 Poster: A snowHead
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As for falling off a chair, I guess you just need to try and remember the last time you where sitting having a coffee or sitting watching TV and accidentally and fell off your chair. Most people with any kind of muscle control and coordination are able to sit on a chair and not fall off.....baring 20 pints of strong lager. I know chair lifts are moving and I know they often have to stop, but not with the kind of force to throw anyone (who doesn't need a carer) off.
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I've had several chair-lift experiences in my time which have had me holding on tight, seriously worried. Not using the bar is daft.
I probably ride lifts more than most (nearly 10 years living in the Alps, on a lift most days, summer & winter!). Most memorably, a lift which had blown a fuse, where the lifties tried just replacing the fuse and having it blow again immediately 3 times (with accompanying lurches forward/back) before giving up. Also had a lift come to a screaming halt from full speed (the lifties take a lunch break in summer and have been known to crank the dial up to maximum at closing time so that they get away for lunch quicker...) while I was in mid-span between two pylons, resulting in massive bounce. Both times, I'm pretty sure I'd have had some difficulty staying seated without the bar and foot-rest in place.
That said, I've only done one trip to North America (Fernie) and as far as I could tell, everyone put the bar down...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Alastair Pink,
As I said, if the bar is up, just ask if you can pull it down.
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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?
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To be fair, @Gyro, I don't think that's a fair comparison. When sitting on a chair having coffee your feet are usually on the ground not dangling in space with an extra three or four kilos on each foot that keeps catching in the wind. Also when wet some chairlifts have extremely slippery surfaces. And finally I agree most lifts stop pretty gently but on occasion in emergencies (such as someone getting caught at the top and being dragged around) they can stop much much more abruptly. I don't think I've ever been thrown into the safety bar and in any danger of falling off but a young kid... possibly.
Personally I'm not that bothered. And I agree that I would be enormously surprised if anyone complained after a polite request such as your wife makes.
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@MadMountainMan,
Completely agree when kids are on the lift the bar should be down.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I am not sure I have ever been on a lift without safety bars, or ridden one when the bar up, has always been a natural reaction to pull it down, though that may have something to do with the fact that when I was a beginner (we were an adult group with ESF) I went on my first lift and every adult in the group was allocated at least two 4 or 5 year olds from a french kids group on each chair to look after by the instructors.
I was absolutely crapping myself as I was holding onto the kids for dear life as they barely could see over the bar, but they were just humming along to some tune that they had been taught!!!!
taking my girls for the first time in a couple of weeks, though they have learnt over here, I want to take them on a lift a couple of times the afternoon before their lessons begin as they are going into groups a couple of levels above beginner and would assume most of the others have used lifts before.
we must have been shown certain etiquette's by our instructor such as using a lift properly and where to stop safely on pistes, as it seems second nature to me and I aim to pass this on to my girls
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| stevomcd wrote: |
That said, I've only done one trip to North America (Fernie) and as far as I could tell, everyone put the bar down... |
Not this yank 
I only put the bar down when asked by children. (adults who want to have the bar down can do so without any complain from me, I just don't see the point, been riding chairs without bar all my skiing career)
(there're exceptions, on days with high wind, I do use the bar)
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If there's no bar, what do you lean on when hungover/sleeping?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Agreed, like many over here in USA i never put the bar down, but usually someone does go for it.
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For those who have come along saying the american bar no bar is a myth i am surprised
I have skied in utah for 12 years now , there is a huge mix of bar and no bar lifts FACT.
Bars seemed to become more common around 2010 over there and still you find the large majority dont lower them
We only returned from this years 3 week trip a few weeks ago , skied 5 different resorts and seeing a bar dropped where available extremely rare
We also never bother with the bar unless someone asks when in the usa
And have been shouted at by lifties in europe for not dropping it
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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the angle of the dangle
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*Snigger*
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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.
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I don't have a problem if there's no bar, I just sit right back but if there is a bar, why not use it?
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You know it makes sense.
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[quote="stevomcd"]
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That said, I've only done one trip to North America (Fernie) and as far as I could tell, everyone put the bar down... |
Same in Big White Canada. Bars are used on chairs by 99% of people there. It's a long time since I've been to Whistler & Lake Louise, but I'm pretty sure they use bars there too. I don't like not using them so I would probably remember if they didn't.
It may be a US thing, but it's not a whole North American thing.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Given the Aspen Times strapline is something like "if you don't want it published don't do it" ( I assume a bit of a a warning to the rich & fabulous who live in/visit Aspen) I'd hope that they are willing to name and shame as soon as the law allows.
Actually one infamous resident of Aspen is Lance Armstrong - coincidence?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Interestingly the last comment from the undersheriff was: "It's clear it's not a skier versus a snowboarder situation," he said. "No information supports a skier-snowboarder rift or a subculture of hate."
Actually what's interesting is that he felt the need to say that!
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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?
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@MadMountainMan, Think they were implying that there's been a lot of rumours running around about the incident, so they said that to squash any fears about some random loon out there pushing people off lifts. Seems that the police knew exactly who to go look for from the security camera footage, so this guy obviously has some 'history'.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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@Richard_Sideways, Yeah, that was my thoughts; it's just sad that they felt it had to be said. 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Alastair Pink wrote: |
| Gyro wrote: |
It seems as though people who have never been to an American ski resort are hearing and believing and then repeating that American ski lifts don't have safety bars / don't use safety bars.
I have only ever ridden 1 lift over there with no safety bar in the past 10 years.
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I too have been to many US ski resorts ( two within the last month), and can assure you that there are many which either don't have safety bars fitted to chairlifts at all e.g at Bridger Bowl ( incidentally a lovely little resort) or where they are fitted as at Steamboat Springs the habit amongst the locals seems to be from what I observed not to use them.  |
A good reason not to ski in the States
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Do people seriously still not like US snowboarders. I thought this was a more about banter than actually a thing.
Never had anyone give me hassle about it but I think if I did I'd just take it as a joke.
I took up boarding as I skateboarded and also surf. Seemed natural progression. I tried skiing and although I found it quite easy to pick up just found it odd to face forward. Snowboarding felt more natural.
I think skiing can get so technical at times and those hardcore types hate the fact we are out having fun without "learning" properly, but I get they get annoyed with you park skiers also.
Anyway live and let live. It's ment to be a leisure activity not a contact sport lol
As for being pushed of a lift, I'd have gone mental and straight to the ski patrol. No one has the right to inflict injury on another, could have seriously hurt the poor kid.
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| achilles wrote: |
A good reason not to ski in the States |
Not really - the number of accidents where someone falls off a chair is pretty small and even smaller when you eliminate the "someone was dicking around" factor. A trivial risk compared to that of being hit by an out of control clown on a busy home run in Europe. And people are plenty willing to expose themselves to that.
The worst example I can think of when a kid was dragged off a chair by an patrol triggered avalanche going over the fingers at Squaw. Chair is close to the ground momentarily and it seems the pressure wave was enough. Kid was on the freeride team so he bounced as it was a shorter fall than he normally hucked.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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From my experience, you don't really get 'Banter' if you assume that banter is razzing someone for their ride etc. People just don't do it. Never experienced any form of animosity in North America though, people were just pleasant.
Just read through the article...
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Looks like daddy is bailing him out and sending him to rehab.
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Umm... I see where you're coming from, but I suspect the word "Schizophrenia" is written in big letters somewhere in this guys file. From 2015 figures, over 356,000 people in US jails are classified as 'Seriously mentally ill', while there are 35,000 people in state psychiatric hospitals - 44 out of 50 states hold more mentally ill people in jail than in hospital. Secure care for people who are a danger to themselves or others is, of course, a necessity, but whether that role should be part of the penal system... thats another matter.
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Indeed. Seems to be SOP if you're rich enough to get voluntarily checked into rehab to avoid a jail sentence but the poor don't have that luxury.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Richard_Sideways wrote: |
| From my experience, you don't really get 'Banter' if you assume that banter is razzing someone for their ride etc. People just don't do it. |
I meant between people you actually know. so mates and work colleagues. I would never rib a complete stranger unless they were joking around enough at they beginning and even then i would prob not use ski v snowboard as a banter tool. Some people just get to touchy and too serious.
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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.
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If there's no safety bar on some N American lifts, what do you rest your feet on?, the handful of European lifts thst have no footrests attached to the bar are a literal pia with legs aching after just a minute or two.
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@tangowaggon, cross your legs so you can rest one foot on the other, then the weight cancels itself out, plus you get a fancy pro-style spin when you dismount... [/banter]
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You know it makes sense.
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FAQ
, I'm sure he would be along to recount his story of bruised thighs from the bar keeping him in his seat in a particularly violent and scary negative-G cable whip experience. Many factors affect a chairlift's propensity to whip not. Most, whether by accident or design, don't significantly. On the few that do, it's good to have the bar down. 
