On mountain etiquette

[wa-loaf]

I've tried yelling "On your right" or "On your left" to let people know which side I'm going to pass on but it doesn't work like in mountain biking. Most people just think you're being a dick and get mad, or they're wearing headphones and can't hear me, or have no idea what it means and turn IN the direction I say instead of AWAY.

People will look to where the noise is coming from. The body follows the head so they will turn in that direction.

 

[Nick]

That's where ventriloquism comes in handy

 

[SkiFanE]

My Suburbans always had big blind spots, head turning was mandatory. My new 2011 has blind spot sensors in the mirrors, which light up yellow when somebody is in your blind spot. The yellow flashes if you signal on that side. Very cool, no more head turning needed.

I always look uphill when starting out from a stop, or when changing lanes on the slop. Might have to do with my age...

Can't believe you gave up head turning while driving. I would never trust any type of car computer. Glad to know this, will be more careful of these vehicles, they already think they own the road, now they'll just move blindly and god forbid I'm in the lane next to them with my small car...and maybe the damn computer sensor didn't see me because my car is silver and maybe the sun shined off of it wrong and blinded your sensor and didn't warn you and you just move into my lane with your 8k pound vehicle. I'm sure they'll have some upgrade to the onboard computer after you crush me and someone realizes there was a bug in the software in recognizing silver cars in sunlight. Smart...real smart. Sorry...off my soapbox...but this really bugs me.

 

[vdk03]

I try to look out behind me as much as possible but like the code says downhill guy has right of way. As a snowboarder I get annoyed the most when people (skiers or snowboarders) make unpredictable turns or just take up the whole trail on flatter trails or in a place where I need to carry some speed to make it to the next decline. I hate having to unstrap and skate because some ass cut in front of me and I had to put on the brakes. Yes it's my responsibility to avoid them but a little courtesy would be nice.

I've tried yelling "On your right" or "On your left" to let people know which side I'm going to pass on but it doesn't work like in mountain biking. Most people just think you're being a dick and get mad, or they're wearing headphones and can't hear me, or have no idea what it means and turn IN the direction I say instead of AWAY.

I do this a lot, one thing that makes me a little uneasy is passing a skier on a flat that is pushing wildly with their poles. You know the type that is being aggressive to the point where he/she looks dangerous to be around. The last thing I want is to take a pole to the head, so I find an "on your left" to be pretty helpful.

 

[SkiDork]

Can't believe you gave up head turning while driving. I would never trust any type of car computer. Glad to know this, will be more careful of these vehicles, they already think they own the road, now they'll just move blindly and god forbid I'm in the lane next to them with my small car...and maybe the damn computer sensor didn't see me because my car is silver and maybe the sun shined off of it wrong and blinded your sensor and didn't warn you and you just move into my lane with your 8k pound vehicle. I'm sure they'll have some upgrade to the onboard computer after you crush me and someone realizes there was a bug in the software in recognizing silver cars in sunlight. Smart...real smart. Sorry...off my soapbox...but this really bugs me.

Believe me, I tested it thoroughly before I started trusting them, as I was quite skeptical as you are. My conclusion is (at least for the Suburban) they're more reliable than a head turn, because in the Suburban there is still a blind stop even with the head turn. That blind spot (especially on the passenger side) always perturbed me about the vehicle.

But its OK, you're entitled to your opinion. I'm at K pretty much every weekend if you'd like to meet up I can demo it for you.

 

[hammer]

My Suburbans always had big blind spots, head turning was mandatory. My new 2011 has blind spot sensors in the mirrors, which light up yellow when somebody is in your blind spot. The yellow flashes if you signal on that side. Very cool, no more head turning needed.

I always look uphill when starting out from a stop, or when changing lanes on the slop. Might have to do with my age...

Don't have the BLIS (Blind Spot Info System) on my Volvo but a loaner car I drove once had it. Worked well but when I kept getting the light driving home on a crowded I-93 I temporarily shut it off.

I like the system, but it's no replacement for actually looking over your shoulder.

 

[SkiFanE]

Believe me, I tested it thoroughly before I started trusting them, as I was quite skeptical as you are. My conclusion is (at least for the Suburban) they're more reliable than a head turn, because in the Suburban there is still a blind stop even with the head turn. That blind spot (especially on the passenger side) always perturbed me about the vehicle.

But its OK, you're entitled to your opinion. I'm at K pretty much every weekend if you'd like to meet up I can demo it for you.

Tested it thoroughly? Yeah...sure. I have a blind spot in my small vehicle too, no car is immune. But your vehicle would crush 50% of the other cars out there...so I DO think you need to be more cautious. Nothing wrong with a head turn AND relying on the computer, if that's too strenuous for you, let someone else drive. Seriously...think of others on the road, not just yourself.

 

[SkiDork]

Tested it thoroughly? Yeah...sure. I have a blind spot in my small vehicle too, no car is immune. But your vehicle would crush 50% of the other cars out there...so I DO think you need to be more cautious. Nothing wrong with a head turn AND relying on the computer, if that's too strenuous for you, let someone else drive. Seriously...think of others on the road, not just yourself.

Thanks.

 

[gmcunni]

Tested it thoroughly? Yeah...sure. I have a blind spot in my small vehicle too, no car is immune. But your vehicle would crush 50% of the other cars out there...so I DO think you need to be more cautious. Nothing wrong with a head turn AND relying on the computer, if that's too strenuous for you, let someone else drive. Seriously...think of others on the road, not just yourself.

or you could not drive in the other car's blind spot.

 

[Black Phantom]

 

[SIKSKIER]

I'm releasing a little stress

Wow! 2 things from me.Very few skiers ever pass me except with my buddies while were cranking hard and very aware of each other.Lots of fun.
2nd,pet peeve of mine is people who turn their heads around to look while driving at highway speeds.You should almost never need to turn around while driving at speed..EVER! If you need to then you are totally unaware of the others cars around you.You should always be scanning your mirrors and know where cars coming up on you and falling behind you are reletive to you and your closing/departing speed.Pass a car and then get your butt back in the right lane where you belong (insert Mass plates here)and you'll find you almost never need to worry about other cars except in that left lane.And while were at it if you would get off peoples asses then you would not need to constantly brake.
AAAHHH
Boy that felt good!!!

 

[SkiFanE]

or you could not drive in the other car's blind spot.

That's why I thanked him for this information, I will be careful now. Cut off by these monsters all the time.

 

[hammer]

You should almost never need to turn around while driving at speed..EVER! If you need to then you are totally unaware of the others cars around you.

I call BS on this one. You can check your mirrors all you want but all it takes is for someone else to suddenly do the unexpected and he/she can be in your blind spot.

Please read my earlier post...mirrors checked, thought we had SA, still almost pulled into someone.

 

[wa-loaf]

http://nylawthoughts.com/2011/01/07/changing-lanes-and-the-accidents-that-develop/

 

[wa-loaf]

 

[mlctvt]

It seems people on this site don't know how to properly adjust their mirrors.
There will be no blind spots in any car if done correctly. As a performance driving instructor I've driven dozens of makes and model cars and I've yet found one where I could not adjust the mirrors so that all views overlap.

Follow this and then check your car.

http://www.allstate.com/insurance-i...t-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots-800464901.aspx

Since I know many people don't adjust their mirrors properly I never hang out in the area that would be a blind spot if mirrors aren't adjusted correctly.

 

[Smellytele]

Big time scope creep on this thread...

 

[St. Bear]

It seems people on this site don't know how to properly adjust their mirrors.
There will be no blind spots in any car if done correctly. As a performance driving instructor I've driven dozens of makes and model cars and I've yet found one where I could not adjust the mirrors so that all views overlap.

Follow this and then check your car.

http://www.allstate.com/insurance-i...t-mirrors-to-avoid-blind-spots-800464901.aspx

Since I know many people don't adjust their mirrors properly I never hang out in the area that would be a blind spot if mirrors aren't adjusted correctly.

This will still give you blind spots, they'll just be tight against your car, so you don't have to worry about a car being there when you change lanes.

 

[Kerovick]

As someone said earlier, the code is the code. If your overtaking the down hill skier it is your responsibility to avoid them no matter if they are making short turns or going from side to side (or both).

 

[Black Phantom]

As someone said earlier, the code is the code. If your overtaking the down hill skier it is your responsibility to avoid them no matter if they are making short turns or going from side to side (or both).

Yo Kid Rock! How goes the 'Bago? Any movement with that rig yet?