Need "Myths/Wives Tales" about your body on coasters!

[Dr. M]

Ok, easy one: People talk about "blacking out" on coasters, but is it actually possible to completely lose consciousness during the course of the ride and then be conscious again by the time you hit the brakes?

[piedude81]

A lot of people insist that they will fall out on the loop-de-loops. I guess you could show them that inversions are actually quite safe. Talk about various restraint systems, forces involved with keeping you in your seat, etc.

[jokey]

One that is always mentioned to me is that riding roller coasters too much will cause permanent back damage.

[KingRCT3]

I heard in a TV reportage that : "As coasters goes on and on, in a more or less near future, riders might have to wear astronaut suits in order to handle g-forces".

That doesn't seem fun nor does it seem practical from an economic and feasibility standpoint. Presurized air helmets like fighter pilots wear would be more practicle than astronaut launch suits. .

I know right, I was like "What the..? Why would parks/manufacturers would do that?". High forces are incomfortable way before being dangerous for the body.

 

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Also, a study said riding coasters is good for asthma.

[printersdevil78]

Virtually every time a roller coaster accident makes the news, some moron says, "I heard it got stuck upside down in the loop," and/or "I heard people were suing for brain damage because all the blood rushed to their head and stayed there because they were stuck upside down for so long."

 

It would be interesting, to me, for someone to bust that myth. Assuming there's not a brake that gets stuck shut, it would be impossible for the coaster to get stuck in the loop due to some combination of gravity and inertia, right? Or is there some fraction-of-an-inch section at the top of the loop where, if perfectly positioned at exactly the right rate of resistance, it wouldn't valley in one direction or the other?

 

The only other thing I can think of is, on Tilt-a-Whirls, some people swear having heavier people at the ends of the car will make it spin faster, while others say having the heaviest person in the middle will result in a faster spin. Which is true? Or is it both as long as the weight is unevenly distributed in some way?

 

EDITED to add: Now that I go back and read that, I guess both of those (except the "brain damage" part) are more about the body's effects on rides rather than rides' effects on the body. Sorry for not thinking that through all the way.

[MayTheGForceBeWithYou]

^Demon at Six Flags Great America was able to stall in one of its loops. It can happen, but it requires a great amount of equilibrium to where the weight will not carry the train one way or the other, making such instances a great rarity.

[hyyyper]

Virtually every time a roller coaster accident makes the news, some moron says, "I heard it got stuck upside down in the loop," and/or "I heard people were suing for brain damage because all the blood rushed to their head and stayed there because they were stuck upside down for so long."

 

It would be interesting, to me, for someone to bust that myth. Assuming there's not a brake that gets stuck shut, it would be impossible for the coaster to get stuck in the loop due to some combination of gravity and inertia, right? Or is there some fraction-of-an-inch section at the top of the loop where, if perfectly positioned at exactly the right rate of resistance, it wouldn't valley in one direction or the other?

 

The only other thing I can think of is, on Tilt-a-Whirls, some people swear having heavier people at the ends of the car will make it spin faster, while others say having the heaviest person in the middle will result in a faster spin. Which is true? Or is it both as long as the weight is unevenly distributed in some way?

 

EDITED to add: Now that I go back and read that, I guess both of those (except the "brain damage" part) are more about the body's effects on rides rather than rides' effects on the body. Sorry for not thinking that through all the way.

 

Another thing that could lead to a stall is if something on the wheel assembly breaks. If that happens, it could increase the friction dramatically or jam the train alltogether. It can basically happen anywhere, as I seem to recall Expedition Geforce stranding on top of an airtime hill. It could happen in a loop as well.

[AirtimeAddict17]

Ok, easy one: People talk about "blacking out" on coasters, but is it actually possible to completely lose consciousness during the course of the ride and then be conscious again by the time you hit the brakes?

 

^Totally agree with the "blacking out" idea!

[lilkingjr1]

Aww man this thread is neat! I really like how it actually sparks some interest in the science behind some myths of rides; good or bad.

 

EDIT: Shoot, I just realized you specifically wanted myths surrounding things rides physically do to you, not the rides themselves... I'm sorry. Well, here's a list of myths regardless... Sorry for the confusion.

 

I have a couple of myths that can be tested scientifically as well:

 

- On rainy days, will a coaster actually make it through the run faster than on a non-rainy day? (This is brought about by the assumption that either water provides better lubricant between the wheels and the track, or that MCBR's slow the car less efficiently due to water being on the breaks)

- Having "fluffy" riders (to be politically correct) on one side of an Intamin ZacSpin car, and light riders on the other side will actually make it spin more times throughout the ride.

- Reading the thread, I found someone bring up the topic of head-choppers. My question is, is there any ride that actually has the potential to chop off your head (if you were tall enough, within reason), or your hands for that matter. A study that would prove that there are actually rides out there that will hit you if putting your hands up would be pretty cool. Because, for example, I swear you can touch the second lift hill of Gold Rusher at SFMM if you wanted. Just never been brave enough to actually do it from fear of the damage (whatever it would be) to my arm.

- (Not a myth because I've seen it done, but would be cool for TV) The whole penny trick with any Intamin Reverse Freefall Coaster that we all know and love... A ride op said it wouldn't work so there's still suspicion around it apparently.

- (Honestly can't remember if this one is true or not) The Sky Tower at SFMM was shut down for years during a certain time after an earthquake in the area, "due to it being slightly tilted" on its axis with the ground.

- Now for a physics related one... On all coasters, if the link holding the two halves of a train were to magically come apart in the middle of the ride, would the whole train make it back to the station since all cars have the same momentum and follow the same track?

 

That's all I got, hope it helps out! Let us know if the show actually makes it to TV!

[djcoaster]

Hi !

 

An other myth to explore is the anti rollback system. There's lot of people that think the train could roll back if the chain broke.

An explanation with 3d views and maybe a real test/simulation could be funny and interesting.

 

Head and armchopper are a good idea too: think of Eurosat at EP. Catwalks at the different middle brakes are really really close. But that wouldn't be a good advertising for parks.

 

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[A.J.]

Ok, easy one: People talk about "blacking out" on coasters, but is it actually possible to completely lose consciousness during the course of the ride and then be conscious again by the time you hit the brakes?

I'm pretty sure that that happened to me in 2012, or at least something dangerously close.

[thrillrider]

I heard that riding too many coasters could cause brain damage.

[Rcp123190]

"Do rollercoasters make you wanna throw up" or "I hate that clicking noise going up before the first drop..what's the point for that besides to scare me" couple comments I heard people say in real life LOL

[A.J.]

"Do rollercoasters make you wanna throw up" or "I hate that clicking noise going up before the first drop..what's the point for that besides to scare me" couple comments I heard people say in real life LOL

Ehh - I wouldn't laugh about roller coasters that make you vomit. That's happened to me as well in 2011 because I A) took too many re-rides and B) did not keep my head facing forward throughout the entire ride. I was flat on my stomach with motion sickness for about an hour, and I had to be taken to first aid as well.

[kenshinmac]

Actually one thing that would be cool would be testing methods to defeat sickness from spinning rides. Possibly not just coasters but there are plenty of different kinds of spinning coasters too. I personally try to focus on a set point outside the ride most of the time.

 

Also I have heard so many people say that ride has so many loops it will make me sick. Yet I am sure that if you are prone to motion sickness you are more likely to have issues with airtime heavy rides and rides with lots of rapid direction changes.

[Rcp123190]

"Do rollercoasters make you wanna throw up" or "I hate that clicking noise going up before the first drop..what's the point for that besides to scare me" couple comments I heard people say in real life LOL

Ehh - I wouldn't laugh about roller coasters that make you vomit. That's happened to me as well in 2011 because I A) took too many re-rides and B) did not keep my head facing forward throughout the entire ride. I was flat on my stomach with motion sickness for about an hour, and I had to be taken to first aid as well.

 

 

That sucks that you had to experience that.... I don't know if you are proned to motion sickness.. But I was talking in general sense here.... I know certain people who are proned to motion sickness and certain rides do bother them or some people I know can't eat and ride any sort of rides.... I just want to see this myth come to light.... As for me some rides get me dizzy pretty quick... But come out of it real quickly and as for mr I'm fine after that... No after effects

[Six Flags Enthuseast]

"It's unsafe for a coaster to operate with more than one train." - Someone at Silverwood Theme Park (Is it safe to operate coasters with multiple trains?)

 

"You can fall out while on a looping coaster." - I forget where (Do you actually begin to fall out during a loop on a coaster?)

 

"Eating before riding a coaster will make you barf." - Basically everyone (Does that overpriced burger you just ate make you a sick mess waiting to happen?) This is a question I'm particularly interested in because I've heard that riding on a somewhat-full stomach makes you more force-tolerant and less likely to black out while riding.

 

If I think of anything else, I'll post!

[Goooose]

Here's a good psychological one:

 

Did riding roller coasters/hanging out in a theme park too much as a child/teenager make me develop Adult ADHD?

 

Does waiting an hour-tops for an adrenaline rush model behavior so that roller coaster "junkies" crave instant gratification/a pick me up and are less capable of committing to longer term goals, like an education or learning something? Have I, for example, grown impatient because of years of running around Six Flags? Similar question could be posed about video games or concerts for example.. anything that is instantly rewarding or amusing in modern society.

[Griffon StMichael]

I think this is more of a fact than a myth; but getting hit with a cellphone from someone's pocket can kill you. I've seen cell phones fly on roller coasters before, but have never heard of anyone getting it, or dying from it.

[ILoveRides]

"That coaster scared the shit out of me!"

[Someotherguyuser]

One myth I have heard is that riding too many coasters with strong Gs could cause brain damage eventually.

[TPDave]

I think the "how much damage will *blank* cause if it falls out your pocket in the ride?", if it were done "Mythbusters Style" you'd get a good PSA and some awesome shots of cell phones doing some damage at the same time!

 

The stuck in the loop one is cool too, might scare some people though...

[glouthan]

Do bumpy rides cause brain damage? Read an article about that once.

[valleyfairfanatic]

i heard being exposed to high g forces on a coaster for long periods of time can do damage to your brain

[ImAWalkingCorpse]

I had my cousin tell me that riding the bumpy wooden rollercoasters would damage my sperm count.