Too Scary

The ski area I visited last week has installed a sort of downhill zip-line ride, I guess to try to drum up some business in the summer. This is the "warning" sign posted for the ride at the base:

While I appreciate the management's efforts to prevent exacerbation of their visitors' ailments, I was somewhat disgusted by the advice that the "attraction" is not recommended for guests with "any" mental illness. After evaluating the ride from the ground, and reading this newspaper article about it, my impression is that the "attraction" is probably no more likely to precipitate mental collapse than flying in a small plane, driving in Major Metropolitan Area rush-hour traffic, or going to a scary R-rated movie-- all things routinely done by people with various mental illnesses thousands of times a day. Sure, the ride may not be ideal for some people with acrophobia or panic disorder. But the article quotes one woman who "is afraid of heights" and apparently survived the ride just fine (What? How did she even get past the sign? Did she lie to the attendants about her mental illness??) And while the sign notes that there is a "sudden abrupt landing", the newspaper reporter remarks that "the halting finish feels like landing in a giant pillow, and makes most riders giggle."

My take? I think the resort is trying to hype up the "thrills n' chills" aspect of their probably-rather-relaxing ride, somewhat at the expense of people with mental illness. I didn't really like that.