One of my favourite past-times is visiting theme/amusement parks and riding roller coasters. Don't ask me why, it's not the feeling of being frightened or being ill that I like - in fact that puts me off. I just like the speed and excitement, high Gs and negative Gs (although I don't like laterals - they can be painful!) and being able to perform manoeuvres that you wouldn't normally be able to do. In perfect safety.
Since joining the Roller Coaster Club of Great Britain and the European Coaster Club, I have found that it's not just me who has this obsession. There are many like-minded people out there! And a quick internet search will reveal just how global this phenomenon is.
These pages demonstrate various different aspects of this interest.
- Alton Towers is the UK's leading theme park in one of the most unique settings in the world. It also just happens to contain my Number 1 coaster!
- A complete list of all the coasters in the world I've ridden, plus my favourites list.
- My model coaster, which has taken over my spare bedroom.
- Detailed trip reports of the journeys I've made overseas with the coaster clubs.
- Many arguments occur on internet discussions about what makes a ride a "roller coaster". It's not as straightforward as you think! So I set up a survey to find out what the enthusiasts consider to be a roller coaster, and here are the results.