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EMCD11


Posts: 155
Joined: Jan 2007
Ski Helmets
Date Posted: 19.33hrs on Mon 26 Jan 09
New helmet law in Austria
Friday 23 January 2009
A new law requiring all children under 14 to wear helmets on the slopes has been rushed into resorts in Austria following the death of a mother in a high-speed collision on the piste.
Beata Christandl died of head injuries after a collision with a German politician, Dieter Althaus, at a combined speed of 60mph. Althaus, who was wearing a helmet, survived the impact, but suffered a skull fracture and remains in a coma.

Mrs Christandl is the 17th skier to die in an accident on the piste in Austria this season, and the authorities are under increasing pressure to extend the law to cover snow-sports enthusiasts of all ages. Doctors say sustained sub-zero conditions have created faster pistes, making impacts significantly more severe when skiers collide. Christian Kaulfersch, an A&E doctor, said: “Crashes at 30mph are like falling onto concrete from a second-floor balcony.”


alan


Posts: 10768
Joined: Nov 1994
Last Visited: 17:02
27th Mar 2024
What's this?What's this?What's this?
Re: Ski Helmets
Date Posted: 19.39hrs on Mon 26 Jan 09
I'm heading for the nuclear bunker and locking the door!
EMCD11


Posts: 155
Joined: Jan 2007
Re: Ski Helmets
Date Posted: 19.43hrs on Mon 26 Jan 09
Oops sorry lost this bit!!


Austrian authorities predict 5,500 serious head injuries on the slopes this season, and Swiss resorts report about 150 cases every day. Josef Schmid, of the Austrian skiing federation, supports making helmets compulsory for all skiers. “We recommend that all skiers wear helmets,” he said. “It’s not just young children — adults also need protection. With the new carving skis, people tend to ski faster and overestimate their abilities. The slopes are very busy; it’s safer for everyone if you wear a helmet.”


growwild


Posts: 3550
Joined: Oct 2005
Re: Ski Helmets
Date Posted: 19.43hrs on Mon 26 Jan 09
I'd watch oot wit wis behind that door when ya get in there, as if ya were locked in wi someone like me, then a just dunno what the feck wid happen smiling smiley


davidt


Posts: 317
Joined: Nov 2003
Last Visited: 12:41
19th Apr 2020
Re: Ski Helmets
Date Posted: 21.36hrs on Mon 26 Jan 09
I'm a bit confused.

Two adults collide, and one dies. As a result a law is passed forcing children under the age of 14 to wear a helmet.

Huh?

Oh well, at least it makes more sense than the government's recent re-re-classification of Cannabis as a Class B drug (which won't be treated like other class B drugs). On the other hand, it was highly enjoyable listening to the government minister on Today this morning trying, rather unsuccessfully, to justify the absurd policy. ("It makes sense to reclassify all cannabis as a class B drug because we now think some cannabis is more dangerous than it used to be!", "It makes sense to treat cannabis more leniently than other class B drugs because... uh... the police can identify it more easily". Bah.)

David



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 21.41hrs Mon 26 Jan 09 by davidt.
kill_reign


Posts: 423
Joined: Aug 2008
Last Visited: 05:32
10th Feb 2019
Re: Ski Helmets
Date Posted: 08.21hrs on Tue 27 Jan 09
ROFL
Hustler


Posts: 760
Joined: Oct 2006
Last Visited: 07:52
19th Aug 2019
Re: Ski Helmets
Date Posted: 09.11hrs on Tue 27 Jan 09
Re-classifying cannabis as class B isn't going to stop me from wearing my helmet at every opportunity.

Apart from everything else, wearing a lid has saved me getting a dunt on the head from eejits with skis on their shoulders a couple of times.
Thinking particularly of collisions now forming one of the biggest risks while skiing abroad, I reckon off-piste is probably safer than on piste now.
Scomuir


Posts: 300
Joined: Sep 2004
Re: Ski Helmets
Date Posted: 09.33hrs on Tue 27 Jan 09
I think helmets make sense, but would never go down the road of enforcing them, just like I think they make sense for cycling as well (and again, don't think they should necessarily be enforced). I skied and cycled for years without one, but a few incidents involving friends and head injuries while cycling, plus the fact that I was increasing my exposure to the risk of an incident by spending 90 minutes a day commuting, I got a helmet. My choice, and now it doesn't feel right ot be on a bike without one.

Same for skiing. I figure I am increasing my chance of injury by skiing more/faster/steeper than I used to. I always take mine descents when touring now. On Saturday, we were skiing on thin cover, with plenty of rocks around. Even though I didn't perform any headplants (while skiing anyway, cycling out was different!), I felt more comfortable due to the presence of a brain bucket. I've also found them useful for the skis on shoulders incidents, as described by Hustler, as well as over enthusiastic deployment of the charlift bar before I has sat back. It also keeps my head warmer than a hat smiling smiley

I think the rational used by the Austrians is a bit strange (adults collide, therefore kids must wear a helmet), but at the same time, I think it makes sense to encourage their use, as well as skiing responsibly.

[www.scomuir.com]



Edited 1 times. Last edit at 10.01hrs Tue 27 Jan 09 by Scomuir.
roga


Posts: 1123
Joined: Feb 2006
Re: Ski Helmets
Date Posted: 09.49hrs on Tue 27 Jan 09
Y'know I was having a conversation at the weekend at Glencoe with someone and we were saying that Winterhighland was far too hardcore, and people far too busy actually skiing/boarding, to have the sorts of slightly silly discussions people have over on Snowheads... like loadsa threads about helmets... lol winking smiley

Seriously though, I've worn one ever since I headplanted on a run at Mammoth a few years back, goggles broke and they cut my nose. I'm not sure if a helmet would have helped but I suspect there are situations where they'd make a difference.

My kids (5 and 9) always wear helmets, for one thing if they were hit by an adult it'd at least protect their head. The youngest headbutted a wooden post the year before last on a nursery slope and the doctor said the helmet took most of the impact and stopped him fracturing his nose - he did have a nose bleed though.

As for legislation, seems a bit draconian but I'd be interested to hear what ski patrols and doctors think.
Snowweasel


Posts: 395
Joined: Oct 2006
Last Visited: 11:14
16th Apr 2021
Re: Ski Helmets
Date Posted: 10.21hrs on Tue 27 Jan 09
Last week a friend took a dive off a red run in La Plagne, the netting didn't hold her and she ended up taking a header down a steep slope, before getting wrapped around a convenient tree.She was OK, no broken bones, but a big bump on her head and cuts to her face from the branches.Fantastic response from the Ski patrol got her down amazingly quickly.No doubt ,though, that a helmet would have protected her.
All of us skiing with her started to talk about getting helmets because of this. I am passionately in favour of choice in this matter, but after that experience I think I am now pro helmet.
Tomday


Posts: 104
Joined: Feb 2006
Last Visited: 21:08
17th Feb 2018
Re: Ski Helmets
Date Posted: 10.21hrs on Tue 27 Jan 09
I don't wear a helmet at the moment, but as soon as my 3 year old starts skiing both me and my wife will wear helmets as well to set an example to him. My ain reaosn for not wearing a helmet is that I do not really do any extreme skiing - I'm quite happy cruising on piste. However, I am intending to get one.

Legislation is a differnet matter. I suppose you can compare it to wearing a cycle helmet, which is reccomended or a motorcycle helmet, which is a legal requirement or even when they brought seat belt legislation in. If it saves lifes then it must be a good thing. However, enforcing it would be hard - maybe not for resorts but for backcountry skiing etc.

Tom
Scomuir


Posts: 300
Joined: Sep 2004
Re: Ski Helmets
Date Posted: 10.31hrs on Tue 27 Jan 09
Tomday,

I think a ski helmet has its place for "on piste cruising", as much as off piste. Collisions between people are common, and I figure you are better with one than without. I was in Le Portes du Soleil a couple of weeks ago, and the pistes were generally quiet through the week, but on the final Saturday, they were mobbed, to the point that we were concerned by the volume of people hammering down the pistes above Avoriaz in close proximity to each other I wouldn't take much for someone to bump into someone else, and there would be a pile up. I was glad to be wearing my helmet.

To get back to the cycling comparison, commuting to work is hardly "extreme", yet these days I would not dream of doing it without a helmet. Only this morning my friend and I had some mad women give us grief, using her horn, presumable just because we were on the road on bikes. These people scare me...


[www.scomuir.com]
growwild


Posts: 3550
Joined: Oct 2005
Re: Ski Helmets
Date Posted: 11.05hrs on Tue 27 Jan 09
I think all kids should be wearing helmets, then wehen folk have kids they should realy be thinking about themself as they have kids to keep safe...

Maybe some better colours on the runs and signs laid out and better fencing for safety, and skill/age levels or sumthink like that, we all just have to talk more, be more open if ya know wit i mean...

As for the classification of drugs, welll. People should have been told everything about the past, plants are plants and should be used wisely... That is through education from teh auld yins after they have learned everything smiling smiley

One day, thinsg should be perfect if everyone talks, and listens to what each person is saying I think... We all appear tae have stuff to learn winking smiley

Peace
Andy


Posts: 1406
Joined: Jan 2003
Last Visited: 08:47
2nd May 2019
Re: Ski Helmets
Date Posted: 11.08hrs on Tue 27 Jan 09
when my wee one is big enough to ski or board he'll be wearing a helmet even though i never have , except for climbing (strangely lots of climbers still don't). I tend to go to smaller resorts in the alps , away from the crowds. Off to norway in 4 weeks...last time i went almost everyone was wearing helmets. It's something i might consider in the future.
Doug_Bryce


Posts: 1373
Joined: Jan 2003
Re: Ski Helmets
Date Posted: 11.23hrs on Tue 27 Jan 09
Its funny how almost everyone wears a bike helmet these days...
But not for skiing. Certainly makes sense when there are lots of rocks, snow fences, and swinging t-bars about.

When its a cold winters day then a helmet is no hassle. And you very quickly get used to wearing one.

However... I personally find a lid can be a hassle is snowy or foggy days - when goggles keep misting up and requiring constant demisting. (though the secret in theory is to never lift them up in the first place!).

Should wear it all the time... But i dont.



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