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stuartm555


Posts: 85
Joined: Feb 2004
Last Visited: 16:03
3rd Nov 2018
Why do lift queues go up the hill?
Date Posted: 12.51hrs on Fri 27 Feb 04

Why is it that when there's a massive queue for a lift (like that amazing day at glencoe), people seem to queue up the hill? If they queued down the hill people would get a longer run to the end of the queue, instead of getting a shorter run.

I think a campaign should be started to make people queue down the hill from a lift.

Unless of course there's a good reason why, but I can't think of one, other than that it's slightly less tiring while waiting in the queue!
David Goldsmith


Posts: 1283
Joined: Feb 2003
Last Visited: 08:28
6th Nov 2018
Re: Why do lift queues go up the hill?
Date Posted: 13.05hrs on Fri 27 Feb 04
Are you saying that you'd like the queue to go below the lift station, with a mini rope tow to get you back to the lift station?

Or how about a numbered ticket that gets you on to the lift in turn, so you don't have to queue (you wait in the cafe for your turn). Yes, they tried that in St Anton when the cablecar queues became ridiculous (many moons ago).

You've certainly got a point, in that an uphill queue which is long enough means you get off the lift and join the queue, without skiing at all. A very British concept.

One thing I've never seen in Scotland is 'ski school priority entrance'. Would this cause a riot?
James M


Guest
Re: Why do lift queues go up the hill?
Date Posted: 13.26hrs on Fri 27 Feb 04
But this where the lifties need to get involved. When I skied Cairngorm frequently in the 80s the queues, though long, formed in short ranks alongside the tow rather than straggling up the run. Woe betide you if you tried to push in...
George { at work }


Guest
Re: Why do lift queues go up the hill?
Date Posted: 13.33hrs on Fri 27 Feb 04
It certainly would cause a riot. It's bad enough having the priority on the M1 poma constantly abused without it spreading to other tows. Picture the scene--class arrives at cas tow on priority systemand once everybody has their umpteen shots at trying to get up it is then time to go home. Or---class arrives at cas tow and take their turn at going up with better skiers as they integrate through the Q, and thereby learn a lot and do not cause extreme chaos and outrage.
SimonF1


Guest
Re: Why do lift queues go up the hill?
Date Posted: 14.05hrs on Fri 27 Feb 04
Well having the priority queuing system seem to work everywhere else in the world, why not here? But anyway, what Glencoe do is the best I think, having people queue up in one queue with say 20 people in it and then when there are 20 people you start with a new queue and so on. Then when the first queue all get up the lift then the next queue just moves forward to their place. Either that or just replace everywhere with high speed quad chairs and there won't be any queues. However, that would require the big man upstairs giving a written guarantee that he would never have wind speeds higher than 30mph in Scotland ever again.

What I don't understand is why T-bars seem to have a lower uplift rate than pomas. Surely if you have 2 people on a T-bar to one on a poma then you would get double the uplift?

[%sig%]
David Goldsmith


Posts: 1283
Joined: Feb 2003
Last Visited: 08:28
6th Nov 2018
Re: Why do lift queues go up the hill?
Date Posted: 15.14hrs on Fri 27 Feb 04
If Noah organised ski lifts, all animals including humans would get on 2 by 2, or 4 by 4.

It's time he got out of arks, and got into ski lifts.
Jamie


Posts: 987
Joined: Jan 2002
Re: Why do lift queues go up the hill?
Date Posted: 18.13hrs on Fri 27 Feb 04
The Summit Button at Nevis Range last season had one liftie who was excellent at organising everybody. It was limited terrain, with up to 5 queues at one point, but he was always on his feet and keeping people moving - it was quite amazing how quickly it took to get onto the tow aswell.

[%sig%]
alan


Posts: 10768
Joined: Nov 1994
Last Visited: 17:02
27th Mar 2024
What's this?What's this?What's this?
Re: Why do lift queues go up the hill?
Date Posted: 19.21hrs on Fri 27 Feb 04
It just needs some organization early in the day, and certainly in the Top Basin on the Gorm the instructors can help and sometimes do, then once people start queuing in an orderly way the usually continue to do so.

I once plonked a sign below which about 15-20ppl could fit in a single line at the Ptarmigan...

Quote:
This Piste is Short enough, please dont queue above here or your ticket will be removed!!


Did the trick! grinning smiley

[%sig%]
handyman


Posts: 131
Joined: Nov 2003
Re: Why do lift queues go up the hill?
Date Posted: 21.17hrs on Fri 27 Feb 04
One thing I have noticed in recent years is when there is more than 1 line in the queue, people keep joining the front queue instead of joining the 2nd queue or starting a new one.

Even more crazy is the top half of a second queue moving forward as the front queue moves down. It used to be the second queue didn't move forward until the lowest person was clear to do so.

It seems shouting and gesturing (polite) have no effect, also gesturing (rude) likewise.

[%sig%]
tim


Posts: 197
Joined: Oct 2003
Re: Why do lift queues go up the hill?
Date Posted: 23.59hrs on Fri 27 Feb 04
Well it's certainly correct that it should be everyone joins the second queue and when the first is completley clear, the second move in.

As long as the last person in the first queue says to everyone trying to join where they should be going then all will be fine. Problems arise when the last person in the first queue says nothing to people joining.......So i guess the solution is when you see a queue coming up the run, join the back and tell everyone joining after you to start a new queue smiling smiley
some frustrated skier


Posts: 236
Joined: Mar 2003
Last Visited: 21:55
16th Feb 2021
Re: Why do lift queues go up the hill?
Date Posted: 22.00hrs on Sun 29 Feb 04
Got to praise the gorm ambassador that was organising the ciste tow queue today. She had everyone into pairs well before the tow.
At least the gorm have something right at last.
eurotele


Posts: 277
Joined: Dec 2002
Re: Why do lift queues go up the hill?
Date Posted: 09.22hrs on Mon 1 Mar 04

In france the esf / local schools have to pay for the privelege of priority access on the tows ..
im sure the local ski instructors would be none too pleased to have to pay out of their already low pay for this.

but queuing is a real pita at any resort ...this is where the ski patrol / lift operators need to excercise some control and encourage folk to q responsibly so we can all get a decent run down the hill and not end up queuing half way up !!
flugeryl


Posts: 2307
Joined: Oct 2004
Last Visited: 12:40
11th Mar 2021
What's this?What's this?What's this?
Re: Why do lift queues go up the hill?
Date Posted: 12.46hrs on Fri 11 Dec 15
sounds like the title of a wee book you keep in the toilet full of facts about life....

Be Nice to Skiers, they have it hard enough already
growwild


Posts: 3550
Joined: Oct 2005
Re: Why do lift queues go up the hill?
Date Posted: 16.31hrs on Fri 11 Dec 15
Books?

I've got the last Scottish toilet attendant oot the savoy in mine, he says your "no fecking Indiana jones"
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