All ski stations have an exclusion zone for emergency services use ONLY ! BUT there are those who are too important that will utilise these areas for that IMPORTANT visit and thus others think they too can use this area ! Before long the area is crowded with people unloading their families and are annoyed when asked to move along . Even when a Bergbahn employee shouts to them from the upper levels they continue about their business .
My intervention caused all but one vehicle to depart the scene BUT the original car was still there and when the driver eventually arrived , the excuse was that he worked for the Bergbahn ! Two youngsters in the car in their ski gear and him wearing the Bergbahn uniform does not justify the “ It’s all right I work here attitude ” nor his complaint to his colleagues that I caused him inconvenience and was not entitled to question his behaviour . There was another of his colleagues standing by charged with the job of monitoring the area but afraid to tackle his colleague’s thoughtless behaviour !
Days ago I was coming off the Black run to see some teenagers ski through the “ Langsam ( Slow ) Safety Sign ” one of his group put it back up but when I challenged him in the control area of the ski lift he was about to use the excuse was that they were “ messing about ” ! Asked to see his ski ticket which turned out to be a “ Saison Card ” , so I guess a local ! Passed the card to the Lift employee to organise the appropriate action , BUT you guessed it ! Didn’t see what took place so NOT INTERESTED ! Of course another version of the incident is reported by the parent of the culprit , after all they are “ locals ” and “ high spirited teenagers ” will behave differently ? What would be the reaction to a tourist doing this ?
Tourists go to Australia or France to ski and stand in queues but here in Austria tourists normally expect that there will be little or none . The lift employees monitor the queues from inside the equipment house and do little when a 6 chair leaves with one or two because a group are busy arranging themselves thus blocking out others . Soon there are thousands inconvenienced . Asked to get into lines of 6 after passing the Card Control most were obliging but there are those who care little for those following since they had had to await their departure . Personally when awaiting my friends , I wait outside the control area but so many others will enter the control area and stand in the way of others causing additional frustration .
Whilst monitoring the queue yesterday I made it jocular by suggesting that those unwilling to fill available slots step outside and catch a Taxi thus injecting a little humour into an annoying delay . Had those that were queuing arrived on the top of Schneekar taken themselves to the other lifts serving that mountain top they would have avoided the queues for the rest of the day . Watching people negotiating the descent on the black run provides huge entertainment , never knew that there were so many ways to use skis or snowboards . There were a few users with panache however and the contrasts are amazing .
During the 1995/6 season at Kitzsteinhorn there were similar access problems to some 4 person chairlifts at the exit from the funicular railway that has since closed . Same story , different day , 16 years later but in Oz and France this is the usual story even during off peak periods .
Ski school tries to educate tourists in the use of the various types of equipment and during that time also is supposed to educate them on the 10 tips advertised as “ Courtesy on the slopes ” . Quietly asking the Ski Teacher out of the hearing of their charges to gather their pupils on the side of the piste thus allowing others to pass has caused outrage with complaints being voiced ! How dare I remind a Ski teacher to read their instruction manual ! German guy in own gear teaching objected to my asking what exercise he was teaching when I saw an exercise being incorrectly performed so I suggested he read his “ German Ski Federation Manual ” to see what I was querying since I was not prepared to criticize or enlighten , seems he has had cause to make his error public by complaining !
During the 9am rush hour queues quickly form at the bottom of the mountain because almost all those wanting to attend ski school choose to arrive at the same time and thus the standing room is filled with those carrying skis and other equipment becomes a slow shuffle forward to the control . At the top of Lifts people emerge into the open space , immediately drop everything and start to get skis or their snowboards strapped on , of course those following cannot move forward and risk injury if they inadvertently step on others equipment . Whilst asking people to move through to an area about 20m further on before arranging themselves I had a few Germans complain in English that I should be speaking to them in German ! Germans grow up using skis and surely know that this behaviour reflects badly on them . One German even shouldered me out of his way thus demonstrating his arrogance and lack of thought for his fellows . Snow sports are popular at this time of the year and the participants in the Zillertal are a mix of International Peoples and Languages and this area advertises itself as an International destination with success .
“ Laissez Faire ” is the key to success for lift companies and the least intervention possible is encouraged but until there is more Policing on the piste slopes there will continue to be accidents and injuries . Too many tourists in their busy lives neglect to prepare for their holiday with it’s increased activity thus muscles are unprepared for the level of activity they are expected to endure . Many tourists forget their own learning experiences and take the attitude that if they have done a particular run then the new comer in their group will also be able to do so . Deliberately putting their friend or family member at risk is not their intention but that is the result in too many cases . Taking off the skis and walking back to the start of a run , a mere 50 or 100 metres , in many cases and using the lift to get back down is frequently discouraged . Being amused by your companions frequent falls becomes a pain when their holiday is disrupted by accidental strains or more serious injury .
Began skiing in Australia in 1992 and with great good fortune have always finished the day on my feet . In 2008 I was hit by a snowboarder whilst teaching and took his ski card and board from him so that he had to walk out to the lift station . After visiting my Doctor I was lectured about my behaviour towards a “ Guest ” ! An out of control descent from Off Piste onto the marked ski track , knocking me down in the process was acceptable to the authorities BUT removing the means for him to escape the consequences of his action was not acceptable ! Another lesson in that season was terminated early by another out of control snow boarder hitting me at speed from behind in the middle of an uncrowded piste taking both me and the child I was teaching off our feet . Another Ski school teacher saw the incident but allowed the boarder to escape , fortunately the child was uninjured and a colleague was able to take over and finish the lesson . My knee injury then has prevented me racing in the Masters Series since . The Ski School owner tried to penalise me for not finishing the lesson and also tried later to defraud both me , the Finance ( tax dept. ) and the Local community but that is another story .
Received an invitation by telephone from a junior of my nominal boss last night to attend the office today in order to discuss some of the above . Since I was in the area I suggested we deal with this immediately but they wanted to go home ! Of course I was going home at that time BUT I was willing to take the time to sort it whereas the boss came on the phone demanding attendance at her convenience . By the way the Saison card was stopped so I told her that the uniform, will be returned .
With a stopped season card how am I to recover the skis left on the mountain ? With the best will in the world I cannot forsee how I could work with people who think only of their own comfort and importance and not of the people they are trying to attract to use their facilities !
