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David

"Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati"
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You've been "sent into the trees" because you are not passing safely. Slow down, time the pass properly, give more room. For your safety and for the safety of those you are passing.
The last time it happened I slowed way down and gave them 10-15 feet on a 25 footwide trail. They made a hard left at just the wrong instant and I had to go somewhere or just pick them up in my arms. I chose the trees where I stopped and just waited.

From what I'm hearing I can just turn right at people and see what happens and not have to worry because it's not my fault as long as I'm at least a few inches in front? I have no responsibility at all? That's just stupid. I understand the code and always follow it but come on...at some point people need to be responsible for their own stupidity and recklessness regardless of the code.
 

markojp

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The last time it happened I slowed way down and gave them 10-15 feet on a 25 footwide trail. They made a hard left at just the wrong instant and I had to go somewhere or just pick them up in my arms. I chose the trees where I stopped and just waited.

From what I'm hearing I can just turn right at people and see what happens and not have to worry because it's not my fault as long as I'm at least a few inches in front? I have no responsibility at all? That's just stupid. I understand the code and always follow it but come on...at some point people need to be responsible for their own stupidity and recklessness regardless of the code.

FW little it's worth, I do in fact take a quick look over my shoulder if I'm going to to a big 'across' the hill turn. I certainly doesn't absolve the uphill skier of avoiding me, it's more to avoid injury and recovery time after being hit by folks like yourself who don't accept responsibility for skiing within their capacities. Tough love, but again, it's not negotiable, and again, why have so many of us who've skied for decades never had a problem with the code?
 

KingGrump

Most Interesting Man In The World
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at some point people need to be responsible for their own stupidity

:roflmao::roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:

Welcome to America.

I taught my son to drive long before he took the test prep (driving school) for the driver's test. One of my guidelines was no contact under any circumstances. Doesn't matter he had the right of way or not. No exceptions.
We are not talking about some usual pansy suburban driving. We are talking about NYC driving. Or as he call it "Close quarter combat."

Contact on the slopes are just not acceptable under any circumstances in my book.
 

slowrider

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It's not debatable.... yes. Always leave plenty of room when over taking someone. It ISN'T difficult, and yes, the overtaking skier might have to change their rhythm, line, or speed to do so safely. FWIW, while working on the hill, if I collide with another skier and it's my fault, it's a fireable offense. Every time this topic comes up on any ski forum, I scratch my head. The 'yeahbutt's' astound me. If you can't avoid a moving, downhill skier, you're simply out of control or skiing too fast for the conditions. Conditions include slope traffic and lengths of clear line of sight.
Your doing it wrong. ^
 

James

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From what I'm hearing I can just turn right at people and see what happens and not have to worry because it's not my fault as long as I'm at least a few inches in front? I have no responsibility at all? That's just stupid. I understand the code and always follow it but come on...at some point people need to be responsible for their own stupidity and recklessness regardless of the code.
To me, that's a misinterpretation of the code. It does not say "downhill", that's the old version. It says "ahead". So if you're along side and someone makes a sharp turn, you're ahead of them and they're responsible.
But this may be somewhat moot legally. It may be overshadowed by who had the ability to avoid the other. Don't know.

The upshot: Really, this is not difficult. Just avoid people. If you're that much better you can excercise some skill in avoidance and experience in prediction of what people will do. That includes concluding they're unpredictable. Either wait for them to get way ahead or figure something out.
If you insist on being right no matter what, the chances of the encounter ending badly go way up.
 
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PNWRod

Getting off the lift
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Shouting "ON YOUR LEFT" works for me on tight trails. You still have to anticipate that the skier you are overtaking is going to move left at least 50% of the time. :doh:
Just like driving a car you always have to anticipate that the dumba** driver next to you is at some point is going to try to cut you off even though there isn't anyone for miles behind you.
 

James

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Shouting "ON YOUR LEFT" works for me on tight trails.
Hmmm... I sometimes do that on the chairlift, get nothing, try again, get the blank "wha?" as they fumble for the earphones. I try to get them not to, they insist. When they ask me what I said, I say "Well, just 'On your left'". They reply, "Yeah, I know"
If your looking for ways to get an eye roll, that works.
 

David

"Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati"
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FW little it's worth, I do in fact take a quick look over my shoulder if I'm going to to a big 'across' the hill turn. I certainly doesn't absolve the uphill skier of avoiding me, it's more to avoid injury and recovery time after being hit by folks like yourself who don't accept responsibility for skiing within their capacities. Tough love, but again, it's not negotiable, and again, why have so many of us who've skied for decades never had a problem with the code?
I never said I don't take responsibility! I'm just saying the person downhill shouldn't be stupid & irresponsible either! Sheesh!
 

David

"Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati"
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:roflmao::roflmao::roflmao::roflmao:

Welcome to America.

I taught my son to drive long before he took the test prep (driving school) for the driver's test. One of my guidelines was no contact under any circumstances. Doesn't matter he had the right of way or not. No exceptions.
We are not talking about some usual pansy suburban driving. We are talking about NYC driving. Or as he call it "Close quarter combat."

Contact on the slopes are just not acceptable under any circumstances in my book.
Hazah!
 

François Pugh

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Overtaking someone on a narrow (25 foot wide) trail, when given your speed and their speed they could possibly make a sudden 3-g turn and collide with you as you overtake them is stupid and irresponsible and reckless, and you would be at fault for not following the code if that collision were to occur.
Just say'n.
 

CalG

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On the topic of "passing". I can never accept the notion than someone "behind" needs to pass anyone ahead.

Where does that entitlement come from? "I can ski faster than you!" Big deal. Slow down, follow at the other's pace. Wait until the other skier KNOWS you are there. Then pass safely.

It's not that hard.

Relax and enjoy, Go with the Flow.
 

markojp

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On the topic of "passing". I can never accept the notion than someone "behind" needs to pass anyone ahead.

Where does that entitlement come from? "I can ski faster than you!" Big deal. Slow down, follow at the other's pace. Wait until the other skier KNOWS you are there. Then pass safely.

It's not that hard.

Relax and enjoy, Go with the Flow.

But they're messing with MYYYY flow! :roflmao:
 

dbostedo

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I know this is a little old, just checking if you’ve made any progress in your education.
Nope... haven't really had a chance. I've still never skied an area where I think anyone would care what kind of tracks I left (i.e. I've never skied untracked powder for more than a couple of turns). So I just go where I want that looks interesting. Sometimes that means meandering...
 

dbostedo

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I never said I don't take responsibility! I'm just saying the person downhill shouldn't be stupid & irresponsible either! Sheesh!
Making turns where and when you want without regard for what's behind you isn't stupid or irresponsible.

That said, I get your point. It can be frustrating when you're the better skier, and if the skier in front would just give you a second to pass you could do it easily and safely. But I never expect them to do that. On narrow trails, I'd suggest that passing has to be very, very careful - plenty of space, like maybe most of the trail width, with then turning away from you as you quickly pass. And it still makes me nervous. I will pretty often just wait for the trail to clear on narrow runs rather than pass.
 

CalG

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Nope... haven't really had a chance. I've still never skied an area where I think anyone would care what kind of tracks I left (i.e. I've never skied untracked powder for more than a couple of turns). So I just go where I want that looks interesting. Sometimes that means meandering...

Somehow this makes me feel sad.

Fresh tracks are special. Leave lots of them for others to see ;-)
 

David

"Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati"
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Making turns where and when you want without regard for what's behind you isn't stupid or irresponsible.

That said, I get your point. It can be frustrating when you're the better skier, and if the skier in front would just give you a second to pass you could do it easily and safely. But I never expect them to do that. On narrow trails, I'd suggest that passing has to be very, very careful - plenty of space, like maybe most of the trail width, with then turning away from you as you quickly pass. And it still makes me nervous. I will pretty often just wait for the trail to clear on narrow runs rather than pass.
Yup! But it's not about being a better skier than someone else or them letting you pass. It's about anyone being iradic with their direction. I always do a head check before changing my overall direction because that's what I was taught as a kid. I didn't think that was too much to expect of others but I guess I'm wrong.
 

dbostedo

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Somehow this makes me feel sad.

Fresh tracks are special. Leave lots of them for others to see ;-)

Closest I've gotten was being second through some easy untracked trees at Taos last year. So mostly untracked, but as it was trees and I was being careful, line choice was more about not getting hurt than skiing the pow. Lots of fun though! Otherwise, I'd say I've gotten a fair amount of "lightly tracked" but soft snow, that I personally would consider powder skiing. E.g. the first Snowbasin day at the Gathering a couple of years ago, and some short shots at Big Sky at last year's.
 

dbostedo

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Yup! But it's not about being a better skier than someone else or them letting you pass. It's about anyone being iradic with their direction. I always do a head check before changing my overall direction because that's what I was taught as a kid. I didn't think that was too much to expect of others but I guess I'm wrong.
Honestly, I was never taught that, that I recall, except when starting out from a stop. I do try to be aware of what's going on behind me, and be aware if I'm doing anything erratic. But that's out of politeness and/or a trying to avoid getting mowed down (which has happened a couple of times), not because it's my responsibility. It's also maybe because I spent many years as a very lousy occasional skier who couldn't always make a turn where he wanted, and may have appeared erratic to others even though trying my best; I tend to assume others may be in the same boat.
 

David

"Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati"
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I do try to be aware of what's going on behind me, and be aware if I'm doing anything erratic. But that's out of politeness and/or a trying to avoid getting mowed down, not because it's my responsibility.

Exactly!
Thank you!
 

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