 Poster: A snowHead
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Axsman, for me the question is "why do I need to warn the downhill skier of what I'm planning to do?".
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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rob@rar, For their convenience and reassurance.
As a nervous novice, someone 'appearing out of nowhere' or even the sound of someone approaching (snowboards are the worst for this) used to add to my anxiety. I didn't know where they were (other than behind me) or if they'd seen me. Might they at any moment be about to plough straight into my back?
Wheras the reassuring 'click click' let me know that they had seen me and were intending to come past made me confident that they had seen me, and were letting me know they were about to overtake.
TBH I suspect that many novices, who find cattracks stressful anyway since they are not confident of their ability to turn within the boundaries, would MUCH rather be (gently) over taken, than have a skier right behind them who might 'crash into them at any moment'. I'm not saying this is a real risk, and if it is it would obviously be the uphill skiers fault, but like learner drivers on country roads, just having someone on your tail' is off putting.
For me, it is a very close analogy to the cycling on a mixed use path that Jim used. But again I emphasise that pole clicking is NOT an excuse to pass too close. 
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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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Axsman, in my experience the skiers who are most likely to do something unexpected are going to be fazed by any sound behind them. I don't see how the tapping of poles from behind them is going to be reassuring - it will be just another factor adding to the stress levels. It's an unfamiliar sound, and they probably won't know what is meant by it. I don't know what is meant by it. Is it "get out of my way slow coach", or "I'm coming through on the right", or "I'm coming through on the left", or "I'm leading a group of kids in a snake, make sure we all get past", or "my daredevil but nearly blind granny is following my pole clicks", etc, etc.
How would a nervous skier know which side you intend to pass them on? Surely it's better for all concerned to wait until there is enough room to pass? If there's someone very slow and probably very nervous I try to time my overtaking so they are turning away from me, eg as the downhill skier is turning to the right I'll pass on the left. I very rarely find I have to change my speed that much, just plan ahead and find a sensible gap.
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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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| rob@rar wrote: |
| I try to time my overtaking so they are turning away from me, eg as the downhill skier is turning to the right I'll pass on the left. I very rarely find I have to change my speed that much, just plan ahead and find a sensible gap. |
Spot on.
If it is helpful to the downhill skier on a path to hear anything, words are arguably much better. "On your right" or "on your left" are meaningful: clicking poles aren't. And you have only 6 words to learn to cover the languages of the countries you are likely to be skiing in.
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I thought that clicking poles was the standard way of indicating your position to people on narrow tracks - which is quite useful. "a droite", "a gauche" are even better. I know this and Im a boarder. As for helmets making people more arrogant - this didnt seem to be the case a few years ago when it was just boarders wearing helmets 
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| JDC wrote: |
| I thought that clicking poles was the standard way of indicating your position to people on narrow tracks |
How close do you need to be so the skier in front of you knows that you're either on their right or their left?
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| JDC wrote: |
| I thought that clicking poles was the standard way of indicating your position to people on narrow tracks |
How close do you need to be so the skier in front of you knows that you're either on their right or their left? |
if youre overtaking on a narrow track - say which side youre overtaking on - its not rocket science.
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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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| JDC wrote: |
| "a droite", "a gauche" are even better. |
Not in Austria! 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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JDC, sorry I don't think I made myself clear. If you are clicking poles how close do you need to be to the person in front of you so they can tell whether you are coming through in the left or the right?
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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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| rob@rar wrote: |
| JDC, sorry I don't think I made myself clear. If you are clicking poles how close do you need to be to the person in front of you so they can tell whether you are coming through in the left or the right? |
Ah right - well I do prefer calling out the side myself personally. If I hear a click I generally try to keep a straightish line until the skier is past - but you have a point there, saying which side youre on is more useful.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Axsman wrote: |
| ... most folks won't appreciate the good intentions behind the pole click and will either be startled, or annoyed. |
I think that's right.
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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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| JDC wrote: |
| rob@rar wrote: |
| JDC wrote: |
| I thought that clicking poles was the standard way of indicating your position to people on narrow tracks |
How close do you need to be so the skier in front of you knows that you're either on their right or their left? |
if youre overtaking on a narrow track - say which side youre overtaking on - its not rocket science. |
Ah, but which language? Pole clacking is internationally understood as "impatient twerp coming through on your left/right" 
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Poster: A snowHead
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| JDC wrote: |
| ... saying which side youre on is more useful. |
But which language do you use. I ski a lot on France and if someone shouted out a direction in French I'd have to use Google Language to work that out  A recipe for confusion IMO. Far better to overtake when a warning is not necessary.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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So I should now call out in every language under the sun (including Klingon in case of a stoned boarder), click my poles in case of an old timer, foreguess the person in fronts' interpretation of my meaning (my left? their left?) and then make the final assumption that they are not deaf before even contemplating passing someone on the slopes?
Have I got it?
I'm not sure it is helmets that make people arrogant - it is just elf n safety mad tree hugging liberals
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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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Shimmy Alcott,
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Ah, but which language? Pole clacking is internationally understood as "impatient twerp coming through on your left/right"
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Sorry didn't realise it was you 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| rob@rar wrote: |
| JDC wrote: |
| ... saying which side youre on is more useful. |
But which language do you use. I ski a lot on France and if someone shouted out a direction in French I'd have to use Google Language to work that out A recipe for confusion IMO. Far better to overtake when a warning is not necessary. |
ok - Im guessing you know a hell of alot more about this stuff than myself (only being an occassional boarder). In my own experience on a narrow track where people are moving at different speeds, generally in a straight line, it has been helpful to indicate to the person in front of you that youre passing (or are next to them) in the language of your choosing.
Certainly if youre behind a boarders back on a narrow trail it would be to your benefit to tell them that you were there.
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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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| The Voice of Reason wrote: |
| So I should now call out in every language under the sun (including Klingon in case of a stoned boarder), click my poles in case of an old timer, foreguess the person in fronts' interpretation of my meaning (my left? their left?) and then make the final assumption that they are not deaf before even contemplating passing someone on the slopes? |
That would cover all the bases. Or you could just ski past them. Works for me.
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This is turning into the possibly the world's most anal thread ever. How about you all just exercise a bit of common sense?
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So we come to the ( usual  ) conclusion, that we are all different. Some think that clacking useful as an indicator pf presence, some think it will disturb people. I doubt anyone is going to change their minds as a result of a internet thread, although it is useful to have alternate viewpoints.
That's perhaps where we go wong - although we are expressing an opinion, and imparting a useful point of view, quite often these thread end up as shouting matches trying to change everyone else to accepting YOUR rightness. - And yes I do it too.
So.
I shall continue to clack in the belief it makes things safer: for me , for others. Other skiers will not, on the grounds they think it makes things less safe, and them look like a total wally.
I may modify my behaviour to include " a droite / a gauche" but unlikely as I stopped doing it a while ago when I found that
(a)people did't know if that means you want them to move to the left/right when in fact you are happy for them to continue as is, and you are going to pass on left / right, and
(b) not all of them speak French, even in France...
Just think - if we were all the same, Showheads would serve no purpose and die.
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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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joneski, if she is doing a lot of tree skiing she may be better off with a lid with a peak on it...helps to deflect branches etc etc...
okbye
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| Boredsurfing wrote: |
Shimmy Alcott,
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Ah, but which language? Pole clacking is internationally understood as "impatient twerp coming through on your left/right"
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Sorry didn't realise it was you |
Nothing wrong with my ding-a-ling I will have you know
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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JimW, Now was there any need to come on here and be reasonable? shame on 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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That's the way to go, a big cylinder of compressed air and a air horn the length of the pole, REALLY let them know your there
As for saying "left" or "right" I'm dyslexic and one of my problems is if you say left to me some time I move to the right and Vice-versa.
I'm in the camp of if you cannot time it safely and at no inconvenience to the slower skier you should wait it out until you can. Try practicing your drills while your bumming along.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Axsman wrote: |
Back OT IMHO Powderhound's 'question' is a poorly disguised attempt to troll up yet another Helmet argument, (which has of course worked  ). The fact that he's now bleating on the Chaudron thread about how hard it is to start a thread and how 'nasty' everyone was to him, is (again IMHO) completely pathetic - poor little tyke. |
Just very sensitive is all... and exhausted with all this banter.
Enjoy your weekends one and all, ski safe, however you choose to do it. I'll be doing it on my pathetic 201 DP Pros as usual.
Lots of love
A pathetic poor little tyke
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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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Powderhound, Just by not been here don't think this thread will die. It's got a life of it's own now, by Monday it would have disappeared up its own back bottom and everyone will be agreeing with you
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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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Seriously though, which helmet thread is the best one to get accurate information from to enable me to decide whether or not a helmet is worth it? I really really dont want to wear one and I will be a "gaper" as I will wear it with sunnies unless the weather is bad...but as a responsible Mum should I be buying one? Honest question.
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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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Dwarf Vader, following from afar
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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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Boredsurfing, but if she gets a lid she's actually going to wear sunglasses with it....it says it right there in her last post....
okbye
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Shimmy Alcott, rent one for a day and make your own mind up
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Fri 26-02-10 13:04; edited 2 times in total
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Jesus H Christ...
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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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| red 27 wrote: |
| Jesus H Christ... |
Would wearing an helmet have helped him out?
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red 27, don't call me that.....i get embarrassed...
okbye
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