On slow patrol, yellow jackets, and general BS

[chimpansteeze]

Building off a earlier thread on passes, the mountains have been really stepping up their bullshit game over the last several seasons, and anybody with two eyes and an intact long term memory has noticed.

The weird thing about resorts going overboard with all the signage and slow patrol and shit is how infrequent lawsuits against them succeed. People sue other people with at least relative success, but the courts (at least in CO) always side with the resort, in many cases citing the skier act of '79. Also, total skier visits to resorts hasn't significantly increased in something like 10 years, and because of this they charge more for everything, thus the rich asshole/gaper populations on the hill have skyrocketed.

Vail has been an industry leader on this front for a while but as other resorts seek to imitate their success they also implement the bullshit

 

[eddos]

think its worse in the US, slowly creeping into European resorts but not as bad as what your saying

 

[ahshit]

heading back from blue sky basin at vail last spring, me and a few buds jumped a slow sign and beelined to the base, their were yellow jackets waiting at the base for us

 

[Walreese]

heading back from blue sky basin at vail last spring, me and a few buds jumped a slow sign and beelined to the base, their were yellow jackets waiting at the base for us

"There"

 

[theabortionator]

People sue other people with at least relative success, but the courts (at least in CO) always side with the resort

The Salvini case from last decade shook things up a bit. At least in the park world.

If my brain starts working I could pull up some random cases from normal operations, chairlift incidents etc.

As far as the safety patrol. Don't ski fast in slow zones or crowded trails. Don't come bombing into the lift maze at high speed. Don't do anything retarded right next to them. That pretty much alleviates most peoples problems.

Lawsuits are always a fear for ski areas. Even beyond that, keeping guests safe in general. If not they would just open all the terrain up and put signs up that say "good luck!"

Also, keeping things in a manner to help you not get sued is a good way to no get sued, or a better chance to win at least.

Also insurance for ski areas is $$$$$$$$$$. Even with proper signage, rope lines, lift ticket waiver, etc people can still sue and win. That's the world we live in.

 

[ahshit]

"There"

dont correct my grammar

 

[chimpansteeze]

That's the world we live in.

I totally understand the motivations resorts have to try and keep people safe, I work on a resort year round and yes of course nobody wants to see anybody hurt unnecessarily. My problem lies more in the implementation, and excessive implementation, of methods that don't really do anything to tangibly improve safety. Its the bean counters in denver or wheverver that hand down these policies without any real knowledge on how day to day, boots on the ground operations work.

Most of the stuff they're pulling is just putting on appearances for blue square tourists and attorneys, not for people who give a shit about skiing

I'm also not saying I alone have a solution for this, the entire industry has been trending this way for a long time.

 

[SendyMcSendyface]

#makeskiinggreatagain

 

[egg.]

literally got a "speeding" ticket at keystone the other day for the most outrageous reason in the world

 

[itzki]

literally got a "speeding" ticket at keystone the other day for the most outrageous reason in the world

you had that on your snap story right? also yellow jackets fucking suck

 

[Lonely]

I'm. In my experience some are cool, and some are on the power trip. In my experience it's just like cops. If you're just polite and don't act like a complete idiot you can get away with a lot. At least in my fairly limited experience.

 

[chimpansteeze]

literally got a "speeding" ticket at keystone the other day for the most outrageous reason in the world

Case in fuckin point! Its insane to be handing out speeding tickets in and of itself, but what basis are they handing these out on? Some first season guy hired off the street with no actual credentials guessing my speed?

 

[WoFIowz]

literally got a "speeding" ticket at keystone the other day for the most outrageous reason in the world

Hahaha that's crazy. Wtf is a speeding ticket!?

.... Can you post a picture of it here to see?

 

[Julius_Steezer]

literally got a "speeding" ticket at keystone the other day for the most outrageous reason in the world

Story?

 

[tommyk141]

I got a speeding ticket at Vail a couple years back

 

[snowfinder]

I got a speeding ticket at Vail a couple years back

Did you have to pay a fine or something? How does it work ?

 

[SofaKingSick]

literally got a "speeding" ticket at keystone the other day for the most outrageous reason in the world

you won't believe the reason for this ticket! click through to find out!

 

[SofaKingSick]

I'm. In my experience some are cool, and some are on the power trip. In my experience it's just like cops. If you're just polite and don't act like a complete idiot you can get away with a lot. At least in my fairly limited experience.

exactly, ive been "pulled over" twice and both times talked my way out of it. it's exactly like with cops, be respectful and try to make the guy realize you meant no harm and youre not an issue. im sure there are some dicks on power trips out there but most people arent assholes, most of them are just doing their job

 

[tommyk141]

Did you have to pay a fine or something? How does it work ?

I cant remember but I think they charged me on whatever debit card was linked to my pass

 

[TheSmokinL]

In the areas they congregate (like trail turns etc) the snow always gets pushed out and icey from people hitting the brakes to avoid being yelled at. By mid day my skis hate it.

 

[tommyk141]

Don't say shit that isn't true. The ticket is a warning not a fee

Sorry dad im not perfect.

 

[tri_photo]

Even beyond that, keeping guests safe in general. If not they would just open all the terrain up and put signs up that say "good luck!"

I feel like this could be entertaining

 

[OregonDead]

I guess different places have different vibes. I'm sure I'm not the only one that remembers those clips from Alta I think where guys are hitting a booter while ski patrol looks on and smiles.

A couple of days ago it was really low tide at my mountain and ski patrol was all smiles watching a couple of guys flip off of big rocks right on the main run. Guys were scoping the landing and following the skiers code so no problemo. Probably lots of places that will still let you play at your own risk as long as you aren't endangering other guests.

 

[RousedWits]

I think Going "too" fast all depends on context... Bombin hills when the lanes between people are wide open shouldnt be an issue.... Weaving through crowds at high speeds like they are slalom gates is.... For example when I was an instructor, racer kids would regularly shoot down the hill just a few feet away from me and my lesson group and scare the hell out of them... Not cool. But if you have space, I dont think that high speed skiing should be a problem

 

[Getshifty]

Out here in Oregon at least mt bachelor I’ve done mock 3 past patrollers and had them say nothing. Only time I was talked to was straight lineing thro a beginner area which was dumb af

 

[WoFIowz]

Never been yelled at for going too fast, but I feel like they should do a better job of patrolling the beginners who are being unsafe and maybe put up better signage in trouble areas (e.g. Scrubs below, be aware). Too many times have I seen massive groups of beginners stopped or moving very slowly at the intersections or ends of blue trails or around ice covered corners or right over the lip of a hill. Yeah I know it would be my fault if we collided, but these places can get hairy sometimes. Whenever I stop on a trail, I make sure it is in full view of people above, and always off to the side.

 

[mattybaums]

Patrollers telling you to slow down and shit can be annoying but nothing pisses me off more at my local hill than when us chilled out relaxed park dudes get in trouble for doing inverts but as soon as some jerry on rentals skis right past the sign saying "no rentals in the park" and side steps up the ramp only to turn around and pizza back down it then to launch off the side of a rail lip we get in trouble for suggesting the ski patrol enforce ALL the rules in the park, not just the ones that prevent us from having fun.

 

[EscapeTheGape]

Who wants to start a rebellion where we all wear yellow jackets and three-hole masks and fuck with yellow jackets at Vail and Stowe?

 

[WoFIowz]

Who wants to start a rebellion where we all wear yellow jackets and three-hole masks and fuck with yellow jackets at Vail and Stowe?

That would be great hahaha. Just a few hundred people show up in yellow jackets one day

 

[EscapeTheGape]

That would be great hahaha. Just a few hundred people show up in yellow jackets one day

This has to be a thing. Just ski REALLY fast right by them with like 50 other people. Just fuck with them for a whole week.

 

[chimpansteeze]

Important to know theres a HUGE distinction between ski patrol and slow patrol, especially at large resorts. Patrollers don't give a shit about people having fun unless someone calls in and complains, and even if that happens they're more than likely to let you off with little more than a warning.

 

[Nikolaus]

heading back from blue sky basin at vail last spring, me and a few buds jumped a slow sign and beelined to the base, their were yellow jackets waiting at the base for us

As there should be. I am a patroller and those signs are expensive and easy as fuck to rip, especially when someone jumps it. If you wanna jump things, go to the park or find a natural feature. Most patrollers don't like policing the mountain, but it's part of our job and I can see why. It's jackasses like you who make our job difficult.

 

[WoFIowz]

As there should be. I am a patroller and those signs are expensive and easy as fuck to rip, especially when someone jumps it. If you wanna jump things, go to the park or find a natural feature. Most patrollers don't like policing the mountain, but it's part of our job and I can see why. It's jackasses like you who make our job difficult.

Agreed that is something you can expect to get in trouble for..... BUT are they REALLY that expensive?

 

[Andbrer]

Is this some American thing? only time I've ever seen or known of a "ski patrol" is when someone bins it and needs towed off the mountain.

Not giving out speeding tickets lol

 

[WoFIowz]

Yikes! You only see them when someone gets hurt?!? I see them all the time riding the lifts up and skiing down

 

[Andbrer]

Yikes! You only see them when someone gets hurt?!? I see them all the time riding the lifts up and skiing down

Only time I've ever seen them in Europe has been when someone has ruined themselves or at the medical stations. Other than that it's just the resort workers on the lifts. Never seen them lurking around looking to moan at folk

 

[WoFIowz]

Honestly ski patrol is usually really chill. It's what some resorts have called safety patrol (or a version of that name) who can be douchebags at times

 

[hemlockjibber8]

move to a resort with real mountains and you will find a different scene and realize your patrollers are just board. Kicking Horse patrol doesn't crack down on shit because they are too busy blowing stuff up and keeping people alive.

 

[Dddsz]

I got a warning on my pass day 2 at Jackson for speeding and jumping..... Under the Thunder chair... one of the more advanced parts of the mountain where everybody "speeds" and jumps. I guess anybody whose style stands out is getting their pass pulled nowadays.

 

[BrawnTrends]

think its worse in the US, slowly creeping into European resorts but not as bad as what your saying

Where in Europe? The only time people are getting yelled at over here is when they don't put the chairlift bar down.

 

[SofaKingSick]

Is this some American thing? only time I've ever seen or known of a "ski patrol" is when someone bins it and needs towed off the mountain.

Not giving out speeding tickets lol

theyre not all over the place hiding in bushes waiting for speeders or something, it's just something a small number of mountains have in certain congested beginner areas so they dont have little kids and their families complaining about people buzzing them and making them feel unsafe

 

[Nikolaus]

Agreed that is something you can expect to get in trouble for..... BUT are they REALLY that expensive?

Relatively speaking, yes. They're more than you'd think they'd be.

 

[EscapeTheGape]

As there should be. I am a patroller and those signs are expensive and easy as fuck to rip, especially when someone jumps it. If you wanna jump things, go to the park or find a natural feature. Most patrollers don't like policing the mountain, but it's part of our job and I can see why. It's jackasses like you who make our job difficult.

Hey sweetheart could you get a clue? I just found them for $30 online.