Think of a hamster's wheel. The little rodent climbs into a wheel and can run forever without actually going anywhere.

Now scale it up to human size. 3 metres inside diameter should be about right. Construct the floor of the wheel to be a smooth continuous sheet of metal.

The rider climbs into the wheel and sits down. The wheel is set into motion by either a motor or human power, via two identical wheels linked together. The result is the rider feels like they are sliding down an indefinitely long slide.
-- Aq_Bi, Jan 15 2005

Roller Surfer Roller_20Surfer
similar to this with rider movement [FarmerJohn, Jan 15 2005]

Interesting! You'll have to deal with the friction somehow - I'm not sliding down an infinte slide with just my jeans on metal.

The person on the slide wouldn't actually be moving, so most of the enjoyment would come from being able to hold a position that seems impossible, similar to the "rotor" rides that allow you to climb up a wall.
-- jutta, Jan 15 2005


Yes, I think there might be some skill in maintaining a smooth slide: the tendency would be to oscillate like the hamsters sometimes do.
But that would add to the fun.+
-- Ling, Jan 15 2005


If the wheel wasn't circular, like the link, but oval or uneven, different speeds and angles would give variety.
-- FarmerJohn, Jan 15 2005


If the slide itself were flexible enought it could be inverted at some point down the line before it loops around and you could be sliding its entire surface - little August F. Mobius was said to have had one like this in his montessori playground. You wouldn't really experience anything different from where you were sitting, of course, unless you were five good bong-hits into a decent little bag. Then you're mind would be as properly entertained by the experience as your butt. I really like this idea. I'm giving it a croissant!
-- JungFrankenstein, Jan 15 2005


Cool [+]
-- skinflaps, Jan 15 2005


A variation could be made to mimic tube slides. It would be a hollow torus set on end with a hatch to access the inside. The tube could even be filled with water to simulate a water slide. Not for the claustrophobic.
-- Aq_Bi, Jan 15 2005


Slide on your bottom and then, stand up.
-- zeno, Jan 15 2005


What if you couldn't turn it off? Ah, the possibilities for torture. - sorry, this is what what comes of using benfrost's thinking beard.
-- JungFrankenstein, Jan 15 2005


I'd like to vote for this again.

If the water slide version had an open top, you could make an interesting arcade ride. Put a large screen through the middle. Design your own impossible water slide, then hop in and ride it.
-- tiromancer, Jan 15 2005


Sitting on the moving hand rail belt of an escalator gives a sample of what it would be like to stay still while the slide was moving.

Yes, they could be built single-passenger up to very many passengers and with or without water.
-- Mustardface, Jan 15 2005


Aren't rides like this commonly known to exist? Except people don't usually sit down in them. They stand up, because that's more fun. Sitting still while the metal slides under your butt is kind of boring.

[FarmerJohn]'s ride(see link) is a bit more unusual.
-- robinism, Jan 15 2005



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