 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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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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Are there speed limits on piste?
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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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that is rather stupid.
next thing is a speedometer on skis. 
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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 often know how fast I've been from my GPS gadget but I'll make no claims on being able to ski to a fixed value at any particular point on a run, especially when I've never seen a sign that says anything other than "Slow".
Just how slow is slow?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I always take Slow to mean to be able to stop or get out of anyone elses way, Obviously the crowded it is the slow I go. Better skiers most likely can go faster ass they can avoid better. I also think back to when I was a beginner and remember that better skiers can seem to go past you at what seems very fast which can unnerve the beginner. So I take my time there as well.
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Assuming they are referring to the same thing, the slope in Grindelwald is the blue run above First from Oberjoch. There are two runs that start and finish in the same places, one red and one blue. For the past couple of seasons the blue piste has been a designated "family piste" aimed at beginners and kids. This has been clearly signed. I have avoided that run since, as I have no need to ski it. I guess that there isn't an absolute limit in terms of MPH, more a case of inappropriate use?
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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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That is really daft. What is to stop someone "speeding" past the radar then stopping? It's not like he'll be the only one on the piste...
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Hmmm, not sure I agree with any sort of speed limits on ski slopes. It's obviously the ski resort trying to skimp on having proper ski patrollers and saving money by using a machine, next thing you know, you'll have to pay extra to ski near the village (more of you've got fat skis)... must be a labour administration with input from red Ken.
This is something I was thinking about a couple of weeks ago - speeds on different slopes. It depends entirely upon the skier, the conditions, and the number of people on the slopes. Ski patrollers/Mountain safety actually on the slopes are able to put all of this together.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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It depends entirely upon the skier, the conditions, and the number of people on the slopes. Ski patrollers/Mountain safety actually on the slopes are able to put all of this together.
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Agree entirely. Some people can be dangerously out of control well below any putative "speed limit". It needs an experienced eye - and there's a strong case for more of them, in the resorts most prone to dangerous skiing. Also, I fail to grasp, technically, how a machine could measure speed over the ground (as opposed to down the hill), on a ski piste without a large number of sensors which could triangulate.
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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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My friend has been commenting repeatedly: WHat the F*** do these guys do on a f***** blue slope... meaning the guys who fly past at 40 MPH in wide carved arcs...
I think the blue from Oberjoch to First is one excelent solution... The red is very mild red, perfect for those wide fast carved arcs, and the blue is a nice blue, now suitable for beginners who are now not disturbed by fools like me 
But maybe my view is biased being a teacher who occationally has those fools flying through his class.
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It depends entirely upon the skier, the conditions, and the number of people on the slopes. Ski patrollers/Mountain safety actually on the slopes are able to put all of this together.
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Agree entirely. Some people can be dangerously out of control well below any putative "speed limit". It needs an experienced eye - and there's a strong case for more of them, in the resorts most prone to dangerous skiing. Also, I fail to grasp, technically, how a machine could measure speed over the ground (as opposed to down the hill), on a ski piste without a large number of sensors which could triangulate. |
There used to be a simple speed trap on the top of Oberjoch... 2 gates to ski through and voila, speed downhill. Haven't been up there yet to see how it is done now.
30KPH/20MPH is VERY Slow. Surely one can be out of control, but on a blue like from Oberjoch this is not the most likely... Beginners are careful, and rather tend to let themselfes fall if out of control.
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"Beginners are careful"
I would strongly disagree, far from it in my eyes. They lack experience and inevitably this leads to poor decision making in a situation of crisis.
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You know it makes sense.
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I agree, but they must introduce a minimum speed limit on some pistes!
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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 agree, but they must introduce a minimum speed limit on some pistes!
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There is certainly a strong argument to stop people venturing onto pistes too difficult for them, though a speed floor is maybe not the answer - again, experienced piste patrolling, with some powers to remove passes, is the best way forward.
Measuring speed down the hill is not the answer either, though obviously easy to do. It's speed across the ground which causes problems; someone carving arcs across the hill at high speed is just as likely to slam into someone, possibly even when they're skiing UPHILL. (I'm just jealous because I've never managed to do a 360 carve!). Maybe one occasion when the downhill skier is firmly to blame for a collision.
On the whole, beginners and experts are probably less likely to be responsible for serious problems. The ones I'm afraid of are often "early intermediates", usually male and often large, who "bomb" down the hill out of control, but still on their feet. Especially in package holiday resorts on Friday afternoon - done ski school, ready to fly. My nephew, about 8 years old, got out of control one day and knocked down an ESF instructor who was standing still pontificating and gesticulating at the time. No harm done, fortunately, but he wasn't pleased, and my nephew was undoubtedly both a beginner and completely at fault. Gave the 8 year olds in the class their best moment of the day though.  Yes, beginners who bumble about making unexpected turns, are an obstacle to be avoided, and can be irritating, but it's not they who are responsible for decisions but people who think they have a right to make assumptions about the trajectories of other skiers.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Impossible to enforce due to none of us knowing how fast we're actualy going.
Could help in places like Plagne Cnetre though where people razz through the beginners area under the hotel, scaring the wits out of all the first-timers.
Other than that, a daft idea that takes the fun out of going hell-for-leather down the side of a mountain! Next they'll be bringing in speed limits on roads... 
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