Poster: A snowHead
|
Five people were treated for minor injuries yesterday, after falling up to 5m from two chairs on a ski lift at the Tahoe ski resort in the USA. The accident happened when strong winds broke off the top of a tree, which then fell onto the chairlift line. The impact caused the occupants in two nearby chairs to be bounced out of their seats....Resort operators, faced with worsening winds, decided to shut the resort down a few minutes later.
Source: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/12/19/3269492/five-people-treated-for-injuries.html#ixzz18eLWX3LL
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
Is this an area where it's "uncool" to put down the safety bar on chairs?
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
Most chairs in the US don't have safety bars.. too dangerous apparently..
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
FreeBeer wrote: |
Most chairs in the US don't have safety bars.. too dangerous apparently.. |
If it was a high speed at Sierra it would have had a bar. Sierra doesn't have major exposure on chairs so not really a surprise injuries weren't too bad. Another tree fell nearly onto liftline at Red Dog at Squaw too yesterday I believe, now that does have some hefty drops!!
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Many's the time i have been asked 'Why' when i have wanted to put the safety bar down whilst riding on chair lifts in american ski resorts.
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
FreeBeer, I had heard that it was because by adding a safety bar they were taking some responsibility for your safety and could thus be sued.
Whereas without the bar they were taking no responsibility and couldn't be sued.
Makes perfect sense.
|
|
|
|
|
|
cc_7up wrote: |
Many's the time i have been asked 'Why' when i have wanted to put the safety bar down whilst riding on chair lifts in american ski resorts. |
Have you ever been asked 'why?' by a helmet wearer ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
"uncool" to put the safety bar down? FFS
Only skied in the States once, that was at Stowe in 2003/4. Some of the lifts were so old I half expected to be sitting next to Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye in their Christmas jumpers (I hear they have now been updated) but I am pretty sure they all had safety bars.
Happy days
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
moffatross wrote: |
cc_7up wrote: |
Many's the time i have been asked 'Why' when i have wanted to put the safety bar down whilst riding on chair lifts in american ski resorts. |
Have you ever been asked 'why?' by a helmet wearer ? |
I am a Helmet wearer.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
In Vermont safety bars are required by state law. Very few resorts that I know of have lifts with no safety bars. Although, I did notice that when I skied in Alta no one was using them.
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
Don't think i've encountered a resort in N.Am without safty bars - even on the ancient lifts @ Baker...
|
|
|
|
|
|
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chairlift
"The physics of a passenger sitting properly in a chairlift do not require use of a restraining bar. If the chairlift stops suddenly (as from use of the system emergency brake), the carrier's arm connecting to the grip pivots smoothly forward—driven by the chair's inertia—and maintains friction (and seating angle) between the seat and passenger."
Ah, thats reassuring to know.
Almost 25 years to the day since the Keystone accident:
http://www.tetongravity.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3100735
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
Reading that Wikipedia entry ... and knowing how that lovely site works (i.e. it is written by people with ther own agenda to promote) suggests to me there is some sort of movement against safety bars ... I'm not going to draw a parallel with the helmet argument because i for one can see arguments both ways and regard helmet use as a pesonal choice (and yes i do wear one) but why on earth would you not use a safety bar? What possible downside is there, unless you are a total ******* and forget to raise it?
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
There are many people who wear backpacks which means they are not able to sit right back in the seat.
Maybe that is one reason why they leave the bar up
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
cc_7up, Backpacks need not be a major issue, I wear a 15L ABS which is a really good fitted design and wrap-round and have never had issues on lifts. I do see some people however who look as though they are going out for a week's trekking and all they are doing on piste, and often wonder what they are lugging about! Point well made but doesnt have to be that way with careful choice of pack. Icant imagine ever leaving a bar up, whatever safety is #1 consideration.
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
How many of these things actually happen in Europe where i've not been on one without a bar?
Hand up - i've fallen off one, but the bar wasn't down (but it was as i was getting off, just my dismount was a bit quicker than expected!)...
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
RichardJHJ, Ever lined up 4 abreast and been the one that didnt have a seat..................ho, ho, how everyone laughed when I ended up tangled in the netting over the gully below!! Needless to say my pals recollect the day 10 years ago, and it gets funnier everytime they bring it up......NOT!!
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
I have seen a lift stopped on more than one occasion in France because passengers hadn't put the bar down before the chair had left the lifties sight. I guess that there is some different law in Europe.
|
|
|
|
|
|
If there is an absence of safety bars in use in USA resorts I can see that as a damn good reason not to ski there. Safety blanket or not, I for one feel much safer on a chair with a safety bar esp. with the kids. There were a couple without in Les Arc's and I hated riding them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Megamum wrote: |
There were a couple without in Les Arc's and I hated riding them. |
Chairs without safety bars? Which ones?
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
rob@rar wrote: |
Megamum wrote: |
There were a couple without in Les Arc's and I hated riding them. |
Chairs without safety bars? Which ones? |
None that I've ever been on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Must be my mistake (according to BMF_Skier) - I thought the one above the snow park didn't have a bar - maybe it was just missing a foot rest - I recall it being a flippin' awful ride - maybe I assumed the awful ride included no safety bar as it felt so perilous - a chair without a safety bar would be awful.
|
|
|
|
|
|