Let's see if this has any legs!

[Domeskier]

Hey sissypants, we don't live in a bubble and lifts like this exist all over the country. When was the last time you fell over sitting down? Im guessing never.

I guess if my desk chair were susceptible to being covered in snow and ice, moving at 5-10 mph and subject to random abrupt stops it wouldn't be all that uncommon. Especially if I were a 40 pound kid wearing a quarter of my weight on my feet. But yeah, improvements in safety should never be made.

 

[AdironRider]

I guess if my desk chair were susceptible to being covered in snow and ice, moving at 5-10 mph and subject to random abrupt stops it wouldn't be all that uncommon. Especially if I were a 40 pound kid wearing a quarter of my weight on my feet. But yeah, improvements in safety should never be made.

You really need to take up another sport, I suspect my bumper bowling suggestion from the Jay thread didn't pan out though, so maybe start with Bingo down at the Elks club, plenty safe.

 

[ScottySkis]

I don't get Alta not wanting more people for paying customers.

 

[Rowsdower]

The point is that if somebody did fall off they could ask why Alta didn't take reasonable safety precautions common elsewhere. They might have a case. New regulations are put into place after accidents like that all the time.

 

[AdironRider]

The point is that if somebody did fall off they could ask why Alta didn't take reasonable safety precautions common elsewhere. They might have a case. New regulations are put into place after accidents like that all the time.

No they wouldn't, because the judge would just be like "this moron fell off a chair, that's his own dumbass fault".

 

[Scruffy]

A lot of lifts at western resorts have no safety bars, you people need to get out more. Safety bars are an east coast thing, but they're moving west. Go ski west on an old non-bar double while you can.

 

[St. Bear]

Its funny, because this topic is normally good for a lengthy thread before being derailed. Thus one didn't even have a chance to get started. I guess banning snowboarders is played out.

 

[Smellytele]

Its funny, because this topic is normally good for a lengthy thread before being derailed. Thus one didn't even have a chance to get started. I guess banning snowboarders is played out.

What was this thread about anyway?

 

[Not Sure]

A lot of lifts at western resorts have no safety bars, you people need to get out more. Safety bars are an east coast thing, but they're moving west. Go ski west on an old non-bar double while you can.

Complacancy is a bad thing , how many time does one ride a lift with complete confidence , I used to ride with the bar up untill I was at Hunter at the highest point off the ground near the summit, Freaking lift stops and goes backwards 100' !!!! I grabbed the side bar and pulled myself back onto the chair....Damn close to being off the edge.
Bars down right away now , call me a sissy but not falling of the front.

 

[Rowsdower]

No they wouldn't, because the judge would just be like "this moron fell off a chair, that's his own dumbass fault".

It's usually covered when you buy the ticket. You take responsibility for partaking in some potentially dangerous activities. That said, you'd be surprised what kind of damage some good lawyers could probably get away with.

And "they're a moron" isn't an excuse to improve safety.

 

[ScottySkis]

Iblike SLC chairlifts without the foot bar . neeex to vo back so my eges can see it again.

 

[BenedictGomez]

What do people with little kids do on a lift like that? I dont have kids, but I know the whole lift bar thing and lift ride in general is anxiety causing for parents of small children.

 

[Smellytele]

What do people with little kids do on a lift like that? I dont have kids, but I know the whole lift bar thing and lift ride in general is anxiety causing for parents of small children.

When my kids were small i would use my ski poles as a kind of bar. I would hold it across them and stick the other end in the arm rest bar.

 

[wa-loaf]

What do people with little kids do on a lift like that? I dont have kids, but I know the whole lift bar thing and lift ride in general is anxiety causing for parents of small children.

I can't remember if the Wildcat chair had been updated, but two years ago most of the chairs at Alta now have cords for kids to pull the bars down and have dividers that go between your legs:

 

[drjeff]

What do people with little kids do on a lift like that? I dont have kids, but I know the whole lift bar thing and lift ride in general is anxiety causing for parents of small children.

Speaking for personal experience - #1 before, during and even to an extent after the chair ride, I was telling my kids that absolutely no horsing around is even to be considered while riding on this lift!!! #2 - while on the lift, I always had my arm around my kid and #3 as was mentioned below, I used my poles as kind of a restraining bar across my kid while on the lift - this last one is something that many a kids ski instructor will teach parents to do while skiing with your kids and loading any lift before you can get the safety bar down

 

[MadMadWorld]

Speaking for personal experience - #1 before, during and even to an extent after the chair ride, I was telling my kids that absolutely no horsing around is even to be considered while riding on this lift!!! #2 - while on the lift, I always had my arm around my kid and #3 as was mentioned below, I used my poles as kind of a restraining bar across my kid while on the lift - this last one is something that many a kids ski instructor will teach parents to do while skiing with your kids and loading any lift before you can get the safety bar down

Those are all solid things. That was always my biggest fear as an instructor (other than losing a kid). I used to do all of those things as an instructor.

 

[MadMadWorld]

I can't remember if the Wildcat chair had been updated, but two years ago most of the chairs at Alta now have cords for kids to pull the bars down and have dividers that go between your legs:

One thing to point out from this pic. Put the kid in the middle of the chair. It at least eliminates one way they can fall out of the chair.

 

[wa-loaf]

One thing to point out from this pic. Put the kid in the middle of the chair. It at least eliminates one way they can fall out of the chair.

Using the safety bar in this case would accomplish that as well ...

 

[MadMadWorld]

Using the safety bar in this case would accomplish that as well ...

Well I assumed people knew that already lol

 

[Scruffy]

What do people with little kids do on a lift like that? I dont have kids, but I know the whole lift bar thing and lift ride in general is anxiety causing for parents of small children.

Depends how little your kids are, but this is what I've seen: Reach your arm around the backrest and thru the opening at the botom of the rest and grab their ski jacket from behind and hold on. Alternatively, reach your hand across the front of them and hold.

Interesting enough, the western lifts that don't have bars ( at least from my experience ) don't tend to stop abruptly like the lifts in the east. I'm sure a mechanical failure would make them jar to a stop, or lurch backwards, but anytime I've been on them and they've stopped, they seemed to have stopped smoothly. It's really not scary, but being I'm from the east, I tend to sit on the outside edge and have my hand on the vertical bar there - just in case.