Latest posts for the topic "German Politician Found Guilty of Causing Death by Negligence After Skiing Collision"

German Politician Found Guilty of Causing Death by Negligence After Skiing Collision

Tue, 3 Mar 2009 17:17:47 GMT

The woman he collided with, died from multiple head injuries.

A German state premier has been charged with manslaughter over a collision on an Austrian ski slope in January in which a woman died.

Dieter Althaus, minister-president of Thuringia state, is accused by Austrian prosecutors of failing to observe regulations while skiing at high speed.

Full article on the BBC..

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7919790.stm

Edit: Title updated to reflect the courts decision.

Re:German Politician Charged With Manslaughter After Ski Collision

Tue, 3 Mar 2009 20:10:17 GMT

The trial has been held, and a guilty verdict reached. He was fined 33,000 Euros, plus 5,000 Euros compensation for the relatives of the woman who died.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601100&sid=amKNx15F_jPk&refer=germany

Re:German Politician Found Guilty of Causing Death by Negligence After Skiing Collision

Tue, 3 Mar 2009 22:34:58 GMT

Sobering thought. I got wiped out by a boarder in January, at a piste junction. He was out of control, yet it was evident he was a competent boarder.

Hopefully, there will not be too much of this.

Heck, there was me looking to get through the 100kph on the speed trap in N. this week. Maybe, maybe not.

Re:German Politician Found Guilty of Causing Death by Negligence After Skiing Collision

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 08:02:54 GMT

Dave Mac wrote:Sobering thought. I got wiped out by a boarder in January, at a piste junction. He was out of control, yet it was evident he was a competent boarder.

Hopefully, there will not be too much of this.

Heck, there was me looking to get through the 100kph on the speed trap in N. this week. Maybe, maybe not.

Not too much of which aspect of this horrible incident?

Piste collisions are on the increase.

Hit and run on the slopes is reportedly on the increase.

Slope user speeds are reportedly on the increase, with some resorts now zoning parts of resorts with speed limits.

Criminal prosecutions are now being reported in the European press, maybe they've been taking place for years? I was invited to bring charges for assault by the French police, against the woman who broke my collarbone, and that's going back to 2005.

Re:German Politician Found Guilty of Causing Death by Negligence After Skiing Collision

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 13:20:49 GMT

Are you going to do it?

Re:German Politician Found Guilty of Causing Death by Negligence After Skiing Collision

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 13:55:17 GMT

It's a tragic accident but hopefully a wake up call to people to ski/board with control and within their ability. There was an accident in Valais recently between and English and I think Dutch skier where one of them died. The mountain is a dangerous place and should be treated with caution and respect at all times. People on holiday are in their own little bubble, they relax and forget everything that's going on around them and seem more than happy for themselves and their children to ski around forgetting the basic rules of the piste with no regard for anyone else around them. Everyone should be able to enjoy the mountain without fear of being injured or worse by others, accidents will always happen but there are lots of thing we can do the avoid it.

Have fun and be safe is the message

Re:German Politician Found Guilty of Causing Death by Negligence After Skiing Collision

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 14:11:35 GMT

Does this mean that the state will get the 33,000 and the family a paltry 5,000.Not that any amount of money will bring back those children`s mother, But in IMO its a meager amount to pay. No doubt this amount of money to a politician is nothing but small change,I think he`s got off lightly.

I have to agree with Bandit in that people`s respect for other piste user`s is slowly diminishing,Or am i now more aware of it now i have children.
Of cause there are going to be unavoidable accident`s or incident`s, But when it boil`s down to being just total reckless it`s not on.
Be aware of other skier`s and stay safe and most of all have FUN.

AJ Adele

Re:German Politician Found Guilty of Causing Death by Negligence After Skiing Collision

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 14:56:41 GMT

IceGhost wrote:Are you going to do it?

No, as I would have needed to pursue it at the time. I was too messed up with the break,(16 weeks to knit) and French law is not robust enough in this area to make it straightforward. All I could see was me spending out on attending court in France, costs for lawyers etc and no result. The woman that ran into me was sorry, initially she was hysterical (so I'm told). Hopefully she went on to ski more slowly through crowded crossing points thereafter.

Off piste is way safer.

Re:German Politician Found Guilty of Causing Death by Negligence After Skiing Collision

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 15:04:55 GMT

AJ wrote:Does this mean that the state will get the 33,000 and the family a paltry 5,000.Not that any amount of money will bring back those children`s mother, But in IMO its a meager amount to pay. No doubt this amount of money to a politician is nothing but small change,I think he`s got off lightly.

I have to agree with Bandit in that people`s respect for other piste user`s is slowly diminishing,Or am i now more aware of it now i have children.
Of cause there are going to be unavoidable accident`s or incident`s, But when it boil`s down to being just total reckless it`s not on.
Be aware of other skier`s and stay safe and most of all have FUN.

AJ Adele

I also think he got off lightly. I would love to know the circumstances that led to the collision. I think 5000 Euros compensation is an insult to the family of the dead woman.

Incidences like this I think, will inevitably lead to legislation that will impact all slope users. It might be a blanket helmet law*, or proficiency testing, or perhaps mandatory 3rd party liability insurance.

*Insurers are already paying close attention. Back in 2005, I was asked to state if I was wearing a helmet, on my claim form.

Re:German Politician Found Guilty of Causing Death by Negligence After Skiing Collision

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 18:55:58 GMT

AJ wrote:
I have to agree with Bandit in that people`s respect for other piste user`s is slowly diminishing,Or am i now more aware of it now i have children.

I don't know but the last person, in fact the last two people, who skied into me were children, in both cases the parents didn't tell the children off and just literally laughed it off, the children certainly didn't get any learning experience from it.

Re:German Politician Found Guilty of Causing Death by Negligence After Skiing Collision

Wed, 4 Mar 2009 19:15:48 GMT

ise wrote:

I don't know but the last person, in fact the last two people, who skied into me were children, in both cases the parents didn't tell the children off and just literally laughed it off, the children certainly didn't get any learning experience from it.

It's your magnetic personality. Irresistably, folks of all ages are drawn to you. I expect in this case they bounced off, and the parents never even considered that you might have been injured :shock: