip flops, which are likely to fall off during the ride. I've checked the evacuation paths, and they seem to be as dangerous as those on the new ride. (Or not really: it's just the standard metal staircase, which at most waffles your soles for a few minutes). If this is the case, and they're just making up rules to legally cover their asses the American way, I'm ready to sign a release form.

2. If, on the other hand, the new coaster has such a dangerous evacuation route, the park's safety measures should be re-evaluated, and complaints should be filed with the appropriate authorities. After all, an amusement park is not a construction site, and people should not be required to wear any special gear to visit it. And we all know that if something (like a staircase) is so unsafe that it can't be used in bare feet, flip-flops won't make it any better, because they add a serious element of instability.

If I get answers, I'll post them.

 

That's interesting. It's been awhile since I last went to an amusement park, but here in the U.S., at least the last time I went to an amunsement park, it was pretty common to see a row of people's shoes lined up by the boarding area of the rollercoaster. As paranoid as management is here in the States, it seems as if roller coasters are one of the places where bare feet are accepted and perhaps even encouraged.

 

That's why someone (me) needs to do something about it before it gains footing.

 

Just curious, which park did you visite.
I had similar problems at Europapark in Germany.
At some rides it was no problem,but in others they wouldnot let me in.

 

This was Mirabilandia, in Italy.

 

I had a similar encounter at Alton Towers and wrote a post about it on here not long ago. It was only on the one ride, out of many (although a handful of others could easily have gone the same way but didn't). I've decided that in future I'll bring a bag with me, have some shoes in it and then give in if I'm told I'm not allowed on the ride at the last minute. I'll try it out when I go to Chessington (or Thorpe Park - I can't remember which - someone's organising a trip for her birthday) in a couple of weeks.

 

I've been to Alton Towers twice recently - First time with just me and my wife, I left my shoes at home and had no problems whatsoever all day. The second time I was with friends so I had flips in my backpack and was okay until 4.30pm when one of the patrolling staff asked me to put my shoes back on as there was broken glass around... I agree with the last posts though that very often you are encouraged to remove "loose" footwear in case it falls off during the ride, so how they can not allow you to ride if you aren't wearing shoes in the first place doesn't make sense. Mind you , if everything made sense, life would be soooo much easier!!!

 

Ahhh, the hypocrisy!

I love hearing you Europeans talk about going barefoot to an amusement park. Here in the States, you'd be lucky to get past the gate.

But, yes, I find it very amusing how, in the same park, on two different rides, you can be encouraged to be barefoot on one ride, but chastised for it on another.

I do like barefootoctober's simple statement of, "I don't wear any," though. It states the obvious fact that shoes are not a part of a person's body and, not being required by law, not everyone has to wear them.

Good show!