Idiot Bashing Thread

[Serafina]

It's clear that I didn't cover the bases on idiocy from the no more snowboard bashing thread. So I'm starting a thread to dish on the moronic stuff that happens on the hill.

We'll take as read that the following are idiots or a$$holes that can be found on every hill:
*skiers and riders going off above their ability and a) damaging the surface of the run by scraping it clear or b) going out of control and running into innocent parties
*skiers standing in the middle of the run/boarders sitting in the middle of the run
*skiers ripping green slopes and scattering the noobs/boarders shredding and catching air on green slopes and scattering the noobs
*people who fail to clear the lift unloading area for ANY reason other than injury/loss of gear
*anyone straight-line bombing down a hill with no regard for the need to maintain control
*anyone ripping or shredding into the lift line
*anyone who skies or boards over the other skier's gear
*dimbulb parents who consider their kids to be God's Gift To The World and expect everyone else on the planet to worship and/or pay tribute, including expecting victims to apologize for having the rugrats wreak havoc on them.

So that's the stuff we all see, every weekend.

Let's get into the real Unique and Interesting Idiocy, or A$$holiness Beyond The Call Of Duty.

I'll start.

Here's a shout-out to the moron who had two kids under the age of 7 who are STILL at the Pizza-Turn stage of skiing, and thought it was a good idea to take these kids on to a BLACK run on Sunday afternoon. I'm not sure whether I want to cuss this guy more for scaring the pants off me as I came ripping over a rise and encountered the show, or for holding up another 10 skiers in exactly the same way as we all had to hang out waiting for these people to clear the slope, or for the fact that the ankle-biters were falling down at EVERY OTHER TURN because they were on a hill that FAR exceeded their ability.

I'm not cheesed because there were little kids on the black. I'm used to eating the rooster tails of the Grade-School Set. I'm cheesed because these kids shouldn't have been off the BUNNY hill, let alone on a black. All I can think is that Dad got bored babysitting the babies and decided to take them with him.

and

 

[ski diva]

Here's a shout-out to the moron who had two kids under the age of 7 who are STILL at the Pizza-Turn stage of skiing, and thought it was a good idea to take these kids on to a BLACK run on Sunday afternoon. I'm not sure whether I want to cuss this guy more for scaring the pants off me as I came ripping over a rise and encountered the show, or for holding up another 10 skiers in exactly the same way as we all had to hang out waiting for these people to clear the slope, or for the fact that the ankle-biters were falling down at EVERY OTHER TURN because they were on a hill that FAR exceeded their ability.

I'm not cheesed because there were little kids on the black. I'm used to eating the rooster tails of the Grade-School Set. I'm cheesed because these kids shouldn't have been off the BUNNY hill, let alone on a black. All I can think is that Dad got bored babysitting the babies and decided to take them with him.

and

This is a real pet peeve of mine. By far the biggest perpetrators are Dads, who either want to brag to their friends that they had their little Jack or Jill on a Black today, or want to ski where they want to ski, without regard for the kid. It's especially awful when the kids are reduced to tears, virtually guaranteeing they're going to either hate skiing or their Dads (or both) forever. What really gets me is when the Dad skis waaaaaay far ahead of the kid. I mean, if the kid falls, what then? Is the Dad going to hike all the way back up to help?

Drives me nuts!

 

[volklgirl]

Add another to the general idiot list:

*Idiots who stand directly in front of the lift maze for no apparent reason then shuffle in as you go in then block you while waiting for their 3 other friends to show up. Grrr.

 

[Downunder Diva]

This is a real pet peeve of mine. By far the biggest perpetrators are Dads, who either want to brag to their friends that they had their little Jack or Jill on a Black today, or want to ski where they want to ski, without regard for the kid. It's especially awful when the kids are reduced to tears, virtually guaranteeing they're going to either hate skiing or their Dads (or both) forever. What really gets me is when the Dad skis waaaaaay far ahead of the kid. I mean, if the kid falls, what then? Is the Dad going to hike all the way back up to help?

Drives me nuts!

The problem is that is does end tragically and in tears... one of the worst accidents involving children that I have seen was from the Heavenly Valley chair at Mt Hotham. Two girls well under the age of 8 obviously raw beginners trying to snowplough across 'gun barrel' (aptly named) a black run renowned for its icy chute favoured by young guns - god knows where the parents were . The eldest girl was frozen in the centre of the run unable to negotiate the ice when a teenage snowboarder rocketed down at what must have been at least 60 kph and ran straight over her with his board riding over her body and head (at least she had a helmet on). She came to rest face down and facing downhill motionless - limbs splayed out behind. The whole chairlift collectively held their breath amidst frantic calls to ski patrol. After what seemed like a lifetime but probably only 30 seconds she made feeble whimpering noises. I heard later that she had edge slashes to her face (but can't confirm this). The point is... what were they doing there and where were the carers??? BTW young snowboarding guy was upset beyond belief, I know that you're meant to ski/board for all contingencies but you would just not expect to have a child stopped in the middle of a steep icy chute - so I really felt for him also...

 

[beckylh84]

Add another to the general idiot list:

*Idiots who stand directly in front of the lift maze for no apparent reason then shuffle in as you go in then block you while waiting for their 3 other friends to show up. Grrr.

Next time, just use your pole and release the binding of the idiot blocking the line and shuffle past them while they're struggling to figure out what happened. I'm not sure I'd have the guts to do that to the casual offender, but I think if I saw the same person/ group doing it multiple times, I would.

*Idiots who think it's ok to smoke in the lift line or on the lift. Keep the cancer to yourselves.

 

[Serafina]

Next time, just use your pole and release the binding of the idiot blocking the line and shuffle past them while they're struggling to figure out what happened. I'm not sure I'd have the guts to do that to the casual offender, but I think if I saw the same person/ group doing it multiple times, I would.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!! :ROTF:

 

[segacs]

The one that really bugs me is when people disembark from the chairlift and then stop, right in the path of the next people to disembark. Ski out of the way, THEN adjust your boots / debate what run to take / talk about stopping for lunch / answer your phone. Sheesh!

(BTW, it irks me just as much when people stop right after stepping off an escalator... especially in crowded public transit at rush hour. There are people behind you - move out of the way, for crying out loud.)

 

[gardenmary]

Next time, just use your pole and release the binding of the idiot blocking the line and shuffle past them while they're struggling to figure out what happened. I'm not sure I'd have the guts to do that to the casual offender, but I think if I saw the same person/ group doing it multiple times, I would.

*Idiots who think it's ok to smoke in the lift line or on the lift. Keep the cancer to yourselves.

Not to mention those who think it's ok to smoke weed in the chair in front of you. How do they know I'm not going to turn them in to patrol? (Because I am, you know.)

I like the release-the-binding trick...not sure if I'd have to guts either but it's funny to imagine.

 

[ski now work later]

Two recent observations I made:

1. Killington in December, hardly any trails open, on narrow road leading to lodge, snowboarder girl laying down in the right 1/3 of the run, relaxing. Duh!

2. Okemo on Friday. My 18 yo daughter, snowboarder, stopped to wait for me in the middle of the run. But not on the flat part where everyone can see, but just below, where no one could see. Gah!

This is not meant to dis snowboarders, but they are the ones who sit/lay down.

I yelled at some boys (skiers and snowboarders) who flew down at high speeds in an area marked SLOW near a lift where there are a lot of beginners and kids. Another pet peeve.

 

[Serafina]

Not to mention those who think it's ok to smoke weed in the chair in front of you.

Ho! Ho! Two guys did that in the chair in front of me just this afternoon! It was a first for me.

 

[segacs]

Heh, that happens a lot (the smoking weed on the lift thing). Can't say it particularly bothers me, even though I'd never touch the stuff. For some reason, the smell of cigarettes bothers me much more. But I do think it's rather stupid of people to smoke up especially in the open with families and kids around.

 

[skibum4ever]

The problem is that is does end tragically and in tears... one of the worst accidents involving children that I have seen was from the Heavenly Valley chair at Mt Hotham. Two girls well under the age of 8 obviously raw beginners trying to snowplough across 'gun barrel' (aptly named) a black run renowned for its icy chute favoured by young guns - god knows where the parents were . .

Slightly off topic, I have to make the comment that California also has a ski area called "Heavenly Valley" which splits its terrain between California and Nevada. There is a steep, often icy and generally mogully run on the California face called "Gunbarrel". Coincidence? Our Gunbarrel is also not a run for beginners.

Now back to our ongoing idiot-bashing thread. Problem is I haven't been skiing for a while so I'm fresh out of idiots! (ask me next week.).

 

[dividedsky75]

I seem to be encountering a lot of young, male snowboarders who are either totally out of control or are intentionally trying to take people out. I pulled all the way over yesterday to fix something and some jerk kid rides by and does a 180 within inches of me and probably in the air over the back of my skis while his friends rode by and laughed. I'm quite certain I yelled a-hole more than a few times yesterday. Another time, a jerk of the same variety actually knocked my mother down (intentionally) and just laughed and kept riding. If she hadn't broken a tooth and been so shaken, I probably would have been arrested for assaulting a minor. I'm starting to think that mountain etiquette no longer exists--at least out here. It's a real shame.

 

[BackCountryGirl]

I am totally amazed by the stupidity of people who text while skiing/riding!

 

[abc]

I'm starting to think that mountain etiquette no longer exists--at least out here. It's a real shame.

Where is "out here"?

 

[ScottishSki]

This is a real pet peeve of mine. By far the biggest perpetrators are Dads, who either want to brag to their friends that they had their little Jack or Jill on a Black today, or want to ski where they want to ski, without regard for the kid. It's especially awful when the kids are reduced to tears, virtually guaranteeing they're going to either hate skiing or their Dads (or both) forever. What really gets me is when the Dad skis waaaaaay far ahead of the kid. I mean, if the kid falls, what then? Is the Dad going to hike all the way back up to help?

Drives me nuts!

I so agree with this. Would also add parents who don't pay attention to their kids on lifts. I got on a lift at a midway reload point a few weeks ago - there was a dad and his very young son (maybe about 5-ish) already on the chair. As the chair rose up, the boy slid out of the seat - fortunately he managed to hang on to the arm. Dad (in the middle) got in a flap and seemed clueless, I had to grab his poles off him and he then grabbed his child. The lifties had been distracted by someone who fell in front of the chair behind, so it was a few seconds before they were able to stop the lift. Had the little boy fallen off, he would have dropped about 15-20 feet onto a steep and icy run. It was a heart stopping moment, which could have been prevented had dad been paying more attention to his son and less attention to the view.

I also hate the idiots who come crashing through slow zones at high speed. I skied Steamboat last year over President's Day weekend and it was so bad I actually went and complained to one of their ski hosts. It was incredibly dangerous, especially at the end of the day. If more of those idiots actually had their lift passes taken off them maybe they would think twice.

 

[gardenmary]

I am totally amazed by the stupidity of people who text while skiing/riding!

I'm amazed by the stupidity, but also find myself thinking "how the HELL can you do that??" I can barely get a text sent while standing perfectly still, no gloves, and no distractions!

 

[litterbug]

Next time, just use your pole and release the binding of the idiot blocking the line and shuffle past them while they're struggling to figure out what happened. I'm not sure I'd have the guts to do that to the casual offender, but I think if I saw the same person/ group doing it multiple times, I would.

It's a great concept, but it seems like at Alta those folks are almost as likely to be regulars as newbies or vacationers. Twice I've been stuck behind a raggedy disorganized group of guys in ski school jackets who were standing in front of the gates accumulating more members of their group. I went up toward one gate and one would move in front of me, I'd excuse myself and move over and another would slide up as though he was going through that one--but didn't, etc., etc. They seemed to be having a grand old time, but there was snow to be skied and I wanted to go!

OK, now for multi-idiot examples: groups of people, usually adults and teenagers who seem like family and friends, who stop together in the middle of a run to have a rest and a chat, taking up half the run, and then as they see me coming down they start spreading out and slowly take up the entire slope as I reach them. It's like when you're driving down the road and someone pulls out of the driveway in front of you and then creeps along at half the speed limit.

And there's a strange type of skier who sits or lies down in small groups in the middle the green runs, laughing and chatting while poor newbies try to steer around them. Kind of like snowboarder tea parties, except they're always adults.

I often wait at the top of a hill until less able skiers are off the steep part and don't mind making way for beginners, but just because people are in a group doesn't mean they have the right to take up the run!

 

[snow addict]

I am annoyed with people who tend to ski in theor own little bubble oblivious to the fact that there are others on the slope. They stop where they want, turn where they want, on cat tracks instead of just going straight they start maneuvering all of a sudden and (a) slow down everyone behind them (b) make it difficult to overtake them. If they ski in bigger groups they tend to spread out across the slope, which also makes it harder to overtake them, as they all stop at different places and any of them or more likely all of them can start moving at any time, at the same time and in any direction.

 

[madskier]

*Idiots ski school teachers and ski team teachers that have learnt their athletes to ignore the queue and when u try say anything,you wished u never have spoken...