Neil Gendzwill Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 I always put the bar down with my kids. Their short legs means that they are never sitting back far enough in the chair to be secure. As far as putting the bar down for myself - not generally. I'll put it down if I need to fiddle with my boots or something. What ticks me off is people pulling the bar down without warning - that's the riskiest thing of the whole process. They'll sometimes pull that thing down before the skis/boards have even left the platform, risking a leg injury. And of course the ol' helmet clonk happens often - I'm convinced I just don't know how big my head is with my helmet on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chadx Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 I agree. I use it most of the time if available particularly because it's nice to rest the legs and arms. It is especially nice when a back pack has one creaped forward on the seat. Nice bit of insurance. Gondola only if it is bitter cold or really snowing. Lifts tend to be faster at getting up the long runs. Plus, the gongola tends to get stuffy and hot on a sunny day, so why not be out in the open air? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeW Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 I think this happened out in Crested Butte. Some passenger died because he had a seizure and the bar was not enough to hold him up and slipped and fell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derf Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 I'm surprised this is even a poll. For me, bringing down the safety bar is like buckling the safety belt in my car or wearing my helmet for cycling. Seriously, I never see someone not put it down. Well maybe I saw it maybe once or twice in several years. What advantage is there to not bring it down? I'm even more surprised of reading about chairlifts that don't have any! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest needanswer Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 anybody know if lifts are "ride at your own risks" ? that might explain why you don't hear about law suits. I ride with the bar down when I'm alone or with friends. when I'm sharing the lift with strangers, I'll leave it up to them. when the bar's not down, I ride with one arm hooking over the back of the seat. not sure how much either helps. the bars that I've seen, they don't seem secure for children or small adults who can slide out of the seat and under the bar. I guess you'll still have something to hang on to. also, I've never seen any lifts with footrests. can you rest your board on it? If so, that would be the best reason to put the bar down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malymis Posted March 3, 2006 Report Share Posted March 3, 2006 A little out of main topic but something to think about Europe : Bar with foot rest. 7 inch thick comfy cushions Plustic buble - wind protection recently i have seen one lift with cushions electricly heated cost of the day little over 30 euros (italy dolomites) USA bar (foot rest when you very lucky) cost of the day 70$ (killington) ________ Tamarax1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeW Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 A little out of main topic but something to think aboutEurope : Bar with foot rest. 7 inch thick comfy cushions Plustic buble - wind protection recently i have seen one lift with cushions electricly heated cost of the day little over 30 euros (italy dolomites) USA bar (foot rest when you very lucky) cost of the day 70$ (killington) Oooo! I oughta try to meet up some swedish gal and move to europe. -smirk- but a bit off the subject, too -- As some of you know, I work on the mountain. Snowmobile's a key tool for the operations out here to work. In europe, snowmobiles are not used at all. makes me wonder how they get things moving quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest thomas_m Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Bars seem to be the exception rather than the rule here in Washington. Also, it seems like the really steep gnarly lifts are all rickety old two seaters that sway all over the place... T. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pow Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 I'm petrified of slipping out of the lifts... no amount of skill or physical fitness will keep you from shattering every bone in your body after the wind blows you out of your chairlift 70 feet in the air over an insanely steep, rocky, unridable liftline. even on the smaller heights with a gentler landing i keep it down anyway. i like being able to rest my arms on the bar and my board on the footrest below. and did i read correctly? some lifts have wind protector bubbles? i thought that'd be a good idea, but i never actually saw it in action. i wish the local resorts would buy into the idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Pushee Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 If for nothing else, it might catch me if I doze off on a slow chair in the sun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 put it down E stops can stop the lift fast, and to count on a mechanic to have the brake adjusted properly might not be a good idea this comes from experience many people come out without help anyway so anything that will help keep you in is your friend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjl Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 One time on a lift at Squaw I put the bar down, fell asleep, and woke up with my tongue stuck to the bar. Good news: I didn't fall off and kill myself. Bad news: my tongue was stuck to the bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
malymis Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 whole bar thing was never an issue for me. I come from europe, a land were bars without foot rest are not existing. It is a comfort that makes you lower a bar. Accualy first time when i was carving in east coast it was a small shock that feet were not supported. ________ Volcano Vaporizer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 resorts only do what is legally required and feel that if you fall out its your fault and should you litigate they are covered by their insurence the ski ares in CO have much better protection from the law than in ME, for that matter at least. when I was in ME we could not load a chair that did not have a bar on it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LeeW Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Vail had those bubbles for the lift. Somebody in the upper management decided to ditch 'em, and Aleyska of Alaska bought 'em. They need them more than we do, so it seems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubba Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 It may sound crazy seeing that I am on a lift every day, but I am afraid of heights. If the chair stops, I'm crapping my pants. Yes, the bar is always down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zone Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Here in Ontario, the lifties will actually stop the whole lift if they catch you with the bar down. So if you want to ride up, you don't have a choice. Years ago I had a cheap pair of slippery snow pants, putting the bar down quickly became a reflex. Nowadays, it's riding up with my kids. Speaking of which, even though I love Tahoe/Kirwood, there is no way I'm going there with my kids and risking them falling off those big towers... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Marty Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Chairlift 101 : Chair with foot rest. You can kinda see the upside-down "T" coming down from the "restraining bar "... ( Random google image pic. ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnstewart Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 I'm scratching my head on this one. Why wouldn't you put it down? Uncool? Does it ruin the view of your feet?Gleb, you never go without a helmet but you don't put your safety bar down? I never go without a helmet, but never put the bar down. At home (Tyrol Basin), it's sort of pointless, the ride is so short. Elsewhere, I guess it's just force of habit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe D Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 Yeah, I like to hang my arms on the bar. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carvedog Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 I think this happened out in Crested Butte. Some passenger died because he had a seizure and the bar was not enough to hold him up and slipped and fell. Bad deal. But I personally don't like the bars at all. Feel trapped. PUt my foot on foot rest and it cramps. Dont like them. When my kid is on of course I will put it on. I saw one kid go down at Big Mtn.on chair 6 (learner chair at the bottom). They had the bar down, kids were leaning on it. Kid sits back, dad raises bar 40 feet from unload. Kid leans for bar, not there and splat on his face from 15 feet. This is the kicker - while I am doing a primary assessment, dad skis down and yells at the kid. "Get up!!! I told you to quit screwing around." When I tell him I would like ski patrol to come and check him out. He snarls at me. " I am a doctor and he's fine." Yikes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted March 4, 2006 Report Share Posted March 4, 2006 bubbles are stupid, they cause many problems with the lifts if they don't close they become like a sail dopplemayr claims that when they are in the down position that they are no worse than a regular chair in wind but that is not true either at steamboat when the wind got up to 35 or so the mechanics would get nervous, at sunday river on the same type of lift with much wind speeds but without the bubbles we will run the lift well into the 40s Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D-Sub Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 if you fall out its your fault bam issue solved. period. sorry tufty, but you're scolding grownups here...the long rants and condescending tone are a bit much! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobD Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 So many skiers and boarders come from very small hills, where there is no bar or it does not seem worth putting down for 2 mins. Also it's like seat belts in cars - it won't happen to me or maybe " I know a guy who was caught by an avalanch because he had the bar down". Saw a kid being carted off having fallen 20 ft (7M) from a chair today. Seemed it may only be a concussion. BobD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobdea Posted March 5, 2006 Report Share Posted March 5, 2006 bamissue solved. period. sorry tufty, but you're scolding grownups here...the long rants and condescending tone are a bit much! D-Sub, I said that but you take it out of context, **** can happen that is out of control of the rider on the lift and just because the ski area does not have them on a lift does not mean they would not save your life in some situations the way I see it is all lifts should have them because I have been on lifts when the **** has hit the fan or in one case the chair hit the tower Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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