 Poster: A snowHead
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Was planning to ski with the rep in Val Thorens last week, so I turned up on the first day at the appointed meeting place, waited around for 10 minutes or so, and then gave up.
Called the contact number that evening and tracked down David Howarth in a bar. He was very friendly and applogised for the morning no show. He'd only just arrived in resort having been delayed for six hours on his inward flight.
However, there was a "very good group in resort, may of whom had skied with him last year and I was welcome to join them."
So I turned up again the next day (with a prospective member in tow), but again there was no-one at the meeting place (Place de Caron, near the skidoos).
I gave up after that - though I probably should have gone to the social hour (the bar was at the other end of the resort from where we were staying).
Nor did I see the "blue Ski Club poster" which is supposedly all round the resort, despite keeping an eye out for it on various notice boards.
Herewith ends my first experience of the repping system. Not much of a report I know - but it's all data!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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David, the reason you couldn't find any programmes around the resort is that in Val Thorens the ski school have demanded we no longer put them up. I think this is due to the ski school offering a (chargeable) guiding service and seeing the Ski Club as competition. The only places you'll see the programmes are in the Frog and Roast Beef and also in the Ski Rock cafe by the central coach/bus stop.
I was rep in VT in January and it's a pain not being able to put the posters up but sometimes in-resort politics dictates what we can/can't do.
Obviously I can't explain the second no-show and can see why you (and your friend) were generally unimpressed. Can only recommend you give it a go next time you're skiing as most people find the repping service a great way to meet people both for skiing and apres-ski. So, let's hope your second experience is more of a success.
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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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Matthew Clarkson, Is it a recent development (the ESF 'ban' on posters)? Only ask because of the concurrent threads on the legality of the rep system, and wondered if this is a sign of hardening of attitudes.
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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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Thanks for the feedback Matthew.
I wasn't that unimpressed and should have gone to the social hour to find out what happened. It could have been my fault - wrong time, wrong place etc. It's actually quite hard to work out who you're supposed to be meeting when you don't know what they look like - I went up to three or four possible groups only to find they were French/Dutch/German etc.
On the posters, I was going on the information on the website which says to look out for them around the town. I see now, though, that that's a generic line for every resort.
Of course, it warms the cockles to hear of ESF's commitment to freedom of expression...
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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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But wouldn't the ESF (and other ski schools) retort something along the lines of there being no obligation to allow freedom of expression for unfair competition?!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Yeah, but we're talking about public noticeboards, PG - of which there are many dotted around VT.
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Still, I've yet to see a public noticeboard where content isn't monitored and regulated to an extent. What is put on display within private premises is another matter of course, no restrictions there I would hope.
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| PG wrote: |
| Matthew Clarkson, Is it a recent development (the ESF 'ban' on posters)? Only ask because of the concurrent threads on the legality of the rep system, and wondered if this is a sign of hardening of attitudes. |
good point, the fact that the ESF can impose its will implies that the Ski Club's guiding service is 'tolerated' but not 'legal'. I doubt many of the ski club's guests would ski with the ESF's service, but we've already had this debate elsewhere.
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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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| PG wrote: |
| But wouldn't the ESF (and other ski schools) retort something along the lines of there being no obligation to allow freedom of expression for unfair competition?! |
Why do you say that the Ski Club is unfair competion, are they doing something illegal?
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Just guessing at the possible thinking involved. And elsewhere it was suggested that the legality might be borderline, as you say in your previous post, if indeed the guiding is seen as a benefit in kind to Club members with membership fees tantamount to a form of payment for the service provided.
On this theme the bankrupcy of the French Ski Federation has led to the French government 'encouraging' the main economic powers to play a more active role, and to increase their financial stake. These players being the resorts themselves, the lift companies, and the ESF. I wonder if all this potential extra power isn't going to the heads of certain ESF decision-makers.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Wed 14-04-04 14:39; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Davidof, I don't think I see any implication that the Ski Club's guiding service is 'tolerated' but not 'legal'. I think I just see a ski school that would prefer not to have additional competition of any sort, but I could be wrong.
To some extent the Ski Club is bound to want to keep the various officials in resort happy, and if that means compromising on some things rather than rocking the boat then so be it. The most important thing is that the resort's happy to host a rep and it's this that speaks volumes as far as I'm concerned.
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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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| Matthew Clarkson wrote: |
| Davidof, I don't think I see any implication that the Ski Club's guiding service is 'tolerated' but not 'legal'. I think I just see a ski school that would prefer not to have additional competition of any sort, but I could be wrong. |
I'm sure they are not keen on competition, I'm not keen on competition either in my job but I don't stop my 'competitors' from advertising. I suggest you put the posters up, if the ESF and the resort don't like it pull the rep out and put something up on your website so the 250,000 visitors know what kind of resort VT is.
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Now that's fighting talk!
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You know it makes sense.
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David, the point is that the Ski Club doesn't compete with ESF and so the Club doesn't act in a way that gives that impression. I believe VT has over twenty thousand beds so the thought that one rep skiing with eight members is seriously competing with ESF is a bit of a joke. Also the rep with group regularly takes out a mountain guide and will also recommend ski school to members where appropriate, so if anything we create business for the ski school. Getting all ski schools to see the Club in this way is perhaps easier said then done though!!
I think the general ethos with the Ski Club is that we try to promote a partnership that benefits everyone - the resort, the ski school, and of course most importantly the Club's members. The fact that the number of resorts happy to host a rep is increasing suggests to me that this approach makes best sense, even if we do have to compromise occasionally.
Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Wed 14-04-04 16:43; edited 1 time in total
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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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Matthew Clarkson, but.... is the poster 'ban' a recent thing??
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Poster: A snowHead
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To be honest, PG, I don't know as this was the first season I've repped there.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Matthew Clarkson wrote: |
| David, the point is that the Ski Club doesn't compete with ESF |
Exactly, you are promoting VT and now you've got the ESF on your back. What's up?
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| even if we do have to compromise occasionally. |
You are thinking about the UK. In France it is best to approach negociations with anyone as if you are a spoiled 4 year old.
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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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| Quote: |
| You are thinking about the UK. In France it is best to approach negociations with anyone as if you are a spoiled 4 year old. |
 Very true. In France the general approach is far too frequently "It's a honour to have me serve you....."
On which topic (and while we're discussing VT) I came very close to telling the owner of the Scapin pizzeria what I thought of him while waiting for Ian H and Jonpim to arrive on Monday lunchtime. Ok they were busy, but that's no excuse for treating customers as if they were invisible. 15 minutes to get to see the menu. I hasten to add that we were in the corner being looked after by the boss himself, and not the waiters, who were pleasant enough.
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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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| PG wrote: |
Very true. In France the general approach is far too frequently "It's a honour to have me serve you....."
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Just had the missus on the phone (or should that be zee mezzes?). She's just spent 20 minutes with the SNCF mandarins who've refused to change her train tickets because she booked with an 'agency SNCF' and not at the station. Different cost centers. Civil servant sucks backwards through teeth... im-poss-see-ble!
So she now has to trek across town to the agency which probably closed around 5 o'clock. Still at least they are not on strike.
bande de chiens mal baiser! 
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