Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

July 4, 2008 10:43 PM

Don't want to hassle with going to an amusement park? Build your own rollercoaster!
posted by Fuzzy Skinner (30 comments total)

This guy read Fitzgerald's The Great Brain series once too many times.
posted by jayCampbell at 11:21 PM on July 4, 2008

Blue Flash isn’t some run-of-the-mill roller coaster either, it’s perfectly safe
According to who -- a blogger?
posted by crapmatic at 11:40 PM on July 4, 2008

That looks like fun, but I would demand a helmet just to be safe.
posted by Fizz at 11:44 PM on July 4, 2008

This guy couldn't be more of a hero if he made that thing out of bacon.

Want.
posted by rokusan at 11:46 PM on July 4, 2008

*Obligatory and predictable comment*

You know who else had an amusement park in their backyard...
posted by Tube at 11:59 PM on July 4, 2008

"Easily the scariest amusement ride I've ever seen!" — area lawyer
posted by ryanrs at 12:00 AM on July 5, 2008

I think I would have named it something like the Liability Nightmare or maybe Insurance Mutilator. Kidding aside, I do wonder about the legal requirements to build a contraption like this.
posted by Pyry at 12:01 AM on July 5, 2008

Meet John Ivers' attorney.
posted by not_on_display at 12:03 AM on July 5, 2008

That loop looks like it's liable to cause whiplash injuries. Still, nice effort though.
posted by peppito at 12:15 AM on July 5, 2008

Winner 2008 Most Attractive Nuisance
posted by ryanrs at 12:15 AM on July 5, 2008 [3 favorites]

>Kidding aside, I do wonder about the legal requirements to build a contraption like this.

As long as he doesn't hold it open to the public, he's probably allowed to build it and use it without much legal trouble, though there might be some zoning or other construction ordinance that applies. It's not a public nuisance (like a factory that makes the air all smoggy, etc)

If it's not open to the public, but one of his friends is hurt on it, he could be liable if the state doesn't say that someone who rides it assumes the risk of doing so (which I would think is perfectly reasonable to say). Even if they do assume the risk, he's likely to still be required to keep the thing in proper maintenance (though he might not be responsible for a design defect if he is not a professional/expert). Still, state laws vary and it's kind of tough to figure out what constitutes "reasonable care," since we can't use common experience as a guideline... you'd have to extrapolate from what is required of professionals and work from there.

I'm not a lawyer, but I am a law student. I'm too tired for a full IRAC, but there's a couple of quick thoughts on it.
posted by Grimp0teuthis at 12:20 AM on July 5, 2008

This one is a really old double. These photos get recycled on dozens of blogs looking to make a bit of advertising change by recycling old photos. Let's not reward this particular blog with another uncredited, uncited grab of old material.
posted by Burhanistan at 12:27 AM on July 5, 2008

Also, StumbleUpon is full of redundant spammy crap nowadays...
posted by Burhanistan at 12:29 AM on July 5, 2008

"This one is a really old double."

So?

It's still entertaining. I thought it looked vaguely familiar, but it was like six years ago. I think there should be a point where if enough time has passed, if it gets linked again in the Blue it's no big deal. A lot of people have joined and left MeFi since 2002.

I liked seeing this again. So, thanks Fuzzy Skinner.
posted by ZachsMind at 1:33 AM on July 5, 2008

The last girl in the video got whipped around like a fucking rag doll. I guess what I'm saying here is, "Count me in."
posted by Mikey-San at 1:46 AM on July 5, 2008

Tacky. Lame and tacky. Dangerous, lame and tacky. Double, dangerous, lame and tacky. And tacky.
posted by tellurian at 5:02 AM on July 5, 2008

Some of you people are no fun at all. I'd drop fifteen pounds just to get under the 200lb max. requirement so I can ride this thing. (What the hell - I need to lose weight anyway...)
posted by spoobnooble at 5:24 AM on July 5, 2008

I think it's awesome that someone built their own steel coaster. However, it makes me wonder how much more effort, and what sort of effort, would be needed to make it ride smooth. I like smooth coasters, not bumpy/jerky ones. I've enjoyed smooth rides in both wood and steel.

Having been on lots of coasters, I can give kudos to this guy for building a real loop, instead of one of the fake loops so many inferior coasters are offering these days.
posted by Goofyy at 6:23 AM on July 5, 2008

Good for him for persevering and making a full 360 degree loop, opposed to just half assing it and going with a more dangerous 180 degree one.
posted by Keith Talent at 6:34 AM on July 5, 2008 [1 favorite]

Goofyy:: what is a fake loop?
posted by Tbola at 6:42 AM on July 5, 2008

The fake loop involves a dismount and a somersault.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 7:29 AM on July 5, 2008

Oh, well. As long as it's safe, then.
posted by seanmpuckett at 8:05 AM on July 5, 2008

Let's not reward this particular blog with another uncredited, uncited grab of old material.

Considering none of the links in the original post work anymore I think it's fine. Should no one ever republish photos if the original site with the photos goes away?
posted by Mr.Encyclopedia at 8:21 AM on July 5, 2008

I haven't been under 200 since 1985. Drat. Guess I'll have to make my own Obe-coaster.
posted by maxwelton at 8:31 AM on July 5, 2008

I'd need to drop a few to get under the 200 lb. limit myself. Maybe we can plan a rollercoaster meetup in a year to give us weight loss incentive. Oh wait. No matter what I weigh, there's no way I'm getting on that thing.

Note about the old double: I figured there was no way this hadn't shown up on MeFi before, but I must not have dug deep enough to find it. The double is old enough to make me wonder how the thing is holding up.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 10:08 AM on July 5, 2008

That's gonna be one FUN death by amusement.
posted by doctorschlock at 10:34 AM on July 5, 2008

While he's pretty sure everything will work out, the big question is: Will he be able to generate enough speed to complete the 360 degree loop?

I can maybe forgive the guy for not doing the math, but he couldn't spend a few extra days and a few extra bucks on some sand bags to run it through a few tests? Better yet: Borrow Buster and buy a few of those G-force stickies. But, hey, at least he was "pretty sure" before testing it on himself, his friends, extended family and daughters.
posted by Skwirl at 12:17 PM on July 5, 2008

I think the whole "first ride" statement was a media creation. It's surely one of the very few instances where reporters (or "reporters") didn't accurately portray what was being presented.
posted by Fuzzy Skinner at 1:35 PM on July 5, 2008

Perhaps the gentler Blue Two is 200+ friendly.
posted by dgbellak at 11:27 PM on July 5, 2008

Goofyy:: what is a fake loop?

I think he's referring to the teardrop-shaped clothoid loop, which is what most "loop" inversions are these days, as opposed to an actual circular loop, which you only see on older rides designed by Anton Schwarzlopf. Examples include Revolution at Magic Mountain and Sooperdooperlooper (what is it with ill-used double Os? Oh, I get it, they're lOOps) at Hersheypark.

However, starting in the late 1970s, designers like those at Arrow Dynamics turned to the clothoid loop, as the teardrop shape helps reduce the g-forces you feel when entering and exiting the inversion. It's a bit safer than the circular loop. I'm not sure why Goofyy feels the clothoid loop is inferior to the circular loop, unless he enjoys the feeling of risking whiplash with every ride (I said "feeling" here because while I'll grant that the ride sensation is different, you're not really courting whiplash on it.) Then again, everybody on the Internet has their own personal sore spot.
posted by Spatch at 5:50 AM on July 6, 2008