 Poster: A snowHead
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Hello all,
I am doing the 09/10 season and have got a lot of family/friends comming out to visit at various points over the months.
I will try my best to update this thread with times in/out of resort/airport but a lot of them will be last minute (because of the joys of easyJet/Ryanair last minute holidays seem to be very common). If you are in search of a liftshare between resort & airport and are happy to make a donation towards the costs drop me a line/reply here with your dates/times and I'll see if they fit in with any of my trips.
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Friday 12th/13th december (time: tbc) :: Geneva to Morzine/Les Gets/Avoriaz [4 seats + luggage]
Thursday 24th December 2009 (time: morning/early afternoon) :: Morzine/Les Gets/Avoriaz to Geneva [4 seats + luggage]
Thursday 31st december 2009 (time: tbc) :: Geneva to Morzine/Les Gets/Avoriaz [4 seats + luggage]
Monday 11th January 2010 (time: tbc) :: Morzine/Les Gets/Avoriaz to Geneva [4 seats + luggage]
Friday 15th January 2010 (time: tbc) :: Geneva to Morzine/Les Gets/Avoriaz [4 seats + luggage]
More to follow...
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Thanks,
Josh.
Please note: I am not part of a (transfer)company and I am simply offering a LIFT SHARE between destinations in return for some help towards costs incurred by myself (tolls/swiss tax/insurance/petrol) and not transfers. That said, theres no point me having an empty car...that's just unenvironmentally friendly.
Last edited by Poster: A snowHead on Sat 5-12-09 20:27; edited 3 times in total
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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hmmm... 'family, friends, GUESTS'? sorry.. the word 'guests' if they are paying you for accommodation means that this is an illegal transfer service in everthing but name. You will invalidate your insurance, and any passengers will not be covered in the event of an accident.
my genuine advice, steer well clear. Use ANY transfer company instead, who will have fully insurance and trained drivers.
p.s. this is NOT a plug for my company but a genuine concern for the safety of 'joe public'
Andrew
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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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The guy may not know that he is breaking the law. That is not a defence though and should I be a passenger and anything were to happen I would not have restitution!
Sorry surfpotts, but you are on a dodgy wicket! Good luck with the seasson, but dont try becoming a "taxi"!
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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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Hi Andrew,
Thanks for promoting your business to me and everyone else that may be in search of a cheap method of transport between the resort. In fairness it will probably work well seen as I cannot offer a full transfer service because I do not have the time, minibus fleet or relevant insurance so I won't be departing every 45 minutes like your business and am, in that respect, no competition to you at all. In fact I'm actually completely the opposite, I know and do work for plenty of property owners within the resorts mentioned above and had until now recommended your company to both paying guests and owners of those apartments/chalets when asked for a "good, reliable transfer company". Because of my nature of work back in the UK I cannot risk breaking the law especially with a driving offence, so trust me, I do not intend to. So in my defence and to correct your claims against me I would like to correct you on a few points.
At no point did I say the guests were paying me for accomodation or any other service, so now please explain me which part of this is an "illegal transfer service". I am not trying to take business from any transfer companies, I apologise to and feel sorry for any transfer company who feels threatened by a 5 seat car travelling to/from Geneva once maybe twice a week. I am simply trying to fill extra space, It's commonly known as car sharing, that is completely legal and encouraged in many countries/organisations because of it's environmental benefits - surely an "eco-friendly" company like yoursleves would be aware of such schemes and benefits?
Using my car "For hire or reward" invalidates my policy, correct. I have checked with my insurance company and as long as I do not profit or gain reward from the car share I am still covered as normal, as stated all I am asking for is a donation/contribution to cover my costs I am not looking at profiting from it, nor will I be stood outside the airport pretending to be a taxi/transfer service. Perfectly reasonable, perfectly legal. I am not a company, that was also stated, so do not have seperate public liability insurance for my busines however I am covered under my car insurance for the "Legal liability for death or injury to other persons including passengers following an accident involving your car".
If you feel your business is threatened by me offering a single car share service maybe you or your legal team should begin targeting websites in the likes of http://www.mountainrideshare.com there are many more people there which are much more of a danger to your business and 'joe public'.
Thanks,
Josh.
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For all other readers:
Andrew is correct. I am not a transfer company and if you are after a fully fledged transfer service you should use a licensed transfer company, anyone who would have read the original post properly should have realised that. I am not offering a transfer/taxi service I am offering a lift share, there is a difference. However I have insurance and I also hold a drivers license. I am not breaking the law in any way, shape or form.
Last edited by You need to Login to know who's really who. on Wed 2-12-09 16:35; edited 2 times in total
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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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surfpotts, thanks for clarification and link (ps a comma snuck onto the end of it) 
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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thanks for your clarification... however, interesting that you say you have a 5 seat car, and have 4 seats free on all the dates you list. That means that you are driving an empty car yourself. Hardly a green method of transport. Why not simply take an existing transfer with ANY operator yourself? Coach/minibus transport is the greenest form of travel with less emissions than the train, car, or plane.
My earlier posting was merely out of concern for the general public, and to avoid any incident which might bring the genuine transfer industry into disrepute.
Anyone that knows me, would know that was my motive.
Regards.
Andrew
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Chamexpress, maybe because those are the trips to or from the airport, on the way to pick up or having dropped off respectively 
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surfpotts, While I like the idea of car sharing - you're going anyway, why not fill up the empty seats on your way back... and putting legalities aside - other people have offered advice on that aspect...
Imagine this scenario:
Snow is coming down in buckets, you've just dropped your family at the airport, if you turn around and go straight back you'll be able to spend the whole day skiing in waist deep powder, it's transfer day, everyone else is sitting in vehicles on the motorway, if you get back to your resort there will be no-one there, you'll be able to make fresh tracks all day. But... You've agreed to give a cheap lift to someone you've chatted with over the internet, they're not a friend, you just wanted to be helpful... You have their flight arrival time, you go and look on the Arrivals Board, their flight is delayed by three hours...
How are you going to feel? What are you going to do? Are you going to sit and wait? Are you going to drive away and leave them? How much commitment are you going to offer these people? Are you offering the lifts with the proviso that they arrive on time and if they're not you won't be there.
Sitting around at airports waiting for delayed flights (or any flights at all, for that matter) might seem like fun for the first few times, but I know where I'd much rather be if I have time to go skiing on a powder day!
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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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just had another read of his original post.. and it just doesn't ring true. If you are genuinely offering a car share.. then why not post as such? however, saying 'lifts' available..... etc. 'lifts' in inverted commas.. can be read as 'lifts' (wink, wink).
Also, you're asking people to post on your thread when THEY are going.. and 'you'll see what YOU can do'. hmmm. sorry sir, that is YOU providing a SERVICE.
The savvy, and sensible, general public can make their own mind up.
regards.
Andrew
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OK.. being devil's advocate... on the legalities, if I offer a service, e.g in the local bar, say in Val Despair, I put around 'I will do 'transfers' but for a donation at the end, how's anyone going to prove it's illegal or otherwise? Just wondering....
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| allanm wrote: |
| OK.. being devil's advocate... on the legalities, if I offer a service, e.g in the local bar, say in Val Despair, I put around 'I will do 'transfers' but for a donation at the end, how's anyone going to prove it's illegal or otherwise? Just wondering.... |
Allan - it happens all the time, seasonaires with cars giving lifts to mates coming to / from airports, but usually only spread by word of mouth and on the basis that you are giving a lift to a mate.
I've done it last season, and you know others that have done it - like the guy living in a van in p-peisey last season. The only problem is when it goes wrong and there's an accident and then the insurance documents get looked at. Provided that you know/trust your mate to say that he was getting a lift from you as a friend you should be ok.
The natives site runs a car-sharing to the alps section, and it's not unknown for Snowheads to do something similar (IIRC Johnnyboy season 1 + Topsmoke)
I can see lots of different points of views in this thread which contradict but most of which I am agreement with!!?? - I can see why surfpotts would prefer to run back full rather than empty, and I don't see anything wrong with offering a lift-share service, but I do echo SaraJ's points about dumps/waiting for randoms on the internet. Chamexpress is correct to point out that they (and others) operate a fully registered/legal/scheduled transfer service.
Interesting...
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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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bertie bassett, et all, so where does this put me http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=57360&highlight= yes someone has responded, lives not far from me as it happens, but I won't have known him 'as a friend', do I need to worry about insurance, and is BA going to take me to court for taking their business
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allanm, I suppose it depends on what service you are engaging in! Was it the intention to rent out those beds or let someone doss in them FOC!
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You know it makes sense.
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Roy Hockley, Contribution to rent the rent.
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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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some people at times are beyond belief. All the guy is doing is taking or picking up family and friends at the airport and on the return journey offering other skiers a lift as long as they contribute towards a bit of petrol money, where the hell is the problem. If some of you feel as though he is "taking away business" from others, get a grip. he is doing a favour. let me put it to you this way. If you were going to an away match at football and you car shared and split the cost, is this breaking the law because its the same scenario. Well done to surfpotts, using a bit of common sense and trying to help out 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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Wow, I never thought something like this would kick up so much fuss. Impressive, i'd hate to think what would happen to someone who posted "transfers available" then listed the date they drove out and the date they returned...public hanging? If anyone does genuinely does want to take up one of the spare seats in my car I will probably be posting all journeys on the mountain rideshare website or the natives site as opposed to in this thread or you can IM me as well. It doesn't seem worth the effort if I'm going to be upsetting people.
| slikedges wrote: |
| Chamexpress, maybe because those are the trips to or from the airport, on the way to pick up or having dropped off respectively |
correct indeed. You'll notice i've only listed "one way" trips and no the return journey for each one for that exact reason.
Take this scenario as an example:
My car will seat 5 people including the driver, I am the driver so that brings the seat numbers down to 4 immediately. If I am travelling to the airport to pick up 4 people (let's say my Mum, dad, brother and sister...would that be ok?) I will have 4 seats available for the journey from my apartment (the resort) to the aiport but on the way back from the airport I will have my dad sat in the front sit, brother, mum and sister sat in the back so will have 0 seats free. So thats 4 free seats to the airport 0 free seats on the way back, there is no point me offering a liftshare for 0 seats.
Hopefully this is yet more evidence that all I am offering is a lift share. If I was offering a transfer service I would post all dates with return journeys.
chamexpress, haha I'm sorry but me providing the service of checking my calendar to see if I'm driving to the airport that day? Guilty as charged. I have reworded my original post for you. Let me know if there is anything else you think I should change to make it more obvious that it is a liftshare.
Ricklovesthepowder, thanks for the support. In fairness it doesn't just do the passengers a favour it does help me out a bit too, it gets pretty expensive driving backwards and forwards from Geneva to Morzine so the more people i can get to share the costs with the better.
SarahJ, that scenario is a good one and I guess until it happens I don't know what I would do about it. Luckily with a lift-share there is no long term commitment like there would be with a transfer service so once it happens the first time if I don't like it I don't have to agree to do anymore in the future. Sitting around at airports for delayed flights it's annoying enough for your own, I can imagine it's all the more frustrating for a flight that your not even on, I guess the key there would be good communication and to make sure every person knows that if their flight is delayed by a considerable time they may have to use a transfer service which I could book them onto.
bertie bassett thanks for the info about the natives site, hopefully things there won't be as hostile.
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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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surfpotts, Just advise your 'friends' to stand by the side of the road with their thumb out around the time that you will be travelling to the airport. I see this happening all the time in France.
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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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surfpotts, I wouldn't worry about all this in the slightest. Bottom line is that I will have a car this season and won't go anywhere empty if I can possible help it, even down the hill - saves a taxi fare for someone. I think most people with cars out there do regular trip to the airport to pickup or drop off 'friends'... for no reward... of course. Cheers bertie bassett, I'll look at Natives too.
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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.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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surfpotts, I think all that's happened here is that Chamexpress has got the wrong end of the stick. Andrew, pick up your toys, you're alienating potential customers. The first post was clear enough and the rebuttal to your tantrum was par excellence.
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I find it on here. I had to register just now to have my say.
I created www.mountainrideshare.com - needless to say that there is an audience for carsharing and the is also an audience for licensed transfers THERE ALWAYS WILL BE!!!
People who are open to vehicle pooling are in a minority - Don't you get that???
It baffles me that people can not just get on with their lives and let others do their thing. Ever heard the saying "Live and let live"????
Did we initially come to the mountains to enjoy the views, play and take in the scenery? If not I think we should be somewhere else to be.
I've been a winter resident in Chamonix for the last 14 winters and before I could drive, I did use transfer companies or jump in with people who were already mking the journey.
I didn't find a site that addressed vehicle pooling for mountain enthusisats... So I made one.
Josh, If you'd like to post your rides on Mountain Rideshare - www.mountainrideshare.com, please be my guest. The site will rely on people like you, who are making the journey and have spare space to fill.
Have a great winter! I hope it's as good as the last one for all of us.
Peace!
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tosh, welcome to snowHeads  but please be careful about only posting to promote your business - we're very sensitive about that here. I wouldn't be surprised if a moderator doesn't edit or remove your thread as it is a bit heavy on the marketing. That said, I hope you'll stay involved.
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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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tosh, I trust that all your passengers are fully insured, and would have no problems if those involved in the "shared service" do it soley for their friends and families but if money changes hands then all legal requirements should be adhered to!
Sorry if I have upset you or anyone else. I would just be concerned if, god forbid there is an accident the insurance company washes their hands of thier responsibilities to you and your "guests/passangers!".
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FAQ
that they are not to open about so just do your own thing like most of us do and by all means post on here if you have a space going. Next time I need a ride from geneva to Port de s. I might just PM you. Oh yes and natives is good as well. But make sure they have washed, some of them wear the same clothes all season 
