Chairlift accident

SkiBum.http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1650060/Video-Tourists-flung-ski-lift-terrifying-accident-Georgia.html

Anyone with social media has seen this by now. But fuck.

Surprised a major failur hasn’t happened yet in the states. Lift mechanics and lift maintenance are in shambles at lots of resorts.

north_coastThey have happened, the same thing happened to king pine at sugarloaf a few years ago. The difference being in that case a lifty hit the rollback brake where here it looks like the lift either didn’t have one or the operator bailed

north_coastThey have happened, the same thing happened to king pine at sugarloaf a few years ago. The difference being in that case a lifty hit the rollback brake where here it looks like the lift either didn’t have one or the operator bailed

north_coastThey have happened, the same thing happened to king pine at sugarloaf a few years ago. The difference being in that case a lifty hit the rollback brake where here it looks like the lift either didn’t have one or the operator bailed

NinetyFourSo the best course of action if you're on a chair is just to send er switch at a low spot yeah? Looks like that would be better to get t-hall'd than to get mangled or whipped off at the bottom.

DaphThe armchair lift mechanics on social media are killing my soul. So this happened in the country Georgia, I can only assume they don't have nearly as strict of a tramway board or safety standards for such a catastrophic failure to occur. Here in the states we do daily, weekly, monthly and yearly inspections and tests to prevent this from ever happening at this magnitude. Sugarloaf was a fluke and still not nearly as drastic as this and significant measures have been taken across the country to ensure it doesn't happen again. This lift had a failure of literally every safety to prevent a massive roll back and once the inertia of such a heavy machine builds up to that point, nothing will stop it until the weight equalizes on both sides of the lift. As a lift mechanic this makes me sick and I can only wonder about the level of incompetence that was going on there that day and during the maintenance cycle of that lift.

SkiBum.I’m probably bit more than an armchair lift mechanic. And my points and comments are still valid and not bashing any one or place as I could.

You know how many resorts have daily checks and inspections and protocol to follow? All to most. How many follow them to a T day in and out, meh. How about when it’s crunch time. Or Presidents’ Day and your main lift is down. Short cuts get made. And the experience is not there at most resorts. Mistake some get made and rules get bent. I’ve seen it first hand at numerous resorts around the world.

DaphI wasn't referring to you as an armchair mechanic, I just mean all the people on social media comparing a chairlift to their car and have never been inside a motor room. I'm curious as to your experience level though, what do you do?

SkiBum.Oh, sorry for jumping your case. Yeah this has blown up on social media. I’ve seen it across every news outlet to all the social media hubs. Rough look.

And I did a few aspects of upper management throughout a 15 year or so career in the ski biz. Mainly mountain operations. I now work half the hours and bang a keyboard all day for less stress and better pay. I keep my foot in the ski door here and there but I don’t think I could go back to that business. Maybe consult. But who knows. I do miss skiing.