IsitWinterYet17I noticed this when I was in Colorado. Bar up 95% of the time. I don't care either way. I'm from east coast so it's usually the opposite with the bar down 95% of the time. Some states even have laws for it. Anyone who cares about it being down and throws a fit like that is a douche. I prefer the bar on some lifts, especially ones that are really gusty or high up, or if the chair is all snowy and slippery. I also enjoy the foot rests and some resorts even go as far as to out maps on the bars that you can read when they're down.
The only issue I have is when someone slams it down without announcing bar coming down. My fucking brother did it this year and the bar caught me and my buddy in the back of the head (helmets for life) and really pushed us down.
To the guy talking about not having enough time to get off the lift, are you serious? Have you ever learned to use a chairlift? You raise the bar at least 1 or 2 lift poles before you get off. It's never a problem unless people somehow forget to lift it up. The only time I had it sooner was when I was riding with a bunch of kids and the instructor waited til the very last second. Still wasn't an issue.
Sounds like you're talking about me, even though that's not what I said. Let me tell you exactly what happened to me this season: I'm riding Chair 12 at Telluride solo going to hike the bowl. It's a high speed quad with a footrest. I get on with three people, all foreign no clue from where but seemed European. They put the bar down without saying anything. I don't care I was expecting this and it doesn't come close to hitting me. We get near the end, beyond where I think the bar should have come up, and I say "Bar up?". No response. They haven't said anything beyond a couple words the whole ride. All seemed spaced out. Maybe they flew to Colorado because weed is legal. Maybe they don't speak English. Immediately I say it louder "Bar up?!?". They go to bring the bar up and the guy 2 spaces over has his poles tucked under his legs. Footrest smacks right into them and the bar can't come up. At this point we're getting real close to the off ramp and the guy starts scrambling to get his poles out. They all start yelling at him in some language I don't even recognize. At this point I figure we're going into the off ramp with the bar down, so move my skis from out under the footrest to the side. Seemed like the safest maneuver. He finally gets his poles clear, and we get the bar up right at the very last second right before my skis touch the snow. Lift operator hits the stop button.
Like I said, I have no issue with people putting the bar down. Just say something and don't smack me in the head and don't do something like that guy.