Looking Backwards on coasters

At SFDL about in mid august, I was getting bored with Superman's drop. Even Millennium Force's drop as big as it is and as much as it gives the sensation of flying, that 'lose your stomach' feeling I love more than anything in the world wasn't there anymore. I tried different techniques, shutting my eyes, looking straight out instead of down, holding on, arms up, arms out, even arms behind my head. Some worked sort of, some didn't.

I was in the back seat of Superman and I said what the heck, the only thing I hadn't tried was going backwards. Why not? I looked backwards starting at 3/4 up the lift. As we went over the hill I was in COMPLETE HEAVEN. I saw the train go down the hill and I saw it all backwards. The feeling was insane. From no feeling at all to a complete freefall sensation I was amazed.

I like the back seat because you are thrown over the hill and if you look backwards the people behind you don't look at you funny.

Looking backwards for the entire ride is sorta uncomfortable so after the first hill I stopped. Boy was it good though, haven't had that good of a Superman ride since 1999 when the first drop scared the heck outta me. I tried it again a few days ago and it was just as good.

I just can't wait to try it on the Force. That'll be a rush!

Anyone else have any riding techniques?

Ride of Steel said,

"if you look backwards the people behind you don't look at you funny."

Can't imagine peoples thoughts of someone looking straight at them from infront.

Sounds like a good idea but It doesn't working on looping coasters b/c you can't turn your head around with those head wrests, and it would be extremely uncomfortable with all the headbanging like on Mantis. But for nonlooping coasters it would work.

Yeah it would be quite the rush on MF that first drop. And also TTD. *** Edited 10/15/2004 1:12:03 AM UTC by GIGAFORCE01***

Carefull, you can really hurt your neck doing that. I agree it's fun, but it's not fun when you can't move for 24 hours and you are just in pain. Unfortunately I learned that the hard way, and it doesn't take much to tweak your neck, much less than I thought it'd take anyways.

I used to do the turn around thing on Magnum back in '91-'92. I had two different ways...

One was pretty much what you said... Turning around to see it backward.

The other was too keep a little space on my lapbar when loading, then just lean back as far as I could as we went over the top. Couldn't really see much, but when you go up the 2nd hill, you end up seeing the lift hill upside down. I didnt' do it for the whole ride, cause it would probably hurt alot! It was pretty fun, but probably a bit risky. GK is right, it can be surprisingly easy to tweak your neck or back in.

Wow Ride of Steel, and I thought I was the only one...when alone in the back seat of Superman at SFA, I have done that a few times as well. I find if you put your arm on the seat next to you and look over your shoulder (like you do when you're backing up in a car), it seems to work very well.

I'll agree with you though, it's a GREAT rush. You can never really tell where the top of the lift is, but all of a sudden the train starts speeding up as the first car crests the fill and without warning you suddenly find yourself freefalling. It's a completly different experience than going forward. After the first hill, the feeling looses it's uniqueness (at least for me on Superman @SFA), but if you're looking to zest up an already great first drop, that's a great way to do it...

A certain Very Famous Coaster Enthusiast was looking over his shoulder while riding a Very Famous Wood Coaster, and managed to break a couple of ribs...

...on the first day of a 2-week 12-park marathon trip. In fact, this is one of the ways that a certain name turned into a verb in certain circles.

Just be careful. I won't tell you not to do it. I will tell you to BE CAREFUL!.

--Dave Althoff, Jr.

Yes rideman. I haven't tried it on any other coasters than superman. Why? Magnum is rough at the bottom of the first drop. I could hurt myself somehow. But with MF and Superman the drop is smooth and so well designed that the bottom of the hill doesn't hurt.

At least I know now not to try it on a woodie.

RIDEMAN: what was that link addy? i;m at work and keep getting access denied msgs...
thanks...

I did it once on Mamba and thought it was cool at the time, but boy did I have a stiff neck the next day. Don't do it if you haven't tried it already.

However I still see no excuse for having some of the cars turned backwards on a hyper. (ala ThuNderaTion style). I know that it would bring the people in (marketing stunt!!!).

-D

I used to do that in the back seat of Gemini when I was kid. The 'lose your stomach' feeling was so crazy it made me grit my teeth but i loved it. Never got a chance to try it on any of the monster coasters they've built since then.

I like looking staight ahead, so on the drop it somewhat reminds me of a drop tower, which works for me...

I've done this on Magnum while sitting in the back seat. I didn't do it for the first part of the ride though (not sure how comfortable that would be) but it is a pretty fun experience to look behind you on the return bunny hills.

That is one of the first "coaster tricks" I learned. Hands up/ look back over the first hill can spice up a familiar coaster for sure.

I've seen Zingo! do that...on a coaster, too ;)