For the adrenaline junkies, roller coaster rides provide a sure fire way of getting their dose in a safe & secure environment. More & more parks these days are coming up with heart stopping rides to test the allegiance of the faithfuls. Here is a list of a few testing rides from around the globe:
6/ Colossus
A great ride in the Thorpe Park in Surrey, England, Colossus is an experience in itself. The ride holds the record of most inversions with a grand total of 10. Some call the experience exhilarating, while others deem it rough to the extent of being painful, either way, the ride makes the ‘scariest rides’ list.
5/ Dodonpa
Located in Fuji-Q Highland, Fujiyoshida, Japan, the ride held the record of world’s fastest from 2001 to 03. The .75 mile long circuit of this ride has heart stopping vertical drops and steep bends. At a speed of 171km/h, the passengers experience a force of 4G giving a feeling of being fired from a rocket.
4/ Tower of Terror
Dreamworld, on the Gold Coast in Australia, is home of many thrilling rides but the Tower of Terror can make the pro riders sweat while still waiting in line for their turn. The 100 mph zero-gravity drop will definitely sort the men from the boys & hats-off to the ladies game enough to get a seat.
3/ Big Shot!
While the rollercoaster atop the Stratosphere can be deemed ‘tame’ in comparison to Insanity, the Big Shot comes close to challenging it for its insane value. Astronauts travel at 45mph at blast off, which is slow in comparison because this ride throws you up with enough force to give you a weightless 4Gs for take off.
Set atop the Stratosphere as well, the Big Shot is literally that, it throws you up 170 ft to a height of 10.49 ft over Vegas. The bungee mechanism, only the complete opposite, means you come down and bounce about a bit before the ride ceases making you wonder if the over the shoulder harness that holds you to the Big Shot tower will be enough for you or will the seat take off with you with your arms and legs flaying freely.
2/ Insanity
Next is a different type of ride. Not placed in an amusement park, the Insanity is perched atop the Stratosphere tower in Las Vegas. Aptly named for what it seems to be at 906 feet above the Vegas strip, this ride takes you from the top of the tower and perches you at a 70 degree angle before a literal ‘spin’ at 40 miles per hour giving you a real bird’s eye view of Vegas…all without the wings. The best thing about Insanity is its versatility; the ride is completely programmable for the on-the-spot-engineer meaning it can give you up to a 100 different versions of insane!
1/ Top thrill Dragster
Top thrill Dragster, at Cedar Point Amusement Park in Sandusky, Ohio, is only half a minute long ride that can make you recount your life’s sins in a jiffy. It broke a few records when it was launched, including that of being the first rollercoaster to top 400ft and the first to go at 120 mph as well. Check out the 400 ft vertical drop, and don’t forget about the 270 degrees twist along the way!
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