Collision with Child by Race Team members at Squaw Valley

[teach]

My daughter and I rode Siberia Bowl years ago, when she was about 10. It's seriously steep and absolutely wide open. No trail merges, just a huge bowl. I really can't think of an excuse for the 13 year old. Including "just being 13" . The closest I can  come is that it's a parent and/or coach's responsibility to verify that the kid has the necessary common sense to not endanger others (or themselves). You wouldn't give your kid a gun and let him/her loose, right? Or a car? 

A year or two after that my daughter's school took kids skiing after school. The chaperones just let the kids loose, some with no previous experience skiing or snowboarding, with the whole gamut of extra-careful and conscientious to devil-may-care attitudes. A friend of my daughter was the latter type, headed for the attractive piles of freshly-made snow and hit some buried "hazards" (snowmaking water lines, probably) resulting in serious spine injury and paralysis. A fully preventable tragedy -- had any one of the responsible parties done their job, it wouldn't have happened. 

I think in order to sell as many people as possible on skiing, the risks are painted as just random risks, like air travel, rather than things people have a good degree of control over, like driving. Really unfortunate.

I feel really bad for this 10 year old. I'm sure the 13 year old is mortified and now belatedly appreciates the responsibility he has when out on the mountain. The coach and parents? Maybe there's hope. Patrollers? Doesn't seem like there's hope. 

 

 

[dgCarve]

Yesterday, at Crystal mountain, I was hit from behind by skier bombing down the hill. I was doing fall line carving – so, no wide closed turns.  Trail was very wide and there were only two other people in front of me. Not even sure how the skier managed to hit me at this wide empty slope. He was almost as high as me at 6’+ feet, and looked much heavier than me, and I am about ~200lb. As you understand it was quite bad collision.

I sustained knee injury. Yesterday I still could walk, today I can’t. If it will not become better tomorrow, will have to go to doctor… In best case this means no carving for me for at least a week, in worst… I do not want even to think about it…

P.S. Explanation from the skier how it happened was: "I am only 14 years old". It was hard to believe considering how big he was...

2 weeks ago, I witnessed another incident. Skier was bombing down, almost hit me, and few seconds later, at full speed hit a child ~8-10 years old. It looked very serious…

In my experience 95% off all close calls or collision what I saw were caused by skiers bombing down the hill almost at straight line, very often they were members of local ski teams. Great example was at Sun Peaks resort in December, several ski teams were practicing their full speed carving on crowded green slope in slow speed zone!

Edited January 27, 2020 by dgCarve

[rjnakata]

What is  post-accident protocol?  What does one do?  Collect names, take photos, get the ski patrol... or toughen up and limp home?

I was hit by a skier (trying to go around my turn) I fell and he kept on going!  I got up (so mad) went down to the lift and told him off.  His patrol buddy agreed with me when I quoted the skiers code #1,2 and that the scene of an accident should not be left.  I gained a number of in-eye floaters as a result.

Brushing up on the skiers code has been good for me for when discussing an accident, but what actions does one take if hit?

 

[Jack M]

5 minutes ago, rjnakata said:

What is  post-accident protocol?  What does one do?  Collect names, take photos, get the ski patrol... or toughen up and limp home?

I was hit by a skier (trying to go around my turn) I fell and he kept on going!  I got up (so mad) went down to the lift and told him off.  His patrol buddy agreed with me when I quoted the skiers code #1,2 and that the scene of an accident should not be left.  I gained a number of in-eye floaters as a result.

Brushing up on the skiers code has been good for me for when discussing an accident, but what actions does one take if hit?

 

You are right that the code prohibits leaving the scene of an accident.  If you suffered injury or loss, the other person is liable if they were at fault.  In which case you should get their info, like a picture of their driver's license and their phone number.  Someone hit my mom once, my dad ripped the guy's season pass off.

[dgCarve]

In my case I spend about 1.5 hours in medical room with that skier. They have checked my knee. I have filled several papers, provided my personal info and description of accident. The skier did the same. I have all his contacts, In case there will be medical bills, I'll ask the skier to pay. Otherwise will not have a choice other then go to a lawyer...

[rjnakata]

1 minute ago, Jack M said:

...my dad ripped his season pass off.

[rjnakata]

Is part of the post accident protocol getting some sort of description of what happened from witnesses, or ski patrol?  dgCarve: was a determination made by ski patrol?

[dgCarve]

I got a contact of one witness. There is place in papers to put names of the witnesses.
In papers there was a place to write description of an accident and additional place to draw a scheme of accident.

Ski patrol just collects different information (your ability level, how many runs you had that day, do you wear glasses, did you drink alcohol, etc), they do not officially determine who is at fault.

 

Edited January 27, 2020 by dgCarve