 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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What was who doing there? The driver or the boarder?
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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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Dont get this, its normal practice for Pistenbullys to come up the slopes, sometimes 10 together at times up the slopes towards the end of the day as they get ready for the night work, and they make enough noise (audible sirens and amber lights flashing). I've never seen an incident, theres plenty of warning that they are about - anyway, good luck to the boarder, hope recovers well but 700bhp piste basher not to be messed with.
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Lost control and crashed into it?
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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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Hard to lose control of a pisten bully.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Oh I see what you meant.
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| Markymark29 wrote: |
| Dont get this, its normal practice for Pistenbullys to come up the slopes, sometimes 10 together at times up the slopes towards the end of the day as they get ready for the night work, and they make enough noise (audible sirens and amber lights flashing) |
Unfortunately first part is true, especially for Austria, while second part is definitely not true. They have those beeping noise, and light flashing, but it's far from this that it's visible and loud enough. With helmet on, a bit higher speed, and maybe even worse windy weather, it's really great when you come over the break and you have pisten bully or skidoo going up full speed in middle of the course. Most of places have actually law that no machinery should be operated on open courses during operational hours, but for Austria they can do whatever they want. And most of cases I have seen in Austria were anything but emergency rides. And I really don't see reason, why they need to deliver beer and food in middle of the day, why they need to "get ready for night work" when courses are still open etc. There's much more appropriate time to do such thing then when courses are full of people.
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martinperry, you can see how it would happen. If you come over a blind rise, or round a blind bend too hot, it's foreseeable. Pretty grim stuff.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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If you come over a blind rise and are unable to stop, you are out of control and shouldnt be going so fast, critical rule of skiing - if you are behind its your responsibility to stop...........I know we've all done it (and regretted it) but it could be a child on the slope, or a rock outcrop etc, this isnt a reason to blame the pistebasher drivers they have a job to do in difficult circumstances and IMO do a great job. I personally have no objection to pistebashers getting out earlier, if you ski within your capabilities they are pretty easy to spot even with a helmet on! 
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Eh? If you can't see over a blind bend or rise, you slow down. You only ski as fast as you can see in front of you - in bad visibility this is especially important.
It shouldn't be possible for someone to just ski/board into an object like this. Who knows how this incident happened, but to assume that a piste is safe and empty when you can't see it is simply bad practice - what if there was a group of 20 very young kids learning to ski, and you hammer into them at 50mph?
I agree that to minimise risk the bashers shouldn't be on an open piste wherever possible, but it just shouldn't be an issue.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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The report implies the snowboarder was overtaking the basher and for whatever reason got snagged in the cat tracks and pulled in. If he'd 'gone under' in a conventional sense, suspect it wouldn't be intensive care he'd be in... Nasty *shudders*
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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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The Mail seems to think he was over taking it, whilst being pushed along a flat section by a friend.
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he overtook it, doesn't sound like a blind crest story...
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You know it makes sense.
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| primoz wrote: |
| Markymark29 wrote: |
| Dont get this, its normal practice for Pistenbullys to come up the slopes, sometimes 10 together at times up the slopes towards the end of the day as they get ready for the night work, and they make enough noise (audible sirens and amber lights flashing) |
Unfortunately first part is true, especially for Austria, while second part is definitely not true. They have those beeping noise, and light flashing, but it's far from this that it's visible and loud enough. With helmet on, a bit higher speed, and maybe even worse windy weather, it's really great when you come over the break and you have pisten bully or skidoo going up full speed in middle of the course. Most of places have actually law that no machinery should be operated on open courses during operational hours, but for Austria they can do whatever they want. And most of cases I have seen in Austria were anything but emergency rides. And I really don't see reason, why they need to deliver beer and food in middle of the day, why they need to "get ready for night work" when courses are still open etc. There's much more appropriate time to do such thing then when courses are full of people. |
Seriously, if you can't see a piste basher (let alone hear it!) then it means you can't see humans either
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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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Thing is you don't expect pistenbully on middle of the course during day. That's whole point. They have time to be there after course is closed for public. And please don't go with "slow down" thing. One thing is to avoid skier traveling same direction as you, even if he's much slower, while getting 6 or 7m wide pistenbully going uphill with 30km/h is completely other thing.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Without any knowledge other than journalism, its hard to call this one - I reguarly see bashers on piste during normal hours, so dont think there is necessary "Fault" on the resorts part - I do wonder about the "overtaking whilst pushing a friend" bit - that would imply a flat road, and without casting aspersions, wonder if there was some kind of attempted free tow going on???
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Sounds like he wiped out while overtaking it to me.
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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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Best wishes for his recovery, regardless of blame. Whenever i see one running on piste i assume that the driver wont be able to see me so give them a VERY wide berth.
I wouldnt be going past it (i.e. faster) on a gentle slope in good conditions anywhere near those tracks whilst it was moving.
Not just an Austrian thing either, as i did see the occasional one in Morzine while slopes were open.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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DOWN WITH SNOWBOARDERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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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: |
And please don't go with "slow down" thing. One thing is to avoid skier traveling same direction as you, even if he's much slower, while getting 6 or 7m wide pistenbully going uphill with 30km/h is completely other thing.
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Although this doesn't seem to apply to the accident linked to above, I agree with this statment.
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| Quote: |
I reguarly see bashers on piste during normal hours, so dont think there is necessary "Fault" on the resorts part
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absolutely prohibited round here. sometimes I have seen a broken down one, with nets and warnings round it, but only in open areas with plenty of visibility on approach.
I went down a piste last year having missed the sign at the top saying it was closed; vis wasn't very good. When I saw the piste basher coming up I knew I'd boobed. He stopped and waited till I reached him, climbed out and very politely but firmly told me I shouldn't be there. He told me that more bashers were coming down and that I must go straight down to the bottom. I was then really nervous, needless to say, as the lower part of the run wasn't pisted and I did have visions of falling under one. As I got to the bottom and stopped somewhere safe and turned round to watch, three of them coming down abreast were a deeply intimidating sight.
This isn't the first very nasty piste basher accident we've read about here in the past few years.
So what if the pistes get churned up during the day? Rule 5 applies.
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Piste bashers are first aid vehicles out here, guessing its the same in solden
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first aid vehicles
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 What wrong with a skidoo?
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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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pam w, in ADH December 2011 they were actually pisting the slopes while open and during snowstorms. I found it a little scary!
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What wrong with a skidoo?
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Not really sure, it's standard practise though, maybe it's harder to fall off a piste basher, obviously there are all sorts of sirens going while it's moving along
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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sounds bonkers to me. Round here, they use skidoos or, for serious casualties, helicopters - and in the case of the latter the piste will be closed entirely. I've seen a lift closed too, to prevent piling more skiers into an area where a helicopter was operating.
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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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dulcamara, I don't have problems with that, but delivering beer in middle of a day to restaurant on hill can hardly qualify as first aid
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According to the Austrian media, the accident happened at 10.30 in the morning. The Pistenbully was on the way back to the depot, travelling along a flat track. (There has been heavy snow in Austria the last couple of nights, so it's not unusual for the lift companies to re-groom in the morning). There were two snowboarders; one pulling the other. One appears to have lost his balance and toppled into the machinery as they tried to overtake the Pistenbully.
This is the second such incident this season - another British snowboarder was chewed up by a Pistenbully in Bad Gastein in January (http://www.salzburg.com/nachrichten/salzburg/chronik/sn/artikel/gastein-snowboarder-von-pistenraupe-mitgeschleift-43877/) although this happened at 18.15 in the evening, when the pistes would definitely have been closed and it would have been dark.
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You know it makes sense.
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This is not the first time something like this has happened.
A few season ago in St Anton another Brit was rolled over by a Pisten Bully and turned into shreaded meat. The guy had been on the mountain at apres ski & tried to ski down in the dark under the influnce. He fell and passed out on the under side of a mogul.
The Pisten Bully driver has never worked again sonce the incident.
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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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I feel for the drivers in these horrible incidents. I feel for the victims too, but in both those cases it sounds as though they were behaving stupidly. 
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Poster: A snowHead
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It's not unusual in Austria to see Pisten Bullies going up the mountain during the day. You do need to be observant/careful especially if they appear round a bend. They are usually easy to see due to size/flashing lights and sirens (not much good if you are hard of hearing).
It is amazing to see some people skiing close to pisten bullies. I have never seen anyone try to overtake one though - that sounds reckless to me. They scare the willies out of me so I steer well clear.
Good luck to the boarder, hope he recovers.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I feel strongly that, other than for emergency purposes, rescue only, no machinery should be operating on open pistes during skiing hours - the times I have seen skidoos with crates on the back tearing up pistes and even more dangerously pathy pistes is unbelievable. In Switzerland with the railways you have the arrogance on the stations, as at Kleine Scheidegg, with Skidoos tearing around delivering supplies, pallet and forklift trucks manoeuvring around - it is amazing there are not more accidents of this nature. Skiing is on snow and it is a natural product (mainly) and part of skiing is to ski in different types of conditions - for heavens sakes our predecessors skied on wooden planks on unpisted surfaces - why does everything have to be made perfect after a snowfall?
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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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| Quote: |
why does everything have to be made perfect after a snowfall?
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Normally all our pistes are groomed every night and that's quite enough, I reckon. No skidoos either during the day - except the pisteurs rescue ones.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Mistress Panda,
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Who knows how this incident happened, but to assume that a piste is safe and empty when you can't see it is simply bad practice
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Markymark29,
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I know we've all done it (and regretted it)
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Bad practice? Yes. Have we all done it? Yes. Irrelevant it seems however since that isn't how the accident happened.
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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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STOP THE BRUTAL GROOMING
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I assumed that daytime grooming after a snowfall is more about preserving the condition of the piste base for as long as possible than 'making perfect'.
If you don't bash the snow onto the piste then a lot will get pushed into big piles and ultimately scraped off by use, rather than adhering to the existing harder base - then all the April skiers complain because pistes are icy and rocky or get closed. 
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| stanton wrote: |
| STOP THE BRUTAL GROOMING |
I know...
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Massive, bright red, blaring siren, flashing lights.
If you're incapable of noticing and avoiding something so BLATANTLY obvious, you're an accident waiting to happen. Plenty more hazards out there that don't advertise their presence.
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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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clarky999, Agreed.......100%, 5.5m x 9m loud bleeping, flashing lights a plenty, 700bhp monster x 10 at a time, think its best to avoid eh?
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Read the article - he did see the thing, he and his mate tried to overtake on the inside with tragic consequences. What odds on his mate giving the poor sod nudge as they drew parallel with the basher 'just for a larf, like'
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