 Poster: A snowHead
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Just back from a fantastic week in Les Gets, my third time (in 4 years) in this great resort.
One thing I noticed which was strikingly different this time were the amount of dangerous and inexperienced skiers/boarders on the slopes. My friend was taken out in the La Rosta lift queue by a tall American who barreled at speed into the line, knocking her to the ground where she twisted her hip badly. When confronted the American claimed he didn't even know he hit anyone and skied off. Fine for him but my friend spent the remainder of the day resting her twisted hip and was on painkillers for the rest of the trip.
We also heard of an incident where a boarder crashed into a crowd of people gathered near a restaurant in the Chanvannes area. One woman was apparently very badly internally injured and shifted straight to hospital.
I found myself spending alot of time looking over my shoulder and occasionally pausing at the side to lets groups of wild skiers/boarders charge past. This occurred on both blue and red slopes. A sign was placed at the main village chairlift warning against high speed on the main home run Gentianes piste, but this appeared to have no effect. The lifties and operators of Les Gets work very hard but are rarely out on the slopes during the day. I'm beginning to wonder if some sort of patrol system should be operated, which could impose fines or confiscate lift passes from those who are dangerous and/or inexperienced at high speed.
Mostly I'm wondering what could be the reason for this? Is this a horrible trend now becoming the norm? Was it the week (Jan 5-12) we chose? Has Les Gets changed  ?
All thoughts welcome!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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5RED, Le(t)s Get out-of-control skiers/boarders OFF THE SLOPES
Corrected your thread title for you 
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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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Alastair Pink, bigtime!
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5RED, we have been to LG many many times. We were there the week before you and it was extremely busy as expected. I found myself pausing to let madmen past me but I'm 'injured' at the mo so.......
We saw a couple of nasty accidents on the Chavannes, not far from the Yeti. I wouldn't pause for long outside there for too long in busy periods - out of control numpties/too fast numpties skiing through a narrow gap. Narrow, because of the numpties who leave their gear strewn across the pistes between the restaurant and La Croix chair.
I don't think it's just Les Gets.
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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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Alastair Pink, 
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Sadly there will always be a few out of control idiots on any slopes, I've been hit a couple of times by such idiots, but fortunately on both occasions I was lucky, in one case it was a glancing blow which left the other chap out of control tumbling end over end several hundred yards down hill of me, in the other I had stopped off the piste behind a barn when someone came around the barn and collided with me, fortunately my ski stick took all the impact, bending it to nearly 90 degrees but saving me from injury.
I've said before and I will say it again that I think much of this is down to a change in the way people go on ski holidays, when I was a child (almost) everyone went into ski school classes and they were at higher levels as much about social things as they were about learning, now everything seems to cost so much and people have so little time they want to get onto the slopes as quickly as possible and perhaps don't realise just how quickly they can turn into an out of control bundle of arms legs and skis travelling at high speed
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I'm always uncomfortable on busy pistes for this reason, and I don't think it's confined to just Les Gets. I've been 'buzzed' by speeding skiers a couple of times in Tignes/Val D when I had purposely slowed down in a busy area. Makes my blood boil.
I think people are put off from taking lessons because they're expensive, and instead are dangerous and out of control.
I also think instructors really should drill the rules of the pistes into their students (maybe they do, it's been 16 years since I was last in a ski class). Even now I still look uphill before moving off, but don't see many other people doing it.
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| D G Orf wrote: |
I've said before and I will say it again that I think much of this is down to a change in the way people go on ski holidays, when I was a child (almost) everyone went into ski school classes and they were at higher levels as much about social things as they were about learning, now everything seems to cost so much and people have so little time they want to get onto the slopes as quickly as possible and perhaps don't realise just how quickly they can turn into an out of control bundle of arms legs and skis travelling at high speed |
I agree with this. I think there is a completely different mindset about learning to ski these days. Maybe it's down to the kit, maybe the cost of lessons I don't know or maybe there are a lot of people who think they are better than they are  Look at how many threads we get in BZK where people say they are an 'upper intermediate' or an 'early advanced' skier and then it comes out they've only had 1/2/3/4 weeks or so on skis, I don't get it, how can they really be that good after such little experience on skis?
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sarah, D G Orf, +1
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I agree completely about fewer people taking lessons and so not having drilled into them safety on the piste. We learnt in Austria and there was a huge emphasis on lining up on the side, joining the rest of the class as the bottom of the line so if you tumble you don't take the rest out with you, looking up, not careering around - and the equipment nowadays makes it easier for people to think they can ski without lessons far sooner.
We have been back in Les Gets since around 29th December so had all the crowds at New Year but then thought that last week was bliss and so much quieter. The Chavannes area can frequently be troublesome though as young, testosterone fuelled lads come flying down, past the area where the real tinies are learning and push on down to the village or think its dead clever to fly down to the area outside the Grand Cry and crash into the netting - or worse some poor soul standing there or even sitting in a chair. My OH has been seen to move out quickly and stand with his arms out to endeavour to slow an idiot down who might have been heading towards people.
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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 totally agree about lessons and I believe the 'learn to board/ski' days at snow domes haven't helped in the slightest. I think I did at least 6weeks of lessons in my early years
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sarah, I'd only class myself as a reasonably good intermediate and I've been skiing for 40 years with probably 70+weeks of skiing in total (though I'd be a much better skier if I lost some weight again) it's also interesting to see different teaching now.
Ski schools in general seem to try and take as little time as possible between getting people on skis and turning carved turns on gentle red runs, probably because many people don't want to spend out a lot of money on ski lessons, with many ski schools only doing group lessons for half the day, this means that the old school techniques get a lot less time if any, few for instance teach a stationary kick turn (used to turn 180 degrees) because it is argued that due to modern fitness levels people are in danger of doing strains to their leg muscles, very little time is devoted to side slips, dealing with moguls, or even piste safety, we should not therefore be surprised when accidents occur.
But I have to admit I'm not sure what the answer is, I'm loathe to suggest any form of testing but I suspect that sooner or later it may come in, along with compulsory helmets, banning of any form of headphone and so on.
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You know it makes sense.
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My wife has been hit by an out of control snowboarder and it wasn't pretty. At ADH this New Year I was collected from behind by an out of control black guy who claimed "he didn't see me". I gave chase and was ropable and ready to belt him, but he was apologetic and I stopped downhill of him which wasn't the position from which to start swinging.
Pretty simple to fix I reckon. You have some Marshals locate these dickheads and take their lift tickets.
Is it just me or are the snowboarders a much bigger problem? They certainly do more damage upon impact and I believe Deer Valley in the U.S has banned them.
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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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Geno, Snowboarders are no better or worse than skiers in terms of causing accidents, though they do tend to sit down more on the piste, I think that's more to their having both feet anchored to one board, the better ones can take a near straight line down the hill and be in perfect control just as a good skier can
I'm not sure about damage though I've not seen anything that says they cause more damage in accidents do you have anything that would support this ?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Al snowboarders are homicidal maniacs who couldnt give a damn about anyone but themselves. All skiers are perfect in every way and never make mistakes or do anything detrimental to others.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Might have something to do with the week. It is probably the cheapest this year and the guy who runs one of the restaurants in St Jean d'Aulps despairs of some of the Brits who come out that week. Can't ski but won't have lessons (too expensive) but 4 manage a full round of large beers at lunchtime but no food (too expensive). Is it any wonder?
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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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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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I was slammed from behind today. A young man out of control went straight into my back. I managed to keep upright and ski it of the way. He went down. I waited till he sorted himself out and I was pleased he skied to me to apologise and ask if I was ok. I was although I'll have a bruise from his ski.pole
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DJL, you could be right - I usually go in the cheap (and quiet) weeks of January, but never this early.
Also noticed the age profile of the hooligans was on the lower end, and saw lots of people in their 20's on the plane home. Not to be agist, it wasn't that many aeons ago I was that age.... But big groups of teens/20s are prone to getting pissed at lunch and being hungover in the morning - I just wish they'd respect the lives of others afterwards on the slopes...
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holidaylover
Surely you have suffered a head injury. You are saying a skier crashed into you , another skier. Must be suffering from post traumatic stress.
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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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| Quote: |
I was slammed from behind today. A young man out of control went straight into my back. I managed to keep upright and ski it of the way. He went down. I waited till he sorted himself out and I was pleased he skied to me to apologise and ask if I was ok. I was although I'll have a bruise from his ski.pole
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lol is this meant to be riddled with innuendo 
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I was in morzine just after new year and did see quite a few out of control idiots on crowded pistes. Few seemed to slow down when multiple pistes crossed,and we saw a few 'close calls' near lift lines. An out of control boarder ended up between my husbands legs (also a boarder) while we were standing in a lift queue in Les Gets! No injuries, but the boarder didnt even apologise or look suprised at ending up where he did. Over in Avoriaz I had stopped at the large piste map sign near the Linderets lift to check which lift I needed, and in the space of a minute I had two people ski over the back of my skis! There was at least 6m of clear piste behind me (I was right next to the sign and netting), but they were skiing four across in a group and didnt seem to care! The second person to do it was a child with her friend, the two of them apparently skiing unaccompanied and looked only to be about 8 or 9. Still had a great holiday but reminded me why I tend to go to smaller, quieter resorts.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| D G Orf wrote: |
| I'm not sure about damage though I've not seen anything that says they cause more damage in accidents do you have anything that would support this ? |
Only apocryphal tales and a little bit of experience. With a snowboard permanently attached the full weight of both legs is transferred to anything hit by it. I've been whacked in a tumble by a boarder, he went on to hit a sign leg and took a chunk out of it like an axe bite  a ski would have come off probably long before that. I have heard a couple of horror stories in a similar vein where something like this has happened to people.
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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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| holidayloverxx wrote: |
| I was slammed from behind today. |
TMI?
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You know it makes sense.
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| Geno wrote: |
My wife has been hit by an out of control snowboarder and it wasn't pretty. At ADH this New Year I was collected from behind by an out of control black guy who claimed "he didn't see me". I gave chase and was ropable and ready to belt him, but he was apologetic and I stopped downhill of him which wasn't the position from which to start swinging.
Is it just me or are the snowboarders a much bigger problem? |
Are you asking if snowboarders are a bigger problem than black people?
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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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Mr Piehole, I wondered that, but decided to sit on my hands. Not sure why, really.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Biggest problem I had in Avoriaz the last few days was groups of Spaniards who decided that the entry to the chair lifts was the best place to gather and wait for their friends. All thirty or so of them.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Down in the bowl? Was where one boarder barged me. He crashed big time, I managed to maintain balance. I vaguely recall 2 lifts, and to get to one it's a bit of a flat slog round the back of 1 lift to get to the other. No problem for skiers, it's easy enough to skate, but boarder pillock obviously wanted to maintain speed all the way. In the end he probably broke himself as he crashed in to the queue. I left him to it - plenty of people in the queue attending to him.
At chavannes, only problem I've had are french teenage boarders in the queue who insist on having both feet in binding jumping up and down (yes even past the turnstiles). Kept trying to re-balance using me. Eventually we got so p155ed off that 3 of us barged them and they toppled like dominos.
/rant.
nothing against boarders. just french teenage ones who own the place.
ESF instructors don't exactly give me much confidence either. seen them "buzz" obvious beginners  (and shoulder barge me)
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I agree with lack of lessons, but a lot of accidents have similar causes to road accidents, whatever the ability; eg too much speed for the conditions, especially at junctions, not reading the piste ahead, or signs, not reading changing conditions, ie ice, but also people not looking uphill when joining, and my pet hate, people stopping at pinch points, across the slope. Oh .....and alcohol; 2 beers when dehydrated would put one over the limit in most countries. I have seen plenty of "good" skiers causing accidents from being plain reckless, but like driving they are mostly male, and in a certain age range.... it`s what young males do. In Canada, I have seen speeding ace skiers have their passes removed by piste security, but then where do you see security in Europe compared to North America?
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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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Les Gets does seem to get a bit more of this than other resorts, our 6 year old was flattened by a snowboarder last year - we were skiing ski school style in an S, and he ploughed straight into her - I think you get a lot of beginners who just simply shouldn't be going down the pistes they are attempting, as they haven't got the control. Snowboarders ARE more dangerous than skiier's imho only because the board gives them a more rapid progression than you get with ski's and consequently their level of confidence does not match their ability to turn quickly in the event of something unexpected (although how a bright purple onsies dressed 6 year old skiing with 5 other people in a line is unexpected beats me).
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| Quote: |
Oh .....and alcohol
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Yesterday I just had the pleasure of sharing a chairlift with 2 legless Germans. Absolutely ****faced. Must have been at least 7 pints or something stronger for lunch (could smell it). Fell in to the chairlift OK, couldn't stand up at the top to save their life. Tried to grab hold of me, so I just shrugged the guy off and they both collapsed in a heap. Let the lifty sort it out.
Not Les Gets this time.
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Seems to be the booze that causes a lot of these problems. In the States they are really strict over the amounts that you can buy - if you go to the bar and buy for your table you get close questioning. And some people seem to plead poverty over not being able to afford lessons, complain about the price of meals on the mountain but then consume huge quantities of beer at however much a pint.
Our now daughter in law was taken out by a boarder in Avoriaz a few years ago and its really put her off going there unless its a really quiet time of year. He did stop, and got a complete dressing down by our son, but at least realised what he had done and apologised. She was winded by it and it took quite some time for them to meet up with us. Nice passing by lady stopped with some glucose sweets for her - bit of tlc that she appreciated
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Coddlesangers
Ski in the S pattern is the best way . Just like the ski schools .I hope you made sure you were using the whole piste edge to edge to stop all dangerous nutters getting past , so not endagering yourselves .
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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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That seems a bit daft. Dangerous nutters are always better downhill, and are likely to convinced themselves they can weave through the line.
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Yes, I don't think taking up the entire piste is really sensible. Unless it's very narrow, doing predictable turns down half of it seems safer, and fairer. Actively trying to prevent people passing seems likely just to annoy them. I take the same attitude on the road. I very frequently slow down and signal right, to let some impatient Monsieur 73 steam past.
The guy who crashed into me wasn't being dangerous, IMV, it was just "one of those things". I was actually travelling uphill to the bottom of a lift, in a spot where you need a bit of speed to get up without having to walk. He was coming down hill to the same lift, so we were travelling in opposite direction. I was keeping an eye on everyone around, as you do, and suddenly he was right there in front of me. We both turned very rapidly to avoid a collision, but unfortunately in the same direction (if we'd been in boats we'd have known which way to go!). He was very nice, and concerned, and stuck around for ages till I insisted he go off and ski. Even then, he did one circuit round the chair and came back to see what was happening (which probably alarmed him as I was still there with piste rescue). He said he had had to take sudden evasive action to avoid somebody else, so I think what happened was that he changed trajectory very quickly. But arguably I should have been able to cope with that and I certainly didn't blame him. Neither of us was going very fast but because we we coming from opposing directions the speed of impact was the sum of our speeds. His skis stayed on, and he had obviously hurt his knee a bit. He needed help to get his skis off. Mine came off, thankfully. It was "just one of those things". We rarely see collisions here, it's not a resort favoured by the boy racers.
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FAQ
It was unbelievable. I ended up slamming down on my backside onto ice and fractured my coccyx, it was extremely painful 
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