Posted on 05/11/2016 5:14:40 PM PDT by jeannineinsd
Universal’s Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey has bedeviled many big and tall riders who discover at the last moment that their journey aboard the new attraction is indeed forbidden because they don’t fit in the “enchanted benches.”
The uncomfortable scene is a familiar one to anybody who has ever visited a theme park: The overweight rider becomes increasingly embarrassed as the ride attendant pushes and shoves with all his might on the over-the-shoulder restraint that stubbornly refuses to click closed. Everybody waiting in line knows what comes next: the walk of shame.
“The walk of shame is an embarrassing experience,” said Mike Galvan, who penned the “Big Boy’s Guide to Roller Coasters.” “I’ve been there many times. It’s disheartening.”
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Well the walk of shame is better than being allowed to go on a ride that is not designed for your mass, which has lead to death of the rider.
Physics is a heartless bitch.
We were at Walmart parked near the back of the lot. A little old lady with a walker parked next to us. She didn’t have a handicapped license plate or mirror hangar. When we walked up to the front of the store I saw a jacked up 4x4 with a handicapped plate parked in one of the dozen or so mostly empty handicapped spots. A fat guy hopped out of the truck and trotted over to the last available electric shopping cart. I looked back at the little old lady now far behind us.
If you ever bothered to watch the people actually using the handicapped spots in the front of parks, museums, stores, restaurants, and other businesses, you will usually find that it is mostly not old folks, paralyzed people, people missing a leg, or people suffering from some type of debilitating illness or condition. At least around here the people using the handicapped spots are mostly fat people. Many do not appear to be having a difficult time getting around.
Most Americans struggle with our weight especially as we get older. But these days almost a third of young Americans are too fat to join the military. I read some place recently that for the first time ever in our country that life expectancy is expected to begin declining because of weight related illnesses.
My recipies call for a honey-ginger sauce.
When I got to my seat the armrests had already been raised. The two assumed if they took up the window and aisle seat that the flight attendants wouldn't try to squeeze someone between them. If there had been any other seat available on the plane, they would have been right. They were quite annoyed at me for wrecking their plan that had probably worked on other flights previously.
It’s not fat, it’s a flotation device. Let’s see who stays afloat the longest, string bean. ;-)
Atleast 5 Richter right there.
“Did I feel disappointed? Sure. I LOVE roller coasters and other rides.
Did I feel ashamed? HECK NO!”
There is only one reason for that reaction——you are an intelligent ADULT.
.
I have a placard in my Tahoe but it is my 81 year old husbands. I don't use unless he is with me. I am 75 and I don't need it.
I recall a California fitness club that had liberals heads' exploding all over the state, when they put up billboards with the text, "When the aliens come, they'll eat the fat ones first!"
Mark
My favorite uncle is 85; he is a veteran of the Korean War and was a career police officer in the Detroit area. He also ran a successful small business for decades. He is one of the nicest and friendliest persons you could ever meet. He also is one of the most conservative members of our family. Unfortunately, he has been very obese for many years. Because of his weight he has had both his knees replaced twice and his hips joints replaced. He has a handicapped plate and rightly so.
I wish that he would change his diet and try to get more exercise. I am surprised that it has not killed him, but it goes to show that good genes can overcome a lot.
It is possible that I just notice young seemingly able bodied fat people using handicapped spots because it is a pet peeve of mine. The other thing is that the Walmart and Fred Meyers that we go to most often are both next to subsidized apartments that are populated mostly by a bunch of welfare and disability fraud recipients. So this very well may skew my perspective. I am glad to hear that other places may have a different proportion of sleazy handicapped parking spot abusers.
I’m too “large” for some attractions. It’s not that the I don’t fit in the seat, its the locking/safety bars/devices are not designed for larger people.
This is what happens when someone too large gets on a ride:
The park is completely within its right to “discriminate” against larger patrons.
The LA Times extensively covers the entertainment industry. Part of that is regularly covering theme parks. Usually the articles are about new attractions being built at the theme parks. Today, a change of pace, they had an article about the walk of shame.
I thought the crowd here at the Free Republic might enjoy it.
Next time carry a jar of Vicks to smear under your nose.
In the “no good deed shall go unpunished category,” on the way back from our son’s wedding, my husband and I started chatting with our seat mate. It turned out that he and his wife were on the way back from their honeymoon. I whispered to my husband and asked if it was okay with him if I offered to switch seats with the bride. I switched seats (the honeymooners were very grateful) and ended up sitting next to a fat couple. They had the window and middle seats. The armrests were up and the woman in the center seat was in a good portion of my seat. Four hours .... sigh. Oh, well, I supposed I would have offered to trade even if I had known who my new seatmates would be.
Here’s a clue. When your back end hangs off the scooter you’re riding ‘cause you’re too FAT to walk the theme park! Just an idea.
They both had body odor and sweating problems because of all the additional insulation I suppose. Thank goodness I had a couple good movies and books stored on my tablet computer. I was able to escape to my “happy place” for most of the flight. The two of them had enough candy and junk food in their carry-on bags that they were able to eat non-stop from Chicago to Seattle.
********************************************************
I believe my wife’s story tops yours. She flew from Oklahoma City to Chicago with Dan Rather as a seat mate.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.