I tried going down few slides at a water park for the 1st time in my
life. From my experience, I believe that there is a chance that I
might get thrown out of the open slides. Is this true? I am 1.8 metres
tall and weight 82 kilogrammes.

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Request for Question Clarification by blazius-ga on 22 Aug 2005 00:23 PDT

Unless the waterslide is an enclosed tube (that will never, never,
never develop any holes or be torn apart) there will always be a
chance of being thrown out of it.  In most cases, the risk will be so
small that you wouldn't mind, though.  (It will probably be more
dangerous to drive your car to the water park.)

What is an acceptable risk for you?  It would also be helpful to know
where you plan to use such slides, as approval requirements for
waterslides might vary a bit.

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Clarification of Question by malazr-ga on 22 Aug 2005 22:09 PDT

I am looking more towards the degree of the curves and the gradient of
the slides that may cause me to be thrown out.

Waterparks registered with the World Waterpark Association, I believe,
can be trusted. Maybe those small operators, hoteliers, seaside fun
parks that I should be wary about.

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Request for Question Clarification by nenna-ga on 23 Aug 2005 09:33 PDT

Hello malazr,

I think part of the thrill of a waterslide is that you feel like
you'll slide out going down it, but you will not. Being that your 5
foot 9 inches and 180 lbs, I believe your weight would keep you in
place.

Most equipment is tested throughly to prevent this type of injury. In
my searches, while I came across people who were thrown out when a
slide came apart, I could not find an instance easily of someone who
just slid over the side when riding the slide correctly.

For 2.25 (researchers make 75% of the listed price), I'm not sure a
reseacher will do the calculations to see what your weight and height
needs for curves and gradients to bee thrown out of a slide. Engineers
make many  $1000.00's of dollars to figure this out before the slide
is built. Here is a link to guidelines about pricing your question,
https://answers.google.com/answers/pricing.html

Please let us know how you'd like us to proceed.
Nenna-GA

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Clarification of Question by malazr-ga on 23 Aug 2005 21:03 PDT

Thank you nenna-ga for the clarification. I don't think I will need
such a big calculation. Maybe researcher can lead me to which field
this study is. I know it's physics but can I have a specific one and
maybe some sites about the field.

Thank you.

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Request for Question Clarification by knowledge_seeker-ga on 24 Aug 2005 08:03 PDT

I can provide you with amusement park ride accident reports (by year
and type of ride) going back to 1972. Water slides of all types are
included and accidents are described. It is not an official source and
does not include 100% of all accidents, but is comprehensive and would
give you a good sense of the probability of falling out of a water
slide.

Would that suffice as an answer? 

-K~

Hello malazr-ga,

You?re correct on it being physics, and the force you?re referring to
going through the curves is inertia.
http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/water-slide1.htm (How
waterslides work - physics)

Google Search
Water slide physics
://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=water+slide+physics&btnG=Search

Inertia
://www.google.com/search?q=inertia&btnG=Search&hl=en&lr= 

If this answer requires further explanation, please request
clarification before rating it, and I'll be happy to look into this
further.

Nenna-GA
Google Answers Researcher

this rating is due to the help given to me to understand this field
better. i may not have written the question properly to let the
researchers answer my curiosity (hence the small amount of money). but
i can move on from this answer and do my own research.

I rather thought the slides were designed for kids.  What does the
warning say? "Use at your own risk", "Lie down, do NOT sit on the
slide."
Of course, it is much more exhilerating to sit, but a person of your
size with greater upper body weight and that higher than for a smaller
person, may be at risk of flying out on a curve, especially if you
don't anticipate it and lean towards the inside of the curve.

Wouldn't it be a bigger problem if you DIDN'T emerge from the water
slide?  Ending up in Alpha Centauri, perhaps?

Those straight, 7 feet long slides may be meant for kids but I doubt
those long, steep, winded one are exclusively for them as most of it
require a minimum height of 4 feet

You are probably in more danger of being electrocuted by your computer
while typing this question than you are of accidentally flying out of
a water park slide.  Water slides and other amusements (like roller
coasters) are designed to give you a sense of danger, but in reality
and physics are safe.  Ofcourse there are always freak accidents, but
they generally involve a major unanticipated malfunction based on
gross negligence of the rider or operator.