Leash law opinions

[witch hobble]

My real passions never caught on:

tele-blading
monoblading
tele-ballet (this one might have a future)

 

[2Planker]

I've actually been the patroller who responded on his snowboard, removed it, set it off to the side of the trail with the high backs dug securely into the snow, and as I was assessing the injured skier, another skier skied (imho) far too close to the scene and clipped my board, flipped it over sent it hurtling downhill. Would you support me(or the mountain I worked for) being held liable if it had hit someone further down the hill? Thankfully it didn't. Do you think snowboarders should have to walk around leashed to their board at all times?

In the incident you referenced, did the board come detached from it's rider during the act of boarding?

It's not about boarder's or skier's. It's a Law, and it applies to all people on the Mt. In your situation it obviously the skier's fault who hit your board.... In our example -- Yes the boarder hit a jump, landed switch (well kind of), broke the bindings clean, and the board took off....

All our patroller's on boards (and tele's) have to wear leashes.

 

[dmc]

All our patroller's on boards (and tele's) have to wear leashes.

Of course... Tele bindings release... they should have a strap and so should race plates boards...

But recreational snowboards have 4 straps... Why isn't that good enough?

 

[Cannonball]

In our example -- Yes the boarder hit a jump, landed switch (well kind of), broke the bindings clean, and the board took off....

Not sure what you mean by "broke the bindings clean". But assuming that you mean "broke the bindings clean off the board", this is actually a great example of the absurdity of the 'law'. In your example a leash would have done nothing to prevent the problem....they attach the rider to the binding not the board.

 

[BigJay]

What people are missing here is that if i were to carry my board and fell, the board would slide... but that useless leash is attached to your boots only when you put the board on... Not when you walk around with your board in your arms... a 4in long leash can't do much good for safety...

I have one in my pocket all the time... if i need to install it, i loop it around the "ladder" of one of the straps and pin the other end to the strap itself... Useless... but there is now a leash on my board. That's all that matters really!

As for "how fast" a board can go when laid flat is the same thing that makes boards better: Floats faster because of the large surface... simple physics. :wink:

 

[dmc]

dude... I need those Sparks... they ran out...

 

[Smellytele]

Of course... Tele bindings release... they should have a strap and so should race plates boards...

But recreational snowboards have 4 straps... Why isn't that good enough?

My tele bindings I have now (3 seasons old) have never released even when doing the tele-ballet witch hobble mentions above

 

[evil]

I've been the Patroller who had to take care of a guest who was hit by a "runaway board".... It is a law, and last I heard she's going after him to the full extent of the law... Get over it, w/ the cost of your gear, what's $10 more for your or someone else's safety. I broke a ski brake, and had to pay $90 to get it fixed (poorly).

For real? Do you realize how silly that sounds?
OF course $10 for someone elses safety is no issue, heck hundreds is fine if that's what it takes.
That's not the issue, by using the emotion of keeping people safe, you distract from the real fact at hand.
It's the fact that the $10 is spent FOR NO REASON!
On my board I have not 1 but FOUR retention straps, bindings, that's 3 more than skiers have to have by law.
How is that fair?

 

[gladerider]

ski bindings release by design. snowboard bindings don't. leash was designed by skiers because they thought the snowboards were like surfboards. leashes on surfboards helped surfers from losing their boards when wiping out.
over the years i think EVEN skiers realized that snowboard leashes are obsolete. i do have a leash in my board bag just in case i get hassled, but i was never told to put them on. i've never heard any lifties enforcing this. whoever trying to enforce this is way too old minded and unreasonable. it does NOT prevent runaway boards.

 

[bvibert]

I agree that the leash requirement is stupid, and useless. However, I don't think it's in place because of skiers trying to bring down, or harass boarders. I think it comes from ski area management who sees runaway boards a big safety problem, and don't know of any other way to combat it.

I have to enforce it where I work, and I hate doing it because I know it doesn't do much to prevent runaways.

 

[dmc]

I agree that the leash requirement is stupid, and useless. However, I don't think it's in place because of skiers trying to bring down, or harass boarders. I think it comes from ski area management who sees runaway boards a big safety problem, and don't know of any other way to combat it.

I have to enforce it where I work, and I hate doing it because I know it doesn't do much to prevent runaways.

The very fact that they do not take the time to think this through means they are just being pains in the a$$es to riders...

 

[bvibert]

The very fact that they do not take the time to think this through means they are just being pains in the a$$es to riders...

Like I said, I don't think that's their intention. I'm sure you've been around enough management types in your life to know some who don't always think things through, they just react to whatever problems they perceive with the quickest and easiest solution. The problem (runaway boards) is big enough to get the attention of higher ups, but not big enough to take up much of their time. IMHO.

 

[dmc]

R runaway boards really a problem? And if so - why are people taking off their boards?

 

[witch hobble]

Like I said, I don't think that's their intention. I'm sure you've been around enough management types in your life to know some who don't always think things through, they just react to whatever problems they perceive with the quickest and easiest solution. The problem (runaway boards) is big enough to get the attention of higher ups, but not big enough to take up much of their time. IMHO.

This is very true. In the aftermath of the incident I referred to, my patrol director made the reactionary decision that when I take my board off on the hill, I would need to leave the leash attatched to my leg (this was the webbing style strap with the plastic clip). On this busy day at the mountain, they were annoyed at needing to send down a second patroller to ski my sled away while I hoofed it 200' down the trail and probably 20' into the woods to retrieve my board. The thought of the liability of a patroller's board causing an injury I'm sure sparked the reaction. I accepted this ridiculousness for two days until I decided on my own to stop wearing the leash while helping injured skiers and riders. And voila, the problem went away and was never mentioned again.

Anyway, without making 2planker feel like we are picking on him, I would be curious if the rider in the incident he referred to was wearing a leash or not, as it was not mentioned, and as pointed out it would not have made a difference if the bindings broke free of the board.

 

[BigJay]

why are people taking off their boards?

...and again, to take off the board, you need to take-off the leash as well... it's only 4in long..

 

[dmc]

...and again, to take off the board, you need to take-off the leash as well... it's only 4in long..

But - why are people taking of their boards?

Leashes suck.. I don't like anything hanging off my board that can get caught on something.

 

[bvibert]

R runaway boards really a problem? And if so - why are people taking off their boards?

I've personally seen runaways several times. I think it's probably mostly beginners who take off their board to walk down the hill (because they're frustrated or whatever). Obviously the leash wouldn't help there, unless they kept the leash on while walking. The real solution is obviously to stop people from taking their boards off while on the hill, but how do you do that? Or develop a brake type system for snowboards, but I don't see that being practical.

Think about it from a liability perspective. If someone gets hurt by a runaway snowboard at a ski resort they could potentially go after the mountain for damages. If the mountain can show that they acted to prevent runaway snowboards by requiring the only known device to prevent runaway snowboards then I think they'd have a much better chance of not being held liable.

Unfortunately a lot of rules and regulations are in place to reduce liability in this country.

 

[boston_e]

But - why are people taking of their boards?

You have to take off your board to get onto a gondola, or go into a mid mountain lodge etc. I would bet that runaway boards from those locations are the most common.

Or to hike back up and try a certian feature or terrain point again would be a reason I would think?

Or perhaps on a really long traverse it might be easier to walk than push yourself along with one leg.

 

[dmc]

You have to take off your board to get onto a gondola, or go into a mid mountain lodge etc. I would bet that runaway boards from those locations are the most common.

Or to hike back up and try a certian feature or terrain point again would be a reason I would think?

Or perhaps on a really long traverse it might be easier to walk than push yourself along with one leg.

So how would a 6" leash help on a hike or a traverse?

 

[boston_e]

It wouldn't. That's what makes the whole thing so stupid.