Your opinion is wrong!

[Ian]

Looking at the Saw page (www.coasterforce.com/saw), I'm surprised how many members have rated it 9 or 10, which indicates that it's one of the best coasters ever built. WTF? That can't be right! Surely not?

Is this because people who have not sampled as many roller coasters as me, don't know what they are talking about? Perhaps I'm too harsh with my ratings?

This topic isn't about Saw, so please do not turn it into one, I'm just using it as an example.

I appreciate that life would be boring if we all liked the same park and rides, but can you understand other people's opinions and reasoning for dis/liking a ride? Do you accept it and move on or do you feel the need to "correct" them?

Who is right and who is wrong? The point I'm trying to get at is why, when we all enjoy the same hobby, can our opinions and ratings differ so greatly? Do we have blinkered vision when it comes to our favourite type of ride or favourite theme park? Do you rate and base your opinion fairly?

There's a lot of questions there with no general theme but I'm trying to work out why some people are "wrong"! Discuss.

 

[Rush]

It can depend on a lot of things to be honest.

I reckon the number of (decent) coasters you've ridden is a major factor as someone who's ridden a small number of coasters will probably find that one ride amazing whereas one who has ridden many, will find it weaker to others they have ridden.

People often have different ride experiences as well, some people find rides rough which other people don't. For example, I seem to be the only person who finds Stealth really rough, yet I think Colossus is fine, which is often complained about.

Some people also rate their rides on how intense they are or maybe how fun they are. I personally rate them on how fun the ride was, I found Saw to be a fun ride and enjoyable whereas Nemesis I find very dull and unenjoyable. People rave about its intensity but I don't seem to feel it. Another good example for me is California Screamin' which isn't incredibly intense but very fun, yet I enjoyed it more than Rock 'n' Rollercoaster which was more intense.

 

[jokerman]

I think you're probably right in saying that people who have smaller counts do not have the experience to properly rate coasters. Its for that reason that I do not rate many coasters, as I don't think I have the experience to accurately give them a score.

 

[Jools]

Amanda has given it 9 :shock: Maybe it's just because of the fact it's a local coaster :?

 

[Pokemaniac]

Fanboyism.

Someone had to make that one-word post. I'll post a longer essay tomorrow.

 

[Jools]

Fanboyism.

Someone had to make that one-word post. I'll post a longer essay tomorrow.

Lol

Ollie anyone :lol:

 

[Snoo]

Different people have different tastes, plain and simple. Ian, for instance, has been on almost 300 coasters, while most of those 9/10 people haven't been outside of the walls of Thorpe.

Everything is relative to what you've been on and what you like in rollercoasters.

 

[coastermac]

Depends exactly how many coasters said person has ridden. If you have ridden a small amount of coasters but still not a ridiculously small amount, you would appreciate (Compared to the coasters already ridden) that there is much, much better to come. Although it also depends on the type/quality of coasters you have ridden. So, I suppose it's something thats a lot more personal than something you can tell by just one rating.

If you had ridden 1000 children's coasters, and then road Air (Alton towers), you would think it was the most extreme thing a human could go through!

 

[coastermac]

Everything is relative to what you've been on and what you like in rollercoasters.

Just missed this one, and it pretty much sums up my rant.

 

[Jools]

This is what I was trying to say, Mandy has ridden over 300 coasters and has rated it 9.

*cough* fan girl

 

[Ollie]

I don't reckon it's the number of coasters that matters it's how people decide to rate it. Do they make a list of all the coasters they've been on and order them in favourite to worse? In other words, do they rate something a 7 but then find better coasters and push the rating down to a 6 or 5?
Or do they rate the ride on it's own. Not comparing it to other coasters or just other coasters of the same type?

So I reckon it depends on how they feel they have to vote and give it a rating.
Personally the reason I gave Saw the score I did was because I based the ride on what it was by itself. I didn't compare it to other rides and just based it on what I thought of the standalone ride as that's what it is. I gave it a 9 because I felt the ride was good. Not amazing but it was well done, well put together and provides a fun ride from start to finish. So it's kinda how satisfied I was with the finished thing.
I've been on almost 100 coasters. Saw isn't in my top 10 but I gave it a 9, even though I like Colossus and Stealth (in the front row) better I gave both them lower scores than I did Saw.
I rate each ride individually on their own. I don't go 'Well the clone of it was better so I can't rate it the same as that'.

I don't know. I'm not very good at explaining what goes on in my head but it all makes sense to me.


*and I bet this topic was secretly aimed at me*

 

[nadroJ]

I generally do appreciate people's opinion but what I don't get is when people are so so harsh on a ride, just dismiss it as crap.

To me, most rollercoasters are brilliant, not 10/10 every time, but as an enthusiast I enjoy most rollercoasters, other than obviously less thrilling ones like Big Apples and Spinning Mouse coasters, almost all exactly the same.

I'll never understand when people are like oh Colossus that's crap, I always think well no it's not crap it's actually a really good thrilling ride, may be a bit rough in some places but not utter crap.

So I find people can be too judgemental rather than too leniant.

PS No way is Saw a 9/10 ride. A solid 7 if anything.

 

[Uncle Arly]

To me, most rollercoasters are brilliant, not 10/10 every time, but as an enthusiast I enjoy most rollercoasters, other than obviously less thrilling ones like Big Apples and Spinning Mouse coasters, almost all exactly the same.

This. I find all coaster enjoyable, even if they're rough. I don't ride coasters so I can rate them, I ride them to enjoy them. Yes, there are some coasters which I will rate lower than others (if I have to rate) but I would still find them enjoyable.

We're roller coaster enthusiasts, we should just enjoy a ride for what it is, instead of picking faults. Find a positive!

 

[A-Kid]

Other than the selected few, I really love most the rides I do. So its rare for me to rate lower than 6.

I don't base rides on "airtime" or "force" which I find is a poor way to rate rides. I go by how much I actually enjoyed it. I just see them as a bonus point.

I feel people are too much of a rollercoaster critic rather than an enthusiast of them. If you get me.

 

[oriolat2]

I don't think it depends on the number of coaster you've ridden.

I haven't been on 100 rides yet I know what's supposed to be a good ride. It's not the number that counts, it's the variety of experiences you've had on different rides that makes a good opinion.

For instance, if A has ridden as many coasters as B but B has a wider range of coaster types in his/her coastercount:
- A's costercount: 5 B&M floorless, 2 Intamin Accelerators, 2 Maurer spinners, 1 Eurofighter.

- B's coastercount: 1 B&M floorless, 1 B&M inverter, 1 B&M Flyer, 1 B&M sitdown, 1 GCII, 2 CCIs, 1 Intamin Accelerator, 1 Zamperla spinner, 1 Maurer X-Car.

who is going to have a better opinion?

 

[LiveForTheLaunch]

Oo, well actually, to me I think it's a big mistake to "correct" people's opinions, or to tell them they're wrong. Whether they've been on five coasters, or five hundred, if they like a coaster then so be it. As long as they personally enjoyed it, I don't see why they should be corrected.

I guess you could always go against someone's opinion though, but that's the fun of debate.

 

[caffeine_demon]

I don't think it's the number of coasters someone's ridden either

My count is about 170, and I rate saw 10/10.

I wasn't expecting too much from it, and thought the theming was rather a letdown, but the ride itself was very nicely done - and that inline twist is shear genius!

Maybe iI'm easily impressed!

I'd always have a similar argument about dragon kahn - everytone seems to love it, yet I thought it was only above average - Superman at parque warner, which is my fave coaster, is someone elses least favourite!

 

[Anonymous]

I must say this post seems rather arrogant. At first I thought it was a joke, seeing how it says your OPINION is wrong!

I thought an opinion cant be wrong by definition.
Some like coasters others don't, and vice versa. Theres no right or wrong with it..

And the # of coasters has nothing to do with it. You like what you like. Period. Boasting about your number and how you've experienced more and thus have a better taste is just flat out elitist. Roller Coaster elitist...why to kill a fun hobby!

 

[Ingested Banjo]

Well I'm gonna say coastercount does have something to do with it, because when I first joined CF, I called myself 'Inversionperson' and thought colossus was the best ride ever. I have since ridden other coasters, and see that my opinion of colossus as the best ride was pretty wrong.

Of course, following this logic, you can never say that you have judged a coaster fairly until you have ridden every single one, and each with an absolutely level mind.

I still see friends today who say 'wow, stealth is the best ever!' and I cringe, but to them, it really is.

If anyone has done A - level philosophy, remember plato's cave? If not, look it up on wikipedia. It's basically like the matrix, about how people think what they are seeing is real, but actually there is a better world beyond the cave. I think this is basically what the topic is about. Is it right to drag people out of the metaphorical cave, or leave them blissful in their own ignorance?

And by the way, I haven't had the pleasure of riding saw yet due to the technical fault on opening day and me being busy with AS levels, but how come everyone is so harsh on saw? When it first came out people were saying how great the first drop was and how it exceeded their expectations.

There was another argument I was going to add, but it's quarter to one so I've forgotten completely.

 

[Anonymous]

Well I'm gonna say coastercount does have something to do with it, because when I first joined CF, I called myself 'Inversionperson' and thought colossus was the best ride ever. I have since ridden other coasters, and see that my opinion of colossus as the best ride was pretty wrong.

Of course, following this logic, you can never say that you have judged a coaster fairly until you have ridden every single one, and each with an absolutely level mind.

I still see friends today who say 'wow, stealth is the best ever!' and I cringe, but to them, it really is.

If anyone has done A - level philosophy, remember plato's cave? If not, look it up on wikipedia. It's basically like the matrix, about how people think what they are seeing is real, but actually there is a better world beyond the cave. I think this is basically what the topic is about. Is it right to drag people out of the metaphorical cave, or leave them blissful in their own ignorance?

And by the way, I haven't had the pleasure of riding saw yet due to the technical fault on opening day and me being busy with AS levels, but how come everyone is so harsh on saw? When it first came out people were saying how great the first drop was and how it exceeded their expectations.

There was another argument I was going to add, but it's quarter to one so I've forgotten completely.

Well see, thats the point! OK, Im willing to admit the # is important. If you've been to 2 or 3 parks then yea, what you is know is limited and cant really say "X" is the best coaster there is. But I figure most of us on this site are more than amateurs. I mean I'm only 20 and I havnt done a count but I must be around 80 coasters. Well, before we derail this topic into philosophy and that stuff, I'm just gunna say rides are all personal and I think the original post was really arrogant and over the top.