Can you copyright a lapbar? I mean, I've only seen those on Intamin coasters, so I wonder if it would even be possible for SOB to have them legally.

I have never been to Cedar Point but from i have heard i aint missing much i heard all they have is Coaster...no flats...i like flats!

CP does have some decent flat rides, nothing huge, but decent.

At last count, Cedar Point had 67 rides total. Count out 16 rollercoasters and a couple water rides and such and you'll see that CP isn't lacking in the flat ride department. Sure they don't have any overly themed flats, but they actually have more than PKI. I'm not trying to get a CP vs. PKI thing started, just wanted to clear up that "CP doesn't have very many flats" myth. I hate to see people misinformed. And you are missing out on a lot of fun at CP. I'd recommend you go there as much as I'd recommend anyone go to PKI.

didnt one of their flats crash awhile back? I think it came off its axis or something. I liked that ride too, my fav flat in CP....

No it didn't one of their rides collapsed in the off season. Their flat ride selection is not even close to bad, but their children's section is. You can have a patent on a lap bar, but B&M has a different type of lap bar that is also like a Y.

StXBomber, you may be thinking about the Chaos ride (my personal favorite flat at CP as well). The one at Cedar Point didn't crash, it was one at another park. I can't remember which one. When I saw the news when it happened I thought it was Cedar Point too. Since it was a Chaos ride, CP closed their's for a while to make sure the same thing wouldn't happen to their's. Apparently it was just a freak problem with that particular ride at that park. When CP was confident that theirs was okay, they opened it back up.

Their ride that collapsed on the off-season was a pay-ride which I believe is the same thing as PKI's slingshot ride.

I wouldn't call CP's kids rides bad. It's just that PKI has the best. When compared to one another, CP doesn't stand a chance. But CP's kids rides are just as good (or bad if you prefer) as most other amusement parks.

Edited January 1, 197056 yr by LongLiveTheSmurfRide

ok, thanks for clearing it up. When I saw the news report I was like, "NO! NOT CHAOS! THAT RIDE WAS ONE OF MY FAVS!!!!!!" Good think it's still open!

Chaos was taken out for Top Thrill Dragster, whether it was moved or perminantly taken out is the question. Let's get back on topic now.

Just to answer the question before the topic is back, Chaos was just moved to another part of the park. Only one of the their two Dodgems was removed perminantly.

Back on topic, if they were to put Y-bars on the SOB, hypothetically, I wonder if they could convert the current trains to use them or if they'd need completely new trains that could handle those types of restraints. Anyone know how the current SOB trains could be modified?

Edited January 1, 197056 yr by LongLiveTheSmurfRide

I would think they would need new trains because even if you got new lap bars, there is still not very much room.

Can you copyright a lapbar? I mean, I've only seen those on Intamin coasters, so I wonder if it would even be possible for SOB to have them legally.

No you can not copyright the lapbars but you can "Patent" the design. Basically the same thing but for mechanical designs instead of written material.

They have been working on SOB all winter, I am not sure what they were doing. I honestly can't remember seeing anything new with the lapbars, though. The "Y" bar does look much more comfortable. I have a hard time riding SOB, and I have known some people to get hurt on the ride as well. The ride is just too uncomfortable for most people over 6'.

Yeah I can see that happening with some people on it when they have ridden on it before

Just to get this back on topic they have been doing alot of work on SOB this winter and I think we will all be in for a surprise (Cross-fingers) Anyways....an inside source has said that SOB's trains recieved alot of work this winter and they will sport new lap bars and that the floor boards that were added (last year??) have been removed. Hopefully this means that we can look forward to some non-knee bashing rides this year. Also there has been a lot of track work done...supposedly alot on the back double helix.

I really hope so:o I have enough problems with my knees. I enjoy the ride as much as I can.

Hopefully they have added tunnels to this aprt of the track,a nd maybe even retracked part of it, making it a bit smoother? I hope the trains are better than their predecessors.

No tunnels. Sorry. At least not right now there aren't any.

if what i am hearing is true by 04 they will have new trains

If you would have read the chat summary we are getting new restraints this year, hopefully we'll know what type soon. Tunnels will not happen this year, but new restraints make up for that.

Joe summed it up for us. Closing.