Lift Line Etiquette

[deadheadskier]

No, it's definitely 50%. Pretty much everyone I've skied with on this board (which is dozens of people) or really anyone throughout my skiing lifetime approaches a liftline on a busy day and makes a judgment call. Do we wait an extra 5-10 minutes in line and ride together or go up separately and meet at the top and not wait in line so long. It comes down to how important it is to you to ride the lift with your skiing partners.

"True singles" don't have a monopoly on shorter lift lines. They pay the same price as everyone else to ski.

And how exactly would you expect a mountain to enforce your standards? "Hey you two! Don't think I didn't see you talking to each other! You're fraudulent singles. Get out of the singles line and to the back of the regular lines!" That kind of policy enforcement would go over like a loud fart in church.

 

[farlep99]

If 50% of people who got into a singles line did this, I'm pretty sure mountains would either do-away with singles lines, or (*gasp*) actually start to enforce it on crowded days like they should.

I'm not exactly sure what you would want enforced? Here's a scenario: I'm skiing with 1 other friend. We ski down to a double chair that has a decent size line, but also has a roped off singles line with only 6-7 people in it. We decide to ski into the singles line & take the chance of not riding up together. That's wrong in your view? You only get the benefit of a shorter lift line if you're skiing alone? How would preventing this be enforced? Someone complains, "hey those 2 are friends!" & we are not eligible for single line status? I've seen some weird opinions on here, but this may be tops. It's definitely August...

 

[BenedictGomez]

And how exactly would you expect a mountain to enforce your standards? "Hey you two! Don't think I didn't see you talking to each other! You're fraudulent singles. Get out of the singles line and to the back of the regular lines!"

Pretty much. It's a rule. I have seen signs before with language that notes something to the effect of, "The Singles line is for singles only", and/or to please respect this etc...

So I don't see this as being any different as any other rule you choose to enforce. In fact, the somewhat recent disappearance of singles lines might be for the reason you suggest, that the mountain may not want to get involved and/or have to babysit people.

 

[Scruffy]

News flash, the mountain ops does not care if the singles line consists of 100% lonely hearts clubs members, or if the singles line fills with the two or three buds types, who get into it one behind the other. If run correctly, they use the singles line to fill in seats, because we all know, the non-singles line will not manage itself - sure some people merge to form a quad/six/whatever, but most do not care and only want to ride with their peeps, empty seats or not.

Yeah sure, lift ops sometimes will load up a couple of chairs only from the singles line if they see it getting too long. And, yes, some lift ops are better than others at managing the line, but I've observed the crashing the singles line technique both work and not work, in terms of getting up the lift faster. I think it's a wash on whole.

 

[Scruffy]

In fact, the somewhat recent disappearance of singles lines might be for the reason you suggest, that the mountain may not want to get involved and/or have to babysit people.

Where are you see that? I've seen just the opposite on busy weekends, two singles lines when normally there are one.

 

[BenedictGomez]

I've seen some weird opinions on here, but this may be tops.

I think it's a weirder opinion to genuinely believe that the real reason most people do not get into the 4 minute singles line, but rather get into the 17 minute regular line, is NOT because they think it's rude, but rather because they desperately wish to ride the chair with the person(s) they came with, and if that means having to wait an extra 13 minutes multiple times per day, well..... then so be it!

 

[deadheadskier]

I have not seen the "disappearance of the singles line" anywhere I've skied recently. I'd like to hear an example where because that mountain will have a lot of seats without asses in them. I'm with Scruffy. The heard won't manage itself.

 

[moresnow]

Why aren't we talking about pizza?

 

[MEtoVTSkier]

How about this, do away with the singles line, EVERYBODY forms up in order and waits the same initial amount of time and tries to form groups of full chairs before they get to the head of the line, if for some reason a chair isn't full, you have to step aside at the loading area, until another non full chairload gets to the head of the line, and then pull people from the "non-full chair" group to top off the empty slots in the order that they ended up in the group. This will ensure that people try to group in full chairloads as quickly as possible to keep things moving and get to the top quicker. Removes the benefit of trying to use the singles line to beat the crowd, and everyone equally has to wait the at least the same initial amount of time to get to the head of the line.

Of course, the "it's all about me" crowd isn't gonna like this...

Those willing to quickly form full groups shouldn't be penalized by those using the singles line to beat the pack.

 

[yeggous]

Why aren't we talking about pizza?

Because these guys spend too much time skiing southern Vermont. I refuse to go near the place because of the rage that their lift lines create.


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[ss20]

I say we just go to Europe and push, shove, and borderline assault others to get on the chair.

 

[BenedictGomez]

How about this, do away with the singles line, EVERYBODY forms up in order and waits the same initial amount of time and tries to form groups of full chairs before they get to the head of the line, if for some reason a chair isn't full, you have to step aside at the loading area, until another non full chairload gets to the head of the line, and then pull people from the "non-full chair" group to top off the empty slots in the order that they ended up in the group. This will ensure that people try to group in full chairloads as quickly as possible to keep things moving and get to the top quicker. Removes the benefit of trying to use the singles line to beat the crowd, and everyone equally has to wait the at least the same initial amount of time to get to the head of the line.

Of course, the "it's all about me" crowd isn't gonna like this...

Those willing to quickly form full groups shouldn't be penalized by those using the singles line to beat the pack.

I've seen something like this before, but it wasn't skiing, but at a theme park I believe. There were spots (circles) on the floor for 1s, 2s, 3s, and 4s, and you were loaded that way.

Where are you see that?

It seems to me that there was always a singles line present. I mean always, even if it was an empty midweek Wednesday and it wasnt used. Now it seems often there's no singles line, or perhaps it comes and goes at their discretion. But I feel I hear the lift operators yelling "single?" a lot more now and just doing it that way (which frankly seems to work fine), than having a dedicated singles line.

 

[Smellytele]

How about on a quad have 4 singles lines and nothing else. each chair would be full of 4 people if there are only 4 singles lines. same for doubles and triples.

 

[Puck it]

How about on a quad have 4 singles lines and nothing else. each chair would be full of 4 people if there are only 4 singles lines. same for doubles and triples.

Did you get a headache?

 

[MadMadWorld]

How about on a quad have 4 singles lines and nothing else. each chair would be full of 4 people if there are only 4 singles lines. same for doubles and triples.

The Madonna I line could get very interesting that way. On bad weekends, folks are already forced to lineup on an incline.

 

[Smellytele]

Did you get a headache?

I was joking but I am feeling a little light headed...:grin:

 

[JimG.]

I like pizza.

 

[farlep99]

I think it's a weirder opinion to genuinely believe that the real reason most people do not get into the 4 minute singles line, but rather get into the 17 minute regular line, is NOT because they think it's rude, but rather because they desperately wish to ride the chair with the person(s) they came with, and if that means having to wait an extra 13 minutes multiple times per day, well..... then so be it!

I can't follow this reply at all. I just think there's nothing "rude" about getting into the singles line even if I happen to be skiing with someone I know as long as we're not trying to crowbar our way on to the same chair or something obnoxious like that. And I'm sure 95% of others on here agree.

 

[moresnow]

How about on a quad have 4 singles lines and nothing else. each chair would be full of 4 people if there are only 4 singles lines. same for doubles and triples.

Not a terrible idea. It would fill every seat. There is nothing worse than empty seats going up on a busy day.

 

[moresnow]

I like pizza.

Now we're talkin.

What is the most important part of a pizza? Crust, sauce, or cheese?