Premier lap restraint belts vs. GCI belts

I just rode JJ for the first time with lap bars for the first time this weekend. I really liked the ride a lot more now. My post is about the lap bars and the seat belt used. (If you haven't been on one of these with the new lap bars, the seat belt (just one belt) is on the outside side of the seat and attaches to the actual lap bar, not another belt). This is just as effective as the regular seat belts that go over your waist like on the GCI and other wooden coasters, but is much better. On the wooden coasters, most people just sit down on the belt, then have to get up, look for both belts, hold them to the side, sit down again, and then fasten it. This is sometimes done after most of the restraints are checked, and then they all have to be checked again, increasing the already slow load time. These Premier seat belts are much much better. They are easier to use (you can sit down without having to fish for the belt first), they are just as effective, and speed up loading time compared to the other belts. Why don't the wooden coaster builders use these?

Zimm
------
www.themeparkbrochures.com - Theme Park Brochures and Maps

Not sure that I would agree that it's necessarily better. The belt on JJ and other Premier spaghetti bowls is basically a backup system to make sure that the lap bar doesn't come up. It's a backup system to the main one.

On the woodies I would argue that the seatbelt is the primary restraint system, with the lap bar being the backup and a place to hold on. If you need convincing on that, go to a coaster enthusiast even (like PPP or SRM) and watch how many people are riding with only 1 or 2 clicks on their bars. Those seatbelts are the only things holding them in.

-------------
Sometimes it's up. Sometimes it's down.
But with God, life is one thrill ride that you'll never regret being on.

Alot of trains add the belts later, so they weren't in the orignal design, but this is a new design as well so they probably thought about ways to speed up the load times. You think it would point out to people how useless it is to have both a lap bar and a seatbelt. I mean c'mon, GCI's newer trains have individual ratcheting lap bars with the waist extender (so you don't pull them down as far) and a seat belt, so that's two things you have to worry about the ride ops tightening too much. And are those belts on certain new Vekoma inverts really supposed to hold the OTSR's in place in case of failure? It's glaringly obvious, even to the GP they were tacked on later (at SFMMs Deja Vu anyways)

Having said that, I remember meeting to fellow ACErs at SFMW one day who told me about an old Arrow launched loop in China, that almost valleyed on the return trip if it wasnt for workers grabbing the train as it came into the station after a violently rough loop. They said their first clue to something was wrong was when one of their OTSRs was held in place by a bungee cord (the trash can 2-hook variety) attached to the sides of the car, as the locking mechanism no longer worked. (Uhh, did I say I wanted the front?)

-djansi

-----------------
"Eject Goose, Eject!"

I'd have to disagree about the level of confusion the Premier belts offer, as they seem equally confusing to me. I've seen numerous people on FOF and Mr. Freeze that had no idea what the belt was for or where it attached.

I also am under the impression that the belts on the Premier coasters aren't a back-up as much as a "go" - "no go" indicator for the ops. If the belt can latch, you're safe to ride. If not, you must "sit this one out." I'm pretty sure that an op from one of the Premier rides posted this on one of the boards a while back.

-----------------
"drop rides, not bombs."

*** This post was edited by chris on 6/11/2002. ***

I've heard (I read it on the internet, it must be true) that the belts on the Premier retrofits aren't supposed to be load bearing, but are there to make sure the lap bar is far enough down, much like the red line on B&M Hypers.

Edit: Oops. Should have read all of the posts before responding. :P
-------------
AC?, RB?, MF?, DD?, PR? Who can keep track of it all?

*** This post was edited by ApolloAndy on 6/11/2002. ***

What red line on B&M hypers?

-----------------
"ok everyone go ahead and pull down on your shoulder restraint so you feel nice and stuck!"

baddboy, on all the B&M hypers (well, I should say Nitro and Bull, I didn't know about them when we rode AC)...there is a red line painted on thebase of the latching mechanism (look down on the floor as you pull back on the restraint, and it comes into view after a click or two). It basically lets the op check visually to make sure the restraint is down far *enough*.....