A Bad Week with Chairlifts and Kids

[2Planker]

We had an amazing "Kid Catch" a few years ago at SR.

Kid slid off the lift as it was going over the Barker Pond. A guest on the chair grabbed him by the coat and arms and hung on till the chair was over land. They stopped the lift and 2 Lifties and a patroller caught the kid when the guest couldn't hold on anymore.

 

[skiur]

Even if not for the safety aspect, I still want the bar down so I can use it as a arm rest, or use the foot rests if it has them.

 

[abc]

I only lower the bar if it has a trail map in the armrest. Otherwise I felt no safer with it.

And I HATE footrest with a pasion! Its height is just wrong for my legs. Too crunch up with skis ON it. I always dangle my skis below it.

 

[drjeff]

I'd be curious to hear if the folks who say that they don't regularly put the bar down also don't wear seat belts while driving or if they ride a motorcycle in a state without a helmet law, do they wear a helmet?

 

[cdskier]

I'd be curious to hear if the folks who say that they don't regularly put the bar down also don't wear seat belts while driving or if they ride a motorcycle in a state without a helmet law, do they wear a helmet?

Funny...as I was washing dishes last night I was thinking of this thread and that exact thought about seat belts entered my head!

 

[BenedictGomez]

Just a little something that gets me. We get on the chair and it's not often that the bar doesn't get lowered before we are out of the wheelhouse (In the case of detachables), certainly by the first tower. But up near the top, where the wind can really get the chair swinging, it seems as soon as the skiers can see the top wheelhouse, they want to raise the bar, 5 towers before it. If you raise the bar at the last tower, you still have plenty of time. In fact, when I am by myself on a detachable, I raise the bar just as I enter the wheelhouse, and I still have plenty of time.

I usually start lifting at the last tower, but I've always wondered why people do it, say, 4 towers ahead, makes no logical sense.

 

[180]

Having just returned from. Colorado, most folks don't put the bar down, while on the east coast, they all do.

 

[SkiingInABlueDream]

Just a little something that gets me. We get on the chair and it's not often that the bar doesn't get lowered before we are out of the wheelhouse (In the case of detachables), certainly by the first tower. But up near the top, where the wind can really get the chair swinging, it seems as soon as the skiers can see the top wheelhouse, they want to raise the bar, 5 towers before it. If you raise the bar at the last tower, you still have plenty of time. In fact, when I am by myself on a detachable, I raise the bar just as I enter the wheelhouse, and I still have plenty of time.

Just an observation.

I think this is just general anxiousness to start whatever next task needs to be done. When you sit on the chair the next thing to do, for most ppl, is put the bar down. So whoever is first to be ready for the bar down, starts lowering it, often without thinking about anyone else. As you approach the top of the chair the only next thing todo is raise the bar, so ppl want to do that once the top station comes in sight. As for safety and raising the bar unnecessarily early, i think "doing the next task ASAP" supercedes that logic.
Basic anti-procrastintion applied unintelligently I think.

 

[tnt1234]

always love this debate, at least on a personal basis. Take a 5 year old kid and tell them to sit back in the chair when they ride. Send them up once with the safety bar and watch them move forward and lean on the bar. Next lift ride have them not use the bar and watch what happens. Chances are they slide all the way back and stay that way the length of the ride.

That said professionally its my job to require bar use and thats fine.

Kids leaning back are prone with having their butt slide forward, particularly in wind, and particularly if it's a nervous kid REALLY leaning back - try it in your dining room chair - if you are strongly leaning back, you are leveraging your lower body forward.


Best position IMO, bar down, feet on the rest - if their is one.

Bar down, not foot rest, kid leaning back, they can still slide out under the bar, but at least they have a chance at grabbing on to something

 

[Not Sure]

I usually start lifting at the last tower, but I've always wondered why people do it, say, 4 towers ahead, makes no logical sense.

I think it depends on the speed of the lift. The 6 pack at Blue moves along at a pretty good clip. I ussally start to lift after the second last one and look over to make sure everyone is paying attention.

Another thought. How much would it cost to have a circus type net under the flatter areas any lift? Camelback has a small area to prevent people from ending up in the pond by the water park. It wouldn’t have to be a full net ,maybe a series of parallel cables.... “Tom Petty “video LOL Something to break ones fall? Food for thought.

 

[cdskier]

Before raising or lowering the bar I'll always look at whoever is on the lift with me and ask "Ready?"

 

[skiur]

I think it depends on the speed of the lift. The 6 pack at Blue moves along at a pretty good clip. I ussally start to lift after the second last one and look over to make sure everyone is paying attention.

Another thought. How much would it cost to have a circus type net under the flatter areas any lift? Camelback has a small area to prevent people from ending up in the pond by the water park. It wouldn’t have to be a full net ,maybe a series of parallel cables.... “Tom Petty “video LOL Something to break ones fall? Food for thought.

Killington has a few lifts with nets at the top. SPQ has one as does needles, maybe another one or two.....mostly on the lifts that are pretty high off the ground coming to the top.

 

[Glenn]

I've noticed that a lot of the younger kids in groups wear some sort of brightly colored bib; but it's more like a harness. There's a handle on the back the lifties can used to help slide them to the back of the chair when loading.