^^I dunno?? Your shorter height? Either way, you still get major bonus points for the front seat-red train on SOB gem!!

I think in the front seat of the Son of Beast on the red train is ok while riding, but after the ride I noticed my heart and chest were sore. I think it really jostles you on the inside and outside, and really needs to be worked on.

^^Sounds like you're not riding defensively, maybe??

I'm blown-away by how many people I talk to who ride like they're some powerless rag doll?!? I mean, there are only a handfull of coasters IMO (including B&M hypers!! ) where you should really be riding with your hands up the entire time and without bracing. The first drop is usually safe for most everything, but after that, there's no shame with holding on tight, bracing yourself or anticipating turns, etc....in fact, usually that makes even the roughest of rides way more smooth and enjoyable. Like Maverick is for me with my defensive riding, despite many other peeps thinking Maverick is an overrated, rough POS since they're NOT riding it right!! (while many also argue rides shouldn't truly need 'riding strategies' to be smooth or enjoyable to begin with!)

You shouldn't have to ride defensivly, if the ride was good enough you could just sit and enjoy and lot brace for impact!

You shouldn't have to ride defensively, if the ride was good enough you could just sit and enjoy and not brace for impact!

Agreed. If a coaster is truly a gem (for example, Millennium Force), you shouldn't have to re-learn how to ride. A roller coaster should be an enjoyable experience.

I have, however, learned to keep my head back against the headrest on launched coasters and coasters with OTSRs (for example, Maverick, TTD, Wicked Twister, Invertigo, and FOF) simply because I do not want whiplash or sore ears. I do, however, keep my hands up and outside of the car at all times.

Well, putting your head back on launched coasters is one thing. Lifting yourself out of your seat and stiffening your spine so you don't go to the emergency room is another.

I agree to some degree with both sides of the "defensive riding" argument.

I don't think you should have to have some insider knowledge to enjoy a coaster. Like SOB; if you need to find a particular colored train, car, seat, time of day, temperature, wind speed, riding style, month, even or odd numbered year, clothing style, suitable religion, college major, riding partner, Christmas gift idea...etc.. all just to enjoy the coaster, then that's not a good thing.

On the other hand, a lot of people enjoy coasters because of negative and lateral G's which will throw you around and, depending on the coaster, you have to accept that there's a chance that if you don't hold on you're going to be at the mercy of the layout. Take The Legend and Voyage. I chose to ride them multiple times in succession one trip with hands up the whole time and it was awesome, but after so many rides my legs were sore had bruises where they were pressed against the lap bars with all the G's. I'm sure if I had ridden defensively; that wouldn't have happened, but either way; I would have had fun on the coaster.

I rode all three at HW with hands up the whole way. The only problem I had was my keys sliding between my leg and the seat divider on The Legend. That left a mark.... A large purple one!!!! But I believe hands up (or hands relaxed and not holding on), is best for any coaster. The only problem I had with being relaxed this year was on Mantis, which is trimmed to the point that the G-Forces don't hold your head up in the turns. I got my head dropped against the restraint, which slammed my ear pretty good.

the B&M hyper restraints really make it easy to put your hands up the entire way, cause it is just on your lap.

Well, back in 2000, I rode Son of Beast nine times in two hours when they had a 2 hour ride time for pass holders one July evening from 9-11 pm. That many times on Son of Beast in such a short amount of time was quite a lot!!

Dear me did you have a concussion?

No headache whatsoever. However, I did have some bruising on my thighs from the bare metal of the lap bar.

Man I ride it once today and I get dizzy and woozy.

Man I ride it once today and I get dizzy and woozy.

How'd you manage to ride it once today?

Terpy, who wonders

You know what I mean you literal......person!

I rode Son the one cold weekend we had-after dark-and that was my last time. It was miserable.

I will admit it. I have despised that ride for some time now. I respect greatly, however, the opinions of many of our young posters here. Again and again, said they, ride the front. So, the Friday of closing weekend, I did. Red to be exact. I won't lie. It wasn't giddily fun. It wasn't even mildly thrilling. But it also was not unpleasant. And for me on that thing, that is a dramatic improvement. To Cedar Fair I say, thanks for greatly improving the ride on that thing.....I still won't be riding it anywhere but the front seat (made that mistake once this season and will not be doing it again).

It is better, however, I was in the second row of the first car..it beat the *bleep* out of me-just plain hurt.

I could try the front row, but 9 times out of 10 I am alone and out of fairness to other riders, I don't take preferred seats or ride things like Back Lot for that reason.

That last sentence reminded me of how I reacted when I rode it in the very back.

OWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!