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OK, what's the generally accepted philosophy on collisions with other riders? The reason I say this is because I used to always crash or slide out to avoid a crash, and sometimes got hurt in the process, and rarely recieved any apologies for my trouble.

 

So, collisions are inevitable, that much we can agree on. This is my 26th day out this season and today I had a hard crash into a female novice skier that literally sent her flying, and this is my 2nd so far. Although I'm not injured physically, I feel guilty as hell, and it kind of bummed out my day. I don't really feel it was my fault, I said sorry about 5 times and a patrol guy was on the scene pretty fast. He looked pretty pissed off at me, as if it was entirely my fault. He started getting on my case, but I just got up and continued. If I am coming down pretty fast and see a group of people piddling around (boarders included, sitting on their asses in the middle of the run) I usually call out and it does the trick. But I have given up on crashing out for other people. Given the choice between injuring myself, or injuring another, I would rather injure another.

 

 

Anyway, it could be my local resort only that doesn't properly separate total beginners to beginners, to intermediate competancy all the way to hard core speedsters. Or at least properly inform people of the dangers/ precautions.

 

Thoughts?

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2 crashes in 26 days and neither were your fault????? .....Come on.

 

Ive been boarding for 15 years and I haven't had a crash with another skier/boarder, big or small for the last 12 years.

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If you google "right of way" and "ski area", you'll find endless variations of this:

 

People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.

 

Sounds pretty straightforward to me. If it's too crowded find another resort or pick another day.

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13 years ago I had a bad collision with 2 elderly skiers. I took them completely out. It was my fault . Luckily no-one was seriously hurt. I felt like a complete arse and it f@#cked with my head for a long time afterwards. (it didn't do much for the image of the new sport of snowboarding either)

Since that day I had a new approach and attitude to being on the mountain.

I still let loose every now and again, I'm just a lot more selective about where and when I 'let loose'. ie. If the run is crowded, or there are loads of slow novices around then perhaps it's not the best time to 'carve it up like a demon' I I don't believe I've sacrificed any of the fun component of my riding by adopting this philosophy . And that's what it's all about. Fun. No-one should get seriously hurt or worse doing a fun activity.

 

TTT go back through the scenarios of the collisions and imagine what might have happened if you were doing some slow controlled turns with cautious attitude and the eyes of a blowfly.

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 Quote:
Originally posted by Mantas:


TTT go back through the scenarios of the collisions and imagine what might have happened if you were doing some slow controlled turns with cautious attitude and the eyes of a blowfly.
As mantas pointed out, control is integral to avoiding collisions.

If you're in control it doesn't matter what anyone else does around you, because you will always be able to either stop or avoid them somehow, regardless of the conditions.

This may mean going slower in low visibility or crowded conditions.
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don't go so fast in a crowded area?

consider that collisions are NOT simply "inevitable" but rather a product of your own negligence?

stop being concerned about fault, and start being more concerned with consequences?

except that your are not the only person who has paid for a ticket and as such are not free to recklessly blaze a slope with total disregard for the welfare of others?

understand your heroic escapades fail to impress the people you nearly killed for one simple reason, YOU HAVE NEARLY KILLED SOMEONE!!!

learn to turn/stop?

if you can do these things with any semblance of proficiency, actively incorporate them into your daily ski regiment?

i believe these suggestions may help. be careful and try not to kill any one, even if it might be there fault.

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 Quote:
Originally posted by Kumapix:
read what Montoya wrote. reread it until you understand.
I understood it the first time. The truth is, it sometimes doesn't equate with real situations on a slope, unless you're telepathic. Fair enough people in front of you have 'right of way', but you don't reallly know what they're going to do. For example I might adjust direction two or three times to keep out of the 'too close to another person range' of another rider, only to have them do something completely unexpected again.

Both collisions happened on crowded runs, which I don't usually ride. If you check my pics then this is obvious. First was at Mondeus, at which I was hesitant to go to in the first place, but only went at a friends insistence because he had already bought cheap tickets. Second was at Hida Takayama which because of it's affiliation with JSA books huge amounts of groups of ski students, which usually stick to the lower intermediate run. I usually stay away from that run as well, BUT it has some great walls on the side and you need the speed from the top to hit those bottom walls fast enough.

Also, this is my first full season ever living in the snow, and I'm making the most of it.

Lessons learned for me...keep away from the crowds. Get a season ticket at Kawaii or Nagareha next year instead of HT.

Thanks for the advice..
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I just read this thread thinking it was a joke. People below you have the right of way. always. period. I'm shocked you don't get it and would even for a brief moment think that anyone below you is watching out for bombers coming from behind. Get a clue, dude. or quit riding... Nobody likes being around people who ride the way you describe.

People on this forum are being very polite- when in actuality they are only holding back out of some internet-mask-respect thing. Honestly, do you drive like this too, honking and yelling to get people to move, then not accepting responsibility when you hit them? If you crash into me on my skis, and I'm conscious afterwords, I'll straight up kick your asss.

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> I usually stay away from that run as well, BUT it has some great walls on the side and you need the speed from the top to hit those bottom walls fast enough.<

 

Too bad!! Go somewhere else dude! Your putting your own desire of fun over the safety of others.

 

Novices and experienced skiers will always mix. Mountains just aren't divided that way. Novices need a WIDE WIDE WIDE berth!

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I got nailed by a skiier that was tearing down the mountain. I was lucky I was wearing my helmet - but he injured me so badly that I was out of action for 3 days. After he crashed into me, you know what that prick said...."You asshole, why did you cut in front of me". Being on the other side of that crash has made me much more cautious - and unfortunately...i'm always looking over my shoulder up hill to see if some lunatic might pose a danger to me.

 

I've never crashed into anyone, and I have taken falls to avoid collisions - that's your responsibility as the uphill rider.

 

With 2 crashes in 1 season, perhaps you should change your handle to "The Takayama Tearrorist"?

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haha - this is funny. The people posting "get off the mountain" and other stupid shit like that are undoubtedly the first to call you an asshole if you cut them off. Internet anonymity is a great thing, huh?

 

Anyway, 26 days already?! Unreal. How the hell you manage to fit that in, alongside your job, your girlfriends and all the other shit you're doing out there is beyond me.

 

MT

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 Quote:
Originally posted by montoya:
If you google "right of way" and "ski area", you'll find endless variations of this:

People ahead of you have the right of way. It is your responsibility to avoid them.

Sounds pretty straightforward to me. If it's too crowded find another resort or pick another day.
I wish the Oyaji skier that crashed on me from behind today had heard your comments.

I was on Mitsumata family course making my way slowly back to the ropeway when suddenly an oyaji came straight on me from behind. My friend (on skis) that was behind me and was watching the entire scene said the guy was cruising out of control and didn’t even try to avoid me... For people that are not familiar with the area, that’s a complete beginners slope and not steeper than 15 deg at its steeper part.
I was able to keep my balance and didn’t crash and was waiting for him to stand up and apologize. He was just looking me as if he was actually waiting for me to apologize! mad.gif
I got really pissed and just shouted him that the guy that come from behind should be the one to watch were he is going and that I don’t have eyes on my back to see him and move away. As I was leaving he mumbled something and he was lucky enough that I didn’t hear what he said...
At least I got the pleasure of seen the F*** oyaji taking 2-3 full turns and loosing both skis and poles.
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 Quote:
Originally posted by tsondaboy:

I was on Mitsumata family course making my way slowly back to the ropeway when suddenly an oyaji came straight on me from behind. My friend (on skis) that was behind me and was watching the entire scene said the guy was cruising out of control and didn’t even try to avoid me... .
That's just sick. The reason I'm reluctant to get my kids into snow sports is for that exact reason. I'll wait till there bodies are big enough for them to absorb a major blow from some selfish f@#wit that thinks he's some kind of hero.
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Ive spent years on the snow and ive never once hit anyone. ive been hit by a few one a bit hard.

 

Basically the Japan rules are simple if you injure a person on the ski slope you must pay for their med bills. I hope that actually sinks in a bit more than I dont care its my first full season on snow.

 

MT what are you talking about look at our profiles and you can pretty mush find out who we are. This isnt a forum where we go trashing people and cant be tracked. You crash into someone then you are wrong and you have ruined their day, nice!

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I agree that the person coming down the slope has the responsibilty to aviod everyone else below them. I have hit a couple of people this season and also been hit myself. i guess it shows a general lack of skill really. If they were trees could have been nasty.

 

But when i have been hit, i havent rolled around in pain. In fact i dont even think it hurts at all. I reckon the only time it hurts is when you hit something solid - like a tree or when its totally icey which i havent seen this year.

 

I just think when you get hit you just have to get up and keep going. A friendly Dai jo bou desu ka does the trick too. I can think of plenty of sports that you get hit harder than a japanese man weighing all of 50kg (soaking wet) riding into you, even at warp speed. If you are lucky enough to get hit by a nice hottie, i think life could be worse.

 

The best advise i can give you is wear sun screen, or a helmet.

 

Cheers

 

Matt

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 Quote:
Originally posted by tday:
if you injure a person on the ski slope you must pay for their med bills.
It's important to check your insurance to make sure the amount is adequate at least.
Tell me about it. You also have to fork out for your own medical bills as well, plus loss of income due to days off. Last year I forked out over 300,000 yen in medical bills due to an accident, and I'm still paying it off.

20 years surfing, never had hit a person.

Never had a car crash. (Japan, or home)

Paragliding...never collided with anyone, but had one severe crash which left me limping for a few days, but's that's all.

Never hit anyone in my first two seasons of snowboarding, just two this one. Hope that is all.
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