Comments on: How to survive seat #4 on the “Comet” without passing out http://www.elliott.org/blog/how-to-survive-seat-4-on-the-comet-without-passing-out/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Scott http://www.elliott.org/blog/how-to-survive-seat-4-on-the-comet-without-passing-out/comment-page-1/#comment-33848 Scott Fri, 12 Feb 2010 19:17:10 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10629#comment-33848 Actually, the Comet is an amusement park ride. It is a wood roller coaster that was built as the Cyclone at Crystal Beach in Fort Erie Ontario in 1927. It was moved to the Great Escape in Lake George NY in 1993 after Crystal Beach closed. It is ranked the 9th best roller coaster in the US by Ultimate Rollercoasters. Actually, the Comet is an amusement park ride. It is a wood roller coaster that was built as the Cyclone at Crystal Beach in Fort Erie Ontario in 1927. It was moved to the Great Escape in Lake George NY in 1993 after Crystal Beach closed. It is ranked the 9th best roller coaster in the US by Ultimate Rollercoasters.

]]> By: Allison http://www.elliott.org/blog/how-to-survive-seat-4-on-the-comet-without-passing-out/comment-page-1/#comment-32308 Allison Tue, 02 Feb 2010 20:45:39 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10629#comment-32308 Also a survivor. A huge fan of amusement park rides, I never expected the bobsled ride to be as grueling and scary as it was. Also, the g-forces were so intense that after the run was over, I got out of the sled, super dizzy, and walked right into a pole. Definitely ONCE in a lifetime;) Also a survivor. A huge fan of amusement park rides, I never expected the bobsled ride to be as grueling and scary as it was. Also, the g-forces were so intense that after the run was over, I got out of the sled, super dizzy, and walked right into a pole.

Definitely ONCE in a lifetime;)

]]> By: Justin http://www.elliott.org/blog/how-to-survive-seat-4-on-the-comet-without-passing-out/comment-page-1/#comment-31822 Justin Sat, 30 Jan 2010 19:34:37 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10629#comment-31822 @ Chris, Sounds like fun.. A ONCE IN A LIFE TIME NEVER DO IT AGAIN BUT CAN TELL YOUR KIDS FUN.... That sum it up? @ Chris,

Sounds like fun.. A ONCE IN A LIFE TIME NEVER DO IT AGAIN BUT CAN TELL YOUR KIDS FUN…. That sum it up?

]]> By: Stephen Pickford http://www.elliott.org/blog/how-to-survive-seat-4-on-the-comet-without-passing-out/comment-page-1/#comment-31810 Stephen Pickford Sat, 30 Jan 2010 14:09:18 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10629#comment-31810 Chris, you are a braver man than I am, my friend. I will keep that in mind if I get an invite to something that frightens me to death, I will pass it on to you for your enjoyment! Chris, you are a braver man than I am, my friend. I will keep that in mind if I get an invite to something that frightens me to death, I will pass it on to you for your enjoyment!

]]> By: Suzi http://www.elliott.org/blog/how-to-survive-seat-4-on-the-comet-without-passing-out/comment-page-1/#comment-31797 Suzi Sat, 30 Jan 2010 02:33:20 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10629#comment-31797 How would you have managed the brake even if they'd given you one?? Doesn't sound much like fun to this <i>Boomer</i> lady! :-) How would you have managed the brake even if they’d given you one?? Doesn’t sound much like fun to this Boomer lady! :-)

]]> By: y_p_w http://www.elliott.org/blog/how-to-survive-seat-4-on-the-comet-without-passing-out/comment-page-1/#comment-31795 y_p_w Sat, 30 Jan 2010 01:10:38 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10629#comment-31795 I think they: A) Make you sign a waiver before you get in that thing - like any performance driving school would make you do. B) Run it on wheels during the summer months, or at least did that at one time. I looked into this a few years ago. The say they can keep it frozen with outside temps of up to 80 deg F, but I know from experience that it can be hotter than that in the area. Here are a couple of photos I found on Flickr. It looks like the wheeled summer version also has wheels on the sides so it doesn't scrape if it hits the wall. http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrtozer/813249084/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/heatherandchris/716227878/ Apparently they added skeleton rides too. I think they:

A) Make you sign a waiver before you get in that thing – like any performance driving school would make you do.

B) Run it on wheels during the summer months, or at least did that at one time. I looked into this a few years ago. The say they can keep it frozen with outside temps of up to 80 deg F, but I know from experience that it can be hotter than that in the area.

Here are a couple of photos I found on Flickr. It looks like the wheeled summer version also has wheels on the sides so it doesn’t scrape if it hits the wall.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrtozer/813249084/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/heatherandchris/716227878/

Apparently they added skeleton rides too.

]]> By: Diane http://www.elliott.org/blog/how-to-survive-seat-4-on-the-comet-without-passing-out/comment-page-1/#comment-31794 Diane Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:53:30 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10629#comment-31794 I rode the bobsled (seat #1) in Calgary in 2001. I couldn't keep my head up because of the G force and remember my helmet rattling back and forth between the left and right sides of the bobsled. Ouch! I rode the bobsled (seat #1) in Calgary in 2001. I couldn’t keep my head up because of the G force and remember my helmet rattling back and forth between the left and right sides of the bobsled. Ouch!

]]> By: MarkieA http://www.elliott.org/blog/how-to-survive-seat-4-on-the-comet-without-passing-out/comment-page-1/#comment-31787 MarkieA Fri, 29 Jan 2010 20:21:06 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10629#comment-31787 I so want to do this! I've considered going up to Lake Placid where they'll let your ride along, too. I have to say, though (unless Chris just didn't mention it), I'm shocked that you don't have to sign away every right you have. A ride where you might actually get injured??!! Sheesh!!! I'm surprised the lawyers will let them do it at all. I so want to do this! I’ve considered going up to Lake Placid where they’ll let your ride along, too. I have to say, though (unless Chris just didn’t mention it), I’m shocked that you don’t have to sign away every right you have. A ride where you might actually get injured??!! Sheesh!!! I’m surprised the lawyers will let them do it at all.

]]> By: Aimee http://www.elliott.org/blog/how-to-survive-seat-4-on-the-comet-without-passing-out/comment-page-1/#comment-31783 Aimee Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:42:42 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10629#comment-31783 Thanks for the vacation idea. I wasn't exactly sure what we would be doing this summer. I do now! Kudos for the honesty, btw. I wouldn't have believed a word of your story if you said you laughed your way down the run. Thanks for the vacation idea. I wasn’t exactly sure what we would be doing this summer. I do now!

Kudos for the honesty, btw. I wouldn’t have believed a word of your story if you said you laughed your way down the run.

]]> By: JS http://www.elliott.org/blog/how-to-survive-seat-4-on-the-comet-without-passing-out/comment-page-1/#comment-31772 JS Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:51:14 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10629#comment-31772 Chris, don't get hurt too badly! I've begun to grow accustomed to my daily travel fix from your website. Chris, don’t get hurt too badly! I’ve begun to grow accustomed to my daily travel fix from your website.

]]> By: Alan Rider http://www.elliott.org/blog/how-to-survive-seat-4-on-the-comet-without-passing-out/comment-page-1/#comment-31771 Alan Rider Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:33:05 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10629#comment-31771 Hey Chris -- I did this during the summer, when it's supposed to be slightly less intense (only 4Gs), and you're soooo right on. It was the most violent ride I've ever experienced, even seated right behind the driver! I'm pretty fit and feel lucky to have escaped with only a few bruises and a sore back. Your readers should know this is one ride they need to take seriously! Hey Chris — I did this during the summer, when it’s supposed to be slightly less intense (only 4Gs), and you’re soooo right on. It was the most violent ride I’ve ever experienced, even seated right behind the driver! I’m pretty fit and feel lucky to have escaped with only a few bruises and a sore back. Your readers should know this is one ride they need to take seriously!

]]> By: Erika http://www.elliott.org/blog/how-to-survive-seat-4-on-the-comet-without-passing-out/comment-page-1/#comment-31769 Erika Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:04:10 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10629#comment-31769 Really!?! You can actually ride a bobsled? YIPPEE!! I am soooo going to give this a try the next time I visit friends in Utah. What an experience!! Thanks for sharing!! Really!?! You can actually ride a bobsled? YIPPEE!! I am soooo going to give this a try the next time I visit friends in Utah. What an experience!! Thanks for sharing!!

]]> By: Barry Neeb http://www.elliott.org/blog/how-to-survive-seat-4-on-the-comet-without-passing-out/comment-page-1/#comment-31767 Barry Neeb Fri, 29 Jan 2010 15:22:40 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10629#comment-31767 Chris, I feel your pain! I was in seat four a few years back when my family visited Park City. The longest 55 seconds of my life!!! I think my screams scared wildlife away for miles!! Chris, I feel your pain! I was in seat four a few years back when my family visited Park City. The longest 55 seconds of my life!!! I think my screams scared wildlife away for miles!!

]]> By: Christopher Elliott http://www.elliott.org/blog/how-to-survive-seat-4-on-the-comet-without-passing-out/comment-page-1/#comment-31765 Christopher Elliott Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:33:57 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10629#comment-31765 @Len, the bobsled is modified, so the pilot steers and brakes. I was just along for the ride. @Len, the bobsled is modified, so the pilot steers and brakes. I was just along for the ride.

]]> By: Len Oxman http://www.elliott.org/blog/how-to-survive-seat-4-on-the-comet-without-passing-out/comment-page-1/#comment-31764 Len Oxman Fri, 29 Jan 2010 14:32:26 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10629#comment-31764 Chris, you idiot! The #4 seat? You're the brakeman. USE THE BRAKE!!!!!!!! Chris, you idiot! The #4 seat? You’re the brakeman. USE THE BRAKE!!!!!!!!

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