J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by KP Ski

P.S Perty my sympathies ...... yes we all have our daft moments, stay out of the snow park in future!!!! Hope your sling is not causing you too much trouble, sounds like your injury should heal in time for next years season!!

I agree 500% with all of the above!! Implimentation will be slightly more difficult than the agreement of us safety concious skiers/ boarders!! A united voice will help the cause.

My only add to Pavelskis list is:

For the ski slopes to insist on proof of insurance before issuing a lift ticket. It will not prevent accidents but will at least look after those who are unfortunate enough to have been involved.

Please now bare with me whilst I beam us a few years ahead ....................

Can you imagine if ski patrols / mountain rescue / instructors etc were to carry breathalisers? I guess the lawyers would rub their hands in making a lot of money from alpine sports!

Also, I wonder if technology would actually faciltate speedometers on ski's and speed cameras on runs that act as speed cameras?? Anyone found excessing the ski speed limit on a given run would be subject to the various ideas previously mentioned - maybe a point system could be implimentated........ too many points and your lift pass is confiscated?

Sorry, getting tired now...... I shall revert back to reading rather than posting!!

Keep up the fab work folks.

KP

Salski - thanks for your support and your story & your get well wishes!

I have an inkling that Dad will ski again, the problem will be whether my Mum who doesn't ski will let him!! I think I know who'll win the argument as Dad is very strong willed! If he'd done something daft (ie if the accident was his fault) then it may have been a different matter. I must admit I wouldn't be happy letting him ski alone as he does some years when I can't make it. If he hadn't had a family member here with him I'd not like to think of how it would have been for him. Yes Mum would have flown out but that could of taken a few days for her to get here dependant upon available flights etc. Maybe we only allow him to ski Europe if he has to go alone?

As for the insurance ......... folk that ski without insurance clearly need their heads examining!! At his age Dad quite rightly took out the highest possible level of cover he could, which is now paying off admirably ...... the insurers really have been fantastic and when these traumas happen you need an efficient and compassionate insurance company to deal with the case. I can't imagine what it would have been like if it was a case of pay all bills up front and "send us the receipts" ......... I'm not sure even Dad's credit card would have that amount of credit to cover the costs we're clocking up!

Our insurers have been chasing the 3rd party details (ie the snowboarder that hit Dad). I gather they will attempt to recoup some of their costs from the snowboarders insurers ......... I don't even want to get into this minefield. So long as our bills are being paid then I'm satisfied.

Not that it will prevent accidents / injuries but I think proof of insurance should be requested by the ski slope companies as mandatory before a lift ticket is issued? I'll add that to Pavelski's safety thread.

Pavelski - I have read many of your posts now and you clearly are a ski god!!! My utmost respect goes out to you and the work you do! Your safety campaign is a fantastic response to the safety issue & I will wholeheartedly add my support to this.

The snow patrols / ski hosts at Lake Louise & Sunshine in Canada that we chatted to all agree that "something" has to be done!! But, it's that same old conundrum, how can it be done without spoiling the enjoyment of the sport. There are ways and as you say, "Wake up ski resorts, wake up ski companies & wake up ski patrols". United hopefully our voices will be heard!

Max - thanks for your comments ......... thankfully we didn't witness anyone noticeably drunk on the slopes. Maybe Canada is not like Europe ...... we stopped skiing Europe a few years back once we discovered Canada. Saying that though years back in Europe it was almost standard to carry a hip flask and to sink a few Gluvines at lunchtime. Only now do I appreciate this is really not a good idea!! After one small beer at lunchtime I feel the effects and agree it really is not in order to ski whilst under the influence!!

Another one for the safety list ....... if a huge accident has occurred then should both parties be breathalised? What if we found the snowboarder that hit Dad was 3 times over the driving limit then we'd possibly have a good case to sue? Goodness, now that would be a minefield!!

Trencher - thank you also for your best wishes. Having also read many of your posts you also are clearly another ski god :-) . Nothing anyone can do for Dad & I. These things are sent to test us and I am coping ok with all (ok I have my moments when in the motel room alone!) but probably a good job logistics is what I do for a living!! All the written support I'm finding here is helping no end!!

Saying that a week after the accident & nearly a week after I was originally due to fly home I really really just wanna get Dad home to Spain and me home too!! As previously stated the inside of a motel room for nights on end gets very very lonely & spending 6 or 7 hours with Dad at the hospital each day is now becoming very boring!!

So to end on a positive note ....... Dad's oxygen needs is lowering day by day and today (after a HUGE amount of chasing to the hospital) our insurers now are in receipt of a letter from the Doc that Dad will be fit to fly home from Sunday ........ so the insurers now have to make travel plans for a UK medic to fly out to Canada to accompany Dad home, that medic will require a days rest before we can then return me to London and Dad onto Malaga. These travel plans potentially could take 48hrs to arrange so I'm looking at another few nights in Calgary whilst I fend off my employers question of an exact date of when I'll be back in the office!!

Huge thanks to you all for your comments - they really are appreciated are are keeping me on the right side of occupied and positive!!

KP
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Thanks for your good wishes folks.

This is almost a full time job dealing with the insurers, the hospital, my Dad, my family on the phone and the logistics of getting Dad & I home!

At the mo the hospital is not appreciating that Dad in fact has to get home to Spain where he lives ..... a 9hr flight to the UK is one thing, but by the time you add on a few hours stop over in London and the onward journey he could go 24hrs without medical assistance and his lungs and broken bones are too bashed up for that just yet although the doc's are saying he can fly this Sunday. Hmmmm.

The insurers are quite happy to fly out a medic to fly with him but we need written confirmation from the consulting doctor to confirm this recommendation before the insurers begin to make repatriation plans. This is proving difficult!!

My quest to get us home continues, and I cant quite believe I have such an extended stay in Canada ....... my employers have been great this week but are already asking "when" will I be back in the office! I simply don't have an answer yet! Mid next week I guess.

I really should check out the other threads for some easy reading ...... am permanently knackered with this!!

KP
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Hi All,

Firstly what a fantastic forum ........ just a huge shame that I've found it as a result of being bored and stuck in a motel room in Calgary waiting for my 65 year old Dad to recover from his ski accident injuries.

He has a collar bone broken in 3 places, 6 broken ribs (down his back), a very bruised lung (pulmonary contusion) and a fractured pelvis. We were due to fly back to the UK from Canada Sat 10th March, the accident happened on Thurs 7th (thankfully towards the end of our holiday). He is unable to fly until his oxygen exchange increases sufficiantly for any airline to allow him on board. Our insurance company have been amazing and are taking care of all our arrangements (his hospital bills, my motel bills, taxi fares etc etc) and will be flying a medic out to accompany him home once he's fit enough to make the repatriation back home to the UK - a 9hr flight will feel like 90hrs with that amount of broken bones for sure!!

I really am not interested in getting into the ski vs boarder debate, I believe in much of what has been said on these boards in so far as there are just as many reckless skier as boarders, and that everyone is equally entitled to enjoy the slopes. My only opinion (and the Canadian medics agree) is that the boarding accidents do seem to result in more severe injuries than when just skiers are involved (yes, Dad was taken out by a boarder travelling at high speed, out of control and unable to stop or turn around my Dad who was casually traversing across an easy blue run). No injuries to the boarder, but he stopped, assisted at the scene, gave all his details and was hugely upset by the incident. Just unfortunate he was such a huge guy, hence the extent of Dad's injuries.

We are both good skiers having skied yearly together for 25years ....... at 65yrs old he ski's well within his limits and is very careful on the slopes. Luckily he is in amazing health as he swims, cycles, hikes regularly, he's fitter than I am!!. This just seems to be one of those unfortunate things that can happen when participating in a reasonably risky sport. It's certainly not put me off, however Dad's a little touch and go at the mo whether he'll want to ski again which would be a huge shame if he decides not to as he adores it.

Well that's my story - as mentioned I am literally stuck in a motel in a not very nice area of Calgary close to the hospital and am spending my mornings with my laptop for company and the afternoons at the hospital with Dad trying to encourage him to get better soon!! We are hopeful to fly this weekend, maybe early next week dependant upon his recovery rate over the next few days. At least I have lots and lots of ski reading to do on these boards to keep me occupied - a very grateful find!

Sorry to join these boards with a sad story, I'll be back hopefully with something more positive to contribute over the coming days / weeks / months / years!!

KP Ski

Hi all, seems a good place for my first post!

61. for playing noughts & crosses in the snow whilst waiting for the go slows in your group to catch up.

62. for placing between moguls to create a rail to ski or board across

63. for carrying your ski's - you know that trick of hooking the wrist straps around the skis either end of the skis & hooking the pole tips into the wrist straps effectively making the poles a long carrying handle - make sense?

64. as a walking stick if you've injured your knee, leg, ankle or hip.

65. as a walking stick if you've NOT injuried your knee, leg, ankle or hip to get a free ride through the airport on one of the buggies.

Sorry can't think of any more for now, but edging towards the magic 100!