French to clamp down on off-piste post Coombs?

[pinguboy]

This was recently in the Sunday Times of London. It could be that the reporter is overspinning the story a bit....

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article...189765,00.html

[edg]

Can't see it happening.

edg

[horizon]

There was a discussion elsewhere on this topic. A few better-informed posters chimed in and said that the article is extrapolating from older comments - no such new legislation is being considered in France.

[Arno]

seems like a case of a journalist putting 2 and 2 together and getting 5

[iceman]

53 deaths sounds like a lot. The U.S. in 2004 had 12.2 million individual skiers/boarders who rode a collective 56.9MM days, with the loss of 45 lives all told. Any idea how this stacks up with France (I couldn't find the stats) or how many U.S. deaths were off-piste?

[Arno]

53 deaths is a lot - i think it's about twice the average for France
there's quite a lot of info on this in www.pistehors.com

[Hacksaw]

I think the French minister is talking about avalanche deaths. I think he wants better avalanche forecasting and control work.
Halsted

[stomp]

hmmm.. politicians using dougs name to potentially restrict access to mountain terrain.

i'm thinking if he was around to see this, he'd be pissed.

[Mulletizer]

hmmm.. politicians using dougs name to potentially restrict access to mountain terrain.

i'm thinking if he was around to see this, he'd be pissed.

The politican made that speech several days before Doug died so this idea is bull. Sorry.

But I can understand you thinking that. The article infers a connection between Doug's death and the minster's words - which obviously cannot be the case ^^. It also implies restrictions as a result of Doug's death when, to my knowledge, none have been reported nor discussed. What the French minister did mention in that speech was greater education of skiers with regards to the dangers of skiing off-piste.

I think the French minister is talking about avalanche deaths. I think he wants better avalanche forecasting and control work.
Halsted

France already has an excellent forecasting network that releases detailled forecasts, much as you guys do in the US. Resorts do extensive avalanche control (and have a huge infrastructure for this - way more than I've seen in the US) but [what you call the] the bc isn't controlled and is extremely unlikely to become controlled.

As almost all of the deaths occurred in the bc more control work won't do much to help the situation. The high death toll this year was attributed to several factors by the minister: unusual snow and weather patterns causing conditions people were not used to/aware of the dangers of, more people doing bc pursuits thanks to better skills/gear and people doing stupid things. Hence the education drive.

As has been mentioned, pistehors is a great resource for info about all this stuff. Maybe Davidof will step up and clarify more on these points because he knows a load more about them me. Sorry if I seem a little pissed about all this but wild conjecture (especially when there's no evidence for it) gets me that way sometimes.

[ak_powder_monkey]

hmmm.. politicians using dougs name to potentially restrict access to mountain terrain.

i'm thinking if he was around to see this, he'd be pissed.

kinda like 95% of the wars in the past 2 millienia Jesus would be pissed

I think avy controll where theres lifts is ok and warning signs are fine, I would hope that things like that are there so I can make informed decsisions on where to ski. I would hate to see restrictions on access on where someone could ski, and I don't think that'll happen, I hope not anyway

[Squatch]

i really don't want to see this. my mom just visited france for the first time in about 15-20 years (maybe more) and she commented on how americanized paris had become. if more "americanization" means heading towards something like, say, breck, that would suck hard. One of the few times I went on their imperial express lift there was a guy at the top crawling around on his hands and knees because he was so awful that he couldn't get down. Clearly whoever he was with decided to take him up there when he wasn't ready, probably because "there was ski patrol, he'll be fine."

[SnowTigress]

Squatch is right...scary how Americanized Paris is. There's a Starbucks on every freekin' corner! Boo.
But, I still think the rest of the world is less litigious than the US and therefore things aren't likely to change too radically over a couple famous accidents... but who knows...

[davidof]

Maybe Davidof will step up and clarify more on these points because he knows a load more about them me.

You seem spot on to me. The only other thing I have heard about is a meeting this summer (June I think) between the French minister and the main bodies involved in mountain safety but Lamour was keen to stress that he specifically did not want more restrictions.

The London Times article seems to have largely been sourced from this article in the New York Times that was published the week before

Skiing Beyond Safety's Edge Once Too Often