If You Gotta Go, Go With A Smile

Faithful readers, do you remember the first time you went on a big roller coaster? I do. It was a moment that was seared into my little kid brain. My dad made me go on one called Colossus the Fire Dragon. I thought I could handle it, but as the coaster started up the initial hill and climbed higher and higher, I freaked out. I started pleading with my dad, asking him to tell the ride operator to stop the coaster - only to realize that my father had no power over the motorized chain pulling us along the track, nor did he have power over the steep drop after the hill, the two 65-foot High-G inversions and two helix turns. I was doomed. I thought I was going to die.

But I didn't die.

Believe it or not, roller coasters are very safe. They're designed to stay on the tracks and keep us securely in our seats. Roller coasters are not designed to kill us. . .except for this one:



Wow. What a way to go.