Unless youre totally confident you can get past them then no you probably shouldnt.
Saying that I scoot past people all the time so am probable being fairly hypocritical! 
Chat Forum
Breath Tests for Skiers
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Posted 4 months ago #
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it's not too difficult to give someone a wide berth or slip past
But from nickf's description that is exactly what he tried to do, but he got caught out by the skier in front making an unexpected move without looking behind her.
I reckon there is a parallel with driving. In theory if someone drives into the back of you then it is always their fault, but I still check my mirrors before randomly slamming on the brakes.
you should just wait and take in the scenery, which is normally quite nice!
Thing is though, if you are on one of those flat narrow connecting paths on a board then slowing right down, waiting and taking in the scenery often means you'll be forced to unclip and do the looooooong hike o' shame till the path gets suitably steeper again.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Thing is though, if you are on one of those flat narrow connecting paths on a board then slowing right down, waiting and taking in the scenery often means you'll be forced to unclip and do the looooooong hike o' shame till the path gets suitably steeper again.
they really should design something that does not require you to do that. Oh hang on wait a minute they have skis
Posted 4 months ago # -
All skiers should have number plates, insurance, tax, helmet, lights and High vis, just like cyclists.
It is interesting reading this some of the parallels you get on the cyclists on the road debate.
Passing too close, who's actually to blame etc. etc.
Posted 4 months ago # -
they really should design something that does not require you to do that.
Nothing wrong with the design - it's other people going to slowly and getting in the way that's the issue
Posted 4 months ago # -
Unless youre totally confident you can get past them then no you probably shouldnt
I bow to the great ski-gods of STW. Presumably you all whizz down in 1890s kit (rigid singlespeed skis natuarally), overtaking Klammer and Maier on the way, and clearly never having an accident.
Me? I'll stick with having one big crash per week of skiing and mostly avoiding other people.
Posted 4 months ago # -
It's not the same as driving though is it. Skiers/boarders can, and do, turn entirely at random as the whim takes them. There is no 'highway code' other than the uphill skier has responsibilty and don't stop in the middle of the piste.
And yes, the 'hike of shame' is an absolute pain in the ass which is one of the reasons I'm getting the planks back on this year.
Posted 4 months ago # -
I dont get what was wrong with what I just said!?
You wouldnt over take a car unless you were totally confident you could get past them would you!?
Never said I havent had a crash, but you are right about my god-like skiing!
Posted 4 months ago # -
Its all about being in control and concidering the person/persons below you on the slope. Being a boarder (and an ex skier) I see good and bad in both camps. Drinking on the slopes ? no need, start playing when the lifts open, board until 16.30 and then go get pissed at the bottom at the end of a great day.
Posted 4 months ago # -
I once crashed into a ski patrol guy
he gave me a telling off but pretty sure he was up slope from me prior to crash and I was heading straight towards a ski lift braking he was cutting across the slope, hmm.
Other than that me and a mate had a tumble and a kid few passed behind me while I was on my heel edge, nearly took me out at speed but hey kids eh?Speed limits? Stupid except maybe "Slow" in lift or start stop areas. My board doesn't have a speedo
Breath test? hmm doesn't sound right in an unlicensed unregulated pass-time, if it's a problem close the mountain bars.
Ski patrols watching out for bad/dangerous skiing absolutely but they already do don't they?FTR I don't drink on the slopes and I don't really do apres ski, prefer to be sober and clear headed on the first morning lift.
Posted 4 months ago # -
All skiers should have number plates, insurance, tax, helmet, lights and High vis, just like cyclists.
It is interesting reading this some of the parallels you get on the cyclists on the road debate.
Passing too close, who's actually to blame etc. etc.
Yes, hopefully it won't be too long before we have some tedious head-cam footage posted on YouTube of someone's close-shave, numerous 'Skier Down' and 'why are all people with <insert brand here> ski's utter morons' threads appearing on the forum ... or maybe this is actually what it's like on skiingtrackworld.com
Posted 4 months ago # -
Not especially having a go at you chrispo, more that the comments tend to be (as so often on STW) frustratingly black/white. I've got 50+ weeks on skis, I know what I'm doing, and to have the "you were overtaking, it's all your fault" line is a bit galling.
I absolutely know that's the rule, and I was trying to point out that you can do all of that and STILL be involved in a shunt, because a lot of skiiers don't bother to look around before just stopping wherever they fancy. OK, as more experienced skiiers we need to note where people are, but people do unpredictable things!
In the case I mentioned, it was probably a bit of fault on both sides. She didn't see me, I should have stayed a couple of meters further away from her even once alongside. Live and learn, I guess.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Me? I'll stick with having one big crash per week of skiing and mostly avoiding other people.
Are you trolling or are you really that selfish, Nickf?
If I want to ski flat out I either skin up when the lifts stop or get on the first chair of the day. The rest of the time it's the other skiers that dictate my pace and line.
Posted 4 months ago # -
So you think she should have eyes in the back of here head, Nickf?
50+ weeks on skis, most people learn the most basic rule of all and the only really important one on their first day.
Posted 4 months ago # -
If I am overtaking someone it is my responsibility to ensure its safe. I have got it wrong in the past and I have been mortified and apologised. We all make errors of judgement sometimes sometimes we get away with it and sometimes we don't, but we should always own up to the fact we made a mistake.
But we should remember, like mountain biking it is an adventure sport
Posted 4 months ago # -
And that is exactly the "frustratingly black/white" STW opinion that nickf was complaining about Edukator.
In my (white) opinion it is perfectly possible to be overtaking someone carefully and reasonably, but still get taken out by them doing something unexpected.
The only option is to not overtake, but that is often a terrible option, especially if it means I'm going to be spending the next 20 minutes hiking and causing a hazard to everyone else.
Posted 4 months ago # -
NickF
Anyone can make a mistake and usually it's no big deal and I'm not jumping in with the usual STW 'burn him' over-reaction. Accidents happen
Live and learn, I guess.
Absolutely
Posted 4 months ago # -
Nickf, my only point was that you appeared to blame the person in front for changing direction, and suggested that the person overtaking at speed was being hit by a poor skier (in your first example of poor skiers causing problems)
And that is 100% not the way it is.
It's the uphill skiers responsibility to avoid the downhill skier, there isn't any grey area I'm afraid.
And if you ski alongside someone, at the same pace, and you collide then it could be either person at fault, or 50-50. Which is why that's best avoided.
(if we are counting, I probably have somewhere over 400+ weeks skiing, and a fair amount of those I was teaching. And it the first and most fundamental rule that would be taught)
Posted 4 months ago # -
neal I suspect you (or I) misread nickf's initial post there, he said:
Poor skiing generally is far more of an issue (stopping in the middle of the piste, sudden movements left/right when there could be someone to your side, overtaking at high speed on narrow sections)
I read that as a list of three examples of poor skiing:
• stopping in the middle of the piste
• sudden movements left/right when there could be someone to your side
• overtaking at high speed on narrow sectionsI think you read the second and third item as one offence: "sudden movements left/right when there could be someone to your side overtaking at high speed on narrow sections"
I blame the punctuation
Posted 4 months ago # -
400+ weeks skiing
WOW - I've just done some quick calculations and I'll be happy if I can tot up that many DAYS in my lifetime!
Posted 4 months ago # -
It's the uphill skiers responsibility to avoid the downhill skier, there isn't any grey area I'm afraid.
100% - if everyone remembered that ski areas would be happier places. We all read it at the bottom of the lifts/on ski passes, so no excuse for ignoring it.
Posted 4 months ago # -
somewhere over 400+ weeks skiing
The's a shed-load of time on skis. I'm hugely jealous!
GrahamS has correctly divined what I was trying (poorly) to say. I try on here with my punctuation, I really do. My apologies for not making myself clearer.
Posted 4 months ago # -
Over 7 years of skiing? Really?
Posted 4 months ago # -
I think you read the second and third item as one offence: "sudden movements left/right when there could be someone to your side overtaking at high speed on narrow sections"
That could well be the case ? reading it again I see how I may have mis read it.
If that's the case, fair enough. My mistake
Posted 4 months ago # -
I was lucky enough to work and play on skis for more than ten years pretty much all year round.
Plus lots of trips before and after that.
It was a happy time, but my knees and lower back are now 75 years old despite the fact that I'm not quite 40
Posted 4 months ago # -
*adds "conflict resolution" to CV*
Posted 4 months ago # -
Just shows that you CAN have a proper discussion here, where all those concerned can listen to other POV and offer an opinion without it descending into a bitchfest.
Must be all those bloody mtb'ers
Posted 4 months ago # -
Just depends who's involved woody
Posted 4 months ago # -
Woody, have you seen the big ski/snowboard thread? It's one of the finest examples of a "good" thread on here!
Posted 4 months ago # -
I've seen it all, and it's bunk:
1. Collisions can happen when folks pass too close to each other and this is more likely when going at different speeds. That's why if you are a fast skier you rarely have collisions, unless you cause them.
2. The uphill skier has some clue at divining the path of the downhill skier, but not much; whilst the downhill skier has no idea and may not even be aware the other skier is there. The responsibility is always on the uphill skier to lower their speed and give the downhill skier a very wide berth. See FIS rule #3: FIS Rules
3. It's not a risk-free activity and even the most aware skiers will have an incident eventually.
4. A small amount of booze worsens judgement about ability, slows responses, and is likely to contribute to collisions, just as it does driving. However, I doubt an alcohol ban is enforceable.
Posted 4 months ago # -
nealglover - Member
Just depends who's involved woody 100% again!!!
Posted 4 months ago # -
Woody, have you seen the big ski/snowboard thread?
Errr I've posted at least 1/2 dozen times on that thread.Obviously need to up my game
Posted 4 months ago #
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