Okushiga snowboarder's petition

[muikabochi 208]

I snowboard too btw, when the mood fits.

 

Jynxx, what on earth are you going on about?!

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: muikabochi

Jynxx, what on earth are you going on about?!

Can of worms MB. You don't want to go there.

[muikabochi 208]

I think you are probably right!!

 

[Slippery Jim 65]

I like that there are skier-only hills; I'd also like it if there were boarder-only hills. In fact, I think that up to a certain level mandatory segregation would be a damn good idea.

 

Full Disclosure: I only ski, but I hit a lot of terrain with boarder friends and we have a great time together. And, the ONLY friend of mine who ever had equipment trashed in a collision is a boarder, who was knocked silly and had his brand new board wrecked by an out-of-control skier, while standing well to the side of a very wide run.

 

I'd think anyone who's out there with a bit of experience would agree that the biggest danger is the novice who's taken on terrain he/she isn't equipped to handle.

Add to that the fact that skiers & boarders can (and often do) move in very different ways, and particularly the inexperienced who have bitten off more than they can chew, and you have (IMHO) a recipe for disaster.

I can usually predict how a jong skier up ahead of me is going to move, but rarely have any idea with boarders -- makes them that much more difficult to avoid.

 

So at a certain level you have out-of-control idiots, half of them wielding sharp-pointed spears and the other half essentially blind on one side, who are barely capable of avoiding each other in the first place. Yes, I think it's a damn good idea to keep them well away from each other!

 

OK, that's my rant. You may now return to yelling at each other. (Oh, and you boarders can sit down all in a row in protest.)

[Go Native 70]

I pretty much only ski off-piste or backcountry so am not fussed one way or the other when it comes to boarders. I'll leave all the angst between the two for those who only ski on-piste

[SKI 15]

Snowboard-only resort?

Go for it, if it makes business sense.

 

Just like the snowboarders here, I might not be happy if I wanted to ski that particular area.... but that would just tough wouldn't it.

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: SKI

Just like the snowboarders here, I might not be happy if I wanted to ski that particular area.... but that would just tough wouldn't it.

You seem to have this idea from somewhere that snowboarders want to 'board in these places?

As Mamabear said on the first page, you seem to be over-reacting to comments from snowboarders a wee bit too much. And as Black mountain said too, there doesn't appear to be any outrage from snowboarders neither.

[SKI 15]

Not over-reacting at all. Sat here with a cup of coffee, just fine.

 

Quote:

You seem to have this idea from somewhere that snowboarders want to 'board in these places?

 

Jynxx wants to, he very clearly said so. Others certainly implied so.

 

I presume some snowboarders wanted to, otherwise this wouldn't be an issue would it?

 

If you don't want to, what exactly is the problem?

 

[gerard 6]

It's not too late to answer my poll Don't worry about the original. Go down to the 6th or 7th post and click where it says 'click here'. The results are really quite stunning so far.

 

 

But anyway, getting to the heart of the issue.... How long does it take before these safe, mature skiers at Okushiga track out the powder in the trees? Would they leave it all for ME?

[HelperElfMissy 42]

It does look like Jynxx wants to...he started the thread.

 

But the 'problem' is not a problem it is just a discussion.

 

Unless I was just riding with my boys I would not be able to go to a snowboard only resort anyway, as most of my ski buddies are an eclectic bunch.

But it doesn't stop the interest in the why's and benefits and motivations.

[NoFakie 45]

I don't go to Shiga Kogen but they ask people to pay the same for access to less terrain. Anyone who says "we are ski-only DAKARA anzen" is also spreading rumours about snowboarding and misinforming people about what safety means. I can understand people having a problem with that. Admittedly a trivial one compared to the Iraq War, bank bailouts, concrete on the riverbanks, etc. etc., but people get passionate about their hobbies. C'est la vie.

 

For myself though, I just like laughing at smallminded people. Which is what I'm doing here.

 

The biggest ever "snowboarders are dangerous" rant I ever heard was from that bloke whose wig fell off on live tv.

[muikabochi 208]

Originally Posted By: Mr Wiggles

For myself though, I just like laughing at smallminded people. Which is what I'm doing here.

Mr Wiggles, who exactly is being small minded here?

The resorts who decided to do skier-only?
The people who spread adverts about "snowboarders being dangerous"? Though actually I can't see anyone saying that here.

An honest question!

[NoFakie 45]

People who believe skier-only automatically in itself means safer are smallminded. Appeals to such beliefs lower the bar to what safety is. Safety is good course preparation, proper signage, fully-enforced go slow zones where needed, separation of vulnerable and overconfident, things like that. As Okushiga itself proved, an unacceptable level of collisions can happen at a skier-only resort.

 

The Japanese quote is from Katashina's website. I won't help them by linking to it. I just want to point out that at least one skier-only resort says what I accuse them of saying. Its not via some "people who spread adverts" or whatever.

[muikabochi 208]

OK, get it.

 

Though for some people, the small-minded ones perhaps, 'safety' also includes things like not mixing with snowboarders who are 'unpredictable' etc. Similar to what Slippery Jim said before.

 

Not my opinion, just I know people who think that.

[Slippery Jim 65]

Just to clarify (in light of Muika's post, which I'm not sure I understand): I have trouble predicting how newbie boarders are going to move as I make my way through a crowded area. I'd assume the reverse is also true, and that even very experienced boarders don't always find it easy to predict the movement of newbie skiers (at least that's what I hear from my boarding pals) or appreciate getting whacked in the face by a flailing skipole. No question of right/wrong, good/bad or perfect safety -- that's not happening anyway.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Id say that is a very accurate statement Slippery Jim.

 

I regularly ride with a friend who has been skiing for many years, she gave boarding a go and hated it, but her hubby and sons now board. We have had a few conversations about that very thing (what else do you do on the chair?) - the predictability of fellow mountain users.

 

Her opinion was that initially she found it difficult to predict because she assumed the boarder was going to ride like a skier, but after giving it a go herself and realizing the mechanics of boarding, and skiing regularly with boarders she finds boarders as predictable as skiers.

 

I have never skied, but I find both skiers and boarders as predictable as each other. But if you are aware enough you can even predict which ones are going to be the unpredictable ones - they are the ones I give a WIDE berth to, and call a side when I have to pass without leaving enough room for a semi to do a 3 point turn.

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: Slippery Jim

Just to clarify (in light of Muika's post, which I'm not sure I understand): I have trouble predicting how newbie boarders are going to move as I make my way through a crowded area. I'd assume the reverse is also true, and that even very experienced boarders don't always find it easy to predict the movement of newbie skiers (at least that's what I hear from my boarding pals) or appreciate getting whacked in the face by a flailing skipole. No question of right/wrong, good/bad or perfect safety -- that's not happening anyway.

Just do what I do, give everyone a wide berth and treat them as idiots.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

^ Unlike your Mini-Me ... I recall a certain video of him slipping through some slender gaps!

 

[was it your boy?...]

[muikabochi 208]

Sorry Jim, I wasn't very clear there. I wasn't calling you small-minded. In a way I was actually agreeing with you.

 

I just feel people are branding others as being 'small-minded' when what they mean to say is 'I just really disagree'.

If that's the case, it sounds a bit.... er, small minded to me.

 

Quote:

Just do what I do, give everyone a wide berth and treat them as idiots.

 

Not everyone wants to do that.

[Go Native 70]

Or don't ski on-piste with the masses of idiots. Just ski off-piste with far fewer idiots

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: Mamabear

^ Unlike your Mini-Me ... I recall a certain video of him slipping through some slender gaps!

[was it your boy?...]

mini-me?! he's 39 I'll have you know!

[RobBright 35]

Originally Posted By: muikabochi

Not everyone wants to do that.

No, you're right. Not everyone wants to. I don't like having to worry about other people skiing/snowboarding around me, but accidents happen, and the best thing is to be prepared for if they happen.

[NoFakie 45]

I'm happy to disagree with people, but persisting in believing something that isn't true = my definition of smallminded.

 

The skiers code says nothing about blaming people for being unpredictable. Its about being responsible yourself.

 

Being irresponsible in the trees is more my thing though.

[HelperElfMissy 42]

Originally Posted By: RobBright

Originally Posted By: Mamabear

^ Unlike your Mini-Me ... I recall a certain video of him slipping through some slender gaps!

[was it your boy?...]

mini-me?! he's 39 I'll have you know!

I need to drink now.

[RobBright 35]

And I am only 29.