New Jersey G-force limits now enforced

Sure, coaster enthusiasts will say the rides are safe. But the real opinion should be of the families who visit a park once a year. They are there for one day, and want to enjoy it as much as they can. They might be into thrills. So if they feel that the rides are safe, and feel they are not in any danger, i think that says a lot.

But if you dont ask those who ride the rides their opinion of them, then you basically have no evidence to prove that the coasters are dangerous. Focusing on one accident isn't going to prove anything. I say we take some of those scientists doing the study, get them on some coasters, let them take a few laps, and see how they react. Studying paperwork isn't going to solve anything, getting out there and experiencing the rides will give them hard evidence.

Also, what do we regulate next? Cars are more dangerous than coasters. Will Markey say everyone must drive slow? I really think he doesn't know all the facts. I think he hasn't ridden some of todays coasters to experience how the forces really are, and that they are there just for split seconds. All he knows, "Accidents." If an accident happens he knows about it. But all those millions of other rides, he could care less about because they aren't helping his cause in anyway. Its those millions of other rides on coasters that are most important because there are no accidents happening.

-----------------
Take a Virtual Ride:
http://badnitrus.coasterbuzz.com
Mike "Viper" Semtak

Here's my guess as to why they said it would be October.

From the article:

"It's not known how much harm high-speed roller coasters can cause. Last month, Allan Bergman, president of the Brain Injury Association of America, assembled a group of seven scientists to look at all the data available to determine who is at risk. The results of their study are expected to be completed in October -- the same time New Jersey's law takes effect."

Looks like the results of the Brain Injury Association of America will have their results in October. My guess is that depending on the results that they find, then the law will go into effect, or they can pull it (if the find nothing).

Something else that I noticed:

"To put that in perspective, the Batman and Robin ride at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson Township peaks at G-forces of 5. The Texas Tornado, at Six Flags in Houston, peaks at G-forces of 6.5. The ride is currently closed for repairs. "

Are these real stats? Do these coasters really pull that many G's? I was just wondering, or are they making these numbers up.

--Brian Plencner

-----------------
Brian A. Plencner
E-Mail: saurses@attbi.com

You want to know my take? I do not think the numbers are arbirtary at all. Mind you this is just another one of my "theories". My guess is that they specifically picked 5.6 and "over a second" because they determined that NO ride would do such a thing. That is to say that no current manfuactuer has made nor has plans to make any such ride as they are capable of making very thrilling rides far under that. So sure, have some bogus law that affects NOTHING but the public psyche. Everybody seems to win.

But I agree that it has the potential to turn into "foot in the door" legislation and can be modified elsewhere or at a different time. Without stating what the numbers are based on, people may want to argue with the limit at a later time.

-------------
"To get inside this head of mine, would take a monkey-wrench, and a lot of wine" Res How I Do

This really doesn't bother me, or should it bother anyone else. This law really doesn't do anything. Not even the big rides like Nitro pull these type of G's.

Also, lets hope NJ is the only state with this silly law. Hopefully our big park states like Ohio, California, and Florida don't get any of these dumb laws.

Of course, if this law were to take effect in the rest of the United States, it really wouldn't effect any Cedar Fair parks (at least Cedar Point I think) because I read somewhere that they don't build rides that go over 5 Gs.

-----------------
The ice age killed the dinosaurs, we killed ourselves.
*** This post was edited by CobraRoller on 8/20/2002. ***

I agee with most people here. It doesnt bother me.

Whaoo Skipper, I saw the Imagineer program last night, and yes, if this law were to go further than NJ, it sounds like it WOULD affect the new ride Disney is planning.

The point is, although the current NJ law doesn't affect much now, there is nothing to say it would not become more strict, or affect many more states. It's setting a precedent that could affect all states and rides.

After the various reports my mom has heard on TV and read about in the newspapers, she's started in on me as well. I told her if I have no ill effects at age 48 from riding coasters, something I've been doing for 32 years, then why would they affect me now??

-----------------
I'd rather die living than live like I'm dead

Texas Tornado does pull 6.5 G's because the loops are so round. This is only for a fraction of a tenth of a hundreth of a....well you get the idea. Nowhere near a second. If you as an enthusiast have ever ridden a high G force coaster, you'll feel how long the G forces last.

I think this may be a foot in the door legislation, that may impose a lower, federal G force regulation, yikes! Sadly, it is very hard to change the mind of the GP; if they think the sky is brown, it'll stay that way until a larger mass says it's blue (the media). Media has more power than anything else, and since it seems as though they have put more emphasis on coaster "casualties" since last year, the GP feels coasters are dangerous, or are getting "too extreme."
Maybe Coaster Enthusiasts should start our own media

-----------------
Is it a dream or a memory? It's both, it's X *** This post was edited by The SFMM Salvi on 8/20/2002. ***

The problem is that this law sets a precedent. No, the limits on this law aren't unreasonable, but what happens when some other state, or the feds, decide "Well, gee, NJ set a law, but we don't think they put the limit low enough"?

As for parents, heck, my mom just went to Cedar Point with some of her friends a few weeks ago, for the first time in years. She's not exactly concerned :) (Of course, she's a former ACE member when she was younger, so she's not exactly typical GP either)

-----------------
--Greg
"Now all I want is to find a way home, to warn Earth -- look upward, and share the wonders I see..."
My page *** This post was edited by GregLeg on 8/20/2002. ***

Wasn't the original law calling for a much lower G-force, like around 3?

-----------------
.:| Brandon Rodriguez |:.
http://www.coasters2k.com

What is going to heppen with Nitro? Are any other rides affected?

-----------------

The saddest thing about this law is that it doesn't even address where the real problem lies. As Rideman has said(I think), it is one's head banging into improperly designed restraints that cause these injuries. Restricting G-forces does nothing! Also, do law makers even realize that designers could make a ride that pulls 4 g that could easily kill you? Imagine being prone up-side down and pulling 4 gs at the bottom of the hill. The law wouldn't protect you from that.

The media is another huge problem. I can't even continue reading all of these articles that make the parks look like money machines trying to kill people to get their money.

"There's no question that what we're doing will help contain the problem," he said. "Whether it's enough remains to be seen."

SIGH. Just absolutely ridiculous.

Long live the Leviathan.

-----------------
"The perfect machine, you seemed to be, when I built you up in my mind..." - Reverend Jon Autry

The only good thing about this new regulation is that none of the coasters presently in jersey have to be adjusted.

-----------------
Six Flags Great Adventure - the mother of all coaster parks

How many g's do Titan and Goliath pull in the centrifuge? And how long do they sustain them?

A perfect capitalist sosciety is based on what people want. If somthing profits, that means there is more than enough people (even dareing risks) to pay for what it costs. If a government differs, it is a communist government - not allowing people to do as they please. I can't imagine a profit wanting bussiness forcing people to suffer 5.6 times there weight for more than an instant let alone a second. Besides, I'd like to see the NJ gov't inforce this law if they needed to.

My problem with this is that that precedent seems too high. Now I am fine in riding rides of these g-forces don't get me wrong in thinking I don't like high g's on rides (since that first sentence could be taken in a way I didn't mean). But it seems a lot higher than they were originally were aiming.

The wooring point is maybe they have said a high value of 5.4 to get the legislation in place. Why not pass a law to that value because it is not achieved by any value and fills the demand for seemingly endless legislation. Maybe there next intent is to then amend that value to a fgure which would nott have been passed so easily and therefore tighten the limits through the back door. Say in 2004 it is amended to 3g without attention brought to it. From a loose limit you now have a very tight limit with has got through via a back route to sneak in.

That is what worries me,how this could be amended!

-----------------
JawCoasters - Site for UK Coasters
www.jawcoasters.co.uk

The only coaster that is near 5.6g's is the Chiller it only pulls 5.0 g's though and probably only for a second. Nothing standing is not going to brake the law.

2Hostyl, that's exactly what I though when I saw theose numbers and duration. As long as they regulate it that high, where the manufacturers wouldn't dare go, and appease the legislators as well as public, then I say great.

If this is just something to start with, so that they can decrease the G's, then I'd be concerned...

-----------------
LocoBazooka--Sevendust, Nonpoint, Stereo Vent, Mushroomhead
Korn Tour (With no name)--Korn, Puddle of Mudd, Deadsy

what about jet pilots, they hit very high g's scence when did you last hear that thay had injuries. i think its the banging of the head. and also when i was at IOA this weekend i noticed alot of stuff going on behind dr.doom and also does any one know if there going to build anythingin the flatendarea across the street. AND there were medical trucks,firetrucks,and the police behind the hulk.witch thought was kinda weird, does any one know about anyting that went on?

Just a few specualations. Dosen't Arrow have designs for a seven hundred foot coaster/free fall? Wouldn't that most likely break the 5.6 G level? I can't think of any way it couldn't. Also, I think this law was most likely put into effect to avoid "lengthy" helixs that do eventualy cause serious blackouts, dangerous to the elderly and younger children. Anyways, It IS New Jersey! You can't even pump your own frickin gas there, so what do you expect?

-----------------
*** This post was edited by Tyler Smetts on 8/21/2002. ***