Do you ski with a cell phone/I-pod??

[cbcbd]

I used to be a purist "I like the sound of the snow, I don't need music to take away from the experience" snob. And then I skied with some good tunes and now when solo that's what I do. I just gotta make a good playlist for this season coming up since last season I would just keep it on general shuffle and end up spending 10 minutes trying to find the perfect song for my last run of the day.

[kcyanks1]

Cell phone is in my pocket. Sometimes it is off. I figure it's good to have for emergencies or if I am meeting up with people. I don't always get reception though.

[BushMogulMaster]

I'll take the cell for emergencies. I do not ever ski with tunes. I don't mean to offend anyone who does... to each his own. Really.

However, having an insiders look at the industry and knowing the inherent risks that go beyond just running into someone, I believe that skiing with something that greatly impairs your hearing is extremely dangerous to yourself and those around you. Here's an example: a guy was skiing with his tunes blasting, and unbeknownst to him, a snowcat was approaching from behind and well to his side. It was scheduled day-time grooming, and the operator was following all safety precautions and doing his job to the best of his ability. Right before the cat came into the skier's peripheral vision he made a sharp turn toward the snowcat and ran into either the blade or the tracks (I don't recall which). He lived, but required immediate medical attention. Had his hearing not been impaired by the iPod, he would have heard the snowcat and the injury would not have been sustained. This is just one example of a plethora of possible injuries that could occur due to decreased hearing in the dynamic world of a ski area.

Of course, as previously mentioned, there are some people who are deaf or have other hearing impairments. That's not the point. The point is, why knowingly put yourself or others at risk by intentionally diminish one of the senses important to safe skiing?

Not to mention how much it royally pisses me off to get on a chairlift and say, "hey... how's it going" only to get no acknowledgment whatsoever.

However, as I stated earlier, to each his own. If that's what you like, cool. I just don't like it, and will never do it. All I would say to those you who do, is please be careful, for your sake and the other skiers'.

[JimG.]

Originally Posted by BushMogulMaster

I'll take the cell for emergencies. I do not ever ski with tunes. I don't mean to offend anyone who does... to each his own. Really.

However, having an insiders look at the industry and knowing the inherent risks that go beyond just running into someone, I believe that skiing with something that greatly impairs your hearing is extremely dangerous to yourself and those around you. Here's an example: a guy was skiing with his tunes blasting, and unbeknownst to him, a snowcat was approaching from behind and well to his side. It was scheduled day-time grooming, and the operator was following all safety precautions and doing his job to the best of his ability. Right before the cat came into the skier's peripheral vision he made a sharp turn toward the snowcat and ran into either the blade or the tracks (I don't recall which). He lived, but required immediate medical attention. Had his hearing not been impaired by the iPod, he would have heard the snowcat and the injury would not have been sustained. This is just one example of a plethora of possible injuries that could occur due to decreased hearing in the dynamic world of a ski area.

Of course, as previously mentioned, there are some people who are deaf or have other hearing impairments. That's not the point. The point is, why knowingly put yourself or others at risk by intentionally diminish one of the senses important to safe skiing?

Not to mention how much it royally pisses me off to get on a chairlift and say, "hey... how's it going" only to get no acknowledgment whatsoever.

However, as I stated earlier, to each his own. If that's what you like, cool. I just don't like it, and will never do it. All I would say to those you who do, is please be careful, for your sake and the other skiers'.

I prefer skiing without peripheral distractions too. I like to hear my surroundings, or the silence of the woods.

I don't mind at all if someone else listens. I don't even mind if someone on a lift can't hear me talk or say hello...I prefer quiet. In fact, my skiing buddy Karl uses headphones in his helmet and it's quieted him down alot. Which I like.

Unless he's blabbing about the great tunes he's listening to or how great his Ipod is, or singing.

[pepperdawg]

Originally Posted by BushMogulMaster

Not to mention how much it royally pisses me off to get on a chairlift and say, "hey... how's it going" only to get no acknowledgment whatsoever.

Maybe some people dont like to be blabbed at by gaper strangers on the lift??? Hmmm??

But to each his own

[cbcbd]

Originally Posted by BushMogulMaster

Not to mention how much it royally pisses me off to get on a chairlift and say, "hey... how's it going" only to get no acknowledgment whatsoever.

I usually turn off the tunes on the lift. Just a personal courtesy thing.

And for the ones who haven't tried it yet - well, don't knock it till you try it. And also realize that not all music vibes well for skiing. I get very particular and sometimes need specific songs or beats to get me going in a good rhythm.

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Cell but no tunes. I really like the sounds of the mountain... wind, ski's on snow, etc.

[ctenidae]

I read an article the other day, and now I can't find it, discussing the effects of headphones. It wasn't a 'They are teh evul!!!11!!" kind of thing, instead it looked at research done on what it does to your awareness. Now I can't find it, of course, but it seems pretty clear that not being able to hear your surroundings impacts your awareness. I see it all the time on the T- 95% of people are almost totally unaware of their surroundings anyway, particulalry their relation to other people who are also moving, but the iPoders seem to be the most frequent and egregious offenders. It may just be that I notice them more, like snowboarders in the middle of a hill, or craziness during a full moon, but I think that plugging in like that isolates you from the world around you. It does me, anyway, to the point that I hate even taking the dog for a walk with headphones on.

Given people's already low awareness of those around them, I'm just not a big fan of things that further isolate people from their surroundings. But, to each his/her/its own. Until you run into me on the hill and I tie you to a tree with your cord.

[BushMogulMaster]

Originally Posted by pepperdawg

Maybe some people dont like to be blabbed at by gaper strangers on the lift??? Hmmm??

But to each his own

True, true. Guess it's a good thing I'm not a gaper

Seriously, though... it's at least nice to say hello. Then you're welcome to go back into your own little world

[llamborghinii]

Cell Absolutely. I have taught a couple people to ski, and they come along with me on ski trips to defray the cost of lodging, gas. But after a couple runs i leave em on the bunny slope so i can go on more adventurious(sp?) terrain