X-Scream, the new thrill ride high atop the Stratosphere Tower is an interesting dividing line for humanity.

You can put people into two groups: those that think plunging off the side of a 100-plus story building in an open-air car sounds like fun and those that think there isn't enough money in the world to get them to even consider doing it.

I fall squarely into the latter camp, which is planted very firmly on the ground, where I fully intend to stay, preferably while sipping cocktails and watching cable television.

My friend Joe, however, is in the former camp, and I got him to ride X-Scream for a view from the other side -- one you'll never get from me.

Let's discuss exactly what the ride is. It's essentially a giant teeter-totter, perched precariously on the side of an outdoor observation deck, 866 feet above the ground. Riders climb onto a platform aimed toward the sky and get into one of the seats. A hydraulic restraining device pins then in around the waist -- but there are no harnesses or other safety equipment to ruin the effect. The bottom and the sides of the platform fall away and they're basically sitting in an open chair as the car is propelled at 30 mph up the ramp.

As the car speeds up it, the teeter-totter action comes into play and the ramp tilts off the side of the building and riders are now headed down toward open space, giving the sensation that the next, rather unpleasant stop will be the big empty lot across from the Sahara.

Of course, it stops before that, leaving people dangling out in thin air, watching traffic helicopters (if there happen to be any around) whirring around beneath them. There's a surprise -- which I won't ruin for those of you who might want to ride the thing -- and then the ramp resets and you do it again.

So my view remains that I would never, ever, under any circumstances even consider riding this thing unless, perhaps, someone was chasing me with an axe and the only escape was somehow found on X-Scream. Our host took me onto the ride before it started to show me how everything works but I can't really tell you what he said because just being out there on it filled my head with a loud buzzing noise that drowned everything else out.

However, the view from the "Yeah, that would be fun" camp was different and somewhat surprising. Joe came off the ride a bit disappointed, feeling that there wasn't enough thrill in the thrill ride. He said that it didn't go fast enough or extend far enough off the side of the tower to get the desired effect.

Interestingly, I've checked around for some other opinions and found that human dividing line has created an interesting quandary for X-Scream. The unrepentant thrill junkies that want to ride something like don't think it's thrilling enough and the big scaredy-cats like myself who may find it thrilling enough won't get on it in the first place.

I have found several "testimonials" from folks who say the ride is a heart-stopper, with one online blogger saying she couldn't speak or walk for 10 minutes after the experience. Reactions may vary, to say the least.

If you're in the camp of people who think something like this would be cool, I say go ahead and do it. At only $8 (plus admission to the Stratosphere Tower itself), it seems like a worthwhile gamble to find out for yourself if the X-Scream can make you scream.

I, and other right-minded folk, will be watching from our comfy little camp on the ground.

Vegas4Visitors Grade: B

X-Scream
Stratosphere
2000 Las Vegas Blvd. S.
Las Vegas, NV 89104
800-99-TOWER

Hours: Sun.-Thurs. 10 a.m. to 1 a.m., Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. (weather permitting)
Cost: $8 for the ride, plus $9 admission to the tower, or all-day tower and all-ride package (includes all three rides) for $19.95 weekday, $24.95 weekend

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