ready to take a loada flak

Am happy to live and let live generally, but…….

Friend just taken out by a snow-boarder, multiple fractures of sacrum. Another friend wiped out and permanently disabled and won’t ski again. I’m a big bloke and don’t ski slowly but am constantly having to take evasive action from Boarders charging through packed bits of piste as if no-one else is there. Kids have also been wiped out, although not injured

And why do they all decide to sit down in the middle of the piste chatting, normally over a blind crest? (although plenty of skiers can be pretty daft about this also)

Are Boarding lines and skiing lines incompatible? Or is it an attitude thing?

Last time I went boarding I got wiped out by a skier. Some people are just dicks regardless of their mode of transport. I expect its a higher proportion of boarders as it is “cool” and lots of people just go and learn it while doing it, where as skiing takes a bit more commitment and as a rule, you either ski, or you don’t. there is no middle ground.

I am a skier but I reckon there are just as many reckless skiers around. Its not a border thing.

Different lines and accidents happen. Attitudes are down to the individual, not the chosen sport. Skiers also have two edges as oppose to one for great stopping ability.

Personally I generally slow down near kids.

Its not as easy to control a snowboard. Tight turns and narrow slopes are a nightmare. Much easier to keep a decent speed up and rock left to right in a regular pattern. Skiers tend to make less predictable movements, and thats when i find myself going in to the back of them.

Not sure if that covers what you are talking about. Not claiming all boarders ski responsibily, but I do, and sometimes it just happens.

whoa, ads-b!

I’m not one for calling “troll”, but your post makes a lot more sense if you’re taking the mick.

I did 3 seasons in the alps boarding and skiing.

For me it comes down to different speed / turning charicteristics, skiing = tight turns with faster traversing speed.
Boarding = carving turns that produce a faster down hill line.

The result is lots of collisions.

skiing = tight turns with faster traversing speed. skiing = tight turns with faster traversing speed.

Unless you can actually ski then you can choose to do either 🙂

Agreed Bazzer. But a skier and boader on the same line – the skier would go faster – and so they tend to turn more / traverse more = get in the way more?

how competent skiers are you mates and what colour pistes were they on??

I think beginner skiers and lower intermediate skiers traverse more and are a bit more erratic than a more experienced skier

But they are easy to spot and you know they could cut you up, so you make allowances for that. Yes it can spoil your fun but so can an open tib/fib fracture.

Thing is semi decent boarders and skiers do take chances here and there, some people more than others. End of the day we can generally spot 99% of the time someone who is likely to traverse across in front of us. Some people choose to slow down others don’t.

You pays your money and takes your chance 🙂

meehaja & Bazzer +1

There are dicks in every sport.

I had my wrist broken by another mountain user – he was a skier but I don’t think that makes him a bad person and I make no issue of it – he was just out of control which can happen to anyone

If you want clear piste then Canadian rockies is the place for you other than Louise

peachos

makes no difference how competent a skier someone is and what colour slopes they are on. It’s the same rule on the piste as it is on the cycle trails – the uphill person has to make way for the person downhill of them.
Personally I ski and board. As has been said already – it’s an attitude thing.

There are dicks in every sport.

+1 for that, they are as easy to spot in the bar as they are on the piste.

My dad had his cruciate or lateral ligaments ripped in half when a skier went over his skis and his bindings didn’t release on the Gunbarrel / Corie Cas. As an 8 year old I found it funny that his leg was bending 90 degrees in the wrong direction (sideways) then got a few more runs in whilst he was waiting for the blood sled!

So not just boarders as they weren’t invented then! They used to be called the Glasgow Suicide Squads, groups up for the weekend trying to self teach on blue and red runs…

For me it’s the trail of French kids (always singing Frere Jacque, naturally) going nose-to-tail in a snake across a red run. Or the group of adult learners causing carnage on a narrow blue.

Yes, they’re entitled to be there, and I absolutely slow down to ensure that there’s no contact, but I can’t help feeling that their instructors are putting them in danger by taking them down a slope where most users will be reasonably experienced and will be travelling at greater speeds.

Snowboarders (at least in my experience of the Alps) tend to be quite well-behaved, and probably do far more damage to themselves than to others just by crashing heavily on a regular basis.

If you want clear piste then Canadian rockies is the place for you other than Louise

Or just get up early in the morning !!!

peachos

they were both cautious skiiers (women – not that that matters) of a certain age, so bimbling around on lower slopes – as was my then 7 year old when she was clobbered – although in her case , the guy just lost control which as has been said can happen to anyone

but yes – I think the main thing is the different lines / more traversing in skiing vs snow boarding, and attitude

I find that you get 100% respect and exemplary manners from others when riding the half pipe. 😀 – never once seen a collision.

Although you do get D**ks on snow blades occasionally

Like uwe-r plus others – dicks in every sport.

What I don’t get is why folk stop in the middle of the piste. Is there something wrong with the piste edges, apart from not getting mown into? Same with trails and folk nattering in the middle of a downhill bit. Surely self preservation should cut in at some point?

Now at least there is a group of people boarders and skiers can both hate. BLADER’s 🙂

+1 Canadian rockies. Try Fernie.

As a skier turned boarder, I find a lot more stoned or drunk boarders sitting down on the piste in stupid places. Just me maybe. Don’t see too many skiers with pipes on the lifts though…

As above it’s mainly to do with the different ways boarders and skiers use the slopes. I ski and board and I’ve seen at least as much bad attitude/behaviour from skiers. In European resorts there is a bit of a culture of haughtiness from skiers about snowboarding not being a proper alpine discipline with traditions etc.

My gf (a beginner snowboarder) overheard some English lads discussing how they were going to ski as close as possible to her as fast as possible to shit her up, which they then did. I’m not a violent person but if I had witnessed this I think I would have seen red.

And why do they all decide to sit down in the middle of the piste chatting..

Maybe they like to chill and check out the views a little?
Also I gather boarding is generally harder work than skiing.

Nothing wrong with being in the middle of the piste provided you are clearly visible and not in a fall line or landing for a jump.

.. normally over a blind crest?

Ah yes, well those people are idiots. 🙂

…They used to be called the Glasgow Suicide Squads

Hmm… I’d have been one of them then (self-taught boarder from Glasgow).

If you want clear piste then Canadian rockies is the place for you other than Louise

+1 we’ve done Whistler, Banff and Fernie over the past few years. Sooo quiet compared to Europe. It’s pretty common to do a run and not see anyone else!

Going back to Austria (Schladming) this year was a shock to the system (but still lots of fun).

I am a boarder and have been hit twice by skiers, both while I was stood still in a queue for a lift.

It can be quiet in the Alps too, it depends on when you go.

Though Kicking Horse has to be up there for me in terms of getting the place to yourself.

I went to Chamonix a couple of years ago and it was very quiet – Zermatt wasn’t mega busy either this January, I guess many people can’t afford it at the mo (my mum was paying for me 😀 )

i worked a season in NZ and there was hardly any agro between boarders and skiers over there.

you get it alot more on the european slopes…

skiers were there first and thats how it will always be percieved..

I find skiers stop just as much as snowboarders (I am both btw), more probably amonst my group. The difference is that snowboarders have to sit or kneel down as standing still on one edge for more than a few seconds is unstable and often results in either slippage or a comedy fall.
Once sitting, might as well enjoy some banter and the view.

Sitting, or standing, in the middle of the slope or after a crest is a bit silly. Both skiers and snowboarders do it, though it is probably more difficult to see the snowboarders as they may be seated.

Solution? ride with a little care and don’t go hurtling over blind crests.

It can be quiet in the Alps too, it depends on when you go.

True. If you stay away from the glaciers then there are far fewer boarders during the summer. 😉

We’re limited to half-term. Europe is usually packed.
Canada is “busy” (i.e. sometimes there are a couple of people waiting for a lift).

Mono skis easily the worst of both worlds can we hate them or will the French object?

Solution? ride with a little care and don’t go hurtling over blind crests.

But the crests are there so you can get some air 🙂

Its generally only dodery non confident skiers that don’t like boarders. They are under stress and its one more stress item to deal with. Skiers and boarders who are reasonable don’t give a fig about the others.

Also the majority of people who live and work in the mountains dont give a fig either. The hatred is mainly from the 1 week a year skiers.

I’ve boarded a few times before, and bit hit a few times by boarders when skiing. I got completely wiped out by a scottish girl going way too fast on a board. She screamed just before she hit me so I braced a bit and just got a bit winded when I fell – she went flying about 15 feet before she stopped and had a cry (which made me feel guilty 🙄 )

Anyway, my theory is that when the snow isn’t great, less expert boarders have more fun on blue runs, as they tend to be less icy. Problem is that blues can have quite long flat bits, which boarders need to carry some speed on to get through (no poles see?) – I’m not a good boarder, and any time I needed to carry speed on a flat bit I had an off (it’s harder than it sounds, honest!)

Basically though, both camps can be pretty antagonistic considering we’re essentially doing the same thing.

Let’s give it a bike analogy shall we? All in my opinion, and am willing and ready for the inevitable flaming….

Skiers = XC and trail riders – Like going fast, enjoy the whole aspect of the mountains
Boarders = Rad to teh power of sick DHers – Like going fast and assume that anyone else on the trail is a weedy little dweeb who shall bow down before their magnificence.

😉

Skiers = XC and trail riders – Like going fast, enjoy the whole aspect of the mountains
Boarders = Rad to teh power of sick DHers – Like going fast and assume that anyone else on the trail is a weedy little dweeb who shall bow down before their magnificence.

Splitboarders = beardy single speeders.

I’m not a good boarder, and any time I needed to carry speed on a flat bit I had an off (it’s harder than it sounds, honest!)

Try one of the flat base boards from the likes of K2 (like the Slayblade). If you can’t straightline that flat bits on that then trade in your board for some XC skis 😉

Skiers = XC and trail riders – Like going fast, enjoy the whole aspect of the mountains
Boarders = Rad to teh power of sick DHers – Like going fast and assume that anyone else on the trail is a weedy little dweeb who shall bow down before their magnificence.

Well I suppose you could say that, but only if you are horrifically prejudiced and dare I say it a bit of dick. Otherwise it’s just sliding down a hill on different shaped planks of wood*

*other materials are available.

I think you tend to find more skiers going fast beyond their ability than you do borders. They tend to be the ones with poles stuck in the air in a ‘tuck’ position and a wide snow plough. They scare the crap out of me.

Skiers and Boarders are just as bad for stopping in the middle of a piste or a dodgy bit of the piste however borders are more difficult to see as they tend to sit are on their arses. Either way I make a point of brushing passed them which normally scares them a little… perhaps they shouldnt stop in the middle of the slope!

Better borders v skiers. Skiers tend to stick to one line and are easier to predict. Boarders tend to be more irratic seeking at the better bit of snow with more grip etc. One thing that better boarders do as well is when they stop they will do a bug carve back up the slope which takes them completely away from their line.

The worst accident I had in many years of skiing and racing was going down a red probably about 50mph ish closing on a boarder who was probably 50 yds to my left doing about 30mph. With no warning just as I was about to go past him he decided to stop by doing a big carved turn back up the slope towards me with out looking. I flew through the air probably for about 30 or 40yds before stopping about another 100 yds down the slope.

I think he started sprouting some thing in french. I kindly pointed out to him that we had both been on very different parts of the slope, both doing similar radius turns when he decided to completely veir of in my direction! He eventually saw my point!!

Basically both are as dangerous as each other but you should know what is dangerous and what you need to be checking before doing it…