I'm beginning to hate lapbars of almost any type

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Touchdown said:

How many clicks are you getting it down?

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I always get 2 clicks, sometimes 3 depending on how worn in the seat bottom is. I know it's a safety thing but as I was saying...I'm not going anywhere and I always crank down my seatbelt so I don't. If these things were telescopic also that would make a world of difference when trying to enguage my "lap" bar. And for those who really want pain...gain 20 pounds or so and drop that single position bar down on ya'...ouch! *** Edited 6/20/2006 4:07:22 PM UTC by Marky Mark***

With me I get get the lap bar down to the last click were it can not go any lower and I would still have about an inch or 2 untill it touches my lap.

I am just thhat skiny.

^ Must be nice...

It is the same with OTSR and I don't get bashed against the sides.

For me that inside jaunt makes it too tight for my legs to fit anyhere past 3 clicks which is still a good 4 inches off my lap.

I'm tall enough where my head is above the hard part of OTSRs so I don't suffer headbanging on many coasters. Must be why I not only tolerate Boomerangs and SLCs but actually enjoy them!

^I thought that was true for me too, but then I rode Dracken Fire and still got a headache :(.

Glad that coaster is scrap metal.

^ If only they had waited 1 more year to build Drachen Fire--we may have had the "Kumba" instead of BGA, and would still have it. Of course, if that means not having AC, then forget it :) But if we could have both, how sweet would that be?

Actually, I liked DF. The first and only day that I rode it, I rode it 10 times. I actually liked it better than Alpie at the time. It was such a unique Arrow coaster. BGE actually had 2 Arrow coasters at that park that originally weren't going to be done by Arrow: BBW was supposed to be a Schwartzkopf (sp?) and BGE wanted B&M to do Drachen Fire, from what I've read. Too bad they didn't sell the trains to another park--those things looked sweet!

The Goliath (La Ronde) operators method of "checking" restraints is to simply put all their weight on it! A friend got bruises from one of his ride. Quite a change from Silverstar (Europa Park) where they don't even check the restraint unless the computer says its not down enough!

Yea, and what coaster nut doesn't self check the restraints anyway? I know I always do.

^ Agreed. I figure the ops are safe in the station regardless of the restraints - and I'd like to come back to the station myself.

Anton lapbars are the best seat/restraint combination ever devised, everyone else is STILL trying to catch up... :)

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rablat5 said:

BGE wanted B&M to do Drachen Fire, from what I've read.

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From what I understand, this is an unfounded rumor.

^You sure about that? That story has as much detail and resonable reasons why it happened as BBW does. Cant remember where I read the full story but suposedly B&M were going to do it but B:TR was too time consuming for them to deliver the coaster for the summer of 1992.

Not all PTC lapbars are the same and if they are, then they are maintained differently. Someone mentioned Knoebels. Twister is one of my favorites. I also love Wild One and Roar at SFA. When we were at Indiana Beach last week, Hurricane and Cornball Express (which by the way has moved into my "I hope the park closes down and it moves to Maryland or Pennsylvania" list:) ) were awesome. Let's see; I also rode Viper, Raven, and Legend. I was able to fully enjoy all these rides.

Vipers lapbar is a modified version of the PTC ratchet. I noticed very vividly the lack of the curve in the riser of it and also a small shock like thing to keep it in place.

Chuck

@ 6'4" I've never had a problem with lap bars. I have however had a problem with small cars and a lot of OTSR's. Old Arrow coasters are the worst.

SFMM Vipers OTSR have some reallt weird grips.

But my favorite OTSR has the be X. Link

PTC is good rolling stock and truthfully I cant understand why everyone looks pretty negative towards them. I am 6'-5" 290 while that might sound big I am actually very porportionate, and have never had a bad experience on a PTC car. One that I have a very big dislike against is the Stock on the Hurricane: Category 5 at Myrtle Beach Pavilion. I happen to love the ride because I feel the it gives all it can give in the amount of space it takes up, and i am very sad to see to have to go at the end of this year but thats another story. Last year I rode the ride 17 times in one night, but at the end of the night I couldnt walk too well due to the metal U bar giving me a bruise about 7" long and 4" wide. The ride is a little rough but by far the rolling stock is the rides downfall.

http://www.***************.com/south2006/mbp22.jpg
heres a decent close uop of the train.

But even though it hurt me, I will still return this July for one last ride on the Hurricane.

I have no problem with PTC trains, just PTC ratcheting restraints.

If you really want to get into it, I personally don't think I've ridden anything close to the "perfect" wooden coaster train. PTC's with buzz bars is certainly the closest anyone has ever come, but I *really* like the way the Gerstlauers track. Not that I enjoy the restraints or the seat configuration comfort-wise but I wish we could have a train with the relative comfort of PTC's (with buzz bars preferably) that tracked like Gersts or even the Mflyers.