 Poster: A snowHead
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| rayscoops wrote: |
| pam w, what if the injured person was obviously concussed or not in control of their faculties? I have seen rugby players 'restrained' when concussed and unable to walk in a straight line. |
thats permanent state of affairs for the average tight head!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Elizabeth B wrote: |
| Some of the modern 6 or 8 man chairs have bars that are quite heavy....and can be difficult if you are riding alone. |
Even on some 4 person chairs, worst when it has footrest!
I do sometimes worry I might not be able to raise them by myself...
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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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I do sometimes worry I might not be able to raise them by myself...
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I find some quite difficult to raise with just my hands, but shoving a foot under the footrest and lifting with your leg too makes it much easier.
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I worry slightly more about getting on than off, especially the two-man plastic things that whip round the corner and take your legs while you're not looking. I came off a Poma for the first time in years this season.
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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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A child was killed in Verbier a few weeks ago when he fell off the chairlift in La Chaux. Was skiing with the Swiss ski school in a big group and was on the lift with another child. Didn't get on the seat properly and despite the efforts of the other child to hold him he fell off and died of his injuries en route to Sion in the helicopter. Tragic. Real issue was that the liftie didn't stop the chair, presumably because he wasn't paying attention. Child was dangling for 54 seconds before he fell (timed by police later)
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I must admit I spent a lot of time skiing alone this week and found the 6-man chair bars very hard to raise. The best chairs had counter weights on the bars that made them easier.
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| pam w wrote: |
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I do sometimes worry I might not be able to raise them by myself...
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I find some quite difficult to raise with just my hands, but shoving a foot under the footrest and lifting with your leg too makes it much easier. |
I tried that. But I felt the move rather dangerous.
For me, the fear of being trapped on the chair at the top is more than the fear of falling off. So, if I'm riding alone on a quad or six or eight (very rare), I simply leave the bar up. Eventually, I got quite used to riding chair without bar.
I guess that answers why I left the bar up often. An act that got me quizzed by fellow snowheads during MSB.
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crazy_skier_jules,
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I spent a lot of time skiing alone
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Why???!!
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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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Hurtle, because nobody could keep up, of course. 
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I tried that. But I felt the move rather dangerous.
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Why? When I do it, which is often, I feel that pushing my leg up, against the leverage of the bar, is pushing my backside, and my back, more firmly than ever onto the chair. It feels quite safe to me, and as I have rather arthritic hands it just feels easier and stronger to use my legs. AFter all, you generally lift your legs and ski tips into a rather similar position to get off the chair.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Possibly I'm just some sort of irresponsible freak, but it has never occurred to me to even remotely frightened by any aspect of a chairlift.
Frankly, I'm thinking you're all a bit strange. 
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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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Lizzard, If I'm honest, I don't blame you!
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You know it makes sense.
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It took me 3 days of watching the chair lift and a pass being stuffed in my hands by Eva before I plucked up courage to use it to try out the schittelweg. I've ridden one about 3 times now, and the kids once or twice, we are all still quite wary of it, but the kids will do it if I sit next to them and hold them tightly
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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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| abc wrote: |
For me, the fear of being trapped on the chair at the top is more than the fear of falling off. . |
ummmm sorry but I'm  here.... what is so bad about going around for another ride? that is the absolute WORST I can see happening.... you do a lap... that is not dangerous.... while on the opposite side I HAVE seen people bounced out of a chair by an emergency stop....
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Poster: A snowHead
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what is so bad about going around for another ride? that is the absolute WORST I can see happening....
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If you can't understand why it's SO BAD, then I guess you just don't understand.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
it has never occurred to me to even remotely frightened by any aspect of a chairlift.
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It's always difficult to understand other people's fears and phobias - spiders, flying, heights, birds, being seen in public without mascara, Sky TV, one-piece ski suits, snakes, crowds, caves, whatever. I have a friend who can't swim and is really terrified of water, but she went round the world on the yacht her husband built, all the same (if only because he said he was going anyway, whatever she decided!). That is really brave. I don't have any problems with chairs, as a rule (not counting get off the damn things on a snowboard) but some do present difficulties - a horrible little old one in Notre Dame goes downhill at the start and swings you out over a big drop before you can get the bar down and is not a pleasant ride even for people with no big problems with heights. And it IS worrying for people trying to get little ones on and off, especially if you are not very confident on skis and lifts yourself. It's a very sad story about the child being killed on a Swiss lift even if we know that statistically children are safer on chairlifts than on roads. Perception of risk rarely has much to do with logic and statistics (or fewer people would smoke or ride a motorbike!). People who love their skiing enough to keep getting on lifts they find really frightening are impressive, not foolish.
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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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I have just got back from Avoriaz (I am the author of the origonal thread) and have read all the above. Just to clarify the situation regarding the treatment refusal.
The piste patrol arrived, asked me what had happened and gave the Alexander a cursory examination. Alexander was obviously dazed and shocked but said he was Ok when asked if he had any injuries. At this point he saqd he was fine and wanted to get down on his own. The Piste patrol did NOT even attempt to dissuade him, they simply pulled out the disclaimer. By the time we got back to the top of the lift they had all gone.
Regarding the threads about the legality of forcing treatment, I was in Sunshine a few years ago when a mate hurt his sprained some ligaments in his neck after a fall in flat light and the piste patrol simply strapped him to a back board and ambulanced him to Banff hospital. He wanted to get there under his own steam but they refused and strapped him in anyway - now that's forcing treatment or maybe the lady was into some scarey medical bondage! 
Horrible to hear about the kiddies accident in Verbier, condolences to anyone who knew the child.
I'd still like Alexander to contact me to let me know he was Ok or anyone who knows him who's heard him tell the story of the accident - it's not a tall story it really did happen - please get in touch!
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PAM W "People who love their skiing enough to keep getting on lifts they find really frightening are impressive, not foolish."
Well 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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| crazy_skier_jules wrote: |
| I must admit I spent a lot of time skiing alone this week and found the 6-man chair bars very hard to raise. |
Why were you skiing alone at the eos then..?
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I have to say that I've been on a chair that was stopped by the lifty when the person in front of me blithely left the bar up. It took a bit of shouting and gesturing before the bloke got the point and dropped his bar.
Evidently they're not all that scrupulous, but they put restraining bar there for a reason and get a bit upset if you don't take advantage of it. 
Getting off the chairlifts is the place I have seen most mayhem, usually from what IT consultants would call a "user interface problem". If you're on a chairlift that detatches and slows down for dismount, you can avoid this by letting everyone else off first and leaving people (and incidentally yourself) more room to manouvre. On the old one speed chairs it's just a question of dropping off and trying to stay in a straight line until you're clear of the clusterf...oops...foul up.
The worst piece of chairlift exit f-wittery I have seen was from a snowboarder with a backpack. He'd ignored all the signs and advice and left it on his back - who can be bothered to take them off every time, after all - and ended up dangling with his board three feet off the piste when the lifty stopped the chair. He looked a little embarrassed when he was finally unbuckled and they unhooked his bag.
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| Mr Lizzard wrote: |
The worst piece of chairlift exit f-wittery I have seen was from a snowboarder with a backpack. He'd ignored all the signs and advice and left it on his back - who can be bothered to take them off every time, after all - and ended up dangling with his board three feet off the piste when the lifty stopped the chair. He looked a little embarrassed when he was finally unbuckled and they unhooked his bag. |
I must admit that (as a skier), I always keep my backpack on my back when using a chairlift, as do most others I know who wear one.
I have never had it cause a problem (yet!).
I would find it far more awkward to mount and dismount carrying it in my hand than wearing it normally.
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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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I dont believe that some have difficulty in lifting up the safety bar
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JT, Hurtle, yes the chairs are hard but I can manage. I like my own company and not having to wait for a group to faff around before I can set off. Although skiing in a group is nice, rewarding and friendly, it feels great to whiz down an empty slope on my own... however I always stick to pistes and try not do to anything stupid as to endanger myself more.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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crazy_skier_jules, Good for you
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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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and I wear a helmet now too  lol!
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alex_heney, you don't carry the backpack, you wear it as a 'frontpack'.
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You know it makes sense.
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Lizzard, That takes even more time and faff when preparing to mount/after dismounting.
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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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For those of you who like to have a bag to carry a few things, but not a lot of things, there's an alternative to the backpack.
Instead of a good size backpack, you can try a fanny pack, which you wear on your waist. On slope, it can either stay in front or in the back. I have them on the behind when I ski. When getting ready to load on the chair, all you have to do is rotate it to the front. No hands, no problem.
When I do carry a backpack, I don't like to sit with them on the back. So I take it off, carry it the same hand with poles (that's what that loop on the top of the bag is for, right?), leaving one hand free to grab the bars and such.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| abc wrote: |
| Instead of a good size backpack, you can try a fanny pack, which you wear on your waist. |
<titters>
You can't say that in the UK old chap
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| cathy wrote: |
| abc wrote: |
| Instead of a good size backpack, you can try a fanny pack, which you wear on your waist. |
<titters>
You can't say that in the UK old chap |
yes.. in england its called an 'aunt pack'
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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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alex_heney, it takes all of five seconds. Stop being such an old woman.
abc, if you're going to talk about those items on a UK forum, you need to know that they're called 'bumbags'. I suspect you may be tempted to interpret the term as referring some kind of holdall carried by a homeless person, but you'll just have to trust me on this.
A 'fanny' is not something one would talk about in a) polite company or b) a skiing context.
I'm not even going to start on what a British person might mean if he/she asks you for permission to 'bum a fag'.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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| Quote: |
You can't say that in the UK old chap
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I was wondering who would bring that up. I still remember the look on my wife's face when some years ago in Breckenridge, our instructor said she was skiing well but would look better if she 'stopped jiggling her fanny about'. As an English gentleman I was about to thrash the bounder when he recovered the situation by demonstrating the problem, and the linguistic differences became apparent.
Two countries separated by a common language, as George Bernard Shaw would have it
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So leaving aside what we might call them where is the best place to carry stuff as you ski? As a motorcyclist many are not happy to carry backpacks in case they fall and hurt their backs on them - I'm surprised that in skiing they are so popular (although I know that to ski off piste many of you have to carry lots of special gear and a back pack is a necessary evil). A bumbag seems a better option, but could be awkward if you fall, but also most ski gear that I own seems to be over-endowed with sizeable pockets. Some of these seem big enough to carry a small plastic bottle of drink, a whistle, a small torch, bar of choccy/mint cake, ID card, mobile phone, lift pass and a space blanket (have I got everything here?). Is there however, an aversion to filling pockets - does it limit necessary movement, or are they more hazardous if you fall?
Where is it safest to carry necessary bits and bobs on the slopes?
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| Megamum wrote: |
Is there however, an aversion to filling pockets - does it limit necessary movement, or are they more hazardous if you fall?
Where is it safest to carry necessary bits and bobs on the slopes? |
I took a fall on my right leg once and had the outline of my asthma pump bruised into my leg for ages. Because my trousers were made for someone with a 50 inch waist so it would seem, anything that goes in the cargo pockets sits right on the side of my knees, hurts like hell if you fall but hey I look cool before I do fall
I'm puzzled by skiers with bags, what exactly is in them? Why do you need so much stuff or is it your normal shoes in there?
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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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| Mr Lizzard wrote: |
The worst piece of chairlift exit f-wittery I have seen was from a snowboarder with a backpack. He'd ignored all the signs and advice and left it on his back - who can be bothered to take them off every time, after all - and ended up dangling with his board three feet off the piste when the lifty stopped the chair. He looked a little embarrassed when he was finally unbuckled and they unhooked his bag. |
that wasnt in LDA this Jan was it ????? exact same thing happened to my cousin - gutted, i was several chairs down and missed his extreme embarrasment !
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| Megamum wrote: |
So leaving aside what we might call them where is the best place to carry stuff as you ski? As a motorcyclist many are not happy to carry backpacks in case they fall and hurt their backs on them - I'm surprised that in skiing they are so popular (although I know that to ski off piste many of you have to carry lots of special gear and a back pack is a necessary evil). A bumbag seems a better option, but could be awkward if you fall, but also most ski gear that I own seems to be over-endowed with sizeable pockets. Some of these seem big enough to carry a small plastic bottle of drink, a whistle, a small torch, bar of choccy/mint cake, ID card, mobile phone, lift pass and a space blanket (have I got everything here?). Is there however, an aversion to filling pockets - does it limit necessary movement, or are they more hazardous if you fall?
Where is it safest to carry necessary bits and bobs on the slopes? |
I think you answered your own question already.
1) fill the pockets.
2) overflow to bumbag (or bellybag if you carry it in front )
3) backpack if you still can't fit them in the two above!
1) works for me 50% of time, 2) the other 50%
Only when I go off the resort into the back country that I carry a backpack.
In addition to what you're carrying Megamum, I sometimes carry a spare pair of glove liners and a pair of spare socks, both in ziplock bag to stay dry. Seems all my sweat comes out at my hnads and feet. In wamrer days, my socks and gloves are socking wet about mid-day. I change into the dry spare set at lunch time. Only take up space of half a pocket.
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FAQ
used exactly that expression at the weekend then 