Rollercoaster Personalities

[Creepy-Snaps]

Many years ago as a teen, before discovering socionics, I had a theory that where you choose to sit on a rollercoaster is indicative of your personality.

My friend and I went to a big, local amusement park, and he was excited to get a seat 'AS CLOSE TO THE FRONT AS POSSIBLE!' But, he also had this process down. He said the 3rd or 4th rows from the front are usually not taken as much.

When we got closer in line, I was surprised to notice - there were huge lines for the front row seat of the rollercoaster, and also for the back. 'Just in the middle' lines were the 2nd largest, and then my friend was right, there seemed to be space between the middle and the front, and also from the middle to the back. It looked this:

1 - Back of coaster, longest lines
2 - Between back and middle, smallest lines
3 - Middle, medium lines
4 - Between middle and front, medium lines
5 - Front, longest lines

It was interesting, we were riding a newly released roller-coaster, that 100+ people were in-line for, so it was cool to see how human nature kicked in, and how people were distributed by preference.

I observed:

1. 1) People who sat in/toward the front tended to be thrill-seeking, very outgoing, and talkative.
2. 2) People who sat in the middle tended to be fairly laid-back, non-decisive, emotionally even temperament.
3. 3) People who sat in the back tended to be more reserved, wanted others to take the initiative first, and more family-oriented - (families would try to get seats together near the back, with smaller lines).

Do you agree with these observations? Are my experiences similar to other experiences of long lines for rollercoasters? And the big question is - how do these observations correlate to socionics? What can you assume about a person based on where they choose to sit?

[ashlesha]

back when i rode on rollercoasters a lot i would pick either the towards the very front or towards the very back, avoiding the middle. being in the last row is more exciting than being in the middle so i don't associate it with reservedness. sometimes after riding the same coaster so many times it became interesting to choose different seats just to get the sensation in different ways and vary it up.

in any case i think it probably depends on how much the person cares about what seat they get and how long the lines are and if they're accomodating to whoever else they're with and a bunch of other things. it's been too long since i've been to a theme park for me to remember any trends i've observed in others though.

[FoxOnStilts]

It sounds logical, but I've heard people say that the back of the rollercoaster is arguably the most fun because of the way you get whipped around the turns. But I wouldn't know; I'm an in-the-front sort of person.

[krieger]

i never gave a shit and opportunistically snuck my way into the line for the seats that had the shortest one.

btw, back of the rollercoaster is also fun cause you can see how other people are reacting to the whole thing.

[fen]

btw, back of the rollercoaster is also fun cause you can see how other people are reacting to the whole thing.

Until you get vomited on.

[golden]

Yes, the actual physics involved means that the rear is rougher. The front would offer a clearer view, I guess.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/tra...uestion624.htm

[Animal]

I always head for either the very front or the very back. I prefer the back when there's a lot of loops, and the front when there's a big drop.

k, now I want to go to Six Flags.

[fen]

Well, I definitely can see this happening.
As far as correlations to socionics, eh. It just seems determined by
1. Group dynamic (ie. families tending to sit in back, group in a hurry or not, how much members of group like sitting in certain places on the ride)
2. Initiative/patience

I feel like there would be a lot of E9s in the back/middle unless in a group with more pushy (wrong word) individuals. But if they happened to really love sitting in the front, I could easily see them just waiting it out in the long lines.

Also, I really like the name of this thread. I assumed it would be a thread about personalities that seem to fluctuate a lot. It was cool to see it was way more literal than I interpreted it to be.

[Creepy-Snaps]

Also, I really like the name of this thread.

I like your new profile picture, it's cool the 3 of you got to meet up.

Another question people seemed to talk a lot about - for the 'BIG DROP', if there was a huge hill, people in the front would start going down first, and slowly, as the back of the coaster reached the top. In the back, you wouldn't see the drop, but would get whipped over the top and straight down into the hill quickly.

I'll wait for now to post what I think this says about socionics-types, as I want to hear what others think first.

[InvisibleJim]

I go for the shortest queue.

[fen]

I go for the shortest queue.

Yeah, me too. Unless people in the group I'm in want to sit in a certain spot. But to me....shortest line is just easier.
Besides, if I get on faster I get off faster and then I can ride it again if I want to, or simply just get more rides packed into my day.
By the time someone in the line for the front row finally gets on I could have ridden it multiple times.
I guess it's a matter of intensity seeking, but I don't actually find the front to be more fun than anywhere else. I feel like you feel more towards the back of the rollercoaster anyway. Not sure about the physics on that though.

Also, this thread is like a "post liking" circlejerk.
megusta.jpg

[munenori2]

I never really rode rollercoasters much since I was scared of heights, but the first time was in the back and I felt like a rag doll. The second time was on a brand new even bigger rollercoaster and I wound up sitting in the very front and my heart was beating out of my chest as it clanked up. When it started getting close to the top, I kept saying, "No...no, no, No, NO [hiss of the cars being released] NAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAOOHHSHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT" and holding onto the safety bar with a death grip. I was maybe 14 or so and I just knew my life was over.

[Gilly]

Sx primaries sit in the front ;-)

[fen]

Sx primaries sit in the front ;-)

But what if they are 9s?

[Absurd]

Sx primaries sit in the front ;-)

Of course! And monkeys, giraffes and elephants in the back. Makes sense.

[PistolShrimp]

I usually pick the back and then regret it when I wake up sore the next morning.

[fen]

I usually pick the back and then regret it when I wake up sore the next morning.

THIS.

Your head gets knocked around pretty bad in the back.

[Absurd]

Heh.

[Gilly]

But what if they are 9s?

What's wrong with 9s?

[squark]

Many years ago as a teen, before discovering socionics, I had a theory that where you choose to sit on a rollercoaster is indicative of your personality.

My friend and I went to a big, local amusement park, and he was excited to get a seat 'AS CLOSE TO THE FRONT AS POSSIBLE!' But, he also had this process down. He said the 3rd or 4th rows from the front are usually not taken as much.

When we got closer in line, I was surprised to notice - there were huge lines for the front row seat of the rollercoaster, and also for the back. 'Just in the middle' lines were the 2nd largest, and then my friend was right, there seemed to be space between the middle and the front, and also from the middle to the back. It looked this:

1 - Back of coaster, longest lines
2 - Between back and middle, smallest lines
3 - Middle, medium lines
4 - Between middle and front, medium lines
5 - Front, longest lines

It was interesting, we were riding a newly released roller-coaster, that 100+ people were in-line for, so it was cool to see how human nature kicked in, and how people were distributed by preference.

I observed:

1. 1) People who sat in/toward the front tended to be thrill-seeking, very outgoing, and talkative.
2. 2) People who sat in the middle tended to be fairly laid-back, non-decisive, emotionally even temperament.
3. 3) People who sat in the back tended to be more reserved, wanted others to take the initiative first, and more family-oriented - (families would try to get seats together near the back, with smaller lines).

Do you agree with these observations? Are my experiences similar to other experiences of long lines for rollercoasters? And the big question is - how do these observations correlate to socionics? What can you assume about a person based on where they choose to sit?

My rollercoaster personality: Find times to go when there are little/no lines and ride wherever you want Maybe sitting in different places to see if it's better one place or another, but I head to the front most often. I HATE HATE standing in lines, and I'm more likely to skip something altogether if I'm going to have to wait an hour in line. One day this summer at Six Flags managed to go with virtually no lines, you could get off a ride and back on it again in a few minutes if you wanted to, and that was great. It's a little sad though that after the first couple times on a really good fast exciting one that it tames down and you get used to it.

[Absurd]

It's the same with sitting in class, which row/side and stuff. I sat front, middle, back, left and right. I have ended professors lectures which he got pissed at so I sat in back and slept, not to mention I have been asked to teach both snarky and genuine way, depending on whom I dealt with.

[Nomenclature]

I like it in the back more, and definitely not because I'm reserved.

It's the same with sitting in class, which row/side and stuff. I sat front, middle, back, left and right. I have ended professors lectures which he got pissed at so I sat in back and slept, not to mention I have been asked to teach both snarky and genuine way, depending on whom I dealt with.

I sit on the side closest to the door because I'm always late...

[jessica129]

I go for the middle. I went to a state fair where they had this car ride that went around in a circle very fast and failed to tell me the fattest person should sit on the outside so the skinniest doesn't get crushed under their weight...well...I went with two people who are roughly 210 lbs + and i was seated on the outside and I couldn't breathe for about a good 3 minutes and thought one of my ribs had crushed. The momentum had forced about 400lbs of weight onto me. And then I go on rides and my neck seems to always get stuck way out in front of my body and i feels like i'll be decapitated by the wind. I don't like theme parks.

[717495]

I rode pirates of the caribbean like a million times in a row trying to become a pirate, and at a certain point wanted to jump out in the cavern and swim towards the ship and guy playing the banjo. dang gotta love those evocative theme rides

I could just imagine myself trying to form intimate relationships with the puppet mechanics and blocked doorways. living on a set for a theme ride is a long lost fantasy of mine. bet it sux when you realize lights are shinning in your face and you're tripping over wires

[anndelise]

I don't do rollercoasters. I can't even stand elevators.


Actually, now that I think of it, I only like the games sections of fairs, not the rides. The loud music of the rides and such is painful, and too dizzyifying for me.

[tcaudilllg]

Many years ago as a teen, before discovering socionics, I had a theory that where you choose to sit on a rollercoaster is indicative of your personality.

My friend and I went to a big, local amusement park, and he was excited to get a seat 'AS CLOSE TO THE FRONT AS POSSIBLE!' But, he also had this process down. He said the 3rd or 4th rows from the front are usually not taken as much.

When we got closer in line, I was surprised to notice - there were huge lines for the front row seat of the rollercoaster, and also for the back. 'Just in the middle' lines were the 2nd largest, and then my friend was right, there seemed to be space between the middle and the front, and also from the middle to the back. It looked this:

1 - Back of coaster, longest lines
2 - Between back and middle, smallest lines
3 - Middle, medium lines
4 - Between middle and front, medium lines
5 - Front, longest lines

It was interesting, we were riding a newly released roller-coaster, that 100+ people were in-line for, so it was cool to see how human nature kicked in, and how people were distributed by preference.

I observed:

1. 1) People who sat in/toward the front tended to be thrill-seeking, very outgoing, and talkative.
2. 2) People who sat in the middle tended to be fairly laid-back, non-decisive, emotionally even temperament.
3. 3) People who sat in the back tended to be more reserved, wanted others to take the initiative first, and more family-oriented - (families would try to get seats together near the back, with smaller lines).

Do you agree with these observations? Are my experiences similar to other experiences of long lines for rollercoasters? And the big question is - how do these observations correlate to socionics? What can you assume about a person based on where they choose to sit?

I agree. I think there is a definite (statistical) link between roller coaster seat choices and personality. It would make sense for Se valuing extroverts to be in the front. Good of you to bring this to our attention! You have an eye for socionics.

[Creepy-male]

I usually go for the back or front, riding rollercoasters isn't that significant to my life. But the front because you obviously get a clear view and see all the action first. The back because you can see everyone else, and its kind of exciting to feel the front of the train take a plunge and then get whipped down as well.

[Galen]

As much as I love the appeal of seeing everything clearly ahead of me, the actual physics of the middle appeals to me best. There's always some delay when sitting in the front, where I'm not falling at the exact right time I should; just feels unnatural. For something like Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point though, where everything is over and done in 15 seconds, the front's the way to be.

God I miss Cedar Point, somebody go with me

[Creepy-Snaps]

where everything is over and done in 15 seconds, the front's the way to be.

I glanced, and read this out of context...