10 ski culture faux pas

[bounceswoosh]

Around here, there's a consensus: "All clear for bar?"
Same at top: "Clear for bar up?"

The problem comes in when *I* perceive that as a consensus, but the sixth person across has a consensus view that you always just slam it down.

This may be aggravated by the fact that I ski Breck, tons of tourists as opposed to locals, so it's hard to have a consensus.

 

[altagirl]

I get that people who want to have the bar down have the right to do so. That said, it feels like saying you ran into another car at an intersection because you had the right of way, even though you could have stopped. Pay attention to the people around you. Yes, there are places where everyone is used to it, but out west, most locals never use it so you're going to surprise them. Do you have the right to just yank the bar down the moment you're seated? I guess. But be prepared for an unpleasant lift ride.

 

[Kimmyt]

I always prepare to have the bar go down but it does irk me when it comes down almost the moment we get on the chair, when I barely have time to get my poles under my leg and myself situated. That being said, it also pisses me off on the few times I put the bar down (if its windy, I'm tired and need something to lean on, sharing a chair with a kid etc.) and some dude has his earbuds cranked on high and gets pissed off when my attempts at communicating with him go unnoticed and the bar has to go down. In reality I guess my pet peeve (and a lot of the things on that list really boil down to it) is people who act like they are the only ones on the mountain and don't pay attention and give consideration to others.

 

[Dtrick924]

I've found that with the bar, as long as you ask first and bring it up and down slowly no one has a problem with it. The problems happen when you assume that your way is the "right way" or the way "everyone" does it.

 

[santacruz skier]

I've found that with the bar, as long as you ask first and bring it up and down slowly no one has a problem with it. The problems happen when you assume that your way is the "right way" or the way "everyone" does it.

Totally agree with you...

 

[ski diva]

Use of the safety bar is actually a state law here in Vermont (though I don't know of anyone who's been cited). One time when I was on the lift with the bar up, a patroller, who was behind me in the next chair, shouted at me to bring it down.

 

[santacruz skier]

Use of the safety bar is actually a state law here in Vermont (though I don't know of anyone who's been cited). One time when I was on the lift with the bar up, a patroller, who was behind me in the next chair, shouted at me to bring it down.

Thanks, and that is a good thing. As I said in an earlier post, I do prefer the bar down, but most folks in Tahoe don't use it except when children are on the lift and they always ask. My gripe is when you are barely seated and the bar comes down on your head...

 

[Gloria]

I don't care for the bars myself, I think people have a better chance of falling off the lift while pulling it down then they would just hanging out riding the lift. Although we don't have them and I could'nt reach them without doing acrobats so maybe I just feel that way. I have never put one down honestly. I am one of those who is always surprised when it comes down or people have to ask a few times before I get what they are asking. Can we bring the bar down? I don't know, how much can you drink? Oh, the bar. Sorry. I always forget about them.

 

[jellyflake]

I don't know, how much can you drink?

I like that one!!

And, yes, Europe is always "bar down". But usually people look and communicate by eyes or mouth to get agreement on pulling it down NOW.

I had more issues with that bubble - when people decided on half way up to bring that bubble down. WITHOUT communicating - that only happens rarely but when it does it really annoys me.

 

[Dianna]

The bar is a good thing as long as peeps are considerate. I don't have a problem with folks stopping in the middle of a run in plain sight, but boarders have a bad habit of stopping in the middle below a lip so you cannot see them. I stop a lot of times to tell them that's dangerous and they are almost always polite and some move right away.

 

[bounceswoosh]

Ah. Pet peeve. Someone stopping right below a tree, like still in its shade. Completely invisible. Jeebus.

 

[snow addict]

Hah, I was just thinking that an extrovert clearly invented the rule about it being common courtesy to talk to people on the lift. Kind of like talking on an airplane. If you happen to both want to talk, great, but to me, common courtesy does not include forcing people to chat when they would clearly prefer to just relax and enjoy the scenery.

Haha! That reminded me my last trip to Dubai. For 6 hours the guy sitting next to me didn't shut up and I was at the birthday party the night before so was really looking forward to get on a plane to sleep! At least lift rides are short

 

[mustski]

When I was flying out for my brother's funeral, I listened politely for an hour to a nervous flyer talk about how ill her father is and how she was dreading spending time with her siblings. I finally said, you know this is a really good book and I really want to read it. She said, "so now it's time for us to pretend to ignore each other?" Let me tell you ... I was not pretending.

 

[abc]

Can we bring the bar down? I don't know, how much can you drink? Oh, the bar. Sorry. I always forget about them.

LOL!

Well, this was a real story:

On a six pack, in Europe (interconnected ski area spanning over multiple valley, with on mountain restaurant/bar dotting the landscape).

From one end of the six pack, person called out politely: "Baarrr..."

Other end of six pack: "Where?"

The other 4 people nearly fell off the chair from laughing...

 

[altagirl]

Haha! That reminded me my last trip to Dubai. For 6 hours the guy sitting next to me didn't shut up and I was at the birthday party the night before so was really looking forward to get on a plane to sleep! At least lift rides are short

Ugh. I've gotten to the point where I board the plane with my big noise canceling headphones around my neck and they go on my ears the moment my butt hits the seat.

Somewhere, there are a bunch of chatter boxes complaining about the rude seat mate who wouldn't talk to them their whole flight. Oh well.

[emoji39]

 

[bounceswoosh]

I bring a sleeping mask onto the plane. Just slide it right over the ol' eyeballs and down for the count. At least, as far as they can tell.

 

[Skier31]

No eye contact and I open my book immediately. They should have an introvert/extrovert seating choice.

I once said good bye to the guy sitting next to me as we were leaving and told him, "Thank you for not talking to me during the trip". He laughed and said that he felt exactly the same.

 

[altagirl]

No eye contact and I open my book immediately. They should have an introvert/extrovert seating choice.

I once said good bye to the guy sitting next to me as we were leaving and told him, "Thank you for not talking to me during the trip". He laughed and said that he felt exactly the same.

That would be amazing. there should be a divider and a "no talking section", except to order drinks and excuse yourself to the restroom. It should be like going to the library.

 

[DeweySki]

Additionally --- make sure everyone is on the same page regarding direction of travel OFF the chair>ramp. Yes, this can become a problem (ask me....).

I never worried about this too much until I was on a lift with two snowboarders and one warned me that she had never successfully gotten off a lift without falling. I was like, "Hey! Thanks for the heads up! I'm gonna go left!" I then spent the next 30 seconds trying to give her the best pep talk I could. It went something like, "Yes, it's scary. Yes, it's harder on a snowboard. But it gets easier the more you do it! You just have to COMMIT!" Didn't work--she fell anyway. (But at least she didn't take me down with her, ha!)

 

[DeweySki]

That's got to be one of my biggest peeves! People all over your skis in the lift lines. Or anywhere, for that matter.

Ah, the worst! I especially hate it when the kiddos are running over my skis and the parents/instructors are standing right there. I feel like I can't say anything because if I do I'll get yelled at for yelling at the kid.