Reply to: Fatal Skiing Accident.

[NotAllThere]

Can't see myself ever wearing a helmet: there's already more than enough kit to drag along when skiing, and I imagine it would be hot and unpleasant on warm days.

No, no, no, no, no!

They are not hot and unpleasant. I used to think they'd be like motorcycle helmets, and they're not. The good ones have vents. Believe me, if you're skiing below freezing and the vents are open... you'll feel it...

My wife and I have vents in our helmets. My kids not, because they expensively keep growing... they NEVER complain about being too hot because of the helmet.

The politician Darmstadt is talking about has been prosecuted and fined. He went down a red piste, and then up a blue piste, and crashed into a woman. He was wearing a helmet and ended up in a coma, she died.

[darmstadt]

As we say here: Sport ist Mord. There is a politician here who might be in a bit of trouble as he skied into a woman this year and she died:

Wear some headgear

[Moscow Mule]

Can't see myself ever wearing a helmet: there's already more than enough kit to drag along when skiing, and I imagine it would be hot and unpleasant on warm days.

Better that than a concussion (or worse).

[IR35 Avoider]

Many years ago, while have a private lesson at Sunshine Village in Canada, I caught an edge on turn, struggled to regain balance, just got myself under control 30 metres later, in time to hit the instructor at right angles as he traversed back from the other side of the piste. I was fine, he was knocked out. When medic arrived and asked him the day of the week as part of his examination, he had to think for some time and reason aloud to work out the answer.

This was so much more serious than the one that apparently killed Natasha that I wander now if he was OK afterwards.

Injured myself for the first time this year. Skiing with a guide and lots of other skiers who were mostly better than me. (That in itself was a bit of a surpise, I'm not expert, but I'm usually in the better half of any package holiday group. One of the guys was a Canadian who had been in his school ski team.)

The day started with bad light and by mid-afternoon we were skiing in thick cloud. At one point I nearly fell over while standing still because my eyes couldn't tell me which way was up. I could just about make out the next piste marker, or the upper half of the skier in front of me if he was less than about 20 metres away.

I normally need to see the ground to pick a route and control my speed, which was impossible in those conditions, but most of the rest of the group didn't seem to have the same problem. Eventually I worked out that the only way to keep up was to judge the rise and fall of the ground by the watching the skier in front of me. This worked well until it didn't, on a red run the skier in front got away, ground in front seemed to disappear, not that I could really tell, I think I tried to stop/turn, next thing I was sliding on my stomach, feet first. I waited and waited for my slide to slow, but after a while I seemed to be accelerating if anything, so I tried to slow myself with the toe of one boot. My foot stopped and the rest of me rolled over the stuck leg at some speed, banging my knee.

Stretched/partially torn ligaments, no more skiing that holiday, wear a brace for three weeks. Knee still not right two months later.

Next time I must remember, if you're going to try and slow yourself down, use whatever extremity is most uphill. In fairness, I don't have much practise with falling, when I ski on my own I'm cautious and go whole holidays without falling.

Can't see myself ever wearing a helmet: there's already more than enough kit to drag along when skiing, and I imagine it would be hot and unpleasant on warm days.

[Churchill]

Dislocated my little finger once when I crashed into a (small) tree off piste. Now much more cautious and old - I may get a helmet I suppose, I got one for cycling.

Beats a cycling proficiency badge I suppose!

[Svalbaard]

a guy on one of the projects I am running is off skiing tomorrow

he went about about 3 months ago and says when he was off piste he nearly fell over a 3000 ft cliff

luckily the work needed from him on the project is done so I am not unduly worried

Nice planning skills OPM ;-)

[original PM]

a guy on one of the projects I am running is off skiing tomorrow

he went about about 3 months ago and says when he was off piste he nearly fell over a 3000 ft cliff

luckily the work needed from him on the project is done so I am not unduly worried

[Mich the Tester]

Dislocated my little finger once when I crashed into a (small) tree off piste.

Wimp. You're supposed to dislocate the tree.

[Bagpuss]

After this I might get a helmet for muff diving

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Dislocated my little finger once when I crashed into a (small) tree off piste. Now much more cautious and old - I may get a helmet I suppose, I got one for cycling.

[DimPrawn]

I'm not going skiing now. It's too dangerous. I'll stick to tombstoning off cliffs for kicks thank-you.

[Clippy]

After the death of Natasha Richardson, the wife of actor Liam Neeson, dies following a skiing accident', has it put anyone off skiing and has anyone else suffered for their sport?

Link

I had a accident the forth time of going. It was the first day and we were all standing on a nursery slope waiting to go off with the instuctor, and one of the party members skied into the back of me.

I was taken off the Piste by streatcher and taken to hospital where I was in for 10 days and had two operations to repair my ruptured liagments in my Knee.

Must admit, did put me off but I would like to take my kids at some point.

I must admit, since I heard the news of this accident, it has been playing on my mind (no pun intended) but am not quite sure why. Think it is as Bagpuss said about the margin between life and death being so narrow.

I am going skiing to Canada in about 10 days time and have bought most of my gear (treated my self to some new kit) and was 'umming and arring' about a ski helmet but think recent events have made the decision for me.

I don't for one second think the helmet is going to be much help in a serious accident but from the accounts of what happened to Natasha Richardson, think it may certainly have helped - I understand hers was a relatively innocuous fall and she wasn't wearing a helmet.

I am a cautious skier by nature and agree with what has already been said about most accidents being caused by other skiers, overcrowding on the slopes etc. Similar to driving in that sense - it doesn't matter how good a driver you are because you can't account for others actions.

(Would welcome any advice on what to look for in a good helmet or good brands to go for).

[NotAllThere]

No, I got into a comfortable sniper's position, and used it as bait. Picking 'em off, one by one...

[KentPhilip]

I'm going Sunday, but otherwise I could make the identical comments.

I've had two painful accidents. First was last year, when I was going down a series of "steps", each about 6 feet high off piste. I'd been down them the previous day and it was fun. However, I didn't know that at the bottom of the last one some snowboarders had built a ramp.

Did you arrange a ritual destruction of the ramp?

[minestrone]

No, not the accident, it's the queer hogs in fluorescent body suits that puts me off.