Robbyn

I am afraid of heights and am deciding if I should go on the London Eye or not. My husband, sister and some friends we are meeting in London are all going on it. I hate to miss it, but if I am going to be terrified the whole time it would be worth it to just watch as they go. <BR><BR>Has anyone else gone on the Eye that is afraid of heights? I have tried to go to the top of two lighthouses, tall hotel buildings and the Sears tower. Each time I have panic attacks and have a hard time breathing. I'm okay on planes???<BR><BR>Thanks for any help.<BR>Robbyn (

hp

You have a psychological problem of which only trained professionals can perhaps help you through. Visit your health care provider.

Leslie

If you have a fear of heights, stay put on the ground. One of my closest friends also has a fear of heights, although she works on the 40th floor of a highrise. She went up to the top of the Eiffel Tower with me and she was fine until she walked outside of the enclosed observation area, where she immediately panicked and fainted. <BR><BR>After she recovered, I asked her why she went up. She said that thought she would be okay because she works in a tall building -- but the difference was the wind and being outside.<BR><BR>You can try to talk yourself into going on the London Eye, but if you do have an attack, the wheel is not going to stop to let you off until the end of the ride. You're better off being on the ground and looking up.<BR><BR>I am claustrophobic, I can get in a plane because it has windows and it's not quite like being in a cell, but I cannot get into an MRI machine unless I am sedated. While on a tour of the Terezin Fortress outside of Prague, others were walking through the dimly lit escape tunnels, while I walked on the outside. I walked through the prison, but never into a cell (some of them did not have windows).

janis

Robbyn - first of all ignore the comparison to the Eiffel Tower. On the Eye you will have almost no sensation of movement, are not outside at all, and cannot look down unless you get up and walk to the edges. The floor of each car is solid and there is a very sturdy oval bench in the center. If you do get scared, simply sit down - you will still be able to see a lot of the view. (but you probably won't need to sit)<BR><BR>I am not afraid of heights - but on one of my recent trips to London I was with 4 other friends and all were afraid to go up in the Eye. I finally dared/coerced one of the guys to join me because I knew he would enjoy it if only he would try. He is VERY uncomfortable about heights - not absolutely terrified but will not take glass elevators etc. He ended up LOVING the whole thing. In fact - the minute we landed he ran in to buy tickets for the next day so he could take his wife up too. Unfortunately she wouldn't try it so he talked one of the other guys into it - and the same thing happened - the new guy really wanted to ride it again. <BR><BR>My friend is an avid golfer and the only thing on the 4 week trip to surpass the Eye for him was a round at the Old Course at St Andrews.<BR><BR>You will be fine . . .

Prue

Robbyn,<BR>My husbnd and I went on the London Eye last September.<BR>I am not afraid of heights so much as extremely prone to motion sickness, so I was very dubious. However, it was amazing and I do urge you to consider going. There is absolutely no feeling of movement - it is quite amazing - and needless to say the view is just wonderful. It is hard to describe, but it is totally different to the feeling you get for instance going to the top of any high rise building.<BR>The cabins are also quite roomy, and unless it is extremely crowded there is plenty of room to move about it you want, or just sit on the seat in the centre.<BR>If you do decide to go, I hope you enjoy it.<BR>

Julie

Can you find something fun to do instead that's near the London Eye while your companions are on it? It might be easier on you and your vacation to just give yourself a break and decide right now that you're going to skip the Eye, so that you don't spend all the time leading up to your vacation being anxious about it! <BR><BR>If you plan something specific and fun as your alternative, you won't have to feel that you've missed out, but that you've made a different choice. I've decided just not to go on anything high myself during my trip, but if my husband wants to, I'll just go antiquing or something instead.<BR><BR>Good luck,<BR>Julie

Patrick Wallace

I'm not good at heights either (other than planes, or where there's a solid barrier up to about waist height), but I went round on the Eye. I second the pluses that there is no sensation of movement (it's very smooth and slow), you can sit down in the middle of the car a good yard or more from the wall (and hope other people in it are not going to stand in front of you), and you may get diverted trying to work out what you're looking at (for a Londoner like me, the unfamiliar view of the familiar is the best bit). The minus is that there is glass down to the floor, albeit there is a solid railing running round at waist height. Only you can know what you can stand....<BR>An alternative in the area is to visit the Aquarium in the old County Hall. Er...except that they have sharks...

sylvia

I'd second Patrick. I'm terrified of heights but loved the Eye. I felt a bit nervous looking up at it before I got on but once on board I was fine. You can't look directly down through the floor of the pod, so the experience is far more like being on a 'plane. It also goes very slowly and gently. I'd go on it it I were you, you get a wonderful view of London.

Pedro

It is a pleasant ride offering wonderful views with no sensation of being suspended so high. I would definitely go.

Ron

Robbyn, I am not necessarily afraid of heights, but I have some unexplainable fear of falling from heights. If there's a solid handrail or something I can hold onto I'm OK. You might try a glass elevator and if you are OK with your back against the door or if you can look out a window with your hand on the wall you would probably be ok. I am apprehensive standing a couple feet away from a window in a tall building but I can stand right next to the window if I can put my hand on the wall. As others have said, the Eye is solid and enclosed with no apparent feeling of motion.<BR>On the other hand, if you really are afraid of heights you might want to watch from the ground. To the best of my knowledge no one has ever fallen out of one of the pods.<BR>And here's my gratuitous plug... I have photos taken from the London Eye on my website (London pages) and you might also want to take a look at the wall of Tantallon Castle (Edinburgh or Tantallon pages). I was on top of the wall trying to get my wifes attention but she was too far away to hear me. The wall was over six stories tall, but there was a handrail!

Ron

Duh, I'd forget my head if it wasn't attached. The website is http://www.iconnect.net/home/rsumners

Joyce

I hate to be so out-of-it, but what is the EYE? I've looked in the guidebooks, and can't find anything about it. Would someone please update me?

XXX

It's ok, it is pretty new...The British Airways Millennium Eye, aka The London Eye. Go to www.british-airways.com/londoneye<BR>Kind of like a giant ferris wheel where you can take in views of the city from up top! Book in advance!

Apres_Londee

Topping in the hopes someone else who rode the Eye and is afraid of heights will share. How did you find it?

What I can't tolerate is a sense of open space in combination with height. It's good to know the floors of the pods are solid, and that there is virtually no sense of movement.

I'm worried about the &quot;openness&quot; of the pods, though, and I don't think a bench in the middle of the pod will make much difference for me, because my back would still be &quot;exposed&quot;.

crazychick

I went on this and I am not that good with heights. A group from work were booked on and they talked me in to doing it. I was so glad . As people said it moves so slowly it is a 30 - 40 minute ride and the capsules have so much room in them. You can sit on the bench in the middle and still see views if you don't feel comfortable just stand near the glass windows.
You don't feel like you are high up and get the horrible feeling you would have if you were in a glass lift and looking down. I am so gald I did it and I would recomend it to any one. The views are just magic. Go and do it and you will enjoy.

kerouac

My best friend has panic attacks, even in shopping malls with a &quot;pit&quot; of more than two escalators going down. With another friend that he also trusts, we have taken him forcibly (sorry about that) on a Ferris wheel and in the Atomium in Brussels. He was terrified both times, so he would also be terrified in the London Eye. I would not do it to him again.

It must be noted that he is also often incapable of crossing the bridges of Paris on foot by himself (no problem in a vehicle) -- so it really is an extreme case.

crazychick

I should have added when I walked on I had butterflies in my tummy, but there is lots of room and people were moving about, you do not fell like your in a spaced out glass box high above the ground. I sat down on the bench, the bench runs ride down the middle so you can sit facing which ever way you want. As it is in the middle you do not feel scared. The butterfiles soon went and I did not even notice it start off. After a few moments I felt OK to get up and walk about. I did not go right up to the edges of the capsules, but I did not need to.

drums

I would classify myself as afraid of heights and had no problems on the eye. Like others have said, there is very little (if any) sensation of movement. I actually remember it as pretty peaceful. To put things in perspective, I don't mind ferris wheels, but hate roller coasters, flying, and standing near the railing of a very high place. Only you can decide...

crazychick

It is nothing like a ferris wheel and no way would you get me on a feris wheel even after doing the london eye but I go back on the eye any time. Completely different to a ferris whell you can not compare the two.

Apres_Londee

Thank you for the responses, it's just what I was hoping to hear. I'm so glad that the Eye is in no way like a ferris wheel- I hate ferris wheels, too. You couldn't pay me enough to ride one.

I think I'm willing to give this a try, if my family wants a ride. Heights don't give me panic attacks, so no potential medical emergency or anything. What happens to me is I freeze up involuntarily- my muscles lock and I get very stiff, can't/won't move, hard time speaking. Worst case scenario, I'll freeze and need to cling to someone, maybe hide my head. Embarrassing to be sure, but I don't think I'm in danger of seriously hyperventilating.

Maybe a couple of drinks beforehand wouldn't hurt.