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Are ski resorts getting too dangerous?

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
rob@rar, under a new name, We are not talking about responsible skiers skiing fast though are we? We're talking about irresponsible skiers going fast, jumping over blind rollers and then boasting about it, and everyone else being called a killjoy! Shocked I don't think it will take many removed lift passes to stop most of it (assuming it's publicised), but the presence of slow skiing signs is apparently a sign for these skiers to go faster! Twisted Evil In other words 'easy piste coming up - go for it'. rolling eyes

the lift company here are doing what they can, they station pisteurs at strategic points at busy periods, they record incidences of dangerous skiing that they and the lifties see, they ask the public about dangerous incidents that they've seen, they have 'slow' signs in lots of dodgy places, and they are proposing that next year pisteurs (but not ski instructors Crying or Very sad ) will be able to remove lift passes next year .... However, idiots like the chap who ran over davidof's son and the two earlier posters here will still try their best to ruin the fun for the majority. Sad
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Just found this
http://youtube.com/v/Erc3yLswnWk - for those that like going straight! Shocked Shocked Francois Pinatel eat your heart out. Laughing Laughing
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Would you have these speed limits only on nursery slopes or 'gentle' pistes like blue runs?
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easiski, That is awesome - where he just launches into Vallons below P3 is amazing as is where he hits the trees just before the finish.
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easiski, no, we're not, and you are (as ever!) quite right. It is, as much discussed a problem of the inconsiderate few (too many) ruining it, sometimes permanently, for the many.

Going back to Davidof's OP, yes, I would have to, although I hate to, say that the pistes are getting more dangerous - and it's not my own fault. I wouldn't mind if it was.

Very sad and annoying.
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easiski wrote:
rob@rar, under a new name, We are not talking about responsible skiers skiing fast though are we? We're talking about irresponsible skiers going fast, jumping over blind rollers and then boasting about it, and everyone else being called a killjoy! Shocked

I agree with you entirely. I don't think that pisteurs with speed guns on the nursery slopes are the bets way to deal with the problem. I think you're right that word would begin to spread if some lift passes were removed, even if only for a day or two. But that would rely on someone like a pisteur taking a professional judgement about what is dangerous skiing rather than being a few kilometres over an arbitrary speed limit.
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Hmm...I can only agree. Busted for speeding for the first time in 34 years yesterday. 39 mph in a 30 zone. They have a different idea of a built-up area in Suffolk than in Surrey. The picture on the web shows a straight, wide highway in a forest - with me a safe distance behind the car in front. Good job there was a car in front though. Embarassed Embarassed
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rob@rar, don't need speed guns. A well trained observer can make the judgement.
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David Murdoch, For sure.
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easiski, and can make the judgement watching em walking across the car park to the first lift too... wink

P.S. hope you're having a good end to the season. Overcast in Cham today so we're on first barbeque of the spring.
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David Murdoch, have a good one! I'm on my second day off in a row. Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy Have to do stuff tomorrow though. Up to this weekend I've managed 9 days off inthe last 5 months. Hopefully, when back on the mountain there'll hardly be anyone around. Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Reckless, out of control skiers is a big problem here in Colorado too. Here you just can't ski blind to skiers above you, skiing what ever line you desire. You can't depend on other skiers to know and adhere to the rules of the sport. You have to ski with an eye in the back of your head, constantly looking over your shoulder as you make a turn across the falline, for fear of the out of control idiot straight lining.

When skiing on my own it's not as much of an issue, as I move along at a pretty good clip. But when skiing with students it's a big problem. If the student is following me, I have to clear a large piece of real estate above us before departing to keep the student safe. If the student is choosing their own line, I often run interferrence from above. It gives me a good view of what the average recreational skier goes through while skiing at slow to moderate speeds. It's ridiculous,,, it's dangerous out there.

I blame much of it on a mind shift brought about by the park and extreme skiing movement of late. Young skiers are drawn to finding air and running the falline where ever they are, well outside their skill level,,, and ski resorts have become less strict at enforcing safe skiing from being overwhelmed by so many skiing this way, as well as recognizing that boards/parks/young is their bread and butter to which they have to somewhat cater.
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FastMan wrote:
Quote:
I blame much of it on a mind shift brought about by the park and extreme skiing movement of late. Young skiers are drawn to finding air and running the falline where ever they are, well outside their skill level,,, and ski resorts have become less strict at enforcing safe skiing from being overwhelmed by so many skiing this way, as well as recognizing that boards/parks/young is their bread and butter to which they have to somewhat cater.


Yep, been noticing this in Europe too. I didn't really see many boarders doing this, it was mainly young skiers. I'm also sick of hearing stupid parents proclaiming how good their kids are because 'they just straightline it' and 'don't bother with turning'. We have a whole generation of kids being influenced by this stuff and has to be dealt with now.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
PJSki wrote:
... I'm also sick of hearing stupid parents proclaiming how good their kids are because 'they just straightline it' and 'don't bother with turning'. We have a whole generation of kids being influenced by this stuff and has to be dealt with now.


In Megeve this year I was talking to a skier who told me that her son (who was evidently a beginner boarder) had now given up skiing because having skied (once a year) for 10 years since the age of 13 he was so good that nothing was a challenge anymore and he couldn't possibly get any better. I admit I had an immediate urge to say something cutting Embarassed. However I saved my breath. The problem is not that she thought her little boy wonderful (nothing wrong wiith that, perfectly normal), but that she seemed not to realise her view to be unobjective (and so was injudiciously unrestrained in her expression of said view), as well as that in any case she knew next to nothing about skiing, good or otherwise. What was a little more worrying was that her son didn't disagree with her.
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PJSki, My group and I got a lot of stick for my telling off of a kid like this, skiing with a load of adults. rolling eyes Those ones were French, but they come in all nationalities. slikedges, there's a least one junior snowhead that I know who's like that. Sad The snowhead half of the parents is unable to persuade the non-snowhead half that the kid should be taught to ski properly. They wanted me to take them to LG last year - I took one look at the kid and wasn't very complementary!!
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
One of the few times I've actually been scared skiing was in February this year, skiing down a long blue from the top of the hill down into Scheffau. Quite a narrow cat-track and there were a load of kids just bombing down it as fast as they could, sat down on their skis, cutting off corners and re-joining the piste. They were really out of control.
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With the exception of blind jumps (and that has been qualified as not really blind jumps - but not wanting to open that issue up again) the main issue that seems to have been raised by most is exessive speed against respective skill level, and this excessive speed seems to be a function of good 'billiard table' pistes, carving skis and slope users with protection akin robo-cop (no guns - yet Very Happy ) whereby they think they may be protected (no helmets debate please wink ) if they take a tumble.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Is some of this thread a misconception rather than reality based on people tending to have a perception that faster than they are skiing or are comfortable skiing must equal out of control?

That said, maybe we need traffic calming?



Toofy Grin
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Quote:

based on people tending to have a perception that faster than they are skiing or are comfortable skiing must equal out of control?


well I certainly don't think that anyone skiing faster than I do is out of control. But I do think that people who bump into slope users who have right of way are out of control, and I also know enough about skiing to know that someone doing a sort of snowplough straight down the slope, fast, on flat skis, is out of control. A girl shot past me the other day - and I was not going particularly slowly. As she moved ahead of me and I could see her better it was obvious she was out of control, though still on her feet. It was bound to end in tears but fortunately she crashed on her own, without involving anybody else (if only because she and I were about the only people on that whole section).

I think any reasonable experienced observer from a chairlift can see a fair number of skiers who are out of control - doesn't mean they are skiing fast, just too fast for their skills. The "brave but foolish" near beginner with a bunch of more experienced mates is a prime example - and nobody could deny that there are a fair number of them around. Sort of partly snowplough/swivel turns, with straight legs - you know the look. If they are also overweight couch potatoes, as often seems to be the case, their momentum is truly scary for anyone below them.
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Forget about the control/out of control thing... Being out of control is part of the learning process - everyone who has fallen while skiing was out of control - that's all of us. I recall Easiski saying that she fell on a peice of hardpack piste ealier in the season. She was out of control at that point and, potentially, her fall could have caused an accident involving another skier.

Recklessness is the issue - not absolute 'control'
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easiski wrote:
Just found this
http://youtube.com/v/Erc3yLswnWk - for those that like going straight! Shocked Shocked Francois Pinatel eat your heart out. Laughing Laughing


someone needs to tell that guy not to look at his tips the whole time rolling eyes
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pam w wrote:
Would "foutez le camp!" be a suitable thing to yell? wink


don't say it with an English accent Happy

I would try to be more diplomatic, something like this should get the desired reaction:-

"degagez - especes des enculés des etudiants de l'ESF, faisez-vous foutre ailleurs, bordel de merde, crottes de bite"

run it through Google if you are unsure about the English version.
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Yes, davidof, very diplomatic. Cool
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davidof, Laughing

Good thing Google Translate doesn't have a nanny filter!
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easiski wrote:
Just found this
http://youtube.com/v/Erc3yLswnWk


That has to be the most boring ski video ever. Unless there is an interesting bit between minute 1 when I got fed up and minute 5 when I looked at the end to find that nothing much had changed.
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davidof, would you consider printing up some stickers then flogging them to the community? Cool
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Quote:

"degagez - especes des enculés des etudiants de l'ESF, faisez-vous foutre ailleurs, bordel de merde, crottes de bite"

run it through Google if you are unsure about the English version.

I think I can just about figure it out. wink

But it's a lot to remember.....
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So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
davidof, nice one! Laughing Laughing
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
ccl, Have you skied the Vallons de la Meije? If not, we'll forgive you and you can check out the pics on Colin B's thread. Shocked

red 27, No, because I did not slide (don't remember falling this year either, but can't be bothered to check it out). I don't actually agree that people falling are out of control - only if they then slide and spray bits of equipment everywhere! Whether they were out of control before falling is another matter. If everyone skied at a speed which allowed them to be aware of what was going on all around them life on the mountain would be much easier and more pleasurable for all.

Winterhighland, No, no misconception I don't think. However I have to say that a very large number of winter skiers do ski faster than they should. The odd natural hazard as per your pic would be an excellent thing. Laughing Laughing
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
easiski wrote:
ccl, Have you skied the Vallons de la Meije? If not, we'll forgive you and you can check out the pics on Colin B's thread. Shocked

Well, as someone who has done it a dozen times or more, I have to agree with ccl - that is the most boring ski vid I've ever seen. The fact that it's recording a the winning run of one of the major freeride races in the Alps just makes it even more of a damp squib, completely obscuring the nature of the achievement.
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rob@rar wrote:
davidof, Laughing

Good thing Google Translate doesn't have a nanny filter!


shocking isn't it? It is like a script for an Al Pacino movie!
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easiski wrote:
ccl, Have you skied the Vallons de la Meije? If not, we'll forgive you and you can check out the pics on Colin B's thread. Shocked



Not sure what I have to be forgiven for. Puzzled Whatever run that was in the video there was a limit - about a minute- to how long I could be riveted by a view focused about a metre in front of a pair of ski tips. Am I missing something?

No I haven't skied the Vallons de la Meije. Another challenge ahead, then? Do you do guided tours, easiski?
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
ccl,GrahamN, When I take groups down the route (normally moderate skiers) what he did takes about 2 hours! Of course I could ski it in about 1! I found it a shame that the camera was not mounted on top of his head (it was beside his ear) and this has been mentioned on the comments on You Tube. I agree that as a vid to watch it's not particularly thrilling until you start to work out where he was, and his legs are clearly fantastic because you don't get a sense of the bumps he's traversing - but the guy just straightlines it! Shocked Working out where he is is quite a challenge and a shock.
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davidof wrote:
I would try to be more diplomatic, something like this should get the desired reaction:-

"degagez - especes des enculés des etudiants de l'ESF, faisez-vous foutre ailleurs, bordel de merde, crottes de bite"


I love it when foreigners try to bond with the locals. So there:

"degagez - especes d'enculés d'étudiants de l'ESF, allez vous faire foutre ailleurs, bordel de merde..."

I corrected a few mistakes, just to convey the sentiment a bit better...and I removed "crottes de bite", which doesn't mean anything and would just distract your audience...

Toofy Grin
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easiski, agree the best bits are where he's straightlining bumps
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The bits through the trees convince me he was not totally in control at that speed, given that he was continually overtaking and could encounter an obstacle at any minute. Exciting last forty seconds; must be incredibly fit, especially in the quads.
Perhaps we shoudl have an observational comp. Without looking again, what skis was he on? Can anyone identify the gloves or helmet? Who did he pass at 1min 30?
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beequin, it's a race - i would say one of the times when slowcoaches need to look after themselves
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Arno, accepted it is a race for some and jolly for others. I was thinking more, see a skier, take avoiding action, hit a tree.
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beequin, Dynastar Pro I'm pretty sure. He does go pretty close to others, but that's part of a freeride race. Those below beware, but they do try to organise it so the fastest go first AIUI. I think he turned his skis about 5 times in the whole descent. Wish I'd been there - on second thoughts no I don't! He has to be a totally awesome skier to be able to do that and stay on his feet. Derby de la Meije is NEVER A JOLLY - if it is you shouldn't be there! Shocked
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easiski wrote:


red 27, ... I don't actually agree that people falling are out of control - only if they then slide and spray bits of equipment everywhere! Whether they were out of control before falling is another matter.


Easiski - that's insane... you were in control, but fell over? Why, just for the hell of it? Laughing

Anyways, don't be too hard(pack) on yourself - we're all a little rusty early in the season, and no one got hurt wink

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=1108985&highlight=hardpack#1108985
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