Surge in CA ski accidents links to weed, GoPros, and selfies.

[snoWYmonkey]

Sometimes the side of a trail is the safe place to stop but not always. The code only stipulates to not impede on traffic and be visible. Many faster skiers prefer to pass on the far edges making them the least safe spot to stop. This is especially true in areas where there is a lot of off piste skiing going on next to the sides in the trees or ungroomed parts and where being on the side is often a recipe for disaster.

It may seem foolish to stop in the middle of a run but on wider runs I sometimes find this to be the safest spot. I am more visible and there is more room to pass on either side.

As for straightlining, that one is a touchy one. On a narrow cat width traverse or in a flattish depression that can actually be the safer option to avoid being an obstruction. On spring slush days I sometimes have to go straight as fast as possible to maintain enough speed.

I wish we could figure out a way to objectively determine what constitutes skiing in control. A slow out of control skier is as much of a hazard as a fast in control skier. I love the idea of on mountain speed guns. Sadly, where they were installed the game became to beat the fastest time so that sokution quickly backfired.

I wonder what the stats show in terms of cannabis to alcohol in terms of injuries. The latter is a known muscle control inhibitor. I prefer sober skiers to intoxicated ones, yet believe that the ones on gummies might be a tad less dangerous than the drunk ones.

I laugh in frustration at the no alcohol on lifts signs, when it is sold at the top of the very same lifts by the resorts. Rampant hypocrisy.

 

[MissySki]

I wonder what the stats show in terms of cannabis to alcohol in terms of injuries. The latter is a known muscle control inhibitor. I prefer sober skiers to intoxicated ones, yet believe that the ones on gummies might be a tad less dangerous than the drunk ones.

I laugh in frustration at the no alcohol on lifts signs, when it is sold at the top of the very same lifts by the resorts. Rampant hypocrisy.

I think how someone is affected by gummies, or weed of any form, is very individual. And the amounts taken causes this to vary certainly as well. I’m not sure we can say which is safer between this and alcohol for each individual.

I personally couldn’t imagine taking a gummy or smoking and then being able to ski at all. I don’t partake at all because even a small amount can make me queasy and dizzy or just sleepy. Too much in the past has even made me feel like I couldn’t walk right because I couldn’t feel my feet completely. So my experimenting days are now behind me. While I was never a big weed person to begin with.. the current stuff is WAY stronger to me than what went around when I was in high school many moons ago lol. I can’t seem to deal with today’s varieties so I don’t bother. But it’s certainly an example to myself that gummies can cause plenty of worrying effects for some who ingest them and then ski or operate a motor vehicle.. Other people seem to think they have no impairment at all from it.

On the other hand, I feel perfectly fine having one drink and skiing more. I don’t do that often in general, but in the spring when you do some hanging out on the deck and then might need to get home by taking a lift and skiing elsewhere, I have never felt that was problematic or that I was a safety risk to myself or others. I wouldn’t have much more than the one drink though. I guess I am pretty much a lightweight all around.

 

[Christy]

I've purchased a couple things recently (a custom chair, custom storm windows for my oldest wavy glass windows which I refuse to replace) where even though I was paying up front, I still had to sign contracts (online) and initial in a number of places before I could purchase the items. It seems like it would be very easy for Ikon, Epic, and solo areas to include this kind of thing as a condition to buying a pass (season or day). You'd have to click and check each part of the responsibility code for example, and acknowledge that (depending on your state) it's a misdemeanor to ski away from a collision without exchanging info. That is so important to understand IMO. I don't think many people know about this, and resorts sure don't publicize it. This would all take very little money compared to hiring extra staff to patrol.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

@MissySki It seems that the key is to know oneself well enough and then do the smart and safe thing. I don't tolerate cannabis at all as it leads to paranoia for me and even half a drink and I can not ski at all because I consume at most 2 drinks a month.

I get so disheartened by the booze focused ski culture. Similar to golfing but a much more dangerous sport. Have no idea how the racket sports compare.

I do believe that the industry from the resorts to the hotels and tour operators promote the party+ski+holiday vibe. It's not OK diving or flying, and most of all driving. I wonder if any resorts do mandatory tox screens with collisions that result in injuries like they do for automobile accidents?

 

[Amie H]

Tbh, in recent years, it's been out of control children that scare me when I see them hurting my way, so hopefully none of them were over-served!

 

[NewEnglandSkier]

Tbh, in recent years, it's been out of control children that scare me when I see them hurting my way, so hopefully none of them were over-served!

Yes this too. Earlier this year there was a child and father skiing and the kid was flying along, sort of turning but not really in control at all and the father seemed to think it was just fine--in fact he seemed to think it was funny/normal. The child nearly took out several people from behind. It seems to me the apple likely doesn't fall far from the tree. It was the type of behavior I would think a parent would discourage/speak to their kid about about, but nope.

 

[Amie H]

(I meant "hurtling" but my phone had other ideas!)

 

[mustski]

Many of the rules of driving are applicable to skiing. Which is why it’s quite terrifying that so many are this oblivious.

I think they probably drive like they ski … I see it all the time on California roads!

 

[Amie H]

Yep, spend 5 minutes on a Chicagoland highway and your mind will be blown.

 

[Sheena]

I have seen an example of almost all of these scenarios.
* A ski team instructor with 5 kids giving mini-lesson on balance Inside the lift corral, blocking an entire aisle. Granted it was a quiet day, but still he should have known better.
* Out of control kid skiers flying down the mountain.
* People passing wayyy to close.
* People stopping in bad places.

It's not like any of this is new, but it does seem to be happening way more frequently.

Though jt may help some, most people won't really pay attention to videos or will just initial things without reading. Maybe I am just too cynical about this.

 

[Amie H]

@Sheena I don't disagree with you. Spend any time:
- Driving
- At an airport
-At a retail store
- At a school (this one is the saddest of all)

and behavior, specifically concern/respect for others, is slipping away.

 

[MissySki]

I wonder if any resorts do mandatory tox screens with collisions that result in injuries like they do for automobile accidents?

I can’t imagine they’d have the authority to force anyone to do so unfortunately. Technically you aren’t breaking a law if you ski under the influence. Sure wish there was some way to give more liability for those who do stupid things on the mountain and hurt someone else though.

 

[snoWYmonkey]

I can’t imagine they’d have the authority to force anyone to do so unfortunately. Technically you aren’t breaking a law if you ski under the influence. Sure wish there was some way to give more liability for those who do stupid things on the mountain and hurt someone else though.

Maybe if both parties are hospitalized?

 

[Christy]

You can sue the person. Of course, they'd need to stop and give you ID, not ski off...I'm not sure what happens if it's a minor that injures you. And is is a misdemeanor in many places (though who writes the ticket? Do you and the perpetrator have to agree to wait around for someone from the sheriff's office to show up?)

If you Google you will find many law firms that specialize in ski accidents.

Washington Snowboard Injury Lawyers - Ski Injury Lawyers

skiinjurylawyers.com

 

[Trailside Trixie]

Canabis in any form isn't for me. It slows me down to the point where I can't even think..... I don't like how I feel when I've smoked it and it's just not for me. I can't imagine skiing after it. I've a lot of friends that smoke and I've no judgement and as far as I know none of them have done anything stupid or caused any situation.

I see a lot of people taking video of their friends in front of them using their cell phone and all I think is wow what if you caught an edge or didn't see an obstancle, etc...

One time at Bromley there was a huge family with 8 or 10 people taking a family video taking up the whole entire base area. They were in a long line walking towards the person taking the video totally oblvious they were taking up the entire space. If it went on much longer I was going to leave my post and ask them to condense down a bit. What if patrol radio'd down saying they were bringing someone down on a sled because then we'd have to clear the area and force them move.

 

[mustski]

I’m not interested in experiencing the stoned effect of cannabus. I’ve been taking 1/2 a gummy at night to help me sleep but I don’t feel a stoned effect. The folks I know that smoke and ski are all good skiers. I suspect they have certain level of tolerance from regular use.

my FIL smokes it and drives. I can’t tell the difference between him after smoking from before smoking.