Carnage on the pistes in NW France on New Years day

[TQA]

Conditions are poor with rocks and icy pistes. There were so many injured skiers and boarders that the emergency struggled to transport them and to find beds.

Typical was the small hospital in St Jean de Maurienne which had 90 injured skiers through its doors yesterday. Injuries included fractured backs, thighs, open leg fractures, cuts etc.

Friends who are skiing in Avoriaz said they have seen more crazy skiing this year than in any previous visit to the alps.

 

[scott43]

Ahhh...Christmas holidays in the Alps..

 

[TQA]

Usually the Parisians celebrate Christmas at home but go skiing over the new Year. I was in education so had to go over Christmas new year, But back in the 80s when I was skiing places like Avoriaz and the 3V it got busier but not noticeably crazer on New Years day. My friends said the blues were full of people straight lining it and not alway in control.They also commented on the lack of speed controls in French resorts.

Apparently the mayors and local worthies have been on TV pleading for skiers to be more moderate.

 

[cantunamunch]

I seem to see...more armour R&D.

 

[Jacob]

Usually the Parisians celebrate Christmas at home but go skiing over the new Year. I was in education so had to go over Christmas new year, But back in the 80s when I was skiing places like Avoriaz and the 3V it got busier but not noticeably crazer on New Years day. My friends said the blues were full of people straight lining it and not alway in control.They also commented on the lack of speed controls in French resorts.

Apparently the mayors and local worthies have been on TV pleading for skiers to be more moderate.

To be honest, I never really see speed control anywhere in the Alps. I see signs saying "Slow" in various languages, usually in places where you actually want to go fast (like just before a long flat), but I never see anyone actually enforcing anything.

 

[cantunamunch]

To be honest, I never really see speed control anywhere in the Alps. I see signs saying "Slow" in various languages, usually in places where you actually want to go fast (like just before a long flat), but I never see anyone actually enforcing anything.

Yep. I'm telling you, the next step is body armour.

 

[Primoz]

They also commented on the lack of speed controls in French resorts.

Luckily we don't have any over here in Europe There actually are members of whole bunch of enforcement agencies in Italy in ski places, and some of them even equipped with speed traps, but they won't do anything even if they lock you at 100km/h as long as you are in control... Yeah I know this first hand, as some 4 or 5 years ago they did that to me, and ride or two later I had gondola ride with the guy telling me if I know how fast I was going and was surprised when I was just some 3 or 4km away from real number with my estimation. And he also said there's no speed limit, but they might actually give you penalty (not just remove your lift ticket) if you will be skiing out of control, regardless if that's at 30 or at 130km/h. But as long as you are in control and don't endanger anyone, they don't care even if you are skiing with 100+km/h.
But in general, we luckily don't have "speed controls" on ski places anywhere in Europe. And that's fun, there's more then enough this crap on roads already, so skiing with some ridiculous speed limits would mean end of fun.

 

[Jacob]

Yep. I'm telling you, the next step is body armour.

The thing is, speed control really isn’t all that necessary in the Alps as far as I’ve seen. Maybe things are different during the holidays, which I always avoid, but I don’t see very many out-of-control skiers.

It’s not that they’re all amazing skiers. They just seem to stay within their limits, at least compared to what I tend to see in US resorts.

I’ve seen some people wearing body armour from time to time, but I’m not sure it’ll catch on.

 

[TQA]

This is 3 rd hand but apparently there was a noticeable police presence in Les Arcs on on the pistes where there had been serious injuries caused by collisions. They were waving what seemed to be radar guns around.

My friends who have an apartment in Les Arcs told me they stopped early on New Years day because of the crazies.

 

[TQA]

Reports are trickling through that at least 2 of the collisions have had fatal outcomes both reports are out of Avoriaz and there is another one in a coma from Les Arcs.

The hospital in Bourg St Maurice is full too bursting.

 

[Kneale Brownson]

Wife and I had a sort-of belated honeymoon to Avoriaz the first season it was open. Not very busy and all skiers were cautious because of all the rocks. You COULD drink at the mid-slope eateries.

 

[jzmtl]

Reports are trickling through that at least 2 of the collisions have had fatal outcomes both reports are out of Avoriaz and there is another one in a coma from Les Arcs.

The hospital in Bourg St Maurice is full too bursting.

This is why I always say we need speed bumps on steeper pistes, if people have the skills to go fast then they also have the skills to easily deal with it, if they don't then they won't take anybody else out.

 

[Jacob]

This is why I always say we need speed bumps on steeper pistes, if people have the skills to go fast then they also have the skills to easily deal with it, if they don't then they won't take anybody else out.

The thing is, it's usually intermediate slope where people go fastest. Even the easy slopes are probably more dangerous in terms of collisions.