Snowboarder hits kid, kids father punches snowboarder (video)

WoodCore said:

Snowboarder was in the wrong. End of story.

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Yeah, I have to agree. The snowboarder was coming in a bit too hot in a crowded area and was funneled into a no win situation. So the father was justifiably angry. Cursing and cuffing the snowboarder was not right either. If it came to civil action the father would be the one fined for assault and battery.

Edit out the first 2:30 .. Sometimes this stuff happens and you cant do anything about it


Sent from my iPhone

No brawl?

As a father, I might react the same. I might not hit the kids as that is a bit overboard. I will curse and ask the kid to slow down.

That little youngster get a big whack by the snowboarder. Felt sorry for him. I don't felt sorry for the snowboarder as he is clearly going a bit faster on a crowdy slope.

Here is the skier's code:

[h=3]Seven Points to Your Responsibility Code[/h]

1. Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.
2. People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.
3. You must not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above.
4. Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.
5. Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
6. Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.
7. Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely.

[h=5]KNOW THE CODE: IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.[/h]

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After reviewing the video several times, the snowboarder is properly observing points 1 & 2 of the code. He is able to navigate a long stretch of trail with mixed ablity traffic by giving others enough room and slowing down as needed, while also avoiding the kid who skis into him from the left, which he is not overtaking. He is traveling at an appropriate speed for conditions and traffic, about the same as most traffic, around 15-20 mph. He is in a controlled braking manuver at the time of the collision.

The "father" is can be observed from 4:15 until the collision as NOT properly observing points 3 and 4 of the code, nor is his child. They are stopped in the middle of a trail, and the pair are not visable from above the rollover. Even worse, the father is blocking the view of the child. They do not turn around and look up hill before the father allows the child to move perpendicular to the fall line and into the path of the snowboarder.

I'm not a lawyer, but common sense says that this is 90%+ the fault of the father.

How would I handle this situation if I was one of these people? As the father, I would avoid taking my small child out on a high traffic trail in early season conditions, period. I see people stopped in dangerous spots at Killington, and I go as far as stopping to talk to people and ask them to move to a safer stopping location. As the snowboarder, I would be a bit more careful at rollovers and choke points, while making sure my board was well tuned and I could edge with it effectively.

If I was skiing this trail, I would probably come to a full stop off the side of the trail, at the top of the rollover and look at traffic, similar to how I would deal with the lower bittersweet rollover at Killington.

Huck_It_Baby said:

Technically the snowboarded would be to blame for the collision but that's not the issue here.

It's what happens after that puts the father in the hot seat.

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No, not technically. The dad is technically at fault here. Know the code.

If that were me and I was forced into that situations and did everything I could to avoid hitting that child and still did I would feel terrible. But if the dad were to have approached me in that fashion thats where that feeling would end and the ass kicking would ensue. Its not like the kid that hit him was outta control, crazy fast, disrespectful, or worse yet tried to run (I'd bet it was ,mostly ignited because he was young and on a snowboard)....so why the need to hit him? Thats where in that situation it would have turned into a outright brawl on the mountain if it were me, the fathers reactions would have been tolerable if the kid was an asshole or disrespectful but he was neither. IMO that didnt look like a trail suited for a child that young and that inexperienced on the slopes anyhow...if you watch back he was taking VERY WIDE and extremely FLAT turns, IDK about anyone else but I HATE when skiers take turns from edge to edge on a trail. Its super unpredictable where and when they might turn, especially if they are using most of the available trail space. I try to stick to one side or the other on busier days (which this clearly was). People need to take a step back and evaluate situations like this, especially when its a fast paced, bang-bang style situation happening. Way to set the example and like the mother would have said "way to act your age sir..." I love kids, dont want any of my own but love em none the less....however as a parent maybe be a better gauge of your childs skill level and maybe dont bring them on really busy days down trails that are a bit beyond them. (I see this tons of times throughout the season) Actually witnessed this Oct 26 this season at Killington, there was a mother there with a 5-6 year old girl (who was clearly very early in the learning stage) on a day where 3 trails were open and none of which were "greens". Here she was buzzing around her daughter like an angry wasp constantly snapping at ANYONE who got within 10 yards of them. Now any sane person that has been at Killington on opening weekend with limited trail space you know just how impossibly crowded/congested it can get there, and yet she expected EVERYONE to cut a wide clear path just for her and her daughter. Now this i could almost be ok with...IF they were sticking to the edges of the trials or that the VERY LEAST to one side or the other...BUT OH NO she felt the need to traverse completely from edge to edge.....IMO just an asshole move on her part. Most parents are great...some just need more work LOL

I do have to give the boarder props for checking to see if the kid was ok. I do wonder if the arm-flailing was a result of him seeing what was about to be a bad situation.

ss20 said:

The "father" is a total dick and should not be a parent.

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I don't think the father has severe mental issues. I do think has questionable anger management practices but, I am not sure how I would react if someone plowed into my own kid. I would like to think I would keep a clear head but, who knows. Hitting someone solves nothing and I am glad the teenage kid didn't overreact and take the punch further. (in fact, he just boards away without a word)

The random snowboarder who interjected, while I am sure had only the best intentions, didn't help anything and could have exacerbated the situation.

All in all, a bad situation made worse by some pretty poor decisions by all parties.

Highway Star said:

No, not technically. The dad is technically at fault here. Know the code.

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Couldn't have said it better, great job using the "Code" to rationally explain this! Father=WRONG Snowboarder=could have used a bit better judgement

i had a collision with someone once back when i was a teenager. it was definitely accidental. i was carving left (blind side) and an older "gentleman" on skis turned right and we kinda steered into each other. for that to happen we were at one time parallel, so neither was uphill of the other, just a consequence of perfect timing and bad luck. well of course he starts reading me the riot act and that i better get moving and out of his face, and i can only surmise this was a combination of ego and me being a "punk kid on a board."
if the son had been hit by a smaller kid or an older adult i think it would have turned out differently. also, ive been ran into before, its not the end of the world.
i hate those end of the line runs where everything starts to get funneled together to get back to the lift. this always happens in these places

Highway Star said:

Here is the skier's code:



After reviewing the video several times, the snowboarder is properly observing points 1 & 2 of the code. He is able to navigate a long stretch of trail with mixed ablity traffic by giving others enough room and slowing down as needed, while also avoiding the kid who skis into him from the left, which he is not overtaking. He is traveling at an appropriate speed for conditions and traffic, about the same as most traffic, around 15-20 mph. He is in a controlled braking manuver at the time of the collision.

The "father" is can be observed from 4:15 until the collision as NOT properly observing points 3 and 4 of the code, nor is his child. They are stopped in the middle of a trail, and the pair are not visable from above the rollover. Even worse, the father is blocking the view of the child. They do not turn around and look up hill before the father allows the child to move perpendicular to the fall line and into the path of the snowboarder.

I'm not a lawyer, but common sense says that this is 90%+ the fault of the father.

How would I handle this situation if I was one of these people? As the father, I would avoid taking my small child out on a high traffic trail in early season conditions, period. I see people stopped in dangerous spots at Killington, and I go as far as stopping to talk to people and ask them to move to a safer stopping location. As the snowboarder, I would be a bit more careful at rollovers and choke points, while making sure my board was well tuned and I could edge with it effectively.

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Well put.

Highway Star said:

No, not technically. The dad is technically at fault here. Know the code.

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Thanks code master.

I think fingers could be points at both these guys but to me this isn't an issue of who's fault it was for the collision. It's all about that father striking the snowboarder with a ski. Something he has absolutely no right to do regardless of what happened in the moments prior. The footage shows no ill intent from the snowboarder. Infact the snowboarder seems more concerned about the little kid than the father does.

Well I empathize with the father to some degree but ...... The father and son were in a standing still position and the father did not look up hill prior to continuing! The snowboarder was trying to move out of the way of the other girl heading towards him and technically the kid he ran into sort of came out of nowhere.

That being said - it seemed like a heavier traffic location and caution should have trumped negotiating around people. The fathers actions of hitting the guy was uncalled for though! The kid started crying after the father got into a confrontation - probably was scared more by his dads actions then the incident itself.

Huck_It_Baby said:

The footage shows no ill intent from the snowboarder. Infact the snowboarder seems more concerned about the little kid than the father does.

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Idiot dad probably struck his son with the ski next for crying.

I should chime in. I don't care who was on a snowboard or skis. It could have been reverse, a skier hitting a little girl on a snowboard. I'm only interested in that for the purposes of identifying who we are talking about. I don't think it's really pertinent to care about what the person was sliding on. (i.e. making this into a snowboard vs. skier thing).

imho-the snowboarder is at fault for the collision.

i'm going to look at the video again, but I dont see where the father hit the kid with a ski and or punched him. definitely hit him someway, but im not sure it was a punch or with a ski.

HowieT2 said:

imho-the snowboarder is at fault for the collision.

i'm going to look at the video again, but I dont see where the father hit the kid with a ski and or punched him. definitely hit him someway, but im not sure it was a punch or with a ski.

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I actually thought it was a slap on the side of the head at first. Still inappropriate.

Yet another incident at Snowbasin. Remember this was the scene of this two years ago:

Domeskier said:

Idiot dad is at fault for negligently failing to make sure it was safe for his kid to proceed from a stand still on an icy, crowded trail.

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For crying out loud, the kid was barely moving. How hard was it to avoid him ??? Count me strongly in the 'snowboarder is an idiot - dad is an idiot' camp.

HowieT2 said:

imho-the snowboarder is at fault for the collision.

i'm going to look at the video again, but I dont see where the father hit the kid with a ski and or punched him. definitely hit him someway, but im not sure it was a punch or with a ski.

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Maybe I am misinterpreting the hit or the severity.

@ 4:26 there is def an impact. Looks more like a hand now that I am analysing it again. Either way. No right to hit him.

Highway Star said:

Here is the skier's code:



After reviewing the video several times, the snowboarder is properly observing points 1 & 2 of the code. He is able to navigate a long stretch of trail with mixed ablity traffic by giving others enough room and slowing down as needed, while also avoiding the kid who skis into him from the left, which he is not overtaking. He is traveling at an appropriate speed for conditions and traffic, about the same as most traffic, around 15-20 mph. He is in a controlled braking manuver at the time of the collision.

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How was he following point 2 ????? He plowed into a kid moving at 2 miles per hour !!!