38 replies to this topic

[Creek Boy]

 Quote:

Originally posted by RayInJapan:
The bottom line is that folks need to understand the blind spots of both boarders and skiers, they need to ski/board in control, and finally - remember that its the uphill person's responsibility to avoid the downhill person even if they have to slow down to do it...

Agree 100% and thats just what peeps, in general, DONT DO. If Im on the groomers I spend 90% of my energy watchin everybody else around me just cuz I know they aint lookin.

[SKI]

The patrol seem to get bashed by some people for simply existing.

I'm not sure how some people know exactly what the patrol do all day (perhaps they are watching them all the time?)

I'm all for the patrol stopping people from doing things that they shouldn't be doing. Isn't that how many accidents happen anyway?

I just think it would help if people actually knew exactly what the patrol was doing before bashing them.

[SubZero]

Not meaning to start a snowboarder vs skier thing here ... but I reckon the problem is due to the fact that snowboarding is quicker to pick up than skiing - awareness/practice of 'mountain etiquette' only really comes with time.

Therefore, many Boarders don't pick up the etiquette thing until much later, by which time all the damage has been done and bad habits linger.

(Disclaimer: obviously the message doesn't sink-in with some skiier too! )

[me jane]

The patrol at GALA was pretty useless last year when my boyfriend broke his arm (one bone slid up over the other one). They took ages to get to him and when they did arrive they didn't seem to know the first thing about first aid - trying to take his backpack off by pulling it over his shoulder rather than releasing the strap, producing a sam splint but just kind of balancing it across his chest with a loose trig bandage. After a few minutes I couldn't watch any more and helped out (read "took over"). They stretchered him down and when we got into the first aid room they didn't even give him a chair. He was standing in the room with one J-girl pulling at his glove trying to get it off his swollen wrist while another J-girl tried to get him to fill in an accident report and draw an x on the map of where he had fallen. Eventually J girl no 1 decided to hack at the glove with a blunt pair of scissors and J-girl no 2 realised that I would be just as capable of drawing the x on the map. We took a taxi to the hospital which despite looking like a scene from a the Rocky Horror Picture Show with beds with leather wrist & ankle straps in the corner of the waiting room, turned out to be fantastic. The doctor obviously realigned several bones a day and the whole process was relatively painless (although everyone in the waiting room was pretty freaked out by the scream that came from behind the curtain when the Doctor pulled his bones back into position). Word of warning though - always take your insurance card with you and plenty of cash. They didn't take credit cards and as he didn't have his insurance card we had to find 80,000 yen to pay for it all - ended up having another friend take a taxi to a cashpoint.
To be fair though, I had another friend fracture his wrist at Nanae in Hokkaido. As it was New Year the hospitals were "closed" but the ski patrol did an amazing job of wrapping him up. I guess it varies from resort to resort. Anyone else have any good or bad experiences?

Toque, skiboarders don't have any blind spots!

[Shimba]

i agree that patrol vary from resort to resort...

 Quote:

I'm all for the patrol stopping people from doing things that they shouldn't be doing. Isn't that how many accidents happen anyway?

absolutely, although there is a difference between stopping people from doing what they shouldn't be doing, and stopping people from excercising their own common sense to make decisions for themselves. saying you can't go anywhere that is "off the course" is a little extreme... and what i mean by that is a friend of mine was skiing with his son on the 5m of powder left ungroomed ON EITHER SIDE OF THE TRAIL deliberately so people can have some on course powder... but to be told "dame!" by patrol... a little strange... but like i said before, it's case by case. as far as experiences with patrol and their response to accidents, i've seen a few. one where a friend broke both legs, and another where a friend broke one leg... but if captain A is out there, it's his story to tell... but i have to say, we weren't impressed by their first aid skills... on the other hand, same resort.. the patrol came to drag my carcass from the table and were really nice and pretty good back in the first aid room... so like i said, i suppose you can't generalise

[sakebomb]

Does something like this exist here in Japan?
This is the Australia version, most of this is commonsense! (a mystery here).

Skier/Snowboarder
Safety Responsibility Code

Snowsports can be enjoyed in many ways. At ski areas you may see people using alpine, snowboard, telemark, cross-country or other specialised ski equipment, such as that used by disabled or other skiers. Regardless of how you decide to enjoy the slopes, always show courtesy to others and be aware that there are elements of risk in skiing that common sense and personal awareness can help reduce. Observe the code listed below and share with other skiers the responsibility for a great experience.

1. Always stay in control, and be able to stop or avoid other people or objects.

2. People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.

3. You must not stop where you obstruct a trail, or are not visible from above.

4. Whenever starting downhill or merging into a trail, look uphill and yield to others.

5. Always use devices to help prevent runaway equipment.

6. Observe all posted signs and warnings. Keep off closed trails and out of closed areas.

7. Prior to using any lift, you must have the knowledge and ability to load, ride and unload safely.


Skiers and Snowboarders found skiing/boarding out of control and/or behaving recklessly will have their tickets confiscated.
KNOW THE CODE. IT'S YOUR RESPONSIBILITY.

 Quote:

I spend 90% of my energy watchin everybody else around me just cuz I know they aint lookin.

Know this feeling!
I also notice that gondalas give great acsess to the mountain for everyone- even first timers (read: no experiance necessary)
Everyone has to start somewhere but somewhere safe! Eg I saw 3 young kids no older than 10, unstrapped from there boards (no board leash- not necessary in Japan?) slowing sliding on their butts down a steep section which is a blind spot from above! Responsible parenting...! Luckily I stopped on the side to wait for a mate and warn him. Scary. I see boarders inparticular flying down this course with little regard for other people. Made me cring!
PS I am a boarder, no bias here!

[Creek Boy]

Think this forum is missing one important thing: *generally speaking* Japanese people, and anybody else for that matter, dont have much common sense, and while that list you gave is great, nobody in this country would actually understand it or think about it. JMHO

[kjj]

the most dangerous thing i see in japan is parents carrying their small children whilst skiing...

...fair enough they may be good skiiers, but they cant account for everyone around them. what happens if they go down? so does the poor kid!

[Creek Boy]

Ive seen the same thing - WTF are the parents thinking?? Carrying a small child/infant while skiing? The woman I saw doing it was a punter on short skis going down a moguled course at Shiga

That just shouldnt be allowed.

[SerreChe]

Saw a guy on a snowboard doing it as well at Tsugaike... Their egoes before their child's safety. Sad but not surprising. Until there are some accidents and resorts forbid it...

[simop]

I think that possibility to get some broken bones is thing that attracts people to slopes (at least for me its one reason). Taking risks is one fun in life..

[SerreChe]

Interesting perspective simop. Personally the perspective of breaking some bones (risk in other words) is not what attracts me to the slopes. Risk is an inherent by-product of being on the slopes / in powder. What attracts me to skiing / boarding are the sensations I get from it.

[funkychaz]

Not what attracts me either. Speed but preventing the possibility of broken bones is what gets me.

[Creek Boy]

serreche, also being with my mates... I could ski in pow all day long solo, but it wouldnt be as much fun as banter with your mates.

[simop]

Maybe my "perversion" have something to do with that I have never broke single bone my body in my life

[IIIII]

But you want to, right?

[Svetik]

Was boarding this evening with one British mate on the slope and night skiing was so much fun until he fell down and hurt his shoulder quite seriously, just now called his girlfriend and at hospital they said he broke his clavicle..so, there is not so much fun breaking your body parts.

[quattro]

I know when I learned to ski back in the dark ages, saftey was always stressed. I just dont think it is any more. Then again I have not taken a lesson in a while. Things like not skiing fast into a controlled area like around lifts or where major trails merge or giving a heads up to a slower skier as to the side your going to pass him on.

[number9]

Has anyone taken Japanese ski/board lessons to see what they actually teach? (Though I'm sure it varies somewhat from school to school.)