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John O

Getting off the lift
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Nov 21, 2015
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423
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Seattle, WA
I think everyone should assume the bar is coming down and be ready for it immediately after loading. Not taking a safety precaution is foolish- even if you do wear a helmet!

Depends on where you ski. Around here I'd say that people put the bar down around maybe 5% of the time at most? It happens but it's not common so I absolutely don't assume it's coming. That said, I usually look at who's on the chair if it's crowded. If I'm on with someone (parent, instructor, etc) in charge of some small kids, I prepare myself for it. That probably accounts for almost all of the 5% I quoted above, so if that's not the case I assume that the bar isn't coming down.
 

Jacob

Out on the slopes
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Oct 13, 2017
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Maui
I always love these threads, because it makes me wonder just how difficult it could be to lower a safety bar.

In the Alps, I can sometimes find myself on a chair with native speakers of three or even four different languages, but no one needs to say anything. They just grab the bar when they sit down, maybe take a quick glance at the others on the lift, and then lower it slowly from there.

If you think you need 10-15 seconds to get situated on a chair before you're ready for the bar to come down, then you're doing it wrong. It shouldn't take more than a couple of seconds to sit down and lean back against the back rest. And if it looks like you might need to scoot over to the side a bit and you need to hold the bar up for a moment, it shouldn't take more than another second or two to do that.

Anything else you want to do (stuff your poles under your leg, take off your gloves, take out your trail map, put on some lip balm, etc.) can be done after the bar is down.

If you're still having problems with getting situated fast enough to avoid getting hit on the head, then try doing a couple of trips to the Alps. After a week or two of having the bar pulled down before the first tower every single time, you'll learn how to sit down and lean back against the back rest properly. It's not actually that difficult.
 
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fatbob

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There are plenty in the Alps who'll slam it down before people are seated properly. Usually worst when there is a crotch bar and you are trying to ensure the crown jewels aren't crushef.
 

Carolinacub

Yes thats a Cubs hat I'm wearing
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Asheville NC
I personally like riding with the bar down. That being said I 've ridden on plenty that either didn't have a bar or for some reason it wasn't brought down....Since I've been a Patroller I can probably count on 1 finger the number of times that I've ridden a chair with the bar up. It was impressed upon me early in my career that the general public watches and in some cases emulates what we do on the mountain....I like being a good example for the kids and if because of my actions one person didn't fall off a lift who would have otherwise then that means I was successful.

Oh yeah. basically I look down the row of people on the chair while I have my hand on the bar and say "are ya'll ready for the bar".

I don't ask.... I tell.
 

wallyk

Would rather be ski'n
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Feb 2, 2018
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505
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The MinnieApple
I don't ask if it's "OK" to put the bar down, I just do it. BUT, before I commence with lowering the bar, I check to see if everyone is situated properly. Figure 10-15 seconds at best......my safety is paramount and believe that just lowering the bar SLOWLY is the best method to proceed.

Taught my daughters to do the same.....look and lower.
 

Seldomski

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'mericuh
If you keep getting hit with the bar, you are doing it wrong. Why is it a surprise? Sit down. Lean back. If you are tall, duck once you are on the lift. OR... Sit down, get your hand on the bar ASAP to control the situation. Expect the bar, don't be surprised. Like others have said, some areas mandate the bar down immediately, especially if kids are on the chair. So, the practice has spread when people from those areas travel.

If it's uncomfortable after it comes down, ask to raise it up again. Or speak up as it comes down if you need to move a bit. I've been on a couple chairs where the footrest was for kids. For those, I have put the bar down the first time, then raise it up shortly after because it's uncomfortable. Majority of the time, this isn't the case.

Sometimes when I ask to lower it, someone gives attitude or sneers - "If you must" or something to that effect. Like it's a macho thing to have the bar up and safety is for weenies. It's for those people I don't even ask anymore. I just say "Coming down" or "Bar" and lower it. I don't need to hear sarcastic or macho comments. If I see someone is clearly in the way, I don't drop it. I've had glancing hits from the bar on my helmet. It doesn't hurt. Usually my fault for not getting on the chair quickly (ie trying to do stuff while loading, like removing gloves, pole straps, etc).

You have to be way out of position to get really smacked by the bar.
 

Nathanvg

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Oct 29, 2016
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525
Expect the bar, don't be surprised.

I agree, it's time to expect the bar to be coming down. At the same time, the bar should never come down fast. It should take about 5 seconds to lower it slowly.

I only had one incident with the bar which was on a fixed-grip (aka slow) lift. When I first learned to ski I learned to hold the bail (vertical pole that attaches the chair to the cable) when sitting on the chair. As we boarded, someone brought the bar down at the same time which pinched may hand like a giant nut cracker. Most lifts are designed so that it's impossible but not all. I no longer grab the bail.
 

jmeb

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If you have a list I would love to see the ones that do not have bars on their chairs. It would help eliminate resorts when making travel plans.

Loveland has no comfort bars on any lifts at the main ski area. I think the Valley/learning area may.

I think the etiquette here is to respect local practice.

Skiing in the NE, British Columbia, or the Alps. Bar is coming down quickly after take off. Some notification that you're the one bringing it down is proper.

Skiing in the Western US -- don't assume anyone is putting it down. And if you want it down, then say -- "hey -- ya'll mind if the bar comes down" or "my feet need a rest, mind if I through the bar down." I've never seen someone say no, and if they're snooty about it, they would've been even snootier if you didn't defer to local practice and ask. Fact is, many of us ski at places that regularly don't have bars so it's not just that we don't like them, we forget they are there.
 

jmeb

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I agree, it's time to expect the bar to be coming down. ...

Maybe at your home hill. But for those of us who do the majority of the skiing on lifts without bars we aren't regularly thinking about bars. So we can't get trained to "expect it".
 

crgildart

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Perhaps we need a poll to evaluate the prevalence of safety/comfort bars on lifts at resorts in general? The only lifts I've seen which still don't have bars are a few of the old center post doubles. It's not 1973 anymore. I guess I find it a bit shocking that there might be US resorts that don't have ANY lifts with bars at all.
 

jmeb

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I guess I find it a bit shocking that there might be US resorts that don't have ANY lifts with bars at all.

No need for "might be". There are. Including the lift built 3 years ago @ Loveland.
 

Wolfski

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Last year the bar came down and I wasn't properly positioned and when its down on your thigh with five sets of feet on the rest it will leave a mark.

I've been hit in the helmet a few times as I'm more concerned with not receiving another thigh press, I also ski with a pack so sometimes it's a task with a crowded chair but just this past week took the cake.

My wife and I were out skiing and at the totally empty lift another person jumped on with us, no problem with three on a quad, the problem was as I was positioning the pack and the rider just puled the bar down hard and caught my head hard enough to gouge my helmet and crank my neck hard and I wasn't very pleasant about it.

I know the bar is going to come down and to me it's common courtesy to check with the others if they are ready.
 

crgildart

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No need for "might be". There are. Including the lift built 3 years ago @ Loveland.
So you're telling me that there isn't a single lift at Loveland with a bar??? NONE?? I find that shocking.
 

jmeb

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So you're telling me that there isn't a single lift at Loveland with a bar??? NONE?? I find that shocking.

In the beginner "valley" area, yes.

But not in the area with most people ski (The Basin).
 

crgildart

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Instead of a bar on the lift, they have a line of toboggans and ambulances to take all of the turons to the hospital who can't stay on a lift without a bar..... :)
ya, we all know the bar does not idiot proof the chair. It does give people something to grab and hang on to if they're willing to drop their phone in an emergency..

 

sbooker

Getting on the lift
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Apr 24, 2017
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We’re doing ‘one last chair’ of a three week ski trip and my wife dongs me on the head with a rapid safety bar manoeuvre. I ask what’s going on and she replies that she’s doing it for the kids safety. Only thing is we’re at Mammoth and we had been lapping Chair 23 for the proceeding 3 hours.:huh:
 

Carolinacub

Yes thats a Cubs hat I'm wearing
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May 2, 2017
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Asheville NC
Well this all started out about the etiquette of the bar and seems to have morphed into something else.

Speaking for myself and only myself, if I'm on a lift with a bar it's going to come down. I'm always going to be polite when I bring it down but I guarantee it's going to come down. Now with that being said I understand that not everyone getting on a lift is used to putting it down and honestly at the mountain I Patrol at half of the rookies on the lift don't even know it's there.

Knowing that dropping the bar is such a part of my routine I never get surprised by the thing coming down on me due to someone else. Now if for some reason I get on a chair and someone has an issue with the bar coming down because it's not cool or some other bonehead reason well tough cookies. Safety is Safety and when you have the tools available to keep yourself even just a little safer you use them.

There is absolutely no reason not to take 15 seconds out of a lift ride to lower and raise the bar. Major mechanical failures are rare but they do happen and when they happen the majority of the time that someone is critically hurt it's the person not secured who gets the brunt of it.
 

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