Ask the Experts / Veticle G's and Lateral G's

Hi, i'm new here. But im sort of confused about what lateral G's and verticle g's are. My coasters always come off as to high with Vertical G's # in red. I don't understand what they are. Can someone help?

Two of the main forces the riders will experience are G-forces and inertia. Inertia is simply the force that keeps the rider going, therefore, inertia is constant regardless of the speed or direction of the coaster. However, G-forces aren’t as simple to explain. Naturally, when sitting, you experience 1 G, and that is derived by taking your body weight and multiplying it by 1. 1 G is what everybody feels on earth. In roller coasters, the only time you feel 1 G is in the loading station and on the chain lift. Everywhere else, the rider’s body weight will be varying. In the dips, or troughs of the track, the rider’s body forces itself into the seat, which is experiencing a positive G-force. In other words, the rider’s body weight will appear to increase. It is inertia that presses the rider into the track. For example, if a rider weighs 100 pounds, and he/she experiences 4 G’s in a particular dip, he/she will apparently weigh 400 pounds (100 X 4). The exact opposite occurs at the crests of the roller coaster. This is where the rider will experience a negative G-force, resulting in the apparent decrease of body weight. At times, the rider will near weightlessness. Once again, inertia is the culprit. Inertia pushes the rider out of the cars, thus decreasing body weight. For example, a 100 pound rider experiencing 2 G’s at the crest of a hill, will weigh apparently 50 pounds (100/2).
To understand the possibilities and dangers of G-forces a little bit better, it is worthy to note that Air Force pilots can only endure 11 G’s before they blackout. Prior to 1976, roller coaster designers were struggling to create a successful looping design. In the early 1900’s, the first attempted loops resulted in G-forces nearing 12. Many riders would return to the station with sore, or snapped necks. In 1976, many designers realized that a clothoid loop would result in a much more comfortable ride. A clothoid loop looks like an upside-down teardrop. By using this type of loop, with radii of varying lengths, the centrifugal force is reduced. Whereas in a loop of one separate radii, similar to those of the early 1900’s, the train would require too much speed to complete it, therefore heavily increasing the G-force.

^ Um, but it is important to understand that not everyone can withstand 11 vertical gs, especially because fighter pilots wear special suits that allow them to handle them.

Anyways, positive vertical gs are basically when you feel like you're being pushed down. Negative gs are either experienced as floater air (about .1-.5G) or ejector air (about -1G). Oh, and generally the highest you'd want to go with vertical gs are about 5 and 5.5 is pushing it. And if you get negative gs in inversions, you get hang air, which isn't always a good thing and you'll end up bruising your shoulders ala Manhattan Express. Well, not always to that extent.

Laterals are great, but generally only on coasters with lap bars - make sure them to keep them lower on coasters with OTSRs or else that ride will be in severe pain. Laterals are most commonly experienced on wooden coasters, which make you feel like you're being whipped around. Contrary to vertical gs, the normal lateral (sitting) is 0Gs. 1 lateral g would be like laying on your side. Laterals are reduced through banking, and the more laterals the more you'll feel like you're being slammed against the side of the car.

Laterals are reduced through banking, which in turn increase vertical g forces.

That's really basic as to what g-forces are, but it should be all you need.