Another one bites the dust....

[GSKI]

What I miss: for folks who skied 20, 30 or 40 years ago, remember hearing "On your right (or left) as overtaking skiers were about to pass? Whatever happened to that?

The IPOD rendered that minimally effective and virtually obsolete.

[Big Bob]

Know the code, folks. When overtaking a slower skier, THEY (the slower skier) have the right of way. They don't have eyes in the back of their heads.

I constantly turn my head. I ski relatively fast...often faster than most. But, there are always some who pass me...and at those speeds, one must leave lots of room. When folks are moving downhill at 35 mph +, bad things can happen. I just keep turning my head to see who is gaining on me.

Little kiddies: Oh boy, you DON'T want to touch little tykes. Expect them to turn anywhere, anytime, with no rhyme or reason. And I've lost count of their mindless hockey stops in the middle of a trail. They're little kids, remember? They are capable of just about anything...and falling right in front of you, again for no apparent reason.

What I miss: for folks who skied 20, 30 or 40 years ago, remember hearing "On your right (or left) as overtaking skiers were about to pass? Whatever happened to that?
I'm aware that in the flats, I yield to boarders...they need to glide without being slowed down. Hiking on flats on a board has got to suck...skiers can skate, but boarders have to walk, drag, whatever. I yield to them here.

I talked with her on Sunday, she is doing fine but is mad as hell!
She said the women snowboarder first tried to hit her husband, then she spun around and hit her. After the collision, the boarder also fell. Her husband would not let the boarder leave. Ski patrol came, loaded her in the sled and accompanied the boarder down to get her information. The ski patrol did an excellent job and did not have to cut her boot off, but removed it gently. She is now home and doing well.

[Skivt2]

There ought to be a law (maybe there is) that hitting another skier or boarder and causing serious injury is assault. I also hope the injured party sues. People who hit and injure people need to suffer serious consequences. Too many people on the hill do not take it seriously enough to make efforts to avoid hitting people. I think I'd have to kill someone if they took me out. At least I would want to.

[Dr. NO]

There ought to be a law (maybe there is) that hitting another skier or boarder and causing serious injury is assault. I also hope the injured party sues. People who hit and injure people need to suffer serious consequences. Too many people on the hill do not take it seriously enough to make efforts to avoid hitting people. I think I'd have to kill someone if they took me out. At least I would want to.

Colorado has explicit laws regarding running into people on the slopes. If you leave the scene and are caught you will be held for leaving an accident. If you cause injury to someone and are found negligent, going too fast or being reckless, they arrest and prosecute the offender. Don't think Vermont is quite that tough, but maybe they should be.

[hillbangin]

That's awful - and Panda season starts next week...

I always ski behind my kids and wife - playing blocker for them -

The real challenge here at K is all of the connector/traversing trails are way to narrow -

The most dangerous one is yet to open -Great Eastern from the Needles Eye chair to Cruise Control.

[skilab]

Two years ago my wife (who puts in 80 days a year) was hit by a snowboarder on skye peak. She was skiing the right line at a pretty good pace and was hit so hard he cracked her pelvis in three places and she could not move. The guy was around 30 and briefly stopped to tell her she was in his "blind spot" and never saw her. A crowd gathered to help her then the guy took off. Ski patrol was pretty pissed that someone didnt make the guy stay around to get his info and went on about how his insurance should be liable. She still has issues 2 years later. I'm all for having a good time on the hill but there are clearly some who have no clue and/or care about how their actions impact others.

[VTbound]

Skiers and boarders have different ways of getting down the hill, and when there isn't enough space to accomodate them bad things happen. But in either case tricks belong in the park and high speed runs should wait for more terrain.

[skimee]

I know this will start an uproar. BUt think of all the boarders, not excluding skiers who ski high most of the time. That is defiantely a hazard in itself......

[GSKI]

I know this will start an uproar. BUt think of all the boarders, not excluding skiers who ski high most of the time. That is defiantely a hazard in itself......

High and completely deaf with headphones in and music blaring. I trust no one. You have to assume the person below you it completely unpredictable and based on speed and position work to avoid them. Even if you hit the most stoned, deaf inconsiderate idiot below you it is actually technically and legally your fault. The consequences are simply not worth the risk. I have just put the brakes on if I could not figure out the puzzle. Minor surgery is only minor if somebody else is getting it.

[Cutback]

Had a friend hit from behind by a skier about 11:30am today (11/23) just before the steep part of part of mousetrap. Skier was going very fast -all we heard was "look out" before a big crash. Fortunately neither was hurt. After sorting out the mess - we continued down and a nearly straight lining boarder hit a skier on lower BB also from behind. The skier that was hit looked to be pretty out of it. A mountain host was there quickly and did a good job controlling the scene and holding the boarder and witnesses. We decided to get off the hill at that point. Fast skiing on crowded trails is unsafe. Don't care if it is a boarder/skier/kid/70YO/high/straight/drunk. Try driving 20 mph faster than the flow of traffic on I87 and see what happens. I agree the little kids need a wide berth as they are fairly unpredictable in their path and decisions to start/stop.

[ozzy]

After sorting out the mess - we continued down and a nearly straight lining boarder hit a skier on lower BB also from behind. The skier that was hit looked to be pretty out of it. A mountain host was there quickly and did a good job controlling the scene and holding the boarder and witnesses. We decided to get off the hill at that point. Fast skiing on crowded trails is unsafe. Don't care if it is a boarder/skier/kid/70YO/high/straight/drunk. Try driving 20 mph faster than the flow of traffic on I87 and see what happens. I agree the little kids need a wide berth as they are fairly unpredictable in their path and decisions to start/stop.

I saw some elderly man get taken out from behind at about 1030 this morning on Lower Bunny. I saw the whole thing happen as I was right there. The snowboarder kid went to heelside turn to check speed and washed out. Then from his but he accelerated and took out the elderly man.
As luck would have it, there was an ambassador on the other side of the trail from where the accident occurred and he called the code in. I helped by side stepping up and Xing off the guys skis to prevent other joeys from colliding.
The kid stuck around, but I found out later from my buddy that just so happened to run that code, that the kid took off and split to his car and drove off. scumbag.

This is one reason why I like to get the hell off the hill by 10-30-11 on early season weekends

[ozzy]

Actually, now that I think about it, that was about 11:15 today that that accident happened

[Stache]

Jim Chalat is on my speed dial and I am on his list of "Expert Witnesses" with half a century on skiis and over a quarter of a century as a Certified Professional Ski Instructor of America

http://www.skilaw.com/jimcases-hall.html

http://www.skilaw.com/letter%20as%20pub ... letter.pdf

[Dickc]

The kid stuck around, but I found out later from my buddy that just so happened to run that code, that the kid took off and split to his car and drove off. scumbag.

This is one reason why I like to get the hell off the hill by 10-30-11 on early season weekends

Maybe it is time for some of us to sit on these people and hold them on the hill until patrol has everything they need from them. Taking off without the patrol having a full report of who you are and how you can be contacted is just unacceptable.

[Skivt2]

Definitely!!! At some point we are all going to have to take back the mountain from these as*hats.