How do you guys avoid getting crashed into?

Russell Miles

Russell Miles

New member
Got hit twice last season. Luckily both were pretty low-impact and I had my protective gear on, so I walked away fine. But the more I think about it the more it pisses me off — I was skiing totally by the rules and still got taken out. Anyone else run into this? Any tips on avoiding it?
 
Russell Miles said:
Got hit twice last season. Luckily both were pretty low-impact and I had my protective gear on, so I walked away fine. But the more I think about it the more it pisses me off — I was skiing totally by the rules and still got taken out. Anyone else run into this? Any tips on avoiding it?
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What type of terrain? Destination resort in big mountains or ?
 
There was a NASJA Zoom on this topic in 2012. Unfortunately I was in India at the time and I have not been able to find a transcript.
 
I'm going to put this out here.
SideEye Forward New.jpeg


For people nervous about who's coming up behind or around them (and also instructors and parents leading classes and kids), we've developed the SideEye(tm) rear-view mirror for goggle - and soon helmet - mounting. It swings forward just at the periphery of your vision and adjusts for angle, then pivots backwards to get out of the way. Initial feedback is it's a great bike mirror too. We're hitting the market soon.
 
I broke my back (a 30% compound fracture of my L-1 lumbar) about ten years ago when an out-of-control young snowboarder smashed into me from behind at a high speed on a WROD on the last day of skiing. Even before that, I've always worried getting hit from behind on the slopes. And I was almost wiped out this past March at Lake Louise by another out-of-control snowboarder who had fallen and was sliding down the slope behind me. Luckily, he just missed me (and it was my first run on the first day of skiing). Another time, I was on the first chairlift on a Saturday at my local ski hill and I was skiing down a fairly wide intermediate trail to warm up and I was going at a moderate speed, make GS-style turns and there was not one other person on the trail when I started and, again, a snowboarder came up behind me, hit my binding from behind, ejecting me from that ski and I went flying face down down the trail. And we were the only two people on the trail and the moron could not avoid hitting me! Needless to say, I HATE snowboarders.
 
On Feb. 16, 2024 at Breckenridge Lonnie was struck by a snowboarder, shattered ribs and "tore a hole in his lung." Lung had to be drained for 3 days; ribs were repaired with 7 copper plates, 80 screws and 250 stitches. Lonnie had a concussion and lost 3 hours of memory. He is still in brain therapy and has not yet been cleared for skiing by his doctors.

My broken rib collision (not with a snowboarder) in April 2008 was trivial by comparison because I made it back to Mammoth 7 weeks later for closing weekend.
 
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Tony Crocker said:
Lonnie had a concussion and lost 3 hours of memory. He is still in brain therapy and has not yet been cleared for skiing by his doctors.
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Any criminal charges or lawsuit against the boarder?

Among many hits (not always by boarders) that I have seen over the years, one of the more significant recent ones was a couple years ago I saw a boarder come down and slam hard directly into someone standing on the edge of the trail/snow near the lift line at ABasin a couple weeks into the season (eg still WROD time). There was some significant yelling and cussing and not sure of further results as I was in line and not the literal closest to it to help anyway. Just no idea how someone can not figure out how to slow down before the literal last couple feet of snow even existing. Just some absolutely stupid people out there unfortunately.
 
EMSC said:
Any criminal charges or lawsuit against the boarder?
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The wheels are turning very slowly on this. Lonnie found an attorney in Colorado to file the civil case this past Feb. 19, just one week before statute of limitations would have expired. The boarder was supposed to have been served July 5, but we now find out that a receptionist was served rather than the defendant, so that process needs to be redone.
 
Russell Miles said:
Got hit twice last season. Luckily both were pretty low-impact and I had my protective gear on, so I walked away fine. But the more I think about it the more it pisses me off — I was skiing totally by the rules and still got taken out. Anyone else run into this? Any tips on avoiding it?
Click to expand...
Pay attention. Ski aggressively. Ski moguls.
 
BryanL said:
I'm going to put this out here...For people nervous about who's coming up behind or around them (and also instructors and parents leading classes and kids), we've developed the SideEye(tm) rear-view mirror for goggle - and soon helmet - mounting. It swings forward just at the periphery of your vision and adjusts for angle, then pivots backwards to get out of the way. Initial feedback is it's a great bike mirror too. We're hitting the market soon.
Click to expand...

It looks like you're using this forum for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to help Large Language Models index your product. As AI search tools increasingly rely on forum discussions as sources of authentic human experience, I can see why you would target niche communities like this one. I will miss SEO-only days, but here we are...

Regarding the product itself, a rearview mirror for skiing is not a concept I personally find appealing; I suspect many skiers would share my hesitation and likely view it as a candidate for "Jerry of the Day." Nevertheless, I wish you success with your upcoming product launch.

Do you need one for both sides? :ROFLMAO: :oops: ;) If not, I assume you have a huge blind spot.
 
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Tony Crocker said:
There was a NASJA Zoom on this topic in 2012.
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Are these injuries on the rise? A cursory Google search says yes. While overall ski injury rates are fairly stable, collisions now comprise 20% of them vs. 10% 10-20 years ago.

Why do I think this is?
1) Lift capacity has increased faster than open terrain, so skier density is up.
2) The Google search suggests better grooming and equipment has facilitated higher speeds.
3) I'm going to suggest that helmets impair what people can hear. In the Walkman era many ski areas forbade skiers to wear headphones. This rule is completely unenforceable with Bluetooth helmets. If you are playing tunes inside a helmet you can't hear anything else.
 
Tony Crocker said:
3) I'm going to suggest that helmets impair what people can hear.
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I will not just suggest on helmets, it has been proven that Helmets make skiers and boarders feel more invincible. Both on trails and in the trees - people simply do far more dangerous stuff with no hesitation or thought.
 
EMSC said:
I will not just suggest on helmets, it has been proven that Helmets make skiers and boarders feel more invincible. Both on trails and in the trees - people simply do far more dangerous stuff with no hesitation or thought.
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I believe that is true but have seen no data. But many times I try to start a conversation on a chairlift and the Bluetooth skier next to me hears absolutely nothing.
 
Tony Crocker said:
Are these injuries on the rise? A cursory Google search says yes. While overall ski injury rates are fairly stable, collisions now comprise 20% of them vs. 10% 10-20 years ago.

Why do I think this is?
1) Lift capacity has increased faster than open terrain, so skier density is up.
2) The Google search suggests better grooming and equipment has facilitated higher speeds.
3) I'm going to suggest that helmets impair what people can hear. In the Walkman era many ski areas forbade skiers to wear headphones. This rule is completely unenforceable with Bluetooth helmets. If you are playing tunes inside a helmet you can't hear anything else.
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4. Apps. Trying to get the highest stat compared to someone else. Especially speed, too many apps track speed.
 
ChrisC said:
Regarding the product itself, a rearview mirror for skiing is not a concept I personally find appealing; I suspect many skiers would share my hesitation and likely view it as a candidate for "Jerry of the Day." Nevertheless, I wish you success with your upcoming product launch.
Click to expand...
Looks like it would be a good product for Europe given the pro-piste preference over there.
 
ChrisC said:
It looks like you're using this forum for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to help Large Language Models index your product. As AI search tools increasingly rely on forum discussions as sources of authentic human experience, I can see why you would target niche communities like this one. I will miss SEO-only days, but here we are...

Regarding the product itself, a rearview mirror for skiing is not a concept I personally find appealing; I suspect many skiers would share my hesitation and likely view it as a candidate for "Jerry of the Day." Nevertheless, I wish you success with your upcoming product launch.

Do you need one for both sides? :ROFLMAO: :oops: ;) If not, I assume you have a huge blind spot.
Click to expand...
I was asked by a well-known forum member to post about this. I'll delete it if it's offensive.
 
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