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free fall slide

a water park ride
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This is for the people that like the extreme slides at water parks and for the ones that want to try those rides but can't bring themselves to actually go on them (you know they get to the top then chicken out). Imagine the slide as a giant vertical hose, the bottom of which is at least a diameter and a half offset from the top. This slide would be at least eight to ten stories tall it could be as tall as feasibly buildable. At the top you step through a door on to a ledge that goes maybe two thirds of the way around, when the door shuts a bulge in the wall starts to rotate forcing you either jump or be pushed into the tube. You free fall for the first half + at which point the curve of the tube forces you into contact with the sides and decelerates into a normal water slide slope. The diameter is big enough that no matter what your orientation you will have enough surface contact to safely slow you down. Have fun!
pydor, Dec 08 2006

Sky Diving Slide Parachutist_20Slide
by [quaero curvus]. [hidden truths, Dec 08 2006]

Sky Slides http://img148.image...ge=skyslidesry0.jpg
Extreme slides, dude. [theleopard, Dec 08 2006]

see point of no return http://www.noahsark....com/index_main.htm
ten story slide [pydor, Dec 12 2006]

Baked. Parachute-less_20base_20jumping_20slide
Great minds think alike P. :) [doctorremulac3, Oct 14 2008]

[link]






       how to make toothpaste
xenzag, Dec 08 2006
  

       I was hoping this was going to be about jumping out of a plane with a big metal playground slide and then attempting to slide down it whilst freefalling.
theleopard, Dec 08 2006
  

       Already done [theleopard].   

       A few years back I was in some really cheap water part in one of the Greek islands. On their biggest slide (open not a tube), it was so steep that I actually came away from the slide until it started to curve. Let me tell you, coming back into contact with solid material hurts. It probably wouldn't if the curve was completely parabolic thuogh.
hidden truths, Dec 08 2006
  

       That's kind of close [hidden], but I was thinking more along the lines of... [linky]
theleopard, Dec 08 2006
  

       I've seen extreme slides like this in amusement parks, a sheer drop, followed by a demi-parabolic slidey bit at the bottom - I think it was called a 'Death-slide" and was made of wood.
zen_tom, Dec 08 2006
  

       i have thought of this since i was little, my version, was just a giant wall, and you wear a silk suit, and there is no watter it just eventualy slopes all the way to horizontal
yfz450chuck, Dec 08 2006
  

       My friend built something similar over a summer, once. It was a twenty foot tall L-shaped piece of corrugated metal. He stuck it to the side of the house; it was a success, of course, when he extended it to the pool and ran water down it.   

       The version you're talking about is far more terrifying. Also, when it goes from vertical, the rider could be facing the wrong way and their facial features would be scraped off by the ridges when it went to horizontal.
Abusementpark, Dec 10 2006
  

       After searching I see my slide would have to be much taller see link.This proves my concept though it could be done. Orientation on the way down shouldn't matter belly or back upside down or right side up you are brought to a stop by contact with a wet smooth slippery surface.
pydor, Dec 12 2006
  

       No, those aren't vertical, more lik 70 degrees at most. And if you were to have your elbow out and you were sideways, you'd hit the slide on your side and your neck would snap to the side. This really isn't a viable idea...
Abusementpark, Dec 13 2006
  

       Maybe you could send riders down in an inner tube, and then attach the inner tube to guidewires that run down the slide.   

       At least that way you have a handle, and assuming the inner tube doesn't flip, (which it wouldn't if you attached it at four places), there will be no need for cosmetic surgery after the ride.
Cuit_au_Four, Dec 14 2006
  

       [Abusementpark] I said in the description the diameter is big enough that orientation wouldn't matter. You could be perpendicular to the slide and still go down it, and yes those slides are not as extreme as what I've proposed but the last portion of my slide would be very similar to the linked slide as a matter of fact I think it would need to be more of a gentle ending in order to slow down to a safe speed. Keep in mind the walls are smooth wet plastic you might be able to injure yourself with an effort.
pydor, Dec 14 2006
  

       [theleopard] - I like your sky-slide interpretation - Once one had become suitably proficient, you could do away with the whole parachute altogether - all you would have to do is jump out of the plane, orient yourself so that upon impact with the ground, you'd be positioned in such a way to simply *wee* slide - translating your scary vertical motion into a much more managable horizonal moment - add rollerskates to the mix, a long, empty highway - and jousting; You're getting yourself some pretty serious freakin' sporting action going on right there.
zen_tom, Oct 06 2008
  

       Thanks! It took almost 2 years for anyone to even notice!   

       Adding roller skates/jousting is inspired, by the way. And totally extreme (i'm doing the hand gesture as i write).
theleopard, Oct 14 2008
  
      
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