Gwazi/Lightning Racer

Hello this is my first post here on Coasterbuzz, however i've been an average reader for many years.

I'm curious as to why Gwazi at Busch Gardens Tampa is counted as two coasters while Lightning Racer at Hershey is counted as one?

That depends on who you talk to, really.

For what its worth both are counted once in my track record. Others count them as two (but they're wrong, lol).

Neither are mirror images of the other so I count them as two in my count. However I also count racers as two if Ive ridden it forwards and backwards and count rides that move (ie X-flight/Firehawk) because they are different experiences. Do whatever you want, its your count there are no rules but your rules.

The Gwazis are much more different than the LR's are. But count however you want. Unless you're going to count S:TE. Then you're just wrong.

I've come up with thoery here that pretty much sums up the credit issue for racing/dueling coasters;

If "God Forbid" one side of a racing coaster should be destroyed, and the other side still remains fully functional, then they are, in fact, separate credits.

So if Rolling Thunder's right side were to burn down, ya still got the left side to ride. Although, I wouldn't mind if both sides burned down. ;)

There are only 3 racing coasters that I can think of, at the moment, that truly are only 1 credit.

Kennywood Racer

Chapultepec La Montana Rusa

Blackpool's Grand National

See this is why, no matter how many tracks a coaster has, I count it as "one." Otherwise you have to start setting up a bunch of rules, exceptions to rules, etc. "Well if it's this, its two...but if it's that its one, unless it does this, then its two, but if it doesn't do this then I guess its one, but then if I only ride one side its this, but then if one side is only backwards it's that, but if they move it here it's two, but if they...."

No thanks. Everything is one. I never have to adjust, change, or amend my count.

I agree 100%. If I'm at a park, and they have a racer, once I've ridden it I count it as one. It's one ride with two tracks. One. Now, I've always wondered what I'd do if I got to the park and only 1 side was operating. Still count it? I suppose, but Gemini would be an easier one to justify than, say, Rolling Thunder. So far I've lucked out, and my visits to Lightning Racer, Gwazi, and LeMonstre have all been on days when both sides were up and running, so I got em both in, but still counted it as one ride.

As far as relocated rides go, I also only count it as one. It's the same ride, and just because it has a new name and goes by different trees now, does not make it a new experience. It's the same ride, just moved.

Welcome to Coasterbuzz, average reader Gizmo. You've opened up a very, very, old can of worms here.

I count whatever is available to select on CoasterCounter.com. Problem solved.

(Well, except my fair credits don't count...but those don't really matter, anyway. ;))

What about Lightning loops after they split them up? :-P

My method:
Racing coasters (Gemini, Kings Island Racer, Colossus): 1 coaster
Dueling coasters (Dueling Dragons, Lightning Racer, Twisted Twins): 2 coasters
Mobius track coasters (Kennywood Racer): 1

Obviously Mamoosh and Coasterphan are totally, completely, 100% wrong.

No, I just don't feel the need to pad my count ;)

^^That's what works for me, since dueling rides are by necessity not "idenitical layouts".

I go by supporting structure. Gemini, Racer (KI/KW), Rebel Yell, Rolling Thunder and the like all share support structures for at least 50% of the circuit. You can't knock down one without the other. Gwazi, Twisted Twins, Dueling Dragons, (and if I ever get to ride it) Lightning Racer I would count as two. You can take away one and still ride the other (Twisted Twins might be a stretch).

Of course a problem would arise of the park decides to connect two individual circuits to make one long, continuous ride. Would I count that as a 3rd credit? ;)

To each their own really IMO. I don't think there's a right or wrong way to count, because it honestly doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things.

~Rob

How accurately do you calculate the 50%, Rob? How can you be sure? With my method (which I understand isn't for everyone) there is no calculating or guessing. Everything is one.

Moosh needs mooshed into thinking clearly!

Do you then need to ride Kennywood's Racer twice for it to count? One ride is only 1/2 circuit.

So far, I count it if I have to stand in line to ride it during normal operations of the park. I count racers as two rides because I have to unload and get back in the queue to ride the other side. If Kennywood let you get on and ride both sides of the Racer without getting off, I would only count it as one coaster. I also count relocated coasters. I figure they are not that much different than counting clones as multiple rides. If I wasn't an enthusiast, I would have thought that Greased Lightning at SFKK was just like Viper at SFOG; but I would never have known that it actually is the same track that was used at SFOG.

No method for counting will be perfect; but my method is obviously more perfect than yours.

I can easily see counting multi-tracked coasters as more than one. But not counting clones? Counting relocations? I find those hard to justify no matter what argument or justification one tries to use. The way to figure out if your method works is to replace "coaster" with another item (say, "desk chair") and then see if it makes sense.

Example, relocations. If I own a desk chair and I move from one office to another but I take my chair with me I do not magically have a new desk chair in my new office. Count: one desk chair.

Or how about "car" instead of "coaster":

Example: clones. I bought a white 2002 Corolla LX. My cousin in New York also bought a 2002 Corolla LX. We do not own one car between us. We each have our own car. Count: two cars.

Here we go again with another topic that ends up being about who's a "credit whore," and who's not.

Do you count a ride on a 60 degree day and a ride on a 90 day two credits because they were two different rides and temps?

I would count a relocation, but not two "simamesed" coasters (Gemini, for example). I would count Gwazi and DD as two coasters because the layouts are slightly different while being part of the same structure.