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Gapers Putting Us all in Danger, What to do?

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Johngreenacre
Posts: 626 - Karma: 4,555
Today i flipped out on some little kids dad cause his son snaked me and went off the side of a kicker when i was riding in switch. normally ill just swear to myself and go to the next feature but over the past couple of weekends I've had way to many falls and close calls because of little fucks that do not have any park etiquette.

incident 1.

so i landed switch off a rail and riding away, before i could revert or even look over my shoulder, i trucked a kid and did a switch backflip practically concussing myself. he had carved right into the landing of the rail without a second thought.

i got up and skied away.

Incident 2.

sending a flat 3 over a spine, as i came around and spotted my landing, i see a little girl hiking up about 10 feet in front of me. i quickly pull it to 450 and stop within inches of the kid.

impressed with my save, i didn't freak out and just rode away.

Incident 3.

riding into a small jump for a switch 5. as I'm moving in, quite fast too, a little kid in an Okemo racing jacket rips in right in front of me from the side to hit the side of the kicker. this time was it. after stopping i see this kid ride over to his dad watching admirably. i shouted "are you fucking kidding me,"not having it anymore, and the dad replies with "control yourself."

i was ready to throw some fucking hands. i ride over to this guy and proceed to shout at this guy about how his kid is gonna get me and himself killed.

he replies with "control yourself."

i point at this little kids racing jacket. "how many times have you seen me on the race course, this is the one trail on the mountain with a park, don't come in here and put everybody in danger!"

"control yourself he's 7."

"i don't care how old he is, I'm not mad at him, I'm mad at you and how you think what he's doing is alright!"

"THE KIDS 7 CONTROL YOURSELF."

"GET THE FUCK OUT OF THE PARK."

I rode away.

So long story short, I've had enough of this shit, and so has every park skier i know.
how do we stop this shit, all of the snaking, side jumping, lack of respect, and gapers trying to kill us?

also, ski patrol pulls passes for jumping over rollers but doesn't do a thing about kids sitting in the landings of jumps.
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Jan 18 2016 7:44PM
1124 270
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Rparr
Posts: 5561 - Karma: 45,575
I get so sick of this same shit. Every day in ohio. One time a kid snaked me getting into a rail, I was coming at it from so high up but he cut in last second and got in the rail at Mach potato. So I did he only logical thing and pushed him downhill off the rail. It was glorious. I may or may not have footage of it.....
Jan 18 2016 7:52PM
31 1
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BianKarrett
Posts: 360 - Karma: 2,110
I've seen this solution multiple times and it seems the best and only option. The solution is to make around a 15 ft jump into the park, but the part you fly over is actually a steep valley so gaper kids wouldn't be able to get enough speed to just go past the jump and get up the valley, and if they knuckle it you fall back into the valley.
Jan 18 2016 7:56PM
75 1
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NewEscuelers
Posts: 1210 - Karma: 10,960
op is bragging about how many tricks he can do
Jan 18 2016 7:56PM
119 2
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theabortionator
Posts: 51626 - Karma: 162,071
Why don't you tell us how you really feel
Jan 18 2016 7:58PM
10 1
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d__h
Posts: 145 - Karma: 277
i probably got snaked and had to skip the feature 20 times this weekend.
Jan 18 2016 8:03PM
8 0
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steeze_louise
Posts: 548 - Karma: 2,093
op, control yourself.
Jan 18 2016 8:30PM
69 1
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Holte
Posts: 10740 - Karma: 7,814
Park passes. They suck, but you sure do notice the difference in skier quality at parks that require em.
Jan 18 2016 8:31PM
42 1
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Peter.
Posts: 23796 - Karma: 13,014
HoltePark passes. They suck, but you sure do notice the difference in skier quality at parks that require em.


didnt make a difference at my local mountain. they started having park passes, and the park became like a daycare center of just parents letting their little kids run free
Jan 18 2016 8:58PM
6 1
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fries
Posts: 2978 - Karma: 7,518
KianBarrettI've seen this solution multiple times and it seems the best and only option. The solution is to make around a 15 ft jump into the park, but the part you fly over is actually a steep valley so gaper kids wouldn't be able to get enough speed to just go past the jump and get up the valley, and if they knuckle it you fall back into the valley.

I had that idea a few months ago. Its like a gaper filter haha
Jan 18 2016 9:11PM
8 0
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koolkale
Posts: 109 - Karma: 1,411
If we track the wifi signals from their go pros, we can study and analyze gaper movement. This could be beneficial and someone can conduct a study, maybe one day this idea will help keep them out of the park.
Jan 18 2016 9:17PM
95 1
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koolkale
Posts: 109 - Karma: 1,411
If we track the wifi signals from their go pros, we can study and analyze gaper movement. This could be beneficial and someone can conduct a study, maybe one day this idea will help keep them out of the park.
Jan 18 2016 9:18PM
9 16
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Blindsurfer
Posts: 2252 - Karma: 2,791
just kill them and their parents
Jan 18 2016 9:21PM
11 10
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uyghur
Posts: 993 - Karma: 2,028
Blindsurferjust kill them and their parents


Whoaaaa...
Control yourself!
Jan 18 2016 9:45PM
64 0
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BennettAllen
Posts: 187 - Karma: 692
Maybe if you calmly explained the danger the kid was putting himself in the dad would have been more apt to communicate with you, its hard to take a raging park rat seriously
Jan 18 2016 9:57PM
59 1
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schusson
Posts: 442 - Karma: 588
HanSoloBurgerMaybe if you calmly explained the danger the kid was putting himself in the dad would have been more apt to communicate with you, its hard to take a raging park rat seriously


this, people take kindly to nice words
Jan 18 2016 10:17PM
35 0
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clorox
Posts: 1728 - Karma: 4,863
I was cruising when this gaper hardo race dad starts yelling at me saying shit like "you park rats have no idea how to ski properly" and I politely said "Down hill skier has right of way" and he loses his shit. He reached for my pass and said "You can get this back once you've explained yourself to ski patrol". I lean back and said "Sorry no can do". I could feel his anger. He then says how he is a family friend of the owner of someone on ski patrol and I said to go talk to them about it and my friend and I skied away... Never saw the dude again.

td;lr gaper dad gets pissed
Jan 18 2016 10:19PM
19 1
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fishish406
Posts: 9 - Karma: 91
koolkaleIf we track the wifi signals from their go pros, we can study and analyze gaper movement. This could be beneficial and someone can conduct a study, maybe one day this idea will help keep them out of the park.


best comment I've seen all day
Jan 18 2016 10:43PM
23 0
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
If i was that dad, i would have had a real issue with you. You dont swear in front of little kids. you dont intimidate and scare little kids. You do that to adults.


You, OP, were in the wrong, and should have had your pass taken for the day. Yes, little gaper kids are frustrating and the parents are the problem. That does not give you the right to swear, yell, and intimidate the kid and parent.


THe dad handled himself and the situation well. you did not.
Jan 18 2016 10:53PM
22 41
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Dddsz
Posts: 3042 - Karma: 7,324
I got fed up with this stuff the other day, I seriously just went around spraying kids for a couple hours.

I've talked to patrollers about this, they definitely notice when people are chilling in the landings.
Jan 18 2016 10:57PM
8 1
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Johngreenacre
Posts: 626 - Karma: 4,555
californiagrownIf i was that dad, i would have had a real issue with you. You dont swear in front of little kids. you dont intimidate and scare little kids. You do that to adults.


You, OP, were in the wrong, and should have had your pass taken for the day. Yes, little gaper kids are frustrating and the parents are the problem. That does not give you the right to swear, yell, and intimidate the kid and parent.


THe dad handled himself and the situation well. you did not.


haha can't tell if this is a joke.. if it isn't, newschoolers seems like the wrong site for you and you clearly ready my post wrong as i was yelling at the dad, not the kid.
Jan 18 2016 11:49PM
22 3
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
Johngreenacrehaha can't tell if this is a joke.. if it isn't, newschoolers seems like the wrong site for you and you clearly ready my post wrong as i was yelling at the dad, not the kid.


yelling and swearing with the kid right there?
Jan 19 2016 12:12AM
4 32
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Johngreenacre
Posts: 626 - Karma: 4,555
californiagrownyelling and swearing with the kid right there?


Oh no this kid hears a few curse words! proabably muchhhh worse than the broken arm he would have gotten if he kept snaking people and got hit.
Jan 19 2016 12:26AM
25 2
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JichelMusten
Posts: 750 - Karma: 2,880
KianBarrettI've seen this solution multiple times and it seems the best and only option. The solution is to make around a 15 ft jump into the park, but the part you fly over is actually a steep valley so gaper kids wouldn't be able to get enough speed to just go past the jump and get up the valley, and if they knuckle it you fall back into the valley.


Only possible solution, nothing else will work
Jan 19 2016 12:34AM
10 0
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
JohngreenacreOh no this kid hears a few curse words! proabably muchhhh worse than the broken arm he would have gotten if he kept snaking people and got hit.


Yeah, you handled it very poorly. Youre a shithead teenager so you can get away with acting like that, but It'd behoove you to learn how to handle yourself much better in those situations... there might not be such a patient understanding Dad next time.
Jan 19 2016 12:35AM
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-Robert
Posts: 2000 - Karma: 1,491
Ya they're a real problem at 7springs too. Multiple encounters and this past time was too scary. I go off the last jump in the alley, about a 35 footer, and a snowboarder rides across the knuckle. All day, I barely had enough speed to clear the jump and was landing pretty much on the knuckle. This time, by the grace of God, I had alot of speed and jumped over this kid.

I was following people that also hit the jump so it wasn't like I came and hit this out of nowhere.

I couldn't believe it and was to in shock to say anything to the kid. I suggested to 7springs to put a fence from the corner of the lip of the jump to the corner of the knuckles so you'd have to hit the jump or go around completely. Instead, they did this


While it's an improvement, gapers can still go around. If you look closely at the top right corner of the picture, you can see a gaper in his natural habitat, going over the knuckle without looking back, close to the middle of the jump.

Sorry for the long post but I believe to make parks better, there should be more signs saying to stay clear of landings. Right now, the only signs I see in parks are the ones at the very beginning that nobody reads, they think it's fun to hit with their poles.
Jan 19 2016 12:38AM
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Parches
Posts: 164 - Karma: 176
californiagrownIf i was that dad, i would have had a real issue with you. You dont swear in front of little kids. you dont intimidate and scare little kids. You do that to adults.


You, OP, were in the wrong, and should have had your pass taken for the day. Yes, little gaper kids are frustrating and the parents are the problem. That does not give you the right to swear, yell, and intimidate the kid and parent.


THe dad handled himself and the situation well. you did not.


This
Jan 19 2016 12:45AM
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Casey
Posts: 7847 - Karma: 24,308
californiagrownYeah, you handled it very poorly. Youre a shithead teenager so you can get away with acting like that, but It'd behoove you to learn how to handle yourself much better in those situations... there might not be such a patient understanding Dad next time.


Yeah I mean it sounds like the poor kid was the straw that broke the camels back and OP just went apeshit on a 1st grader.

The thing you need to watch out for is remaining in the mindset of being hyper critical and looking for someone to give you a reason to blow up at them. Its time to check your baggage man.

The best way to handle this is to go to ski patrol and say that you have repeatedly seen people not following park rules and they should keep an eye out before someone gets creamed for standing in a bad spot. But its also your responsibility to look before you leap, if you keep getting in situations where you are almost landing on people you are probably not being careful enough.
Jan 19 2016 1:17AM
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dbchili
Posts: 2555 - Karma: 1,657
roping off both sides of the jump beside the lip seems to work well
Jan 19 2016 4:02AM
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TOAST.
Posts: 7479 - Karma: 36,027
JohngreenacreToday i
i point at this little kids racing jacket. "how many times have you seen me on the race course, this is the one trail on the mountain with a park, don't come in here and put everybody in danger!"

s.

That's because they pay extra money to use the race course. I don't know about you but I don't want the park to be taken over by some freestyle club that I have to pay an extra thousand dollars to use every year
Johngreenacrehaha can't tell if this is a joke.. if it isn't, newschoolers seems like the wrong site for you and you clearly ready my post wrong as i was yelling at the dad, not the kid.

Californiagrown is right, your being a dumb teenager. Talking to people in a calm voice works a lot better. This is one of the reasons people don't respect park skiers
-RobertYa they're a real problem at 7springs too. Multiple encounters and this past time was too scary. I go off the last jump in the alley, about a 35 footer, and a snowboarder rides across the knuckle. All day, I barely had enough speed to clear the jump and was landing pretty much on the knuckle. This time, by the grace of God, I had alot of speed and jumped over this kid.

I was following people that also hit the jump so it wasn't like I came and hit this out of nowhere.

I couldn't believe it and was to in shock to say anything to the kid. I suggested to 7springs to put a fence from the corner of the lip of the jump to the corner of the knuckles so you'd have to hit the jump or go around completely. Instead, they did this


While it's an improvement, gapers can still go around. If you look closely at the top right corner of the picture, you can see a gaper in his natural habitat, going over the knuckle without looking back, close to the middle of the jump.

Sorry for the long post but I believe to make parks better, there should be more signs saying to stay clear of landings. Right now, the only signs I see in parks are the ones at the very beginning that nobody reads, they think it's fun to hit with their poles.

We rope off the sides at my mountain on each side of the lip, at lot if the industry is against it because it prevents people from scoping out the feature before hitting it, therefore could be used in court against you. The alternative solution that works pretty well but requires a lot of fence is ropjng between jumps in a jump line that way you keep people from entering at random spots
Jan 19 2016 5:24AM
1 10
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Johngreenacre
Posts: 626 - Karma: 4,555
Alright boys and girls, for those of you who have read this wrong and are ragging on me for how i handled the situation, please understand i recognize this was not the best move and i know a calm conversation works.

The fight was not the point of the thread, just what brought about my desire to seek a solution.

I had had enough. and days before i had gotten HURT from the same thing, so clearly you guys have some sweet anger management skills, but i don't take it lightly when my body is on the line because of some one else foolish actions.
Jan 19 2016 8:09AM
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Hogis
Posts: 551 - Karma: 393
It is what it is. Gapers are money and parkrats ain't.
Jan 19 2016 8:21AM
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tannercoors
Posts: 148 - Karma: 370
HoltePark passes. They suck, but you sure do notice the difference in skier quality at parks that require em.


This works... We have several parks at my home mountain but the one with the biggest features is controlled-access, so basically you have to go watch a 5-min video and sign some waivers. The park crew staffs the top of the park to check for passes and do a great job of keeping the jerrys out
Jan 19 2016 8:34AM
5 0
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Skier_75
Posts: 380 - Karma: 1,806
On Saturday I hit a jump and this guy cut right under me while I was in the air. I landed right on top of him...
Jan 19 2016 8:40AM
2 0
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louleroux
Posts: 57 - Karma: 48
californiagrownIf i was that dad, i would have had a real issue with you. You dont swear in front of little kids. you dont intimidate and scare little kids. You do that to adults.


You, OP, were in the wrong, and should have had your pass taken for the day. Yes, little gaper kids are frustrating and the parents are the problem. That does not give you the right to swear, yell, and intimidate the kid and parent.


THe dad handled himself and the situation well. you did not.


i heard your dad gives good rim jobs
Jan 19 2016 8:42AM
11 1
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yungcurv
Posts: 146 - Karma: 492
Okemo's park passes fixed this problem way back but now that SPT came in they removed them so that these kids could "progress." There used to be no one in Okemo's parks but now you go in and there are ten racers on every knuckle and their dads on the next knuckle ready to get landed on. So Okemo Parks, if you're reading this bring back park passes.
Jan 19 2016 8:48AM
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JichelMusten
Posts: 750 - Karma: 2,880
I was taking pictures on a jump and as I was dropping in someone cut in front of me. I was pissed at him and when I got to the tow rope behind him I told him, thinking he was a like a 14 yr old gaper, to watch tf out where he was going. He looked around at it was like a 50 year old man. I felt really bad but I dont think he heard me.
Jan 19 2016 9:02AM
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-Robert
Posts: 2000 - Karma: 1,491
TOAST.That's because they pay extra money to use the race course. I don't know about you but I don't want the park to be taken over by some freestyle club that I have to pay an extra thousand dollars to use every year

Californiagrown is right, your being a dumb teenager. Talking to people in a calm voice works a lot better. This is one of the reasons people don't respect park skiers

We rope off the sides at my mountain on each side of the lip, at lot if the industry is against it because it prevents people from scoping out the feature before hitting it, therefore could be used in court against you. The alternative solution that works pretty well but requires a lot of fence is ropjng between jumps in a jump line that way you keep people from entering at random spots


Don't know how to quote parts of a reply so sorry for the big quote.

But if you put fencing from the corner of the lip to the corner of the knuckle so it goes diagonal, people can still ski up to the knuckle on the sides to scope the feature, film, watch people hit the jump, etc. It prevent people from going over the knuckle if they don't hit the jump and it also prevents people from using the knuckle to butter.

That's why you fence off the second jump and put signs on the first one to stay off the landing (I'm talking about 7springs setup specifically here)

It's a win win. People can still butter off the first jumps knuckle. It is also easier to see if there are people in the way on the first jump that is closest to the drop in. And the fence on the second jump keeps people that are hitting the jump, more safe.
Jan 19 2016 9:29AM
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
JohngreenacreAlright boys and girls, for those of you who have read this wrong and are ragging on me for how i handled the situation, please understand i recognize this was not the best move and i know a calm conversation works.

The fight was not the point of the thread, just what brought about my desire to seek a solution.

I had had enough. and days before i had gotten HURT from the same thing, so clearly you guys have some sweet anger management skills, but i don't take it lightly when my body is on the line because of some one else foolish actions.


Sounds like you knew full well the park was crowded and was having gaper issues. It's on you to dial it back and no go as hard- constantly be on the lookout for folks about to snake you or cut accross landings, make sure you're able to stop on a dime at all times.

You cannot ignore the reality of the situation just because you don't like it.

If it's too crowded with gapers to ski safely, which you freely admit it was, its too crowded to ski safely. Go ski somewhere else.
Jan 19 2016 10:05AM
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270on420out
Posts: 7508 - Karma: 51,054
Mountains should adopt a "no rentals in the park" policy. It wouldn't be fullproof, but it would be effective.
Jan 19 2016 10:42AM
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johnblaze
Posts: 1477 - Karma: 2,598
californiagrownYeah, you handled it very poorly. Youre a shithead teenager so you can get away with acting like that, but It'd behoove you to learn how to handle yourself much better in those situations... there might not be such a patient understanding Dad next time.


give me a break. if you are 7 and some teen flips the fuck out on you, I have a feeling you won't be begging dad to take you through the jumps anymore. Dad deserves an ear full too, but if he thinks he was in the right, the little kid will never hear about it and continue to be obliviously dangerous.
Jan 19 2016 10:54AM
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elcornholio
Posts: 797 - Karma: 1,557
We need to build some kind of gaper force field for parks. It'll keep them from entering. Someone make a kickstarter for it.
Jan 19 2016 10:56AM
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neleson
Posts: 386 - Karma: 1,091
Skier_75On Saturday I hit a jump and this guy cut right under me while I was in the air. I landed right on top of him...


Did anything happen to you or the guy?
Jan 19 2016 10:59AM
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Lab_or_bust
Posts: 90 - Karma: 86
park passes don't work. My mountain has them and the gapers just go take the test and get one
Jan 19 2016 11:01AM
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Skier_75
Posts: 380 - Karma: 1,806
nelesonDid anything happen to you or the guy?


We both crashed but we were fine
Jan 19 2016 11:05AM
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theabortionator
Posts: 51626 - Karma: 162,071
HoltePark passes. They suck, but you sure do notice the difference in skier quality at parks that require em.



It absolutely depends on the place IMO. Some things are worth doing some places and not worth it other places.
Jan 19 2016 11:09AM
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BBurt
Posts: 1588 - Karma: 3,779
We're all wrong. We need a 20 ft long rail going over a pit filled with spikes that you have to slide to get into the park, therefore erradicating the gaper threat and dsicouraging further attempts.
Jan 19 2016 11:12AM
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californiagrown
Posts: 9794 - Karma: 2,014
johnblazegive me a break. if you are 7 and some teen flips the fuck out on you, I have a feeling you won't be begging dad to take you through the jumps anymore. Dad deserves an ear full too, but if he thinks he was in the right, the little kid will never hear about it and continue to be obliviously dangerous.


Agreed, dad deserves an earful. But not with the kid around. And you should never flip the fuck out on a 7 year old... Seriously? Do you actually have to be told that?

Yelling and swearing will just put the person on the defensive instead of listening to your argument.

As a teenager you are already working against a bad preconception. The more you play into it, the more your message gets lost. Sternly, and firmly telling the person that their kid is acting dangerously to himself and others is a much better option.
Jan 19 2016 12:11PM
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TDD536
Posts: 160 - Karma: 147
Gapers at my home hill are pretty bad. Rolling over the lips of booters, side jumping, and standing in landings are the biggest problems. They have a evaluation/"park pass" system in place, but its only for the people that hold a school pass ($16/session) and the tourist pass ($48/session) gets to go anywhere on the hill without question. Ski patrol doesn't do anything about it either. Money talks, I guess.
Jan 19 2016 12:22PM
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tris10radeka
Posts: 267 - Karma: 665
Last year a gaper cut me off when I was about to hit a jump, and at this point i was on the lip with no way of stopping. I missed him by about a foot. this is ridiclous
Jan 19 2016 12:27PM
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Johngreenacre
Posts: 626 - Karma: 4,555
californiagrownSounds like you knew full well the park was crowded and was having gaper issues. It's on you to dial it back and no go as hard- constantly be on the lookout for folks about to snake you or cut accross landings, make sure you're able to stop on a dime at all times.

You cannot ignore the reality of the situation just because you don't like it.

If it's too crowded with gapers to ski safely, which you freely admit it was, its too crowded to ski safely. Go ski somewhere else.


i am always careful when skiing, i call my drop, i look around. why should i have to dial back my skiing when i am following the rules? and telling me to ski elsewhere? that confuses me considering this thread has almost 400 uproots meaning it is not an isolated problem.

Once again, i made this thread looking for solutions. if you do not have one to provide, you might as well leave. And besides, everything you have been commenting is getting down voted, so i think i have the back of the majority in saying this.

You were right i didn't handle the situation well, and i admit this, so if thats your point, you have made it.
Jan 19 2016 1:10PM
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