Should ski areas be required to have safety bars on lifts?

[skimore]

No and unless your a midget most of the ones with the foot rest are useless as your knees are wedged against the safety bar

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I think for high speed quads and six packs..especially the ones loaded with padding which can be slippery..If you are in a middle seat and leaning forward a little bit..you can possibly be thrown off..it almost happened to me..I insist on having the bar down now..plus why not rest your feet,,boarders don't like the bars as much. Bridger bowl had 4 old school riblet style doubles with no safety bars but the seats were tilted back a bit and you could grab onto the side or middle..

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Originally Posted by skimore

No and unless your a midget most of the ones with the foot rest are useless as your knees are wedged against the safety bar

I always have plenty of room and I'm 5'11 and overweight..

[twinplanx]

I like to rest my legs as much as the next guy but recently some folks have become over aggressive w/ pulling the bar down. A simple "commin down " is all that I ask for. (yes another reason 4 helmet) . ...I think it pretty cool when the kids pull the bar down w/ a pole

[severine]

I hate government getting involved in the little stuff... But I would like it if all mountains had them, seeing as I'm actually terrified of heights and always use the safety bar.

[Trekchick]

I'm not for laws for safety bars.
Look at the possible statistics. How many people ride chair lifts every day? How many people have fallen off, been blown off by wind, or have been shoved off?

I'm not opposed to safety bars, but I don't necessarily use a bar every time I'm on a lift that has one either.
Only one situation where the safety bar made me uneasy was when I was riding with a 4 year old who was so small she needed assistance to get "up" on the seat when she loaded. She was small enough that she could slip between the safety bar and seat, which IMO was scarier than the idea of no bar at all, because little kids like to lean forward and look over the bar THAT is scary!!

[Ski Diva]

It's amazing to me that they're not required, given liability issues and all.

Like Trekchick, though, I worry about the little kids. Every now and then you hear about one sliding off, right underneath the bar. I thiink they need some kind of a seat belt or a tether for the littlest ones.

As for adults falling off, I mean, how often do you fall off the sofa? You're just sitting there! I know, I know -- the lift's moving. But not very fast.

Either way, I'm fine with it. And yes, I usually pull it down.

[KevinF]

It took me a while to get used to the chair lifts without safety bars, as I really don't like heights. I always take the outside seat (so I have the side rails to grab onto), and I'll wedge the tip of my ski pole under the side rail and across my lap, so there is a "safety bar" there. Works for me... keeps me relaxed.

That said, I don't think that ski areas should be required to have them.

[thetrailboss]

It may also be an insurance issue....the companies may require them.

[hammer]

The problem with high speed lifts and safety bars that I've seen is that the riskiest time can be when the lift suddenly slows down at the top...just when/after you've raised the bar so that you can unload.