3 replies to this topic

[Bill]

Quote

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) – A Coquitlam, Canada, man has sued the Mount Baker Ski Area, contending that negligent operation of a chairlift caused it to hit him in the back.

The Bellingham Herald says Paul Whitford filed his suit this past week in U.S. District Court in Seattle.

Whitford says he fell 20 feet and suffered unspecified injuries when the chair struck him on March 21, 2008.

Ski area manager Duncan Howat tells the newspaper that he doesn't remember the accident.

However, Howat does say the lift is slow. He also said that the snow depth at that time of year likely would mean a fall from the platform would be less than 20 feet.

[Bogong]

Oh that's just nuts. I would so like to tell that fool that skiing and all adventure sports are potentially dangerous... You pays your money and you takes your chances... and sometimes shit happens.

But no, in our litigious society if anything happens to a few clowns, rather than just accept that they either had rotten luck or maybe stuffed up themselves, they sue. Whether the idiot wins or loses, the costs of the case have to be borne by the resort and insurance charges will go up for all resorts. Thus everyone has to pay more.

I just hope that the day doesn't come when every person who buys a lift ticket has to personally sign a liability waiver. Perhaps it's time for politicians to tighten up the definition of negligence, so clowns like this fellow are more reluctant to go to court and harm the whole ski industry.

* Rant off.* ... I feel so much better now I have that off my chest!

[liftmech]

Bogong, you're right on. There are any number of reasons this chap could have misloaded, only one of which is operator negligence. I've seen too many over the years to blame the operator (and no, I'm not just defending the place because I used to work there).

[k2skier]

Could this be the husband of the woman that went past warning signs, and past a rope to have snow fall on her??? If you don't end up with any broken bones or torn ligaments, then shake yourself off, go "oops" and ride the beginner chair, lol. I still can't figure out how normal people become so stupid when trying to load a chair, especially a Riblet.