Hold on Tight! Here We Go, Here We Go!

General discussion regarding the UK's No.1 Theme Park. Talk about anything and everything Alton Towers here.
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blacksnake
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I've just been talking to my lad about the rides we went on at AT, and what we are going to ride when we return in November. He asked me how come I never hold-on when on a ride. Well, I wouldn't call myself an actual "Enthusiast," when it comes to coasters and thrill/white knuckle rides. But I would definitely class myself as a "Purist."

My definition being... Someone who'll ride absolutely anything once, and regardless, will never once "Hold on Tight!" For me, it's not only about conquering your fear, but conquering the ride. We all know that no ride is designed without rider safety being paramount. No one designs rider safety restraints and says "Provided people hold on tight theses half assed restraints should do!"  :|  You're no more secure or safer. Rita QoS doesn't rip your arms off (phew) and you don't plummet head first to your death from Submission. So why hold on?

Don't get me wrong, if you hold on then by all means hold on tight... But don't put your hands up as you climb the hill on Th13teen or round the bend on Oblivion, and then grab on for dear life before the drop.  :oops: :oops:


So, let's be honest.... Do you 'Hold on Tight' or 'Go Hands Free?'
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Sam198
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That depends entirely on the nature of the ride and (in some cases) my own desire for self-preservation. :P

For example:

SLCs - hold on for dear life (or rather, for the sake of keeping my skull intact).

B&M Hypers - totally hands-free for floaty awesomeness.
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Danny
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Woodies I hold on, all flat rides hands up, rides with a roughness like saw and colossus I have my hands up for sections, but other than that hands up for all steel!
Kirsty25

I was a holder onner for blivvy, upto my last visit. What convinced me... if the restraint fails, you holding on won't make an ounce of difference. I don't ride anything holding on, unless to brace against a particularly rough section (or like back row smiler)
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Jack
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1st time: hold on

Every other go: let go
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2pints
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I will usualy ride the train in whatever position is comfortable.
if the OTSRs have a hand hold grip, and its more comfortable to place my hands on that then thats what i do, likewise with lap bars or any other restraint - hands off hands on, holding on not holding on, hands in the air, hands on your lap whatever s the most comfortable and enjoyable.
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maliluph
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I don't hold on ever but then i don't tend to lift my arms up with the exception of oblivion. That's a hands up job. As a rule, i place my hands on my knees on most rides.
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Hands up all the time,well where possible,Submission and Ripsaw don't allow the  choice the really, and even though my first correction was on the back row,my hands were up all the time! Yes there were some violent parts but it adds to the experience. One of my best hands up moments to feel completely out of control has to have been Equinox when it was still in the Uk. Only thing at Alton I choose hands down for is SubTerra as not to give away the impending drop
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daveclarkedaveclarke
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blacksnake wrote: I've just been talking to my lad about the rides we went on at AT, and what we are going to ride when we return in November. He asked me how come I never hold-on when on a ride. Well, I wouldn't call myself an actual "Enthusiast," when it comes to coasters and thrill/white knuckle rides. But I would definitely class myself as a "Purist."

My definition being... Someone who'll ride absolutely anything once, and regardless, will never once "Hold on Tight!" For me, it's not only about conquering your fear, but conquering the ride. We all know that no ride is designed without rider safety being paramount. No one designs rider safety restraints and says "Provided people hold on tight theses half assed restraints should do!"  :|  You're no more secure or safer. Rita QoS doesn't rip your arms off (phew) and you don't plummet head first to your death from Submission. So why hold on?

Don't get me wrong, if you hold on then by all means hold on tight... But don't put your hands up as you climb the hill on Th13teen or round the bend on Oblivion, and then grab on for dear life before the drop.  :oops: :oops:


So, let's be honest.... Do you 'Hold on Tight' or 'Go Hands Free?'
This sounds exactly like me! I love to feel free so hands free on everything, even the smiler first ride i went hands free :D
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Dom
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im a flopper. i flip flop a lot. sometimes i hold on and others i dont.
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TheOutpatient
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Its a good point actually

I relaxed completely on the oblivion drop (think of how a cats legs hang down when you pick it up) and it felt awesome. Next time I went on I told the kid next to me to do it, and he did and said it was pretty good.
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leammiles
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I must have been on most of the rides more than 20 times each and I like to consider myself brave and in the category of not holding on, but on oblivion and thirteen, as hard as i try to keep my hands up, sometimes my body just takes over and grabs something.

I have managed to do it, but every now and then I cant stop myself from holding on.
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obliviongirl
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I usually hold on, but then again, it's more or less only the fact that I feel completely awkward when I raise my arms on a ride that makes me. I try to let go, but I just start feeling embarrassed, so I stop before it ruins the whole ride experience for me. Oh, the disadvantages of being awkward.  :roll:
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MizzHanza
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No hands first time for most rides. The only one I was sceptical on was Oblivion for obvious reasons I think :) Even back row of The Smiler didn't phase me ;)
I went to OBLIVION and back, faced my own NEMESIS and it's origin. I flew through the AIR, I played with SONIC but was cursed with a HEX from the number THIRTEEN. I was the QUEEN OF SPEED but most of all I was a SMILER
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silenthillXD
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Pretty much every ride hands up, it doesn't make a tremendous difference. I find I do often hold on for Oblivion on my first ride of the day, but otherwise it's hands up (or rather down) on that. The only rides I tend to always hold on for are drop towers as they tend to make a ridiculous difference, but I wouldn't say it's a strict rule, more how brave I am feeling. I won't lie when I say Detonator and Apocalypse not holding on are sensational rides! But the ABC drop towers I always grab onto the hand grabs to the sides of the seats, I just hate how loose the lap bars are on them. I find theres always a good couple of inches between me and the bar and it causes a rather uncomfortable bounce once you are at the bottom.
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Hari
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I have my hands up on most rides. Not on Submission or Ripsaw as there is hardly no room to, nor on sub-terra like RipsawRaver said. Oh, and smiler as well, as I was bracing most of the time xD Everything else, HANDS UP! :D
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blacksnake
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leammiles wrote: I must have been on most of the rides more than 20 times each and I like to consider myself brave and in the category of not holding on, but on oblivion and thirteen, as hard as i try to keep my hands up, sometimes my body just takes over and grabs something.

I have managed to do it, but every now and then I cant stop myself from holding on.
Leammiles... Next time you're on Oblivion, as you get to the 'Hang point' I want you to take a deep breath, relax, then raise your hands up high, lift your feet off the bars and say out loud... "GO ON THEN... DROP ME!"

Not for the faint of heart, but the ultimate 'In Your Face Oblivion!".... :shock: :shock: :O :O
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bryanycroft
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I don't normally put my hands up, not because I'm scared to but because I feel the ride is better when you hold on. I've tried putting my hands up on the rides but It feels awkward and I don't enjoy the ride.
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Luce
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I almost always put my hands out when on a ride or just rest them on my legs, however when on the back rows of The Smiler, I prefer to hold on as it helps with bracing yourself against the roughness :)
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JammyBand
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I just have my hands up all of the time. Apart from Ripsaw and submission (to try and make it so I can breathe!) I have my hands up. It makes me look brave, and it is more fun!
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