Ignorance of skiers code

[LiquidFeet]

....I thought the same thing every time I watched it. Why is the skier not reacting? He seems to be competent. My thought is that he was just lost in his own reverie enjoying the pow nand zen and was just not keeping an eye out for his boarder buddy.....

Why does the skier not see the boarder until the last minute?

His helmet cam is pointed down - the leading edge of his helmet, his full torso including upper chest, his legs and feet are all visible in the video - which seems to indicate his head is pointed down. He might not have seen his friend at all until it was too late because he was looking down.

He might have set the angle of the camera to point down, but I think this is unlikely.

 

[pais alto]

This thread.

And because I can’t hold this any longer:
There are no ‘lanes’ in skiing! None! ¡Ninguno! Keiner! Aucun! Nessun!

Please provide an accepted reference when you argue with that. Not ‘because I said so.’ TIA

 

[stevo]

Why does the skier not see the boarder until the last minute?

His helmet cam is pointed down - the leading edge of his helmet, his full torso including upper chest, his legs and feet are all visible in the video - which seems to indicate his head is pointed down. He might not have seen his friend at all until it was too late because he was looking down.

He might have set the angle of the camera to point down, but I think this is unlikely.

it’s an interesting thing to point out LF. First a wide angle lense is not the actual skier’s eyes. A wide angle might actually be taking in more periphery then actual eyes are and then you have to take into account that when we are focused on a task we zero our eye in on a relatively narrow field of view that is focused and being processed by our brain.

we can watch a wide angle playback later and of course as observers we are looking at the left side of the video to see what the Camera picked up but that is not necessarily what the skier saw with his own eyes.

 

[TheArchitect]

Ullr, please, please save us!

 

[fatbob]

it’s an interesting thing to point out LF. First a wide angle lense is not the actual skier’s eyes. A wide angle might actually be taking in more periphery then actual eyes are and then you have to take into account that when we are focused on a task we zero our eye in on a relatively narrow field of view that is focused and being processed by our brain.

we can watch a wide angle playback later and of course as observers we are looking at the left side of the video to see what the Camera picked up but that is not necessarily what the skier saw with his own eyes.

This is true. Rather depends on how actively observant the skier was being and one can get tunnel vision when focused on a single objective like bouncing down the best Pow line. There's even a video of a L3/4 instructor course in Whistler where one of the instructors clips a girl because he was so focused on doing his best performance for camera/ trainer.

The wider field of awareness I think only comes when either you get so zen with your flow that suddenly you have loads of processing capacity to take in everything else or you have seen enough incidents with loose cannonballs that you proactively are looking to protect yourself.

So I tend to believe that no amount of code publicity will make people care enough to follow it rather than make up their own rules to justify their behaviour. I've seen instructors breach the look uphill when starting rule and a race coach tell me I turned the wrong way when overtaking me.

Only chance is drilling it into kids when it's of consequence ( sort of 2 fouls on the code and it's no more skiing for you today tough love) or active policing by someone with some authority.

The only real code that is worth a damn is " Protect Yo'self!" Which then necessarily means you avoid hitting others.

 

[Lauren]

For those asking...here's the original video and his caption admitting blame (didn't take long to find it...just searched his name on Instagram). The video is a bit longer than the one first posted here. My guess is the person/company that reposted it wanted more controversy, and thus edited out the first second-ish of the video. It's pretty obvious that they're both hauling down the same trail, on opposite sides, with the snowboarder ahead. I think the OP's caption is spot on, and he mentions his reasoning of posting this video many times in the comments too. He posted this as a reminder to ski and ride safely, and for others to learn from his mistake. Obviously, his message has not gotten through to lots of people.

Could the snowboarder have looked uphill before taking a wider turn across the hill...sure. Does he have the responsibility to...no. I wouldn't expect a beginner or intermediate skier to take their eyes off of where they are going to verify that they're not going to enter someone else's imaginary lane. It's safest to keep everyone under the same rules and guidelines.

And for those saying that he sucks at skiing...browse through some of his videos. He's actually pretty solid...in my not-so-expert opinion.

 

[SBrown]

For those asking...here's the original video and his caption admitting blame (didn't take long to find it...just searched his name on Instagram). .... He posted this as a reminder to ski and ride safely, and for others to learn from his mistake.

I mean, the "perpetrator" literally admits multiple times he was wrong, yet people still want to defend him? Pretty much the state of the world I guess.

 

[SBrown]

Also, that snow looks nice.

 

[Lauren]

I mean, the "perpetrator" literally admits multiple times he was wrong, yet people still want to defend him? Pretty much the state of the world I guess.

I feel like he had such good intentions on posting it...then someone had to go repost with less context and a big..."Who's at fault?" across the screen.

 

[Lauren]

Also, yea...that snow does look nice.

 

[slowrider]

He's only using the back half of the skis.

 

[stevo]

If the intention of this thread was to actually discuss truth instead if trolling for controversy they should have posted the complete video to begin with.

In light of this video i side with the boarder.

but still I am disturbed by the tendency of many people to assert 100% blame to one party or the other. We all need to take more personal responsibility for our safety on the hill. Because regardless of the legal blame, if yo are hit it can mess you up bad potentially. You can all sit around and demonize the skier, but I think it’s probably true he did t want to hit his friend any more then his friend wanted to be hit. He assumed his friend would keep going down the left side, obviously a wrong assumption. Mistakes happen. You can sit around and say the boarder has no legal obligation to look over his shoulder before switching sides of the run but he’s a dummy for not doing it, and he’s lucky he didn’t get hurt this time. The skier is also a dummy for trying to pass his friend on such a narrow space. And I think if he had hurt his friend he would be legally liable. No one is disputing that and it’s pointless to debate about it.

But what bothers me is the attitude that the boarder should not feel in any way obligated or encouraged to pay attention to the distinct possibility that switching sides of the run at a slow speed could potentially cause a collision with any number of faster people coming down that side that may not be ready for it or looking for it or whatever. Like you own the entire run? You don’t own it. You might win a court battle if you survive, but if you care about safety everyone should be paying attention both above and below and thinking about safety and not that you are “entitled” to do whatever you want and then be outraged when an accident happens.

 

[SBrown]

but still I am disturbed by the tendency of many people to assert 100% blame to one party or the other. We all need to take more personal responsibility for our safety on the hill. Because regardless of the legal blame, if yo are hit it can mess you up bad potentially. ....

But what bothers me is the attitude that the boarder should not feel in any way obligated or encouraged to pay attention to the distinct possibility that switching sides of the run at a slow speed could potentially cause a collision with any number of faster people coming down that side that may not be ready for it or looking for it or whatever. Like you own the entire run? You don’t own it. You might win a court battle if you survive, but if you care about safety everyone should be paying attention both above and below and thinking about safety and not that you are “entitled” to do whatever you want and then be outraged when an accident happens.

I mean, yes, I sympathize with this, because nothing is black and white and even if someone runs a red light and t-bones you, even if you're right, you're still dead, so awareness is important. This one isn't that tough, though.

 

[OSD]

Also, that snow looks nice.

Yeah, bombing it like that seems like a waste of good turns. Looks like he was in the air when he hit the dude.

 

[Guy in Shorts]

Cluster of locals that we hung with today numbered an even dozen. We were a crowd on an empty slope yet we managed to safely pass hundreds of downhill skiers. It really isn't too hard to move down the hill without making contact.

 

[justplanesteve]

He's only using the back half of the skis.

That was what grabbed me first, now that i've seen the actual video.
It's almost like not understanding countersteering on a motorcycle.
If he had been forward, i think he could/would have instinctively reacted "instantly" & possibly shot behind the boarder, with more a brush or near- miss.

Decades ago, driving to work in heavy traffic one morning on I270 outside DC, a concrete block fell off a truck in the right lane beside me, and a motorcyclist behind it who had time enough to avert hit it dead straight on. Traffic was all moving fast and i was not able to see what the upshot was, hoped ever since he was ok. This is a typical outcome from a motorcyclist whose being assumes the MC "steers" in the direction you turn the bars, like a sled. "Steer" to avoid with you eye on the object, the MC stands up straight, and hits it head on. IOW "push right to turn right". If you pull right with the intention of instant right turning, and depending on balance and other inputs you will either continue straight with the MC unbalanced until something else happens, or it will flop and turn left.

I think the skier in the back seat was in the same predicament and that is why the inputs (if any) were ineffective or he was unable to instantly apply input.

 

[teejaywhy]

I feel like he had such good intentions on posting it...then someone had to go repost with less context and a big..."Who's at fault?" across the screen.

Yes, that seems to be the case here and the outcome is less than productive. Reminds me why I avoid the social media thing.

 

[crgildart]

#1 rule of skiing with a buddy is not to run into them. This is a paramount principle of hanging with friends.

Where's the fun in that?? That's what friends are for.. Hilarious collisions..

 

[Tony Storaro]

To those arguing this is a run within the resort-do you see any pads around the lift tower?
No? Well that’s because it is not a marked run. Such thing is completely unthinkable on marked runs.
Will post pics later in the season to show you.

 

[pais alto]

To those arguing this is a run within the resort-do you see any pads around the lift tower?
No? Well that’s because it is not a marked run. Such thing is completely unthinkable on marked runs.
Will post pics later in the season to show you.

“In Slovakia pads go on skiers.”