Skier charged with manslaughter

FatCat

Well-known member
what do you make of this story?
Seems a bit harsh - he already has this on his conscience. What are the rules of the slopes ? Are there speed limits - if you are out of control is it really your fault? I would have thought he is suffering enough?

 
As a keen skier, I think it's fair enough, although equally it could be pretty much anyone who has ever strapped a set of skis on. You often see people way out of control and skiing far too fast for the conditions and their abilities, and so I'm actually surprised there's not more accidents like this.

Oh and in answer to your questions, there's surprisingly few rules on the slopes other than skiing within your limits, giving people a wide berth when overtaking and not cutting people up when turning.
 
My understanding was that it happened on a blue run - thats one level up from nursery slopes and would be full of kids and slower skiers - like me.

If he is going so fast that he's killed someone then its completely reckless, he should have been going slower to allow people to get out of the way of for him to stop.

Imagine if it was a car and he was doing 60 in 30 zone - its the same thing here.
 
I'm guessing the 'issue' is that it states she was on a beginners slope and receiving lessons.

This guy was traveling at high speed that suggests he shouldn't have been on a begginers slope.

That's only reason I can see as to why he's facing charges.
 
I'm guessing the 'issue' is that it states she was on a beginners slope and receiving lessons.

This guy was traveling at high speed that suggests he shouldn't have been on a begginers slope.

That's only reason I can see as to why he's facing charges.

The grading of slopes dont really play a part here, and most categorisation is completely random anyway in order to broaden the appeal of the resort. It's the negligence and high speed that he's being punished for - you can go fast on a blue slope, as long as you're in control and skiing within your limits.
 
Imagine if it was a car and he was doing 60 in 30 zone - its the same thing here.

Not quite, as there's a speed limit in your example.

It's more like driving at 30 in the pouring rain, outside a school where there's a load of black ice, and you're on your phone at the same time.
 
Not quite, as there's a speed limit in your example.

It's more like driving at 30 in the pouring rain, outside a school where there's a load of black ice, and you're on your phone at the same time.
I get your point.

And yes you can go as fast as you want on a blue slope - if its empty and clear, but as you know, if you see the kids in the ski school snaking across the piste in front of you, then you slope up, those kids move randomly and fall over and stuff, the last thing you do is gun it.

So I can totally understand the manslaughter charge
 
Not skiing within my limits is the reason I now have a titanium shoulder joint, a wrecked pair of skis, a massive scar across the top of my arm and limited movement in my right arm.

I learned the hard way, although not as hard as this guy or the poor child.
 
Not skiing within my limits is the reason I now have a titanium shoulder joint, a wrecked pair of skis, a massive scar across the top of my arm and limited movement in my right arm.

I learned the hard way, although not as hard as this guy or the poor child.
yikes! Fear of that is why I stick to blue runs
 
Its awful for all involved, but it sounds like there could be a case to answer if he was indeed travelling at high speed in an area where kids and beginners are. Yes, he has this on his conscious, and I am sure that he is absolutely devastated - but someone died, so at the very least they should investigate and take into account the victims family's position before deciding whether to take action or not.
 
The grading of slopes dont really play a part here, and most categorisation is completely random anyway in order to broaden the appeal of the resort. It's the negligence and high speed that he's being punished for - you can go fast on a blue slope, as long as you're in control and skiing within your limits.
Do they still have 'black slopes'? I remember going skiing with the school as a 16 year old somewhere in the French Alps and on the last day the instructor took us right to the top on a 'black' run. It was essentially ice and I've never been more terrified in my life 'snow ploughing' and parallel turning down it till we got to the red and yellow ones.
 
I always feel that Skiers, Cyclists, etc - they all seem to be training for the Olympics or having a Mini Tour de France around Teesside without caring about anyone else - NOW i'm not saying that this skier wasn't aware of his/her surroundings - i'm just making a general view on it all
 
I always feel that Skiers, Cyclists, etc - they all seem to be training for the Olympics or having a Mini Tour de France around Teesside without caring about anyone else - NOW i'm not saying that this skier wasn't aware of his/her surroundings - i'm just making a general view on it all

I always feel that people who practice their drumming in their house think they're on stage at Madison Square Gardens or Wembley, without any consideration for their neighbours having to listen to their amateur thumping. NOW I'm not saying that all drummers are the same - I'm just making a general view on it all.
 
Do they still have 'black slopes'? I remember going skiing with the school as a 16 year old somewhere in the French Alps and on the last day the instructor took us right to the top on a 'black' run. It was essentially ice and I've never been more terrified in my life 'snow ploughing' and parallel turning down it till we got to the red and yellow ones.

Yeah, it's just a grading system. As I said before, there's no standardisation across resorts or countries, and so what's a black in say Austria may not be a black in France or the USA. A lot of it is about ensuring you have sufficient runs to attract the most tourists to your resort, and so you'll see blues that a pretty hard, and blacks that would only be a red at another resort.
 
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