Althouse: A walkable roller coaster.

December 29, 2011

A walkable roller coaster.

Here.

And here's a bike-able roller coaster.

11 comments:

Dose of Sanity said...: I remember calculating the necessary force to keep from falling in a loop, and deciding never to ride another coaster right then.

This is a very inventive walkway, but it is hardly a roller coaster.

I wish there was some context - is it in a theme park? Across some water? Do you have to pay to use it?; 12/29/11, 8:51 AM
Steven said...: I was amused by the following line at the linked article: "They also seem to be a waste of energy, pulling those cars up a fake metal hill just to have them fly down the other side, what's the point?"

Yes, heaven forbid people use energy to do something just because it's fun. Guess we should disapprove of all those ipods out there. They seem like a waste of energy, charging all those devices just so people can listen to music. What's the point?; 12/29/11, 8:59 AM
Scott M said...: So the sculpture subtly and ironically plays with the dialectic of promise and disappointment, mobility and standstill.

Did he really need to use "dialectic" there?

The picture of the peddle-powered "coaster" in Japan made the liability hackles stand up. I think it would be a blast, but I can't imagine that being open to the public here. Not when you can just lean over and fall out.; 12/29/11, 9:03 AM
Dose of Sanity said...: @ Scott

I had the same thought! Good thing there is statutory immunity [at least in wisconsin] for those types of things. (or bad, depending on who you are)

They look no more open than the skylifts in Milwaukee at Summerfest and the Zoo.; 12/29/11, 9:08 AM
edutcher said...: Couple of guys I used to work with would love that.; 12/29/11, 10:15 AM
William said...: Combines the labors and joys of cycling hilly terrain with the long lines and expenses of an amusement park.; 12/29/11, 10:50 AM
Anonymous said...: Why in the name of Gaia would someone write an article about that thing without bothering to explain how they do the loop?; 12/29/11, 11:00 AM
Meade said...: The loop is for show only.; 12/29/11, 1:12 PM
Peter said...: "I remember calculating the necessary force to keep from falling in a loop, and deciding never to ride another coaster right then"

If you look closely at one of these coasters, you'll see that there are wheels both above and below the track. And often on the sides as well.

Which is why they make you wear that harness- you might be left hanging upside-down for awhile, but neither you nor the coaster you're in is going to fall.

Nonetheless, that pedal-powered roller coaster in Japan does make one ask: how does liability law work in Japan?

Because, I'd think the first rule of roller-coaster design would be, "Don't ever give the passenger any control over the vehicle!"; 12/29/11, 1:37 PM
Peter said...: Perhaps ski areas could have bargain days when they'd turn off all the lifts!; 12/29/11, 1:52 PM
Scott M said...: Speaking of liability, I saw an article today in which a town is not allowing non-residents to sled on its hills and all children must wear a helmet.

Craziness.; 12/29/11, 1:58 PM