Section 1: Welcome, Disclaimers, etc
Welcome to the rec.skiing.* newsgroup FAQ.
This group is a forum for the discussion
of skiing (snow, water, downhill, cross country, snowboarding) and
related topics. If you're new to the net, or even just new to
rec.skiing.alpine
please take a couple of minutes to read this note...it
may save you a lot of grief in the long run!
If you're *brand* new to the net, please check out the group
news.announce.newusers
for general information about usenet.
Here are a few rules of thumb that will help you get around in
rec.skiing (and even some other places) without firmly inserting
your foot in your mouth.
- Don't quote entire articles. Only quote what is absolutely
necessary in order to make your point clear. Anytime you
are quoting more than you're writing you should question
yourself.
- Avoid long signature files. They may look cool the first time
you see one but they get real old real quick.
- Limit lines to 80 characters *max*, preferably 72 chars.
- You're probably better off if you avoid telling everybody what
a radical skier/snowboarder you are.
- rec.skiing is populated by some "unique" individuals. You'll
notice a lot of people making fun of various ski areas,
various techniques, and various other people. Don't go taking
all of this seriously! For the most part there are a lot of
tongues firmly inserted in cheeks.
- There *will* be flame wars from time to time. Try not to take
these too seriously either; they rarely get hot enough to
actually melt the snow.
Some other groups that you might find interesting are
rec.backcountry
for more generic wilderness stuff,
rec.sport.waterski
for waterskiing stuff, and
rec.boats for more waterskiing stuff.
Thanks for asking. This list is a compilation of many frequently asked
questions and their frequently posted responses. As such it is merely
a compression of information from many sources. Neither the persons
maintaining and posting this list nor their employers make any claims
about the safety or even the accuracy of the information in the list.
You're on your own. Make informed decisions. Only take the risks
that you feel comfortable taking. Don't ski alone. Stay warm.
Don't get caught in an avalanche. Use appropriate equipment. Don't
ski in closed areas.
Have some respect. Respect the other people on the slopes. Respect
the mountains...they can bite. Respect the weather, it can change.
Respect your limitations, exceed them and you'll hurt yourself.
Respect the setting...littering is for morons.
It's about as safe or as dangerous as you want it to be. While there
is always some inherent danger in the sport most problems are due
to "pilot error". Pay attention to posted signs...they're there for
a reason. Ski in control. Don't ski in closed areas.
The injury rate for skiing has been fairly level at about 3 injuries
per thousand skier-days. These injuries include everything from
minor bruses and lacerations to broken necks. The most common injuries
are thumb and knee injuries.
You *can* kill yourself skiing. You can also kill somebody else. Stay
in control. That being said it should also be mentioned that you're
probably more likely to slip and fall in the parking lot...
Well, rather than saying much *about* it, we'll just include it here.
Note: This code is widely accepted in the United States...other
countries may have similar codes. One netter reports that this
code is similar to what's posted in New Zealand.
- Ski under control and in such a manner that you can stop or
avoid other skiers or objects. Excessive speed is dangerous.
- When skiing downhill or overtaking another skier, you must avoid the
skier below you.
- You must not stop where you obstruct a trail or are not visible
from above.
- When entering a trail or starting downhill, yield to other skiers.
- All skiers shall use devices to prevent runaway skis.
- You shall keep off closed trails and posted areas and observe
all posted signs.
The Skier's Responsibility Code is endorsed by The American Ski
Federation, National Ski Patrol, United States Ski Industries
Association, Professional Ski Instructors of America, Cross Country
Ski Areas Association, United States Ski Association, Ski Coach's
Association, and other organizations.
The European countries have th FIS-rules (Federation International de
Ski). They are a basis for courtroom decisions but are not laws.
The FIS-rules are:
- Consideration of the other Skiers:
Every skier has to behave in a way he or she doesn't endanger
or damage any other.
- Controlling of speed and way of skiing:
Every skier has to ski on sight. He has to adapt his speed
and way of skiing to his abilities and the conditions of the
terrain, the snow and the weather as to the traffic density.
- Choice of track:
The skier coming from behind another has to choose his track so
that skiers before him won't be endangered.
- Overtaking:
Overtaking is allowed from above or below, from right or left
but always with a distance so that the skier being overtaken
has space enough for all his movements.
-
- Entering and restarting:
Every skier entering a trail or starting after a halt has to
asure himself uphill and downhill of the fact that he can do
so without danger for himself and others.
- Stopping:
Every skier has to avoid stopping at small or blind places of a
trail without need. A fallen skier has to free such a place as
quick as possible.
-
- Mounting and descend:
A skier mounting or descending by feet has to use the border of the trail.
- Pay attention to signs:
Every skier has to pay attention to the marks and signs.
- Behavior in case of accidents:
In case of accidents every skier has to help.
- Duty of proving identity:
Every skier whether witness or involved, whether responsible or
not has to prove his identity in case of an accident.
Glad you asked...turns out that there is one!
The Nordic Skier's Responsibility Code
- Ski in the indicated direction and observe all signs.
- Always ski to the right when passing oncoming skiers and when
skiing a double track.
- On a two way trail descending skiers always have the right of way.
- Don't litter! If you pack it in, pack it out. Respect private property.
- Don't obstruct the trail: move off the track quickly if you fall and quickly step off the track during breaks.