Surprisingly, nobody has brought up the arguement that "the back of the coaster can't go faster than the front... if it did, the back would finish before the front". It has often come up in these discussions.
Before anyone does, I'd like to point out that it is often the speed of the train at a certain point on the track that people call fast or slow. Take BTMRR for instance, at the start of a drop, the back of the train is holding the front back a bit... the train doesn't reach full speed until the front cars are basically through the drop. In the back cars, the train has reached full speed while you're still pretty much at the top of the drop. We prefer to go fast DOWN the hill as opposed to at the bottom of it. So, for rides like BTMRR, we prefer the back.
On RnRC, the speed of the limo at a certain point affects me when we go through the corkscrew. The limo hasn't reached full speed when the front cars are going through the corkscrew. Less speed means there is less centrifugal force, so I tend to "fall" out of my seat more than when I'm in the back. It is barely perceptible... but it is there.
Additionally, coasters in the dark are cool in front because nobody's head is obscuring your view. On SM in California, this is really a plus because it is so darn dark in there you have no idea which way you're going next and you can't "brace" yourself. So, for rides in the dark or that do that corkscrew, we prefer the front.
Okay, 10th grade physics class is now dismissed... don't forget your homework, ride all the coasters and pay attention to WHERE they are going fast.
i love riding in the front.
