A polite word in the snowboarders ear!

I entirely agree with Jobster here! And also note that (although I?m new to this post) it is certainly a well worn topic!!!

Everyone is on the mountain for the same thing ? how can you say that ?boarders always do this?..? or ?people on ski?s are always more that ?.??

The fact of the matter is that boards or skis you will always get some idiot who thinks he can but really can?t ? but to suggest that its always boarders is just plain arrogant.

I for one have been collected by idiots on both boards and skis numerous times ? if they are a beginner or it was a genuine accident then I?ll waive it off in good humour and do my best to ensure that they (as well as anyone else) are unhurt and can continue on their way (I make particular effort if they are a newbie). If they are being reckless and stupid they may get a mouthful ? at NO TIME does it matter what boots they have on their feet!!!!

Idiots are idiots ? no matter how they get down the mountain!

Oh, and by the way ?just like to point out that I am primarily a skier and felt it my duty here to comment in the support of the sensible, good and genuinely nice boardriders who use this forum!

Cheers

Hmmmm, Just to stick my oar in.

It is typically harder to learn to SKi than it is to learn to Board.

Typically a less experienced boarder can try more challenging runs then skiers of equal experience.

Typically Learner boarders are younger than learner skiers

Put all of that together and you can see that begginerish boarders usually have less mountain experience (to get to the level that they are ) than their skiing counterparts because it is quicker to master the board than the skis, The boarders are younger and so typically more aggressive or reckless. THis makes for great fun for the boarder but a possible dangerous situation for anyone nearby.

It is'nt always the Boarders though. I have seen some propper Numptys on skis out of control shifting down the m ountain poles waving and all sorts but most of the time when any of us have been taken out it has been by a boarder.

This is not Ideal, it is the nature of the game, Begginers learn etiquette by being taught by their peers and being screamed at by their victims. Unless we ban begginers or make them take a competency test before they are allowed on the mountain, this will always be the case. All we can do really is protect ourselves, wear a helmet and whatever else you deem necessary it only takes one good bash for a helmet to pay for itself.

SKiers boarders, are not the problem, the problem is inexperienced skiers/boarders with no ski etiquette.

All though I do have one gripe about boarders. Far too many of them try pistes that are far too advanced for them and when they get to a part that they can't cope with they will slide down on an edge and shave all of the snow off. Now this isn't too bad if there is lots of snow but when there isn't what happens is they shave the snow off that area ices up and I come skiing down the mountain, minding my own business and hit this vast sheet of Ice. Well it makes for good entertainment anyway lol I slide well

Inexperience is a problem, but what is the real solution to that? Where do we gain that experience if you ban us from the mountain? I had 3 lessons on an indoor uk nursery slope before going away, took professional private lessons each morning while away, and kept to the beginners' slope after lunch supervised by friends - so I tried to be sensible, but as a nervous beginner (on skis) I found the sound of anyone approaching me rapidly from behind to be very scary whether on one plank or two!! Where I went the beginners' button lift/short green run formed the bottom end of a red/blue and there were many disgruntled skiers/boarders who seemed to think learners had no right to be there in their way! Where else was I supposed to be?? Not my fault the design of the area has the red/blue feeding into it! The only other beginners' area was the almost flat nursery playpen where it was hard to even get sliding let alone improve!

One day, in thick fog, a friend was coming down gently behind me to reassure me on the aforementioned green beginners' slope, and a group of exceedingly rapid 'anklebiters' on skis decided to use us as human slalom gates, laughing their heads off at our slow speed.

This is my point, it isn't practical to ban begginers, begginers are probably more important o a resort than the experienced skiers. The only way for begginers to learn etiquette is by wathing learning and gaining experience.

in my humble opinion anyway

Max Cottle wrote:


All though I do have one gripe about boarders. Far too many of them try pistes that are far too advanced for them and when they get to a part that they can't cope with they will slide down on an edge and shave all of the snow off. Now this isn't too bad if there is lots of snow but when there isn't what happens is they shave the snow off that area ices up and I come skiing down the mountain, minding my own business and hit this vast sheet of Ice. Well it makes for good entertainment anyway lol I slide well

The ice is caused by warm temps not snowboarders. Typically the groomer will push an inch or so of snow over the icey patches where it won't stay for long, snowboarders or not.

Now the people who do ruin the groomed runs are the 99 per cent of skiers (at vacation resorts) who can't carve. They can take the most perfect groomed run and turn it into a mini mogul field in an hour or two of swishing thier skis from side to side, thinking they are actually making turns :wink: . Do I begrudge them that pleasure ? No, I know they think I'm ruining the run by carving deep trenches in it for them to trip over.
Each to thier own.

By the way, snowboarding is much harder initially than skiing. Those kid's progress so fast because they are just that, kid's at the peak of thier capacity for learning.

As for beginners on the hill. So many people (and not just kids) forget that people below have the right of way. Even in the instances where they don't (like starting off again after stopping)It's not worth risking a collision. Also skiing in control means allowing for unexpected stops and movements by anyone below, but esp beginners, and has little to do with how expert you may think you are.

In other words I believe you should never impose your acceptable risk on others.

Trencher

The ice is caused by warm temps not snowboarders. Typically the groomer will push an inch or so of snow over the icey patches where it won't stay for long, snowboarders or not.

Hi Trencher, Yes of course Ice is caused by the changing temperature typically the sun will move around the mountain leaving one side in shade and one side sunny. If many boarders have been shaving the snow off a certain patch then when the sun moves on this pach will ice up. The Piste Bashers are maybe not as active in my experience as they have been for you, they typically come out late at night sometimes in the day at some resorts.

Do I have a major problem with it? no, It's not my mountain and to be honest every skier should know / learn to deal with a bit of ice, but It is one of my pet gripes, if you'll allow me that.

I agree that skiing in control also means allowing for unexpected stops and movements by anyone below but we were talking about other people not being in control and their lack of etiquette through inexperience and I would say that controlled skiing /does have a great deal to do with how good a skier you are especially on a harder piste.

My point about the skier / boarder development ratio is that whils I'll accept that it my be easier to learn skiing than boarding I think you must accept that you will progress quicker boarding than you will skiing Boarding Hard to learn easy to master - Skiing easy to learn harder to master. My point is that for a skier to get to the level of a boarder they would typically have to put more hours in on the mountain and as for them being kids an learning things easier, well that was the point I was trying to make in my earlier post.

I myself don't impose any risk on others. I have been skiing since I was 7 and do so very compitently. I suggested that people be aware of the risks and wear helmets etc because you have no control over the person who skis / boards in to you or clobbers you with a pole.

Skiing is far more accessible these days than it was when I started skiing many years ago this is why we see so many more begginers and crowded pistes.

Many people take lessons from their friends rather than instructors as well which again speaks to why people don't know the piste etiquette.

You can't protect other people but you can protect yourself.

Cheers

Max

I used to think snowboarders were annoying potheads, but after working as a mountain host at my local resort I have to say they are the same as the skiers! In either group you will find extremely irritating people! Of course, the number of nice, friendly, respectful people usually outweighs a few "rotten eggs." :)

In response to the idea of skiers pushing the snow into piles by not carving: I have to say the boarders are just as guilty. I don't think instructors are even trying to teach people to carve on boards! I may see .5 percent of boarders carving! Although, to be honest, only a couple percent of skiers are putting forth the effort :) This is at my local resort though, I would hope it to be better at bigger places.

this thread is just comedy