55 replies to this topic

[DonaldMReif]

Adding on, I had one ride up the Teacup Express lift at Vail last Sunday where I took singles and the group I was riding up with were particularly obnoxious while I was recording the ride. Doesn't help that they thought I was on drugs when my skis were slipping on the slush trying to move forward to the loading area. They kept trying to make conversation with me, and the whole time they were talking rather loudly when I really wanted to tell them "Would you just shut up, please!" Not helping it was when they started shouting to call out to their friends in the chair in front of them, or started hollering at a skier coming down the double-black chutes that you cross over on the upper part of the lift. I had to erase that tape since that ride went so badly.

That's why I just wish people would learn proper chairlift ediquette: don't try calling out to the guys in the chair in front of you or behind you or on the ground; wait until you are off the lift to have your conversation. And, if it looks like someone wants to be alone and is not answering your questions, don't harass them.

[2milehi]

DonaldMReif, on 28 February 2012 - 07:48 PM, said:

...I also like to get the bar up before the last tower prior to unloading. I panic if we're passing through the last tower and the other people in the chair have not yet taken their skis off the footrest to allow us to raise the bar...

Probably better to lift the comfort bar once you are in the terminal. You can get all skis/boards off the foot rest before that, but wait until you have had a smooth transistion into the terminal.

[boardski]

How about this one: A guy stands at the "wait here" board asking all sorts of questions about where the lift goes, what kind of trails are up there, whether or not there is good terrain for kids, whether or not the operator has a date for the evening (I'm actually kidding about the last one) all while a line approx 10 people deep is forming behind him and about 20 empty chairs pass. Happend yesterday at Wolf Creek on the Raven lift- how entitiled can people possibly get??!

[aeowner]

people who grab the chair in front of them and get pulled to the load area i swear it affects the spacing?

[boardski]

I'm just hoping people might practice by sitting on their couch from a standing position or begin running with their bicycles and then hopping on the saddle while the bike is moving or something to get these misloads under control for next Winter. It seems like a non-stop ride up any type of lift is a thing of the past. Very annoying and irritating.

Groups of 3,4, and 6 should practice sitting on the couch at the same time also without sitting on people's laps or crowding the guy on the end off the couch (lift) also.

[Keymech]

aeowner, on 17 April 2012 - 09:55 AM, said:

people who grab the chair in front of them and get pulled to the load area i swear it affects the spacing?

Not to mention the one's that push on the safety bar on the chair in front of them, and cause it to fall forward and hit those in the chair ahead on the head.

[jSkier]

Keymech, on 18 April 2012 - 03:07 AM, said:

Not to mention the one's that push on the safety bar on the chair in front of them, and cause it to fall forward and hit those in the chair ahead on the head.

I've never seen that happen before, but that would suck!

[DonaldMReif]

2milehi, on 17 March 2012 - 03:17 PM, said:

Probably better to lift the comfort bar once you are in the terminal. You can get all skis/boards off the foot rest before that, but wait until you have had a smooth transistion into the terminal.

True, but I get anxious. Especially on those high speed quads where you are slung off the lift when unloading - Crested Butte's high speed quads, Excelerator at Copper, Winter Park's high speed quads, most of the Poma high speed quads at Vail, etc.

[DonaldMReif]

mikest2, on 09 February 2011 - 07:00 AM, said:

People that are incapable of riding a Tbar with someone else. These terminal singles halve your uphill capacity, or double the length of the lift line wait.

I think they might have fear about the chance that the partner might not be someone who is their same weight, which could render their side of the stick off-balance.

[DonaldMReif]

boardski, on 17 April 2012 - 07:27 PM, said:

I'm just hoping people might practice by sitting on their couch from a standing position or begin running with their bicycles and then hopping on the saddle while the bike is moving or something to get these misloads under control for next Winter. It seems like a non-stop ride up any type of lift is a thing of the past. Very annoying and irritating.

Groups of 3,4, and 6 should practice sitting on the couch at the same time also without sitting on people's laps or crowding the guy on the end off the couch (lift) also.

I've sometimes felt like I will be crowded off the end of a chair if I am sitting on the very far outside or inside. I get this at the Falcon SuperChair if I'm on the very inside of a chair (leftmost seat), due to the design of the loading area, and the narrow unload ramp at the top. I also think I sometimes get this when I'm on the very inside on the Independence SuperChair (far right side since it's clockwise). Sometimes, the outside of the chair produces that feeling.

Also new to annoying behaviors: people who stop right below a ridge, at a spot where I need to make a turn, and at such a place where I'm not going to be able to see them from high up. Additionally, people who are unable to load the Peak 8 SuperConnect at the bottom. I've been in line and seen quite a fair share of misloads at that lift in the past eight years, though I've never been involved in one. I don't know if that might boil down to the simple fact that the chair comes around pretty fast and you also have to move pretty fast as you have like less than five seconds to scoot from the gate to the load yellow line. The stops are long due to the time it takes to get someone out of the pit past the load ramp.

Quote

1. misloading/unloading lift, especially those which serve intermediate level and above terrain.- This seems to have gotten worse over the past few seasons.
2. People who stop and wait at the "wait here" board for the remainder of their party- blocking others from using the lift
3. When people refuse to allow single riders/skiers to load the chair with them when there is a line of people waiting or those who insist on riding the chair with me when there is no line at all and do not announce their intentions. I also do not like it when people immediately lower the !@@#$% safety bar/ footrest but I have sort of given up that battle.
4. People who speed through beginner terrain and take the middle. This is highly annoying when I am instructing. I believe that skiing/ riding terrain within one's ability not only means not using terrain too difficult but staying clear of easier terrain once one has progressed in their ability and allowing beginners the room they need to learn their skills.

1. I have to say that there are cases where misunloads can be expected on some of these experts only lifts. I've seen at least two on the Falcon SuperChair (which serves blacks and double blacks only), because that's a slingshot unload and the ramp is kind of narrow.

2. This is probably less of a problem on less crowded days when there are significantly fewer people on the lifts.

3. "Those who insist on riding the chair with me when there is no line at all and do not announce their intentions." I've sometimes been at a few chairlifts where there's no line, and I'm scooting up to the load line when some other single decides to slip in and join me. I feel somewhat uncomfortable because I wish these people could just wait for the next chair, which would not delay anyone at all. I think this has happened to me at several Breckenridge chairlifts, including the Mercury SuperChair and Rocky Mountain SuperChair. Inevitable, though at the Colorado SuperChair. I think I've even had a few of these incidents at Keystone.

4. Speeders. I speed, but I stay out of Slow Zones, and I actually slow down in those zones. Still, I stay clear of Bonanza, Springmeier, and runs like that. I do detest speeders in funnel runs, like Mozart.

This post has been edited by DonaldMReif: 03 February 2013 - 05:51 PM

[boardski]

As another season winds down, I have noticed annoying skier and rider behavior tends to be two types of behaviors, I'm going to call them behaviors instead of groups of people since some annoying behavior is engaged in unintentionally, other behavior, well, sure looks intentional:

F-You Behaviors:
People engaging in these behaviors use excessive foul language and have no problem having a total potty mouth in front of complete strangers children, often they ski or ride fast and close to others, often intentionally and often cut lines at the bottom of lifts. If someone tries to alternate in the line in front of someone displaying this type of behavior, they will be addressed by being called some obscenity. Many smoke pot on the way up the lift.

Entitlement Behaviors:
People engaging in these behaviors expect to be waited on hand-and-foot and want everything done for them, they frequently misload chailifts or ask for stops or slow downs on lifts which serve advanced difficulty terrain. Many ski or ride terrain way beyond their ability and if they get in over their head, they demand the ski area grooms the bumps off of the runs. These types of people will wait at the "wait here" board and block the lift loading area while they wait for the rest of their parties or anywhere else in the lift line corrals which is in everyone's way or engage in any other type of behavior which is inconsiderate and somewhat on the narcassistic side.


Yet we still go, something about sliding down the hill. I often wonder about the skiing pioneers such as Carl Howelsen or others, I think they would be amused to know how the sport has evolved to where fine dining, high-speed lifts, and exotic real-estate are often priorities. A long way from PB&J, long boards with leather straps and rope tows.

Still good, clean fun almost all the time.

This post has been edited by boardski: 30 March 2013 - 08:04 AM

[DonaldMReif]

boardski, on 30 March 2013 - 07:58 AM, said:

Entitlement Behaviors:
People engaging in these behaviors expect to be waited on hand-and-foot and want everything done for them, they frequently misload chailifts or ask for stops or slow downs on lifts which serve advanced difficulty terrain. Many ski or ride terrain way beyond their ability and if they get in over their head, they demand the ski area grooms the bumps off of the runs. These types of people will wait at the "wait here" board and block the lift loading area while they wait for the rest of their parties or anywhere else in the lift line corrals which is in everyone's way or engage in any other type of behavior which is inconsiderate and somewhat on the narcassistic side.

The Ruby Express at Keystone should count as one of those lifts. It cannot be accessed from beginner terrain, and yet it still has a lot of stops for misloads from my experience. And I had a lot of slows when I went on Wayback.

And in inconsiderate behaviors - I count calling out to your friends on the runs from the lifts at the top of your lungs incredibly rude. Lift rides should, with the exception of small talk, be for the most part like an elevator ride.

[boardski]

And have you noticed usually the people who are loud and obnoxious on the way up the chair cannot sit still either. I remember years ago on the old Summit Express quad at the Jane riding up with three giggly girls-- I could not get to the top fast enough.

[skierdude9450]

DonaldMReif, on 30 March 2013 - 09:58 AM, said:

And in inconsiderate behaviors - I count calling out to your friends on the runs from the lifts at the top of your lungs incredibly rude. Lift rides should, with the exception of small talk, be for the most part like an elevator ride.

I don't quite understand where this xenophobia comes from. There's no mutually agreed upon code of conduct, and if someone wants to yell to their friend as if to say, "Meet me at the bottom of this lift!" they are most certainly entitled to do so. When you board a lift with a group of strangers, you never know what you're going to get, but I find it's usually easier to make conversation with them than to try and isolate yourself.

[DonaldMReif]

skierdude9450, on 31 March 2013 - 11:07 AM, said:

I don't quite understand where this xenophobia comes from. There's no mutually agreed upon code of conduct, and if someone wants to yell to their friend as if to say, "Meet me at the bottom of this lift!" they are most certainly entitled to do so. When you board a lift with a group of strangers, you never know what you're going to get, but I find it's usually easier to make conversation with them than to try and isolate yourself.

I'm just saying that the best way to act is act considerate and mindful of your surroundings.

[liftmech]

boardski, on 30 March 2013 - 07:58 AM, said:

Yet we still go, something about sliding down the hill. I often wonder about the skiing pioneers such as Carl Howelsen or others, I think they would be amused to know how the sport has evolved to where fine dining, high-speed lifts, and exotic real-estate are often priorities. A long way from PB&J, long boards with leather straps and rope tows.

Still good, clean fun almost all the time.

With that, I'm closing the thread before it escalates. Well-said, Boardski.