Ski insurance restrictions

Article from the Daily Mail On-line may interest you all.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/holidays/article-2531916/No-insurance-skiers-tipple-hit-slopes.html?ito=email-homenewsletter-20140101

Insurance companies will use every trick in the book not to pay up. Drinking & skiing in the Austrian resorts is so accepted especially with the Northern Europeans. I would argue that if the ski stations are selling alcohol on the mountain to skiers then they are advocating it is okay to ski under the influence.

The Mail quotes: "Hundreds of deaths on the slopes each year are linked to alcohol"
REALLY? I had no idea there were that many deaths on the slopes each year. Or is this just the Daily Mail at its best again?

Everyone likes to have a social life whilst skiing, and lunch and drinks are part of that. Some people prefer a quick lunch and back out on the slopes asap whilst the long lunchers get off the slopes for several hours. Personally, I cant eat much at lunchtime anyway, although some refueling carbs are always a good idea, and I like to be out over lunch while everyone else has cleared the slopes for their break.
But I doubt I have ever drunk more than 2 pints over lunch, thats just a waste of VST (valuable ski time) to me.

BUT, I do like to finish somewhere on the mountain late in the day, have a drink or two in the late afternoon sun sat outside a hut, and as the sun goes down ski off into the resort so I guess I would be over the limit to drive at that time of the day, and therefore one has to question ones own serious judgement after a few drinks when skiing off.

Very interesting topic to discuss.

Couldn't agree more Tony, a Weiss bier & apple strudle watching the late afternoon go by are part of my skiing ritual. Don't think we are being irresponsible or reckless but I'm sure the insurance companies would'nt see it that way.

Finn wrote:Couldn't agree more Tony, a Weiss bier & apple strudle watching the late afternoon go by are part of my skiing ritual. Don't think we are being irresponsible or reckless but I'm sure the insurance companies would'nt see it that way.

My insurance is void if the use of alcohol results in the accident directly or indirectly.
I guess it would be the doctors that decide that one.
But given the fact that i don't ski pissed i would hope that any alcohol in my blood would be significantly less by the time any test could be made.

Snapzzz wrote:
But given the fact that i don't ski pissed i would hope that any alcohol in my blood would be significantly less by the time any test could be made.

Modern science is quite capable of backtracking your alcohol level knowing the time of accident and time of test.

Far Queue wrote:

Snapzzz wrote:
But given the fact that i don't ski pissed i would hope that any alcohol in my blood would be significantly less by the time any test could be made.

Modern science is quite capable of backtracking your alcohol level knowing the time of accident and time of test.

Well if that were solid surely the police would use that when prosecuting drink drivers? As far as i know they take a reading from the machine, in the station, at the time of the test. So it can't be an exact science......can it?

-) would you be happy to argue that with your insurance company?

Snapzzz wrote:Well if that were solid surely the police would use that when prosecuting drink drivers? As far as i know they take a reading from the machine, in the station, at the time of the test. So it can't be an exact science......can it?

Actually a quick google suggests that they do back calculate :(

Example of a Derbyshire Police form here.. BackCalculationinDrinkDrivingCases.pdf