I believe I've found the world's scariest coaster. Sure it's not very tall or fast, and has no intentional inversions, but I think the totality of its circumstances easily make it scarier than any other coaster I've ever seen (and I inspect travelling shows as part of my job).
The following album shows a number of views of it, along with other attractions of this travelling show. The coaster is shown in pics 1, 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, and 18. http://www.ebaumsworld.com/pictures/third-world-amusement-park-rides/82804229/
The things that IMHO make this coaster the scariest are:
1. Setting
This is in a bad neighborhood. Note the bars on most of the windows. I'm guessing it's somewhere in the more Spanish part of the Caribbean based on the mix of races, the architecture, the palm trees, the obvious heat and humidity, and what appears to be some sort of creole Spanglish on the few bits of text in the pics.
2. Lack of Responsible Parties
The ride appears to be home-made (do I see rebar in the rail bracing?) and the plans weren't likely stamped by a professional engineer. And while I'm sure the operators are as honest as American carnies [wacky], I doubt they have a license, insurance, a permanent address, or any sort of contact information. Nor do I believe either the local or national government did a safety inspection.
3. Lack of Medical Infrastructure
Ambulances, if they even exist in this place, can't get close to the ride. But even if you can somehow get to a hospital, what do you get there? I'm guessing mostly chanting, chicken blood, and rum. Which actually works sometimes.
4. Electrical Hazards
First off, you have the low overhead wires of dubious workmanship, which always seem to be within arm's reach of all the rides. Then you have every ride seemingly illegally tapped into said low-hanging overhead wires.. Then you have the coaster support at the bottom of the lift sitting on top of one of the cables (see pics 1 and 11), grinding into the insulation every time a car passes. Won't be long before the whole ride is electrified.
5. Track Smoothness
This coaster makes PC's smoothness look quite good. The inner rail appears to be digital rather than analog (see pics 11, 12, and 18) and the joints between track sections are out by several finger-widths (all pics of coaster).
6. Dubious Wheels on Car
The wheel assemblies appear to be made mostly of repurposed shopping cart casters. And they're coming apart, especially the front left, as shown in pics 11, 12, and 18. Also, there's a lot of smoke coming from the front left in pic 8.
7. Restraint System
There really isn't one at all. No seat belt, no lap bar, just hang on as best you can. The only thing that might be considered a restraint is that the right side of the car has a higher 2nd rail added on, apparently to keep folks from flying out sideways when the car makes a sudden left turn. This 2nd rail is bent and most of the paint is worn off, indicating it gets a lot of use, probably breaking many ribs along the way. IOW, high lateral Gs. See pic 18 especially.
Thus, all things considered, I'd rate this coaster much scarier than all the more high-budget headliners. If anybody here has ridden this thing, you have all the coaster cred
.
The following album shows a number of views of it, along with other attractions of this travelling show. The coaster is shown in pics 1, 4, 5, 8, 11, 12, and 18. http://www.ebaumsworld.com/pictures/third-world-amusement-park-rides/82804229/
The things that IMHO make this coaster the scariest are:
1. Setting
This is in a bad neighborhood. Note the bars on most of the windows. I'm guessing it's somewhere in the more Spanish part of the Caribbean based on the mix of races, the architecture, the palm trees, the obvious heat and humidity, and what appears to be some sort of creole Spanglish on the few bits of text in the pics.
2. Lack of Responsible Parties
The ride appears to be home-made (do I see rebar in the rail bracing?) and the plans weren't likely stamped by a professional engineer. And while I'm sure the operators are as honest as American carnies [wacky], I doubt they have a license, insurance, a permanent address, or any sort of contact information. Nor do I believe either the local or national government did a safety inspection.
3. Lack of Medical Infrastructure
Ambulances, if they even exist in this place, can't get close to the ride. But even if you can somehow get to a hospital, what do you get there? I'm guessing mostly chanting, chicken blood, and rum. Which actually works sometimes.
4. Electrical Hazards
First off, you have the low overhead wires of dubious workmanship, which always seem to be within arm's reach of all the rides. Then you have every ride seemingly illegally tapped into said low-hanging overhead wires.. Then you have the coaster support at the bottom of the lift sitting on top of one of the cables (see pics 1 and 11), grinding into the insulation every time a car passes. Won't be long before the whole ride is electrified.
5. Track Smoothness
This coaster makes PC's smoothness look quite good. The inner rail appears to be digital rather than analog (see pics 11, 12, and 18) and the joints between track sections are out by several finger-widths (all pics of coaster).
6. Dubious Wheels on Car
The wheel assemblies appear to be made mostly of repurposed shopping cart casters. And they're coming apart, especially the front left, as shown in pics 11, 12, and 18. Also, there's a lot of smoke coming from the front left in pic 8.
7. Restraint System
There really isn't one at all. No seat belt, no lap bar, just hang on as best you can. The only thing that might be considered a restraint is that the right side of the car has a higher 2nd rail added on, apparently to keep folks from flying out sideways when the car makes a sudden left turn. This 2nd rail is bent and most of the paint is worn off, indicating it gets a lot of use, probably breaking many ribs along the way. IOW, high lateral Gs. See pic 18 especially.
Thus, all things considered, I'd rate this coaster much scarier than all the more high-budget headliners. If anybody here has ridden this thing, you have all the coaster cred
.
