Last time I went boarding I nearly got taken out by a skier who overtook me wayyyyy too close (it was a kid) he came passed right behind me just as I was switching edges. My mate got concussion when a skier went into the back of him and they knocked heads. Not just boarders then and neither of us were stopped in the middle the slope.

Mind you me and my mate managed to crash into each other a few years ago too, that hurt, a lot.

I think you tend to find more skiers going fast beyond their ability than you do borders.

I agree, took me ages to learn to go fast, rubbish snowboarders can’t pick up and maintain speed (wrong edge digs in and you crash) rubbish skiers can go plenty fast but can’t stop.

Oh and I’d say I’m a boarding trail rider, not rad2sick DHer CFH.

Amazes me that this bollocks still gets talked about really. We usually ride in a mixed ski/board group (Hetero Frigus Taleae) with mixed abilities and we all have fun.

Gays on trays… They really grind my gears. Most of them are completely out of their depths on anything more challenging the Manchester’s Chill Factore, so they scrape their way down sideways opening vast swathes of ice completely devoid of top snow.

They take up twice as much room in lift queues trying to scoot round with one foot clipped in and 4 feet of snowboard flapping round uncontrollably, and they’re a liability on the slopes because 50% of their turns are virtually blind side.

Utter twunts, the lot of them, in their baggy pants and dreadlocks. And due to the MUCH lower skill level of snowbaording, the vast majority are completely self taught and wouldn’t know piste discipline if it slapped them across their spotty little fat faces.

My mate rides goofy and I ride regular, once time we were back to back and managed to turn right into each other. Fortunately we just bounced off and each went the other way.

Shibboleth – Member

Gays on trays…Troll.

Shibboleth, don’t hold back. Tell us what you really think!

🙂

Lets not get started on blades.

On a serious note…you’ll get reckless individuals who ski and snowboard.

I’m a snowboarder…I’ve had skiers change direction suddenly too. With a snowboarder sat down, they have to stand up so you’ll know when they’re about to move…I’ve been going past a group of skiers stood in the middle of the piste chatting, only for them to suddenly all start sliding off into my path.

Of course as I was a snowboarder it was all my fault so I had lots of ‘stoopiid snowborderrr” from them. Which received a ‘my right of way…look up the slope before you set off’ from me…not that they agreed with me.

I’ve also had a skier on a lesson turn suddenly and fall over in front of me on a beginner slope…I wasn’t travelling fast and stopped without hitting him, and he ended up in a heap at my feet. His instructor turned round saw me stood over his student, and started shouting at me and threatened to take my ski pass. He didn’t even see what happened but assumed I was wrong…he was of the older generation so probably has always hated snowboarders.

I’ve also had a skier cut in front of my while going over a jump…not while we were waiting…I mean while I was going over the damned thing. He thought it was hilarious…but the park monkey started shouting at him in French so I left them to it.

I’m sure a lot of people could think of lots of examples where snowboarders are equally as inconsiderate or dangerous.

Gays on trays… They really grind my gears. Most of them are completely out of their depths on anything more challenging the Manchester’s Chill Factore, so they scrape their way down sideways opening vast swathes of ice completely devoid of top snow.

They take up twice as much room in lift queues trying to scoot round with one foot clipped in and 4 feet of snowboard flapping round uncontrollably, and they’re a liability on the slopes because 50% of their turns are virtually blind side.

Utter twunts, the lot of them, in their baggy pants and dreadlocks. And due to the MUCH lower skill level of snowbaording, the vast majority are completely self taught and wouldn’t know piste discipline if it slapped them across their spotty little fat faces.

Poor effort for a troll post…please try harder next time and don’t be so obvious.

they were both cautious skiiers (women – not that that matters) of a certain age

You may find that all those details do, in fact, matter. That is not in any way meant to be derogatory to that group BTW.

Having skied for a very long time and boarded since 2000, I have (quite remarkably) managed to avoided taking anyone out on the slopes. It’s called anticipation and there is no excuse for hitting someone slower, no matter if they veer across the slope without warning 🙄

Someone touched on it above but ski schools (particularly French) also boil my piss with huge classes blocking the whole piste snaking down. To make matters worse, by the time you eventually (carefully) get past them you are too late to stop them going straight to the front of the lift queue with their own ‘special’ little lane, by which time there is steam emanating from my nethers. I don’t care if they’ve paid extra for a lesson, I’ve paid exactly the same as them for a lift pass 👿

Woody

was trying to be careful not to be insulting to the fairer sex! totally agree with you – on lower slopes especially where there are kids / retirees / beginners etc about its down to everyone to put the brakes on and be able to avoid the inevitable wobblers / make sure you don’t wipe out etc

charliem

I was trying too but it’s a fact 😉

My ex used to get wiped out regularly until she got her speed up and the injuries I’ve heard of recently are all work colleagues in that category. Low speed crashes/falls where there is not enough force to release bindings = twisty type injuries.

Blimmin skiers, can’t even clip in on a hill without falling over:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QliBL-AQiAY[/video]

One time i was on a mountain bike and I got taken out by another mountain bike

I nearly had my eye taken out in the lift queue this year. Skiers need to watch what they do with those bl**dy poles!

I nearly had my eye taken out in the lift queue this year. Skiers need to watch what they do with those bl**dy poles!

An older lady hit me with her ski pole once…she decided I was pushing in at a lift. I guess I was but she was so busy herding her family to line up she had let 3 empty chairs go at a busy lift.

Skiers need to watch what they do with those bl**dy poles!

This is why I keep my googles on when waiting for the lifts! It’s normally my mate too.

As a reasonably good boarder I do find it very hard to predict skiers especially quick intermediates…and learnt the hard way that they can turn sharper and stop quicker than me…

I now try to make a reasonable amount of noise when overtaking boarder or skier when I get forced close to them (busy or narrow piste). I get some weird looks shouting “h’up h’up’ on your left…”

When I know people are around I’ve also taken to pointing quite blatantly in the direction I am about to turn in, especailly when it is heel side turn

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.

This is a carbon copy of what was nearly the biggest crash of my life. 1st week April, me – straightlining the 1st (massive, wide) piste you get to in Les 2 Alpes from La Grave, him tootling down one side, doing tight turns, I’m watching him, looking ahead, watching him, shit I’m going fast, his turn’s a bit wider this time, WOW it’s wide, HE’S NOT TURNING, HE’S TRAVERSING, CARVE! CARVE! CARVE! Happened a bit quicker than that, though!

I must have missed the front of his skis by 4 feet, going “a fair lick”, must have scared the bejesus out of him. I was pretty shaken up myself. I walked up from where I stopped and let him shout at me for a bit, said sorry, left.

He should have checked up the slope before setting off on his traverse, maybe he did but didn’t appreciate how fast I was going. I did well to miss him, but the balance of responsibility would have been more on me than him if we’d hit.

I used my face to break a snowboarders collarbone in 2 places a few years ago . I got off lightly with concussion , 2 black eys and torn thumb ligaments . He got a to go in a LuftKrankenWagon.

Yes , alot of snowboarders sit in daft places . Some skiers do too .

Snowboaders take different lines , and fall over randomly .

Give everyone a very wide berth , look uphill before setting off and be aware that faster / better riders will appear from nowhere and disappear just as quickly

He should have checked up the slope before setting off on his traverse, maybe he did but didn’t appreciate how fast I was going. I did well to miss him, but the balance of responsibility would have been more on me than him if we’d hit.

Completely agree, I’m not sure the ‘person uphill is responsible’ rule works in all cases. People will change direction or move in an unexpected fashion all the time (both skiers and snowboarders)…I treat it like I do when I’m driving – assume everyone else is an idiot and about to do something stupid.

Although you get a bit of warning with cars – indicators, brake lights, and dedicated lanes.

It’s difficult when you’re in your little dream world enjoying the snow whilst pootling down the slope, sometimes you do your own thing without thinking “someone might be hurtling down the hill at me”.

Gays on trays… They really grind my gears.

Utter twunts, the lot of them, in their baggy pants and dreadlocks.

He should have checked up the slope before setting off on his traverse, maybe he did but didn’t appreciate how fast I was going. I did well to miss him, but the balance of responsibility would have been more on me than him if we’d hit.

Actually the onus is on the person up the slope to be skiing/boarding/sliding on a bin bag in a manner and speed in which they are defined as in control. Which given the speed you say you were travelling you weren’t.

I’ve taught skiing and boarding. There are twunts everywhere and there is little or no respect between codes and age groups. I’ve been hit by both skiiers and boarders (helivac each time which was nice seeing as i was working both times and standing still). I hate snowboarders and i hate out of control skiers and people who clearly can;t ski but think they can so go reallllly fast. I don’t ski or board any more because it depresses me too much to see generally how sh1t people are and how they conduct themselves.

Sorry to hear about your accidents, Col. There is some responsibility on people to check upslope before setting off, and before traversing. Hence the FIS code points saying so, alongside the one saying upslope skiers have responsibility to keep in control and not crash into people. (or something)

By the fact that I didn’t hit him, I was in control. I avoided the one seemingly very unlikely thing that could possibly happen on that slope at that time. If I hadn’t managed to, I wouldn’t have been.

And sorry to hear you’ve sacked off the snow cos you can’t stand other people! Isn’t there a massive amount of awesome backcountry in NZ? I’ve seen you’re bikepacking posts, you’re obviously keen. What would you say if I said I was giving up mountain biking because I didn’t like the kind of people I see at trail centres?!

Good point well made. I got bored of the attitudes and general lack of respect. I see the same on bikes so it’s a society thing more than a ski/board thing.
I like backcountry skiing and touring, in fact there was some talk about doing some this winter, who knows.
And trail centres, i dunno, they serve a purpose but having ridden a few i always think it’s all a bit easy and mcdonalds like. There is plenty of space and map information availble to go and explore.

And trail centres, i dunno, they serve a purpose but having ridden a few i always think it’s all a bit easy and mcdonalds like. There is plenty of space and map information availble to go and explore.

That was the point I was was trying to make! There’s plenty who would say the same about ski resorts.

Hope you get out this winter!

It’s all to do with the blind different blindspots that boarders and skiers have and neither understanding what the other can and cant see. Those that do both will very rarely crash into either.

NZCol you might find the club fields are a bit more sociable and laid back? I enjoyed my boarding in NZ but the hills are smallish and quite busy and there are definitely a lot of people who take it all a bit too seriously or get too aggressive.

I have to say that from my own experience, it is normally boarders who cause the most problems. Will report back from the Hemel Alp at the weekend…

I think the self-taught aspect is quite interesting here. Ski schools have, for years, taught people the FIS code and correct piste conduct. I think (and am willing to be proved wrong) that a lot of boarders are self taught. I’ve certainly seen people in resort on boards who’ve clearly chosen not to have lessons but rip their way down the nursery slopes through the beginners. Not clever.

Personally, I think there may be a need for some sort of certification/standard which permits you access to certain slopes with a certain level of skill. For both boarders and skiers. People on blades should just be banned anyway. 😉

On another note, was at Hemel the other day and I really wonder why so many people (mainly boarders as I saw it) had clearly lied about their ability and just gone straight on to the main slope. Half the people on the slope couldn’t turn either way, let alone use the Poma!

I live in a ski resort, this is my 6th winter season, I ski 2-3 times a week.

Can’t say I’ve ever been taken out by either skier or boarder – or taken out anyone my self.

But then I do tend to stay inside during half term.

Having never done any winter sports before I have self taught myself to snowboard this winter in the French Alps. I have seen numerous accidents, been hit by skiers, seen all sorts of people on ski’s and boards have mishaps, not be in control, and be inconsiderate and considerate in equal measure.

There are all sorts of nobs as well as nice people having a nice time. More than any other sport there seem to be an element on the slope who have the attitiude that this is their annual week of skiing / snowboarding and no-one is going to get in their way / slow them down. I have also seen snowboarders stop to help skiers / kids who have fallen, and some skiers stopped to see if I was ok after a fall. My friend a good skier also got smacked into my a bloke on blades, so it all goes on.

So in summary, its nothing to do with boarders vs skiers, its just that some people are idiots and the perceived pressure of trying to pack as much as possible into your one week of sking that you have paid lots of money for creates a sense of entitlement in some people I think. The whole activity is generally a recipie for disaster if you look at rationaly, and some people just don’t take it carefully enough.

It’s all to do with the blind different blindspots that boarders and skiers have and neither understanding what the other can and cant see. Those that do both will very rarely crash into either

Yep this was not something I was aware of until I did a lot of sking/riding with borders.

I live in a ski resort, this is my 6th winter season, I ski 2-3 times a week.

Has it really been six years, must have been either your first or second year then we first stayed with you !!

+1 Guy – half term and the Christmas / New Year week! I think Saturday morning is the only time to go up! So quiet! 🙂

I spend 90% of my riding in the Backcountry. Always said its alot safer out there!! Only got yourself and nature to deal with!

Although in my younger foolhardy days of doing seasons I did clip a few people 😕

I think (and am willing to be proved wrong) that a lot of boarders are self taught.

I would assume it’s about equal between self taught snowboarders and self taught skiers.

I learnt to snowboard through lessons (as did most people I know – although some are self taught and have crappy technique), and on some holidays I’ve booked advanced lessons to brush up my technique. I expect there are just as many skiers who are self taught and have crappy technique.

I think many skiers and snowboarders will not have another lesson after they’ve learnt the basics…that ends up meaning they learn poor technique to control their speed – beginner lessons only focus on slow speed linking turns…just like beginner skiing lessons focus on slow speed snowplough (or whatever it’s called).

When you do advanced lessons you learn how to deal with steeps, moguls, uneven pistes, controlling speed, emergency stops, carving, off-piste, correct body control (i.e. using the board to turn rather than swinging your arms and body weight about)….etc, etc. The instructor will even show you how to show off a bit.

This is no different to skiing…you learn the basics during your beginner lessons and you need to brush up with more advanced lessons as you progress to learn proper technique.

People who believe that snowboarders are somehow less responsible mountain users than skiers are being shortsighted, and probably need to either open their eyes, or spend more time on the mountain. FACT.

I think (and am willing to be proved wrong) that a lot of boarders are self taught. I’ve certainly seen people in resort on boards who’ve clearly chosen not to have lessons but rip their way down the nursery slopes through the beginners. Not clever.

Well some boarders are self taught although it has taken me many years of lessons to reach my level of medicority :wink:. They are also normally very easy to spot as their technique is invariably appalling. It is however down to the person, not the equipment though. Before snowboarding was invented, this sort of person would be trying to tech themselves to ski and causing just as much chaos.

A few resorts in the US used this sort of closed minded thinking to ban snowboarders until it was shown that the most likely people to cause accidents were not snowboarders but young males.

I think if you are getting into close shaves so often then maybe you’re doing something wrong. I really can’t think of a time in 30 years of skiing when I’ve even been close to hitting someone or vice versa.

It’s nowt to do with whether you board or ski as there will be twunts on both, it’s looking ahead, judging situations, anticipating other peeps actions and having enough skill to control yourself and avoid other folks.

Don’t personally see why there is this perceived annimosity between boarders and skiers. Or xc and DH. Most people are there to enjoy themselves 😀

A few resorts in the US used this sort of closed minded thinking to ban snowboarders until it was shown that the most likely people to cause accidents were not snowboarders but young males.

+1 (or whatever the internet forum standard is for ‘well said’).

It’s the same in all walks of life – hobbies, sports, driving. Some young males tend to be a little reckless, whether they have a board strapped to their feet or skis, whether they’re riding a mountain bike, driving a car, or whatever.

It’s got f all to do with their choice of sport/activity.

I learnt to snowboard through lessons (as did most people I know – although some are self taught and have crappy technique)

Never had a lesson. Neither have my boarding mates, despite two of them working as part-time “snowboard instructors” in Scotland back in the day (late 90s). 😯

Keep thinking I should do some intermediate lessons some time – but I’m usually enjoying myself too much to worry about the finer points of my technique.

I wonder how many mountain bikers have had lessons?

I wonder how many mountain bikers have had lessons?

I wonder how many mountain bikers have poor technique.

Actually I have had lessons and very helpful they were too.

Given that it is rare for a group of mountain bikers to be in anything other than single file, it’s not such a problem though is it. I also suspect that most people had “lessons” on how to ride a bike, albeit probably from a parent.

singletrack piste – that would solve the whole situation 😛