Mitch's Wooden coaster poll

To settle all the questions about the poll, we should use BCS computer system!! :-)

Mitch's poll run through the BCS system:

1. Tonnerre de Zeus (previously #1, despite getting blown out recently)

2. Tremors (deserving after consistently strong performance)

3. Balder (hurt by strength of schedule/lack of competition)

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ApolloAndy said:
Why is this not the case? Balder runs great stock on a great new rail technology and looks like it has air up the wazoo.

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What are we saying here? Most people would classify that as a fart...

-CO

For complaints about sample size, consider the following....
At 20 riders, #1 Balder was ridden by 7.5% of poll takers (265)

#2 Tremors = 17.4%
#3 Shivering Timbers = 40.8%
#4 BoulderDash = 41.1%
#5 Raven = 52.8%

The questionable Aska was only ridden by 3 people (1.1%), thus its "#" on Mitch's sheet.

BTW, the highest percentage was Mean Streak, at 75.5%

Edit: The average rider percentage was 26.0%

Later,
EV *** Edited 12/8/2003 6:09:06 PM UTC by EchoVictor***

So that I may avoid breaking my brain, is there a way that the ranking and rider percentage data could be plotted in a graphical, yet meaningful way?

Aaaahhh... there it goes... I broke my brain anyway.

Olsor,

Chart created. E-mail me and I'll send it to you.

Later,
EV

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CoastaPlaya said:
What are we saying here? Most people would classify that as a fart...

-CO

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Ok , I seriously Laughed out loud on that one.

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Ok , that freakin' Mcafee Banner just spoke to me. This is getting creepy.

A little more on rider vs. poll-taker percentages....

USA average = 31.3%
International AVG = 11.5%

Highest US state AVG

Virginia = 49.1% (because of ACE?)
Ohio = 47.1%
Kentucky = 44.8%

Highest Int'l country AVG

Canada = 23.9%
Netherlands/Belgium (tie) 18.9%
United Kingdom = 18.1%

Lowest US state AVG

New Mexico = 7.2%

Lowest Intl' AVG

Japan = 1.3%

Hope this sheds some interesting light on the discussion...

(note: all calculations based on rider # vs. poll # taken dierctly from Mitch's poll)

Later,
EV

It was nice to see Iowa have 3 coasters listed, and people think all we have is corn, lol.

No, you also have one of the best operated parks in the country. My visit to Adventureland last summer has guaranteed I will make the five hour trip yearly to visit. Adventureland rules.

-Nate

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EchoVictor said:
For complaints about sample size, consider the following....
At 20 riders, #1 Balder was ridden by 7.5% of poll takers (265)

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Considering that Balder is in Sweden (where very few non-European enthusiasts seem to tread), I think that 7.5% isn't too bad. Consider this: it had more riders than the New Mexico Rattler. Considering that 7.5% figure, I think that enough of the respondents have ridden Balder for its #1 status to be justified. *** Edited 12/9/2003 5:08:12 PM UTC by Rob Ascough***

Like it or not, The poll is very fair.

Sure some new coasters rank high initially but it's not like every other coaster poll where the most visited parks coasters rank high no matter what.

== Charles.

I'd much rather see new coasters swapping in and out of #1 (though the rest of the top 10 seems to be pretty consistent) than see the exact same coaster dominate year after year after year (when most would agree it's long overdue).

I've always admired the poll for its thoroughness but I've always thought there has got to be an easier way to do it. The poll just seems too complex. If the poll is supposed to be based on head to head comparisons, why not do actual head to head comparisons.

Just as a thought- how about a poll using brackets like the ncaa basketball tournament (not the stupid bcs). Espn.com does this for all sorts of things. People would vote on which of the two they prefer. Winning coaster to advance so on and so on until you have the number one. I don't know if its more accurate but it could lead to some very interesting debates.

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mutly23 said:
why not do actual head to head comparisons.

Just as a thought- how about a poll using brackets like the ncaa basketball tournament (not the stupid bcs). Espn.com does this for all sorts of things. People would vote on which of the two they prefer. Winning coaster to advance so on and so on until you have the number one. I don't know if its more accurate but it could lead to some very interesting debates.

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Mitch does use head to head comparisons. Every coaster "plays" every other coaster. Which ever coaster comes out with the most wins is the winner.

A bracket type tournament, while somewhat fun (somewhat) is totally inaccurate. Not only does it reintroduce the popularity contest, but it also requires some kind of draw which no one would ever agree on.

If I had been one of those who had ridden both ST and Balder and balder finished below ST in my poll then it would have counted as a loss. As it is I have only ridden ST and Boulderdash.

Based on my rides on both those coasters, ST wins in a landslide on quality of ride. BD isn't a bad coaster but based on my rides only It wasn't even close

Chuck, who will make a special note and say his rides on BD were in the same week as the Zoomerang stick and the grounds crewman killed.

I'm glad to see Rampage ranked at #8. It's truly deserving of a top 10 spot.

According to the spreadsheet only 2 people rode both Balder and Tremors, and the vote was tied 1 to 1.

Only 4 people rode Balder and ST, and it won that head to head by only 2 votes.

So basically you have a number one coaster decided by fewer than 5 people.

As I said before this is much too small of a sample to be of any significance.

It's a fun poll, but don't take it too seriously.

Jeff, I don't take it seriously LOL

However seeing how coasters I haven't ridden rate is a factor in the coasters I seek out so I can compare for myself.

Also a factor is one visit is often not enough to get a true view of how good a coaster really is.

My first rides on ST were good at best, Then I did Timbersfest, WOW!

Chuck, who is sure Balder is a good coaster and has it on his most wanted list!

Since it's clear that the number of voters is important to accurate results, make sure you vote in the steel poll before Monday. Mitch has the new "clickable interface" available for the poll, which should ease the workload for new voters. Vote at the same address: www.geocities.com/wcoasterpoll

-Nate (who sent in his steel poll ballot two weeks ago)