Arms raised on coasters

I have been riding coasters for 25 yrs. and I've always wondered why people raise their arms throughout the ride. I've tried it but I think it's funner with them down. Is it a "look ma, no hands" kind of thing or what? I would really like some opinions on this from everyone.........

MF in 7 days!!!
SOB in 36 days!!!

It adds to the whole "outta control" feeling which people like to feel like they are breaking the rules and enjoying it! It is why kids on motorcycles pop wheelies in traffic and people on wave runners do backflips and wake jumps. It adds to the psycological thrill of the activity. I swear it is simply an act of defiance but I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!! Plus it makes for a great picture!!

By raising your hands on a coaster, it gives you a more out of control feeling, especialy when you get airtime like on magnum. It also kinda makes it feel like you are going faster for some odd reason. They do make for great pictures then too.


-------------
"If I go crazy, will you still call me Superman?" Kryptonite-Three Doors Down

I like raising my hands on all coasters. On Gemini I like to sit in the front car and lean forward. I put my hands over the front part of the car. You can really feel the air, when you hit a hill and your hands fly up. Hands up-really depends alot on the way the cars are designed, and for some (not me) the smoothness of the ride.

I raise my hands because it gives me such a more thrilling feeling, especially on large drops. It took me 4 rides on the Magnum before I could keep my hands up the whole first hill. It's like my gut got more of a punch with my arms up. I always wanted to put them down, so it was kind of a challenge. My little brother still can't make the whole hill with his arms up. He always puts them down half way. So it's got to have some kind of psychological factor to it. I mean, you're pretty much putting your life in the lap bar, or shoulder harnasse's, or seat belt's hands instead of your own. You let go of pretty much all control when you raise your arms, so you're at the mercy of the ride. It'll probably take me a while to keep the hands up on the MF. I'm going to try on the first ride. Scary to think about it.

-------------
Question: How do you explain the actions of millions of people who wait hours upon hours to be dropped down a huge hill???
Answer: You don't...

Drops are MUCH more thrilling on any coaster if you raise your arms and make them kind of parellel with the seat (I think this is kind of what Stallion meant)

It is much better then lifting them straight up, and it really gives you that gut feeling (especially on Gemini)

I put my hands up because for some reason the drop doesn't seem as bad. Maybe its just me, but thats why I do it.

Gemini Hand... when you ride MF with your hands up, that first drop doesn't seem that bad at all, in fact its great. Try it.

traditional for me..My dad was a member of ACE as I grew up and I guess it was a case of me wanting to be like dad!! Funny though because now my dad is slowing down and I drag him around from coaster to coaster like he once did to me!! :)

-------------
http://www.msu.edu/~armbrus9/cp.html
http://www.msu.edu/~levydust/mf.html
new MF photos

The whole purpose is to have as little of your body touching the train as possible. Try this on Magnum; lift your heels off the floor when you put down the lap bar (so there's about three inches between your legs and the bar); leave the seat belt loose enough to fit a couple fingers underneath. Before you start down the first hill, cross your legs at the ankles and pull them back a bit so only your toes are touching the floor, lean foward and raise your hands. If done properly, on the third hill no part of your body will be touching the seat or the floor for about three seconds. Just the seat belt and lap bar between you and the sky. That, to me, is the best way to ride any "open" style coaster.

I went hands up on MF from ride one. It's hard to describe why I do it. Part is like Jeffrey said, my dad used to do it, so I did. I think the other is basically to say to other people, "Hey, this thing doesn't scare me. Look, NO HANDS!!"

-------------
UCSigep
Rides to the top of the world: 4

For me it's to show your manliness. If you are going with friends, and you put your hands up, it makes you look better. Once one persons puts up their hands up, other people put them up. Monkey see-monkey do.

Did anyone ever try crossing their arms while riding a coaster? I think that would be even more intense!

Well, I keep my hands up on some rides. It can add to the thrill. I'm wondering what MF fells like hands up, on that drop. Goliath is amazing wiht your hands up. Also for some reason invirisons fells better with no hands.

Usually, I hit the restroom right before I go on a coaster. Most of them are out of paper towels, so I'm merely raising my hands in the air to dry them :)

-------------
Duane Cahill 2000 Park Tour:
April 1-7, WDW
May 27, Dorney
June 3, KW
June 16-20, CP

Rideing MF with your hands up the whole ride in awsome! Especialy with the head choppers of the tunnels and the island turnarounds. The ride is more intense like that.

-------------
"If I go crazy, will you still call me Superman?" Kryptonite-Three Doors Down

Yeah, I sat in the back and I just watch all those hands but mine just drop down as soon as we come to those headchoppers on the island! :)

-------------
aIrtIme'S oVeRrAtEd...