G preferences

[jducoeur]

I was reminded of this when responding to tpau's journal just now. One realization from this weekend is that tastes in roller coasters vary partly based on what sort of G forces you like.

tpau is very into negative G's -- the sort of thing where the coaster suddenly dips and goes into freefall, so you basically aren't attached to your seat for a bit, and are just being held in by the restraints. That turns out to set off my acrophobia very slightly -- not enough to wreck my enjoyment of the ride, but enough to temper it. This means that she really loves the Superman coaster at Six Flags, one of the most negative-G-centric coasters I know.

By contrast, I love positive-G spins -- the sort of thing where the G forces hold you steady in your seat as the ride loops, spins, and corkscrews. The sensation of sitting there as the world turns around me is just delightful. The result is that I prefer the Batman coaster, which is much more positive-G-centric, with lots of loops and screws.

Idle curiosity: what sorts of roller coaster do you prefer? Does the negative/positive dichotomy matter to you?

Comments

Interesting... I'd never thought of it that way....

[dmnsqrl.livejournal.com]

I had noted before that I like the kinds of rides where if you close your eyes you can feel the world move around....

And I did get taken to a six flags a few years ago and did VASTLY prefer the Batman ride over the Supeman one (The level of panic I felt while on the Superman ride was NOT FUN AT ALL)

I can live through a log flume ride but it's right on the edge between fun and panic...

Also interesting association between negative-g and acrophobia since I am prone to that as well....

(I discovered this winter that my acrophobia/vertigo can also be triggered if I try to look at something very tall from too acute an angle (ie, too close to its base) without something sturdy to brace myself against)

[metahacker.livejournal.com]

I *HATE* negative Gs when they aren't under my control. It's my major problem with most roller coasters -- which is why I don't go on most roller coasters. In a plane, I don't mind us banking or pulling a sharp turn, but dropping causes my stomach to flop. I'm better if I can hook my toes under something. In airplanes this usually means wedging myself in the seat.

This dates back to childhood -- I could never stand being held upside-down, even in play. Hanging upside down is much better, but still not my favorite activity.

Conversely, positive Gs -- especially in the toward-my-back direction rather than the toward-my-butt/feet direction -- are fun, and one of the reasons I bought my car...

[isisofcool.livejournal.com]

An interesting way to think about it, especially as I am not particularly fond of roller coasters at all. I do tend to enjoy the spinny rides (Tilt-a-Whirl, Tea Cups, etc), however, which would make me think that the positive-G rides are my preference. In fact, the more I think about, those few roller coasters which I do ride tend to keep me in my seat pretty firmly.

I won't even discuss any roller coaster where you are just dangling in mid-air.

[lakshmi-amman.livejournal.com]

Ditto. I found I liked swoopy Disney coasters - Space Mountain, Big Thunder Mountain Railroad - because I didn't have a sensation of being high, and it was all twists and turns - no moments of dropping OR being upside down - niether one is something I can describe as "delightful". :)

I vote for both!

[ladyariadne.livejournal.com]

I like both. Rollar coasters are my favorite ride almost.

[goldsquare.livejournal.com]

I like them all. (You may recall, from years ago, how I skunked Judy when we all went to Canobie Lake.) You see, I don't seem to get vertigo.

[galaneia.livejournal.com]

I think I prefer positive G's. I've never really thought about it though. I really like those giant centrifuges. I love the Matterhorn at canobie lake. The roller coaster I had the most fun on was a suspended coaster that had a lot of twists, some drops and inclines, but never went upside-down. (the idea of going upside-down kind of scares me)

I like the occasional neg-G drop, but not lots of them. F'r'instance I hated the initial drop on Superman (it's especially bad if you're in the first couple of cars), but the rest of it wasn't as bad. I really hate the pirate ship style ride.

I prefer rides that have a shoulder harness, I feel a bit more secure in those.

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

I don't think I've ever thought about them this way. I'll ride drop style things for the thrill/panic, but I don't really like them. I suppose it's like drinking an alcoholic drink you don't enjoy, just for the buzz.

I prefer positive-G things, or mixed. But my favorite sort of ride is like the giant swings at a carnival -- makes me feel like I'm flying in a dream. I wish I'd had the time to try the imitation-hangglider ride at the midway this past weekend, but everyone was tired.

[doubleplus.livejournal.com]

Interesting. Negative G tickles my vestigial acrophobia just enough to make it more fun for me. I enjoy the ship that hangs you upside down, for example. I really like both positive and negative G, and I love linear acceleration; about the only thing I don't like are ones that really slam you around from side to side a lot, and I haven't enountered many where that's a problem. (The only one that sticks in my memory for that was a steel coaster at Busch Gardens in Williamsburg that had a lot of corkscrews, but I don't remember the name of it.)

[dreda.livejournal.com]

Hmm...does positive-G necessarily mean "spinny?" Because I cannot do spinny, just cannot, but I am intrigued by the idea of being pinned down by G-forces.

That said, I love the droppy rides. Superman sounds fantabulous. I just don't do backwards very well - I need to see where I'm going or my back and neck tense up and I get hurt.

[jducoeur]

does positive-G necessarily mean "spinny?"

No, they're fairly separate. Indeed, when I say "spin" in the context of a roller coaster, I mostly mean those places where the track goes into a loop that is parallel to the ground (as opposed to what I think of as "loops", which are more perpendicular to the ground). They're one of several major positive-G forms in a typical steel coaster.

The only really "spinny" coaster I've ever been on was Pandemonium this past weekend, actually, which is a sort of coaster/teacups hybrid. I loved it, but anyone who doesn't do teacups will *hate* this ride.

I love the droppy rides. Superman sounds fantabulous.

If you love drops, you'll adore Superman -- it's the purest drop-oriented coaster I've been on. I remember the first time I took it. There's a sign just before you get on, which says something like, "Maximum coaster height: 208 feet. Initial drop: 220 feet." I foolishly assumed that was a typo...

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

Did you ever go to Paramount/Great America when you were in the Bay Area? Don't go on the Top Gun ride, you won't like it! Very droppy.

Do you have strong opinions about rides where you stand up, or where your feet hang free, as opposed to the usual strapped-in-a-chair in a train sort?

[jducoeur]

No, I haven't been to any amusement parks out that way. (Save Disney *many* years ago.) My situation is mild enough that the Top Gun likely wouldn't squick me, but I probably wouldn't seek it out first.

Do you have strong opinions about rides where you stand up, or where your feet hang free, as opposed to the usual strapped-in-a-chair in a train sort?

I'm not thinking of many stand-up rides -- the only instances I can think of are pure positive-G rides like the Rotor, which I rather like. Feet hanging free bothers me on principle, but one of the lessons from this time is that it doesn't bother me as much as I think it does -- the Batman ride is feet-hanging, and I loved it. That's part of what set me thinking about the G's as the more important distinguisher...

the image it brought to mind for me....

[dmnsqrl.livejournal.com]

My favorite ride at Funtown has these cars that go around this horizontal circular track which nevertheless has two convex bits to it and two concave bits to it (so the cars are going up and down and up and down)

It gets going pretty fast and has loud fast music and funky light effects.

Halfway through the ride it slows down relatively swiftly and then reverses direction.

I discovered that while it was not like being in a tea cup ride (which does spin a bit fast for my taste) if I closed my eyes, I felt I was in something that was slowly spinning around me while I was being held down by the G's.

I don't know how clear that description is...

[mindways]

For roller coasters in particular, I love negative Gs, enjoy mild to moderate positive Gs, am so-so on heavy positive Gs (straight loops), and severely dislike anything that slams my head back and forth or makes me feel like my neck is going to snap off (most corkscrews, though there have been a few exceptions).

For things where I'm driving / in control rather than simply a passenger, my enjoyment shifts towards positive Gs.

[hakamadare.livejournal.com]

i don’t like negative Gs because even the possibility of red-out (which starts to hit at around -2G, if i recall correctly) frightens me far more than any enjoyment i’d receive from it. positive Gs, on the other hand, rock.

i also lament that so many people seem to have have unfortunate experience with corkscrews that snap people’s heads from side to side; a well-engineered corkscrew shouldn’t throw you from side to side. it should be like banking in a plane - you feel a centripetal acceleration.

-steve

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

I'm with you. I used to phrase it as "I *hate* free fall". Conversely, my favorite ride by far is the Tilt-a-Whirl, which is all about positive Gs.

[cvirtue.livejournal.com]

I think I'd *love* free fall. If I were in orbit, that is.

[alexx-kay.livejournal.com]

I might be able to adjust to it over time, but in small doses, I've never liked it.

[laurion]

I am a G positive individual. Even ferris wheels can be tricky for me, because once you go over the top, there's a lot less to remind you that you're held securely. I'll do teacups any time though, and speed doesn't bother me in the least. Waterparks prove to be some of my favorite 'ride' experiences.

[ladysprite.livejournal.com]

I love, love, love negative G's - it's the closest I'll ever get to being utterly weightless. The longer the drop, and the more dramatic, the better.

Positive G's are ok in moderate amounts - I like rollercoasters of any sort, but the giant centrifuge rides just give me nasty headaches from all the pressure.

[jducoeur]

Yep, whereas the centrifuge is one of my oldest favorites. I wonder if there are subtle physical reasons for the different preferences, some reason why the positive G's don't affect me as badly as they do you? Wouldn't astonish me...

[learnedax.livejournal.com]

Huh, I'm surprised that so many responders haven't considered that angle before - but then, my parents saw everything through physics-tinted lenses.

The amusement parks are pretty thoroughly designed around providing for both preferences. The pure vertical yoyo rides, for instance, frequently have two towers: one where the big initial burst is negative, and one positive. Until relatively recently, it's been quite hard to do pure one or the other in a classic-mode rollercoaster. To get speed you had to have a large initial plunge, and to use the momentum efficiently you had to alternate ups and downs. I still don't know of any all or almost all-negative G rides, although there are some tricks with the modern metal-pretzel design push things more in that direction. However, the advent of rail guns for the initial speed boost allows for rides like the Aerosmith one at the Magic Kingdom; it's a pretty much traditional rollercoaster, but IIRC 98% positive G.

Personally, I get the requisite physical thrill from either kind, with maybe a mild preference for positive. The far more important thing to me is how those Gs are used, though. I find the yoyo rides heart-pounding but tedious (odd as that reads) in either direction, but something like Space Mountain very enjoyable in spite of few extreme Gs.

In the past I've probably liked all-positive rides better, mainly because they had to be quite clever about getting Gs without an initial drop.

Which is not to say I didn't like Superman and Hulk...

[jducoeur]

Unsurprisingly, the Aerosmith coaster is one of my all-time favorites. (Too short, but otherwise great...)