by princess doodah

Created on: August 05, 2007

There's nothing worse than going to a theme park and spending half the day sitting by yourself whilst your friends are off having tons of fun on the big roller coaster rides.

Here are a few simple instructions to overcome your fear of roller coasters.

- Don't give in to peer pressure. Go at it at your own pace. You wont enjoy the experience if you are bullied' into it.

- Work your way up. If you force yourself onto a huge monster of a roller coaster to start with you'll probably be too terrified to ride another roller coaster ever again! Start yourself off with something tame such as a runaway train or maybe even a childrens roller coaster and gradually work your way up.

- Jump the que. If you are at a theme park which has fast track tickets (or tickets to jump the que) you should take advantage of this opportunity. You'll worry yourself sick if you have to que up for an hour, thinking about the ride. Infact by the time you get to the front of the que you'll probably be ready to bail out anyway! If you're able to make your way to the front of the que you wont have time to get nervous.

- Follow the rules of the ride. Once you have plucked up the courage to ride a roller coaster you should read the rules of the ride which will be situated at the entrance of the ride. If it tells you not to stick your arms outside of the cart - don't stick your arms outside of the cart! You could do yourself some damage if you disobey the rules, which would ruin your experience and probably put you off any roller coasters in the future.

- Check the maximum and minimum height. Rides have different height restrictions - don't tip toe to make yourself tall enough for the ride or bend your knees to make yourself short enough for the ride! Height restrictions are in place for your own safety.

- Ride with somebody you feel comfortable with. A good friend can ease your nerves, boost your confidence and may even put a smile on your face.

- Don't ride on the very front of a roller coaster. You will think that you are actually going to fly off the track! Stay away from the front carriage at all costs.

- No eating or drinking. It really is a no brainer - do not fill your stomach up directly before attempting a roller coaster!

- Know your facts. For example, did you know there is a 1 in 250 million chance of you being killed on a roller coaster!

- Think logically. What is there to actually be scared of? What is the worst that could happen to you? A roller coaster is a fun and safe experience that will be over in a matter of seconds..

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