It can be somewhat annoying when you want your group of family and friends to ride a thrilling roller coaster, and someone balks and refuses because they’re afraid of the ride. It’s destroying the fun dynamics of the amusement park holiday. Some things are a lot more fun when they’re enjoyed by the whole gang.
It’s also because you know that your scared buddy is actually missing out. A part of you hopes that when your scared friend tries the roller coaster out, they might actually like the experience. They might even thank you afterwards, but then again, what are friends for?
So, here are some of the more common ways to convince your fraidy cat buddies to try out the roller coaster and other thrilling rides out there!
Start with Logic
It doesn’t hurt to give logical arguments, especially if you’re trying to convince an adult. Start out with how many automobile injuries happen in one day compared to the much fewer number of roller coaster injuries in an entire year. On a per million ride basis, roller coasters are much safer.
You might want to focus more on driving safety stats to drive home the point. Back in 2019, there were 1,916,000 crashes that resulted in injuries. That was just in the US, and that’s an average of 5,249 accidents with injuries per day, and that’s not counting the number of total injuries.
In contrast, there were a total of 449 roller coaster injuries for the whole year. Most of the time, these were the result of cheap, disreputable amusement parks and the rider also didn’t follow the safety rules.
And if you stick with the more reputable amusement parks such as Disneyworld, then you’re basically worrying over nothing. All everyone has to do is to follow the safety rules, and everything will be well.
Mention the Duration
Some people are afraid that the horror of the ride might go on for too long. But most roller coasters last ab average of about 2 minutes. That’s not exactly a very long time.
You can prepare your buddy well beforehand, by watching a first-person POV YouTube video that features the roller coaster you’re planning to ride. That should give your buddy a good measure on just how short a roller coaster ride actually is. Also, the first-person POV may demonstrate that the ride isn’t really all that scary.
You can also just stand with your scared buddy while you both time the duration of the actual ride while you’re waiting. Chances are, it won’t really last long, either.
Peer Pressure Goading
Peer pressure isn’t always a bad thing. Sometimes it can be used for a good cause, such as discouraging buddies from doing stupid things like taking drugs. It can also help encourage friends to do good things, like help out with the local community. And, it can help friends to overcome their fears.
So, apply some gentle peer pressure. Try to point out that the whole group of friends are riding the roller coaster, and it won’t be the same without that fraidy cat friend. Or, you can point out how happy some of the previous roller coaster riders out when they’re done with the ride.
If your scared buddy is male, tweak his ego by pointing out how so many women aren’t afraid of the roller coaster. This might not be politically correct in today’s world, but it often works. Or you can point out how many teenagers aren’t afraid.
Do Some Distraction
Sometimes, distracting a buddy from the idea of the ride can work. While you’re all waiting in line for the roller coaster ride, talk about something else. You can talk about something that the scared buddy is passionate about, whether it’s a hobby or some political issue. Just look for a topic that will engage your frightened friend, so that they can focus on something else other than the ride.
Even people-watching works as a great distraction. Look around, and find nice-looking people to admire around you. Talk about current fashion trends if you must.
Promise a Reward
You can also bribe a friend to follow along and ride with the rest of the group. Money is often a good bribe. Or you can promise a reward, like the lion’s share of their favorite pizza afterwards!
Final Words
Of course, none of these things might work. Some people are just so stubborn that they will refuse a roller coaster experience no matter what. Or perhaps they’ve tried a roller coaster before, and they were somewhat traumatized by the experience.
If they do refuse, then just accept their decision. Who knows? Perhaps when these fraidy cat friends keep seeing the rest of the group enjoy themselves with these thrilling rides, they might convince themselves to join in. That means the whole group can finally experience rides such as the X2 at Six Flags together!