Discrimination against Tall People.
Kudos Jeff.
It is unfortunate that certain ride designs do have greater restrictions, but I would hesitate to call it "discrimination" because I'm sure it isn't done deliberately. Can't you just see it? A bunch of coaster designers crowded into their back room hunched over drawing pads with blackout curtains over the windows while they think up sinister plots to insure that only a particular group of people gets to ride...
Humor aside, there are always restrictions on rides. How about discriminating against heavier people? No one has sympathy there. Or what about those individuals that adore coasters but black out severely with G forces? Oh well, they don't get to ride. I'm not trying to say anything like "get over it" because I know I'd hate to not be able to ride something for a reason I can't control like height. My suggestion as a ride op would be to explain your concerns to someone at the entrance (better yet the exit) to the ride, and ask if you can sneak up the exit just to try out the seat if they don't have one as a trial available. You wouldn't ride of course, just check out the seat to see if you would fit. If the ride ops won't let you, go to the operations office and ask them. They will do everything possible to see that you are able to ride rides without waiting hours in line just to be denied.
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Po!nt of View: A different look at Roller Coasters.
http://www.crosswinds.net/~justmayntz/thrills/index.html
It is unfortunate that certain ride designs do have greater restrictions, but I would hesitate to call it "discrimination" because I'm sure it isn't done deliberately. Can't you just see it? A bunch of coaster designers crowded into their back room hunched over drawing pads with blackout curtains over the windows while they think up sinister plots to insure that only a particular group of people gets to ride...
Humor aside, there are always restrictions on rides. How about discriminating against heavier people? No one has sympathy there. Or what about those individuals that adore coasters but black out severely with G forces? Oh well, they don't get to ride. I'm not trying to say anything like "get over it" because I know I'd hate to not be able to ride something for a reason I can't control like height. My suggestion as a ride op would be to explain your concerns to someone at the entrance (better yet the exit) to the ride, and ask if you can sneak up the exit just to try out the seat if they don't have one as a trial available. You wouldn't ride of course, just check out the seat to see if you would fit. If the ride ops won't let you, go to the operations office and ask them. They will do everything possible to see that you are able to ride rides without waiting hours in line just to be denied.
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Po!nt of View: A different look at Roller Coasters.
http://www.crosswinds.net/~justmayntz/thrills/index.html
That is a good idea CrystalKat, but I don't think it has anything to do with the seat. I'm pretty sure it's because the train comes very close to the roof of the station, so tall people would get their feet chopped off. OUCH!! I'd rather have feet and not ride Deja Vu ;) I know it's not discrimination, because originally they hadn't planned for this maximum height restriction. This is a new thing. What makes me mad is that they should have designed it better. By the way, I do feel very bad for people who weigh too much and can't ride. I guess there's nothing I can do though :(
It is one thing to have a maximum height requirement of like 7ft... but 6'4??? That really does seem unreasonable.
Just another thing to add to the list of the flaws of Deja Vu...
-Jeff
http://americacoasters.com
Just another thing to add to the list of the flaws of Deja Vu...
-Jeff
http://americacoasters.com
Coaster seats are designed so the average rider does not fly out of them. If they are designed around taller people, then the minimum height limit must be increased. I would guess the goal is to design a seat that will fit the majority of people, and keep the minimum height rider safe. To raise the minimum height would exclude more park goers than the maximum height of 6'4" does. Just look around any park, there are normally more 48"ers than 6'4" people. Its unfortunate for the taller people, but rides have to be designed to keep the riders safe.
Reading this topic has made me think of something that happened yesterday at SFgadv.A very tall man(i am going to guess,6"1)tried to get on the runaway mine train coaster and tried every way possible to fit in the car but,to no avail could he make himself fit.
I felt really bad for this guy and the first thing he said was,This is Discrimination against tall people.What got me the most was,the girl who was with him got pretty angry and started throwing a fit at the ride op who couldn't get the lap bar down.
I guess people forget that it isn't the ride ops fault but,the ride op didn't know how to handle this and i could tell was getting pretty upset and doing a great job of not losing her temper.
When the angry lady realized the ride op wasn't going to fight and argue her she then turned to the man and started yelling at him for being to tall,lol.This leaves a question for me,are all mine train rides made so small??? This is the only one i have ever been on so,i don't know if they have improved them over the years.I have a hard time getting comfortable in it to and i am 5"7.
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~*Rickyswmn*~
I felt really bad for this guy and the first thing he said was,This is Discrimination against tall people.What got me the most was,the girl who was with him got pretty angry and started throwing a fit at the ride op who couldn't get the lap bar down.
I guess people forget that it isn't the ride ops fault but,the ride op didn't know how to handle this and i could tell was getting pretty upset and doing a great job of not losing her temper.
When the angry lady realized the ride op wasn't going to fight and argue her she then turned to the man and started yelling at him for being to tall,lol.This leaves a question for me,are all mine train rides made so small??? This is the only one i have ever been on so,i don't know if they have improved them over the years.I have a hard time getting comfortable in it to and i am 5"7.
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~*Rickyswmn*~
Well, Vekoma seems to be putting height restrictions on a lot of their newest creations. PKI's Runaway Reptar even has one. What I don't understand about RR though is it's a 6"6/6"7 (I forget which) restriction instead of 6"4. Most people I know that are as tall as me (6"4) who can ride RR (I'm too big for the belt closure, yet I can ride Face/Off, go figure.) drag their feet on the ramp up the lifthill. If that's the case, why make the height restriction so large? I could understand a ride made for families to have a lower height restriction, but for Deja Vu to have one is rediculous and poor planning on Vekoma's part. I'm pretty sure the restriction is there because the loop is over the station house and someone might hit their feet on it. So, if they have a concern in clearance, why make the ride cross over itself? Why not design it to be similar in layout to an invertigo with more space between the towers? I just don't get it. Vekoma is beginning to worry me more and more.
(With any luck, maybe next week I'll get to hear PKI and B&M in the same sentence. (Instead of Vekoma))
Chris
(With any luck, maybe next week I'll get to hear PKI and B&M in the same sentence. (Instead of Vekoma))
Chris
I think that the height restrictions are unfair, even though i'm about 5'3". I know how it is to be kicked off a ride because you are too small. I'm not sure how it is to be tall, but I am sure it sucks to be kicked off after waiting in line. I agree with some of you that the feet chopper illusion is what is making the height restrictions on the coasters. I believe that it isn't that successful of an illusion. I've ridden Medusa so many times and not once did I believe that B+M were successful with the foot chopper. BTW, the Runnaway Train at SFGAdv. is very hard to get into. I think it was designed for kids under 5' to enjoy.
Jeff said:
""Their" body styles? What the hell are you talking about? Are Europeans some kind of aliens or something?
PKI_MAN said:
"I am just sick of the coaster designers, since most of them are european, building their trains to fit their body styles."
Funny how I can think of a Brit, and Indian (as in Asia), a Filipino, an African-American and a German that I've encountered all in the last week, and they were all my height and proportions.
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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com"
Not only that, but American manufacturers are also as guilty in design not accomodating to a wide audience. Hypersonic anyone?
Jeff said:
"Their" body styles? What the hell are you talking about? Are Europeans some kind of aliens or something?
/quote]
My point being that Americans tend to be taller, and a little bit more "filled out" than Europeans. That is what the hell im talking about jeff
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Jeff said:
"Americans are taller? What? According to who?
You're making a generalization based on absolutely nothing. Show me research. Next you'll tell me African-Americans are better basketball players and French people stink.
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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com"
Not going to touch the basketball and French collective comments, but I thought this might interest you. It's from Time Magazine, pretty respectable in my book.....
http://www.vwl.uni-muenchen.de/ls_komlos/covereu.html
Actually, the Dutch and Scandavian people are taller than everyone else....then Americans. It seems there is some merit to Americans being taller than most Europeans....
http://www.rnw.nl/health/html/tall_dutch.html
http://www.osu.edu/units/research/archive/taller.htm
http://www.rnw.nl/health/html/tall_dutch.html
http://www.osu.edu/units/research/archive/taller.htm
I dont think this rule will last, I can see a lot of complaints being generated here because of this rule when the ride opens. Although I am just under 6FT, I would be able to ride this, but I still think its terribly unfair on all the people who are over 6.4
But I am wondering if these height limits are connected with the problems with the ride they have been having, Its sounds Crazy, But why have they suddenly decided on these very unfair and Crazy Height Limits???? I cant understand the logic behind it. Any Ideas.
But I am wondering if these height limits are connected with the problems with the ride they have been having, Its sounds Crazy, But why have they suddenly decided on these very unfair and Crazy Height Limits???? I cant understand the logic behind it. Any Ideas.
ok, you guys need to blame six flags a little too. they have every right to turn to vekoma and ask them to ease the restrictions. vekoma is making too many coasters with to strict of height and weight restrictions these days. i think vekoma needs to get there rich selves to turn on their fancy satelite tv and look at the general american public, alot of americans are fat and tall, including me. six flags will hear from these fingers first, beleive me. then i will deal with vekoma later. its not like they will answer my emails anyway, MOST designers never do.
*PS* notice how i said MOST desingers never do, i dont want to start an argument on who answers emails and who doesnt.
-me
*PS* notice how i said MOST desingers never do, i dont want to start an argument on who answers emails and who doesnt.
-me
Thanks Chris. I knew that there was something on that but I couldnt find it.
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http://www.islandguide.8m.com
all about PKI
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http://www.islandguide.8m.com
all about PKI
the Beasts` Den
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