Growing up I always loved to ride the rides at the Texas State Fair or Six Flags Over Texas. My family always went together and rode all of the rides. I never remember having any problems or not being allowed to ride any of the rides other than the normal height requirement for all kids when young.
The first time I ever encountered a question was around the age of 15 when I wanted to ride the old wooded roller coaster at the State Fair of Texas. Someone asked some questions, I said that I always rode the rides and that was that.
In the summer of 1979 I was at Six Flags and I wanted to ride one of the large roller coasters. I was held up at the entrance and wasn’t going to be allowed on… However I just happened to have a camp friend that was working that ride and she was able to easily slip me through the exit line where I rode it. By the way both of these rides were incredible. I really like roller coasters… rides of all type.
In the summer of 1981 I was going to Six Flags with my Mom, my aunt, my brother and cousin. I knew that times were changing. I’m not for sure how I knew, but I did. When we arrived at the park that day I immediately asked to speak with the manager on duty. After a short wait, he arrived. I asked him what problems I was going to encounter that day. After some negotiation, we decided that I could ride all the rides except the three major roller coasters. However reluctant I was to this agreement, I went along with because I was with my family.
Like so many of my stories, the exact order of things probably have been skewed over the years, but the essence remain true. I believe the first ride we went to was the “putt-putt cars”… those old fashion model t cars maybe. I was in a car with my cousin who was around 12 or 13 years old. He was driving and I was just the passenger. Before we were allowed to leave the starting point I was asked to get out because it was dangerous for me. Now the irony is that my cousin was allowed to continue through the course. This is an irony because my cousin is legally blind and still doesn’t drive to this day.
Needless to say I wasn’t happy. I know that this happened several more times on other rides with me going each time back the front office and “yelling” of course. I’m sure my indignation became more and more apparent. In fact I can promise you I was outright hostile after awhile or perhaps from the beginning.
Eventually we went to ride this ride that was a giant boat/ship that held 40 to 60 people perhaps. Half the boat faced one end and the other side faced back. I got on the boat along with the rest of my family and before the ride could start I was asked to get off. Well… that was the final straw. I had had it. I stood up and gave a short and probably not so eloquent speech which included language that probably could have been left out. I basically said I had been kicked off many rides and that I wasn’t getting off this ride that people probably should get off because the ride wasn’t going to start because I wasn’t getting off.
I was so pissed this day that I don’t think I remember what the reactions were from those around. I do remember at this point my Mom trying to get me to get off the boat ride… She did succeed. I did get off, but I wasn’t happy about it. I think I did get a little support from some of the other visitors.
A couple of things I do remember… When I got off this ride a well known reporter who covered showbiz was standing with her camera person at the exit to this ride. I told her what I was going through, but she wasn’t able to film because she was working on a story. She said she might be interested on another day perhaps. After this incident a person from the park followed us around the rest of the day to make sure that I was allowed to ride the rides that had been agreed too.
I spent a good part of the next day on the phone with the parks attorneys out of California.
Sidenote: I’m not an expert on, but I believe that the ADA… American’s with Disabilities Act specifically states that amusement parks have the right to refuse rides to anyone with a disability.
I’m telling a few stories and hopefully will follow with some sort of conclusion as to why these events in my life have meaning… both positive and negative.
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