J2Ski Forum Posts and Replies by Dave Mac

I had a lengthy January visit to Niederau, and managed to produce a good number of alpine drawings and paintings. Here are a few of them:
Barn on the Märchenwiese.


The Roskopf


The Blaugergspitzle.


Two Thai brothers.


Rubezahl Backerie.


Barn on the run back to the village.


Kelchau Valley.

Just to be clear, if you are driving on the autobahn, from Munich towards the Inn valley, if you wish to avoid paying the vignette, you must come off the autobahn at, or before, Kufstein Sud.

Should you be driving towards the Wildschönau or towards Hopfgarten/Kitzbuhel this will hardly impact on time.

Due to complaints, many of the rental companies now include the winter tyre charge ~ this started last year, but is more dominant this year.

When you do your car hire search, look for offers which explicitly state "winter tyre charge included". If it isn't specific, then read carefully, "What is included", and "What is not included"

Also, it is usually worth taking out a separate excess insurance before you leave.

I find this a bit of a negative thread, and all the more surprising from a great contributor to J2!

I am fortunate enough to have skied hundreds of areas, including Europe, Australia, Canada, USA. There is no place that I would not ski again, or that I have not enjoyed. Every place has different strengths.

Given that I have climbed the Lake District's Cross Fell, carrying skis, in order to ski up & down 25 yards of snow, I am hardly likely to be phased by the price of a beer, or having to catch a bus.

I can easily go in the other direction, and add attributes to some wonderful mountains, some great runs, interesting stubles, classic powder, fabulous people.

No, for me, skiing is the ultimate. No weak aspects, no negatives, no easy way. Every ski opportunity is a positive.

You never hear a boarder being negative...... They know.

I normally have 2/3 weeks solo every January.
a) it is a better class of company! :-)
b) because I go back to the same resort, I have heaps of people to ski with, both locals, and regular visitors.
c) I get to meet and ski with J2skiers every year.
d) I can ski at my pace.
e) I can spend my mountain coffee time drawing, without feeling unsocialble.
f) I do not have to feel any responsibility for a group.
g) When I get in at night, I can sit on the balcony and paint, without reference to the needs of anyone else.

Selfish? Maybe. But I make up for it later in the season.

Snowlily, I believe you have some powerful personal points that might strike home, if directed at the right target.

Were I to be the managing director of the insurance company, and I received a response from you stating ~ "We were not disappointed, we were bereaved", and that a second response was received on the day of the funeral, I might be cutting through everything here.

If this is like the banking ombudsman, there will be a pretty stiff fee for the company to pay, win or lose. Also, any bad publicilty may cost them 10 times any payout.
Suggestion. Write a response.
a) As you have previously stated, you now confirm this case is going forwards to the Ombudsman
b) You are currently framing a letter to the managing director, (name him), about the clear insensitivities of the case.
c) Because you feel strongly about the poor wording of the Ts & Cs, you are now active in "framing a case to present to the media", warning them about the company. (Do a bit of homework, and find out the best media, a TV travelshow, a TV consumer program, a couple of major weekend newspapers, inc Tony Heatherington, Mail on Sunday) Name the media that you will be contacting.

Finalise by re-stating your outrage at their insensitivity.

It may be that I should have PMd you with this, but I have had to deal with rough justice from an insurance company, and I suspect many others will have too.

I have used DT annual travel insurance for over 10 years. I have made only one claim ~ a non-medical one ~ they paid, no quibbles, didn't even want to see the paperwork. They changed insurers a couple of years back, and I found that they could no longer meet my combination of requirements worldwide cover, a medical condition, (not me), a limit of 17 days ski cover per year, and specific off-piste cover.
Had they been able to continue to meet my needs, I would still have been with them.

The course is absolutely the scariest. I have stood on the course after a race, and it was a BIG MISTAKE! It was like greased glass, and steep, step, steep.

I went over to Kitz for one of the practice days this week ~ same speed as the actual race, at no cost, and without big crowds.

I have met/been involved with a couple of previous Hahnemkamm winners, and they are dead straight regular guys.

The Norwegian and Canadian teams were training here in Niederau on Wednesday ~ frightenly fast ~ but really friendly.