You’re out of Control

[highpeaksdrifter]

Well maybe not, but you’re flying down the side of a trail and you need a couple of turns to slow down for a safe stop. You go around a slight bend and there’s someone right in your line that you either didn’t see or couldn’t. You see the fear in their eyes and you only have a split second to react.

Do you protect yourself the best you can for the impact?

Do you try to get by in the little gap between the skier and the trees? You might make it, you might eat wood.

Do you try to turn out the other side into other skier traffic?

What would you do? The true answer is you don’t know cause you have no time to think you just have to react or not and plow right into the person.

So my question is who’s been there and what happened in your case?

 

[wa-loaf]

So my question is who’s been there and what happened in your case?

I blew my ACL.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I'd rather crash into the person than crash into a tree...but I would most likely shred the needle between the person and the woods..that sort of thing happens to me quite a bit because I like to ski fast. Gapers always seem to stop right around a blind corner..yet the uphill skier is at fault..

 

[dmc]

I hate the grey areas of "The code"....

Gapers always seem to stop right around a blind corner.. Item 3
yet the uphill skier is at fault.. Item 2

Who wins?



1 Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.
2 People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.
3 You must not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above.
4 Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.
5 Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
6 Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.
7 Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely.
http://www.nsp.org/1/nsp/Safety_Information/YourResponsibilityCode.asp

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

I'd rather crash into the person than crash into a tree...but I would most likely shred the needle between the person and the woods..that sort of thing happens to me quite a bit because I like to ski fast. Gapers always seem to stop right around a blind corner..yet the uphill skier is at fault..

OK, then give an example and say how you reacted and what the consequences where.

 

[Sky]

I blew my ACL.

...and it made a terrible sound.

I had a kid pull a hockey stop right in front of me a few years back. We weren't going fast and I shouldn't have been coming up on him like that.

Fortunatley, there was tons of room on either side of him AND I had the right skis on that day...so I missed him.

I don't trust anyone in frot of me (well...except for the race team folks and they'll tell you (correctly) that I don't really have much choice in the matter *smirk*)...it's defensive posture most of the time.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

haven't had to make that choice in 32 years of skiing...I've been hit a handfull of times though. If I'm going that fast I'm not going to come around the corner on the inside...I'll go wider. If that scenario did happen I'd react without thinking...it would either be left or right, not the collision course.

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

I feel like the gaper always wins if the Ski Patroller is called..At least at Blue mountain..the skilled skiers are the ones who get in trouble..when in fact the ski patroller should be after the gapers not following the Skiers Responsibility code.

 

[dmc]

If it's my fault I take the fall..

If it's not and your not a kid or a woman... Chances are your going down before me...

 

[dmc]

I feel like the gaper always wins if the Ski Patroller is called..At least at Blue mountain..the skilled skiers are the ones who get in trouble..when in fact the ski patroller should be after the gapers not following the Skiers Responsibility code.

Hunter Ski Patrollers will question why the gaper was on a expert trail to begin with...

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

I hate the grey areas of "The code"....



Who wins?



1 Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.
2 People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.
3 You must not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above.
4 Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.
5 Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.
6 Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.
7 Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely.
http://www.nsp.org/1/nsp/Safety_Information/YourResponsibilityCode.asp

everyone loses.

 

[dmc]

If that scenario did happen I'd react without thinking...it would either be left or right, not the collision course.

what if your jammed against the treeline...?

 

[dmc]

everyone loses.

yup... I've made many internet enemies arguing this point..

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

OK, then give an example and say how you reacted and what the consequences where.

O.K. skiing down Razors Edge at Blue at about 50mph..one of my famous..NT (No Turns) runs straight down..I am about 2/3 of the way down and a skier standing on the side of the trail without looking up..traverses right across the trail and we pretty much bump boots..he goes down and does a complete starfish..I hold it together and ski the rest of the run..When I am skiing fast I don't want to stop..Throwing a sideways Hockey Stop at Full Speed is no fun..anyway with skiing I take my chances..and thread the needle a whole lot..especially at Blue mountain where the runs are crowded with Nubs..I am comfortable skiing between two people 3-4 feet apart at high speeds..but they don't always appreciate it. It would be nice if the left side of the trail was reserved for fast skiers and the right side for slow skiers..like a highway..

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

what if your jammed against the treeline...?

then I'd head towards the middle of the trail...if I've got time to "brace for the impact" I've got time to turn

 

[Marc]

I'd rather crash into the person than crash into a tree...but I would most likely shred the needle between the person and the woods..that sort of thing happens to me quite a bit because I like to ski fast. Gapers always seem to stop right around a blind corner..yet the uphill skier is at fault..

Stopping where you're not visible = stupid.

Going too fast around a blind corner or rise in the trail also = stupid.

Just like driving, you should be in control with the ability to stop safely if need be when you're around other people.

 

[highpeaksdrifter]

If it's my fault I take the fall..

If it's not and your not a kid or a woman... Chances are your going down before me...

Fair enough, but how can you determine all that in a second.

Hunter Ski Patrollers will question why the gaper was on a expert trail to begin with...

Never said expert trail, could be on a green on your way someplace else.

 

[ta&idaho]

Hunter Ski Patrollers will question why the gaper was on a expert trail to begin with...

One huge plus for Hunter is that there is very little overlap between the advanced terrain and the beginner terrain. The biggest problems seem to happen when advanced trails and beginner trails merge, often in a relatively flat runout area through which many advanced skiers prefer to maintain fairly significant speed. Ski patrol justifiably cuts you more slack when you stick to advanced-only areas, like the F lift and the West side.

 

[tjf67]

I go pretty fast when I ski and I always try to make sure that I can stop if I have to. Only been in that situation once. I still feal bad about it. Came flying into the lift line at the bottom of six. There were people there and one zigged when I thought he was going to zag. Caught him with my shoulder right in his chest. I was almost stopped but still sent him flying.

It was my fault 100%.

Have never done it since. Extra careful down by the lifts

 

[2knees]

I'm so great..I'm awesome... I'm steezy fast..everyone is a gaper...me me me I I I'm me Mine my my own me me mine I I I I I'm me Mine mine me me me mine mine me me I'm in love with myself, me me me i i i i me me mine mine i me mine mine Me me its about me mine mine doritos booter gaper gaper gaper doritos mad steezy me me i'm i'm me i i i gaper me gaper gaper mad steezy

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