Snowboarder hits kid, kids father punches snowboarder (video)

[Highway Star]

So you are basically condoning the behavior of the snowboarder because they broke a skier "code"? I'm not saying this kid deserved what he got but deflecting blame for the accident is ridiculous. The snowboarder shouldnt get off just because the father and child broke the "code". The car argument has been used a million times but I can't just rear end someone because they have a tail light out or side swipe someone because they passed me on the right.

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The snowboarder was riding in a very reasonable manner consistant with the skiers code and is not at fault. Teal jacket kid and the father both were NOT following the code, and are at fault.

[thetrailboss]

The snowboarder was riding in a very reasonable manner consistant with the skiers code and is not at fault. Teal jacket kid and the father both were NOT following the code, and are at fault.

Didn't realize that the code requires eyes in the back of one's head.

[Highway Star]

Didn't realize that the code requires eyes in the back of one's head.

No, they just require you to read them, comprehend them, and put them into practice. How's that working for you, get run into much...?

[HowieT2]

The snowboarder was riding in a very reasonable manner consistant with the skiers code and is not at fault. Teal jacket kid and the father both were NOT following the code, and are at fault.

you're entitled to your opinion, but I think you are way off base. I hope you dont ski/board with that attitude.

[deadheadskier]

you're entitled to your opinion, but I think you are way off base. I hope you dont ski/board with that attitude.

he's a top 20 skier at Killington. He clearly doesn't have these problems

[dlague]

Made me think about how dangerous beginner trails might be. We had a friend who was snowboarding for the first time ever. She took a private lesson and was doing pretty well until they decided to do one more run and when heading toward the lift line a father and his son (4-5 ish) skied by her and the instructor then stopped. He panicked and tried to stop quickly and landed on her bottom with the board up in the air and as a result she gashed the kid on the forehead. The father in this case was cool about it since he realized they cut her off. But she was sick to her stomach thinking about how much worst it could have been. A trail full of people that do not know what they are doing while it is the run out for those who do (technically). Same case for trails that get pinched - people all vying for the same path and the ability, experience and knowledge level varies greatly.

in the case of this thread, more caution by the snowboarder and better attention by the father in protecting his kid would have produced different results!

[billdee]

Some of the earlier comments probably are unfair to the father. What struck me is just how quickly the hit happened and then the dad reacted instantaneously. There's no question the boarder is at fault -- he and his buddies are faster than everybody else on a mixed use trail, they're weaving in and out and need to be on the side and slower. You MUST be in control -- full stop. They weren't being crazy, but more caution was called for. This happens all the time when speed and skill differential is great...the margin of safety is so small.

I am sympathetic to the Dad who just saw his kid whomped -- no question he shouldn't have hit the kid and I bet he regrets it hard, but when your child is hit like that most any Dad would flip. The surge of anger and adrenaline just cannot be underestimated when you see your child needlessly hit. The hit was a big deal and the teenager, no matter how considerate immediately afterwards, did deserve a chewing out. Doesn't happen enough these days, from what I see on the slopes and in life. I agree that teenagers, especially boarders, are often unfairly stereotyped, but spend a day at Killington and it doesn't take long to see boorish and risky behavior. Every parent would assume it was the older teen's fault and be ripped.

Nobody feels good about what happened, but I will have my teens watch this and think about how to handle themselves better on the slopes.

[Stache]

you're entitled to your opinion, but I think you are way off base. I hope you dont ski/board with that attitude.

He does. That is why he posted this and is tying to preemptively build his defense for when he has the collision with someone in front of him.

Two wrongs don't make a right. In fact it usually makes something twice as bad. Dad is (justifiably) guilty of assault.

Boarder is guilty of "Speed too fast for conditions." Way too often folks pass other folks at speed far in excess of the 110% rule. You should only be travelling 10% faster than the person you are overtaking. In an area with multiple threats (targets) not more than 10% faster than the slowest one.
Rule #1 is #1 for a reason, it is the most important. It very clearly puts the responsibility on folks to slide in a manner that they do not crash into anything.
Rules #3 & #4 are more for self preservation than assigning blame.

What I preach and teach to my ski school students, "There is a WORLD of difference between 'not meaning' to do something and MEANING NOT to do something."

[mister moose]

RE leaving scene of accident:

No, it's not. It's not a car accident, and I wouldn't expect him to stick around when the Dad is going off on him and being physically violent. He wasn't trying to avoid responsibility as he stopped and asked if the kid was ok. The boarder seemed more concerned with the kid's condition after the crash than the dad. As others have said, hitting the boarder was just stupid. He's lucky the kid didn't have a bunch of nutjob friends with him. He could have gotten his head caved in by some psycho right in front of his son. He could still end up facing assault charges. There is just no excuse for that behavior, and that is coming from someone with a pretty short fuse himself.

I'm pretty sure it is in most ski states. I couldn't find VT or Utah (where it happened) in a few minutes of googling, but here is California's law:

c

CAL. PENAL CODE

§ 602(q) (West 2001), provides that it is a misdemeanor to ski on aclosed ski trail, and §§653(i) makes leaving the scene of a skiing

accident punishable by a fine of up to $1,000.

[thetrailboss]

you're entitled to your opinion, but I think you are way off base. I hope you dont ski/board with that attitude.

he's a top 20 skier at Killington. He clearly doesn't have these problems

Watch out for someone doing mandatory GS turns.

No, they just require you to read them, comprehend them, and put them into practice. How's that working for you, get run into much...?

I understand them quite fine, thank you. And I don't cause any problems on the slopes personally.