How to ride forward coasters backwards
So the other day on S:RoS SFNE, I was thinking "Man, how sweet would it be to ride this thing backwards!?!" So I got in 9-2 and on the way up the lift hill, I turned kinda sideways , wrapped my inside arm around the outside of the seat back and managed to prop my upper torso so I was facing backwards.
The difference was astounding! As if the ride wasn't already insane enough, that just made it unbelievable. Just thought some of y'all might like to try something similar on your favorites.
Watching the track fly out from behind the train was one of the coolest parts of the experience.
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You must be this dumb to ride Viper. -SFGAdv.
You could get seriously hurt......
If they wanted people to ride it backwards, they'd flip the train around. Don't try otherwise.
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CBClub member #30 and #364 (renewal)
Oh, I've done that plenty of times on coasters. The first was on Villian @ SFWoA. It was a blast to do! I tried it on one hypercoaster (cant remember which one) and had a slightly stiff neck for a couple of minutes, but nothing serious.
I quite often glance back at the other folks in the train if I'm up front :)
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"To get inside this head of mine, would take a monkey-wrench, and a lot of wine" Res How I Do
I've done it. Whats so "stupid and unsafe" about it? Explain that to me if you could please. There is nothing unsafe about it! The only thing I can imagine happening is maybe a slight case of whiplash if done on a violent coaster, like Cyclone at SFNE. Yaknow, I have a firm belief that most enthusiasts (keyword: most) actually know what is safe, and what isn't safe. It takes an absolute moron to hurt themselves on a ride. I don't know of many enthusiasts that would push the envelope far enough as to where they would hurt themselves, or hurt others. Standing up, going with an extremely loose restraint and the like are things that can and will get you hurt. Turning around isn't going to do anything to you, except maybe cause a slight pain in the neck or back, which could happen facing forwards, and does happen on plenty of Vekoma's (hehe). Nothing has happened to me from riding backwards! Any time I've turned around on a coaster my lapbar has been down, and anything that can or could fly out of hands/pockets were secured. Give me a way how you could get hurt, and I just might change my mind. As for now, I'm all about riding coasters backwards when I can.
Oh yes, another thing! Why, if a coaster is so "unsafe" to ride backwards, is there a certian standup in europe that can be ridden backwards during ERT? Why would a park let enthusiasts risk injuring themselves just so they could ride backwards?? I'm just curious that's all :).
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Corey
"Have you ever tried backing out of a drive-through bank?" - George Carlin
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www.moviecoaster.com
Then why can't lapbars do the same thing? Plus, if you ride a standup coaster backwards, you have this huge headrest to smash your face into.. is that any less-safe than riding forwards???
Edit: I'm talking about sitting properly with the lapbar down but turning at the torso around and looking backwards. How is that diffrent?
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Corey
"Have you ever tried backing out of a drive-through bank?" - George Carlin
*** This post was edited by rOLLocOASt on 10/30/2002. ***
rOLLocOASt said:
The only thing I can imagine happening is maybe a slight case of whiplash if done on a violent coaster
"Whiplash"?? Isn't that an injury, no matter how slight or severe. So, to me you just admitted that it is unsafe in the terms of "accident free". Exactly the thing these standards are supposed to help prevent.
Im gunna do something better im gunna ride something backwards while eatin cheesy puffs so boo heffa!;-D
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Titan da' mac daddy of dem all!
So looking backwords is not ok but riding a coaster with 10 inches between you and your lap bar isn't. Just watch some of Robb's vids, they turn hyper coasters into stand-up's. I havent done it but I will next chance I get.
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"I took the highway to the danger zone"
What is so unsafe about it? Hmmm...the fact that you are not properly in the restraint system. And the affects that it can have on your back and neck...It is people like you that make the restraints on coasters worse and worse because the parks can not trust people.
Not to mention if the person behind you pukes, you get a nice face full of their left over macaroni and cheese.
*** This post was edited by RubberDucky on 10/30/2002. ***
BeastFreak: You can get the same thing from riding "properly" on any number of Vekomas, Arrows, and Dinns... plus countless flatrides, so IMO that is something that can happen whether you are riding "properly" or not.
JimFisher: I don't know exactly what caused those deaths, but I'm almost positive that the riders had not just simply turned around... Also remember that 30 years ago there were not the safety restraints we have today. Improper riding back in "the day" would be much easier.. Hell, look at some of the older rides around like Whizzer and Matterhorn at Disney. What restraint?! lol! Even on some of todays modern coasters. PTC single ratcheting lapbars only go down "so far". I'm 6 foot 3 and I could get out of those trains if I wanted to! I love'em, but I could get out of them definitely. The fact of the matter is, IMO I don't think that turning around and riding "backwards" is anything wrong. Your opinions may differ, and that's cool. Just keepin it friendly yaknow?
Rubberducky: It is not due to people like me that make restraints worse and worse.. Would I have fallen out of Perilous Plunge if I was facing backwards? Nope.. I'm positive on that one. The reason why restraints get worse and worse is not "people like me", its the parks getting a cheaper rate from insurance companys, and in the PP incident, the park was showing that they have done something to "help make the ride more-safe".
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Corey
"Have you ever tried backing out of a drive-through bank?" - George Carlin
*** This post was edited by rOLLocOASt on 10/30/2002. ***
While i cant see this causing sever injury, i dont think the engineers designed the ride's forces to be pressed on a person facing backwards. I understand what you are saying, but i dont think the manufacturers go out of their way to make sure the forces dont cause injury while you are facing backwards.
As for the "leaving 10" between you and your lap bar" thing, IMO, thats what the seatbelts are for ;-) On MF, i tightened the seatbelt nice and tight, but i gave a good 4 - 5" in lap bar space. This gave plenty of air, but IMO, still safe.
Just remember that what you are doing is completely at your own risk. If for some reason you get hurt, and you need some kind of care that costs an extreme amount of money, then you are all on your own. Also take note that alot of auto spiels indicate that you should face forward throughout your ride. So if you are perfectly able to understand all the rules, you have not case if you are injured. In otherwords, you get seriously hurt = your screwed :-(
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#1-MF #2-Apollo's Chariot #3-S:RoS
-Why a car if i could have a coaster train on wheels??
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Rob
"Some people spend an entire LIFETIME wondering if they made a DIFFERENCE. The MARINES don't have that problem." -President Reagan 1985
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"I took the highway to the danger zone"
Ok, your getting wayyy too defensive. If I am told to turn around, or not ride backwards, I'll ride forwards! It's not the end of the world if I don't! But let me ask you, where is it written that a rider must remain seated facing forward? I know that in our Magnum speils that it said, "remain seated facing forward". Basically, if it is in the rules, I'll follow them. If it isn't, then who is to say I'm breaking a rule? BTW - What park do you work at Alf? I'm just curious, because maybe I have ridden backwards on one of your rides this year.. ya never know
Edit: You work at Rapids at SFGAm don't you?? Last I thought, that was NOT a coaster ;)
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Corey
"Have you ever tried backing out of a drive-through bank?" - George Carlin
*** This post was edited by rOLLocOASt on 10/30/2002. ***
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