Mantas 3 Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Originally Posted By: Go Native That's because Australia is the ultimate nanny state and there's hardly a damned thing you can do without some law enforcing some safety measure or other. And you don't realize it until you step over seas and see how other countries operate. How about those nut cracker set ups in NZ. They look like death on a stick. No way could you set up one like that in Aus or run a lift with no lifty watching the loading or unloading. I'd love to know what the casualty rate is over there. Link to post Share on other sites
rsser 0 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 No drama with the nutcrackers. If you fall you let go and the clamp just falls off. The rope tows I used at Broken R in NZ certainly flew and you had to be nimble unloading from one. There's one still used on the Bogong High Plains at a non-commercial field. Link to post Share on other sites
Mantas 3 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Yeah, the nut cracker rips you up the hill pretty quick alright, not so easy on a board with the rope at your back. The one at Mt Lyford was the steepest surface lift I've ever been on. Link to post Share on other sites
tripler 0 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 I'd never heard of nut crackers before. Did a little read on the net, they look mad! Someone should set one up here at one of the resorts not opening this season. Seems like all you need is a tractor engine, rope and some pulleys. Do they generally not have supporting pillars (whatever they're called)? Otherwise the only difference from a button lift is the thing you hold on to is detachable? I grew up on French button lifts with a huge jerk at the first pull that wiped out the novices. Then people would fall off in front off you half way up so you'd have to ski round then without falling off yourself. And the T-bar ones had the added enjoyment of having to watch out for what the person you're sharing it with is up to. Did they ever have them in Japan? Link to post Share on other sites
thursday 1 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 An SJ Forums member was killed coming off this lift in Chile in 2008 Link to post Share on other sites
Jynxx 4 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 RE: pic there's always one of them ... is gonna take someone out Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 tripler you got me doing some research also... I have never seen a 'nutcracker' either. Here it is for those that also scratched their heads: While looking around I noticed this pic of a T-bar ... the orange gates/fences are meant to discourage people from bailing out prematurely and ripping up the t bar surface... but I couldn't help but wonder what the heck people are meant to do if they fall off?! Normally you would just scooch on over out of the way, right yourself and off you go, but here you would be forced to ride all the way back within the fences - doesn't sound like fun! Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 That looks steep! Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 They look like axes or whatever you call them there axe-like things that look like that. Serious vocabulary lacking today. Link to post Share on other sites
tripler 0 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Originally Posted By: thursday An SJ Forums member was killed coming off this lift in Chile in 2008 How was he killed? I remember crapping myself as a kid on a button lift in France as it went up next to a cliff. Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 It actually looks DOWNHILL (but it might be a trick of the camera)...in Poland - from Wiki. I was terrified of those T-bars, had been told how impossible they were for snowboarders to ride, and stacked it majorly the first two times - so I avoided any more contact like the plague. But a trip to Thredbo with a mate who is a skier in poor conditions saw us riding an area serviced by a T-bar all day two days straight. Didn't have a single problem - easy peasy... only trouble was no rest for the legs - chair lifts are GREAT for catching a break. add: sorry tripler - cross posted. Link to post Share on other sites
pie-eater 207 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Not a clever camera! Link to post Share on other sites
HelperElfMissy 42 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 I reckon this Vail skier should have put the safety bar down! What was he doing!!!!!??? Link to post Share on other sites
SantaCruz 0 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 I've done a rope pull and tbars before. Rope poll looks semi-similar to the nut-cracker but you just hold on to the rope. Of course it gives a good jerk when you grab on. And it shredded a pair of my gloves as well, lame. The one I've used was really short too, I don't think they're used for medium distances even. I did the tbars at whitsler, they're kind of tricky but not to bad. Just your leg gets tired since you have to stand the whole way when it's pulling you up hill. I did fall a few times, just gotta make sure to get out of the way if someone is behind you Link to post Share on other sites
samandfee 1 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Now any one with half a brain can see this persons day started off badly with ski pants too loose... Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 I will find and take photos this season. If we get any snow Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Originally Posted By: SantaCruz I've done a rope pull and tbars before. Rope poll looks semi-similar to the nut-cracker but you just hold on to the rope. Of course it gives a good jerk when you grab on. And it shredded a pair of my gloves as well, lame. The one I've used was really short too, I don't think they're used for medium distances even. When I was growing up, someone would occasionally set up a tractor or engine at the top of a small hill, and make a rope tow for us kids to use. Rope didn't go that fast, but was very heavy to try to hold up off the ground. But hey, it beat walking up. Quote: I did the tbars at whitsler, they're kind of tricky but not to bad. Just your leg gets tired since you have to stand the whole way when it's pulling you up hill. I did fall a few times, just gotta make sure to get out of the way if someone is behind you Local ski area had t-bars and Poma lifts on the bunny slope. Main problem was resisting the urge to sit down! (Because they just stretch out and you find yourself sitting on the ground, with someone else rapidly coming up behind you.) Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 I have been dragged halfway up the hill many a time on those Poma lifts!! I still don't have the hang of them, thankfully nowadays I don't have to worry because Japan doesn't use them. I also used to take a group of High School kids on Outdoor Education and in the winter we'd take em skiing to this farmer's field, we had an old Lawn Mowere engine (I think) and had a pulley system rigged up that would pull the kids up and down the hill, loadsa fun Link to post Share on other sites
midnightcharger2 0 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 my opinion on the matter, if your an adult and do not see the need for the safety bar then so be it, but if your with young kids, it should be recommended if not mandatory. If the decision is made not to use it and a fall happens then your at fault not the mountain. What gets me more about the hills here in Japan is the lack of board leashes. I think on average I see about 3-5 run-away boards every year. Usually these boards are waiting for the opt time to escape from the owner. It usually fairs much better solo then with the rider on it. Only downfall is that these offending boards have no conscience at all, and will take out anyone that stands in its path. Link to post Share on other sites
Tex 3 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 Originally Posted By: Mamabear I reckon this Vail skier should have put the safety bar down! What was he doing!!!!!??? Wasn't a safety bar issue the seat was not down and he fell through... Link to post Share on other sites
tripler 0 Posted December 12, 2009 Share Posted December 12, 2009 that's what happens if the liftie hates you, he flips up the seat as you're sitting down. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Originally Posted By: MIDNIGHTCHARGER2 my opinion on the matter, if your an adult and do not see the need for the safety bar then so be it, but if your with young kids, it should be recommended if not mandatory. If the decision is made not to use it and a fall happens then your at fault not the mountain. What gets me more about the hills here in Japan is the lack of board leashes. I think on average I see about 3-5 run-away boards every year. Usually these boards are waiting for the opt time to escape from the owner. It usually fairs much better solo then with the rider on it. Only downfall is that these offending boards have no conscience at all, and will take out anyone that stands in its path. There was a thread on this a year or so back. I don't use a leash, I used to but its not needed. The bindings are non-releasable so you are continually attached to the board, the only time you are not is when you step out of your bindings (obviously). Ths is obviously when the boards will run away, but only if you are a moron. Usually its newbies who let this happen and perhaps they should be made to wear leashes. as well as big pointed dunce caps! A runaway board is dangerous though. Do skiers wear leashes? Link to post Share on other sites
Metabo Oyaji 71 Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver Do skiers wear leashes? Used to, back in the day. They seem to have been replaced by spring-loaded brakes that automatically deploy when a boot is released from the binding. Those ski leashes were dangerous, actually -- don't really want a spinning ski tethered to you in a wipe-out. Link to post Share on other sites
tripler 0 Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 Originally Posted By: Tubby Beaver Do skiers wear leashes? Skis have a mechanism to stop them sliding when the boot's released. I agree with you, TB, that you've got to be clueless to let a board run away. Like try and put it on pointing downhill. Link to post Share on other sites
Tubby Beaver 209 Posted December 13, 2009 Share Posted December 13, 2009 yeah....or sit down on the hill and pull out your bindings cos your tired!! Such a newbie thing to do. I actually took a mate and his cousins (who were visiting) snowboarding last year, I spent the first hour or so with them giving them some basic tips then I went away and enjoyed myself, agreeing to meet for lunch. As I'm making my way up on the chairlift I see my mate's cousin sitting on the slope, she leans over and detaches herself from the board, resulting in the borad go whizzing down the slope. At lunch I asked her where the board was and she said she didn't know!! It ran away from her and she couldn't find it...I couldn't believe it, not only was she not bothered about the danger to other people but she didn't think she should go and find the HIRED board!! A little glaring from me and she soon trudged off to find it. Link to post Share on other sites
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