More Unpardonable SINS!!!!

Just back from a ski holidays and I do not know if it is my old "social upbringing" or the social lack of manners of modern man, but I saw so many "ski sins" .

I had to write them down and share them with you.

I remember when I was taught manners , my parents explained to me that we have manners so we can to live in a harmonious society where you think of the "other person"

So it is in skiing.

I am not sure if you will cry or laugh when reading this list.

1. We are in an "exclusive "hotel with valets, etc...yet skiers still double park car for 45 minutes so that you have to wait to get your car out of front entrance.


2. Very Ritzy lobby, with leather furniture. Skiers take there skis and lay them on sofa. All 10 pair!


3.In entrance the hotel has provided ski holders, which are wooden platforms with slots. Yet I see 15 pair of skis leaning on glass wall ready to play the "fall domino" game with the last ski falling on a child's head.

4. There is an effective and safe way to carry skis. At a tender age of 4 I was taught how to carry my skis and take care of them. I was told that they can be weapons! I sat for 45 minutes and watched the many variations in ski carrying. Warren Miller should have been there. I witnessed 5 near be-headings, two optic surgical operations, 6 body slashings, 3 arm lacerations.You get the picture. It was a war zone.

I realized that this happened every time new skiers came in for ski week, since staff avoided the front entrance and all wore ski helmets indoors.

5. The trolley sin.
Imagine 150 skiers and families with 3 kids arriving all at same time. It was like the Grand Prix pit area with skiers looking for trolleys. If one was found, 20 skiers would dash to it and a verbal discussion would occur on who had it!
Then if you had trolley, skiers would load up all 15 skis, 20 bags , 15 boots, dolls, videos, drinks, papers, poles etc....
Now I know why at of ski season hotels "give away" lost skis, boots, etc... They just follow these over packed trolleys and pick up articles as they fall in hallways, stairs, etc...
But the sin,,, the real terrible sin is the skier that "hides" the trolley for his friend who might arrive "at any time" now!!!!! Two hours later he still has not arrived.


6. The Sheep Line Sin.

As you all European skiers know, sheep and cattle are better managed than skiers in a ski resort. Expert skiers know how to avoid the sheep line sinners.
You do not know this terrible sin. Be warned!!!
In my hotel all skis are handled by a valet and a special room is locked for all guests. I happen to have 10 pair of skis which I must tested and I will change skis perhaps 20-30 times in a day. I know about the sheep line sin so I prepare myself.
Before I tell you how I avoid this sin, let me explain the really ,really bad sin ( as if there are good sins).
Even if breakfast is served at 6:30-9:30 most ski sinners show up at 8 then rush to get skis!

You get the sheep line at the ski room. Another spectacle with wrong skis, lost skis, fallen skis, etc... After waiting for 30 minutes in ski clothes, the sinners begin to sweat, become impatient and demonstrate all the behaviors of sheep. The holiday is just beginning.

The secret is to be ahead of the wave. Do not be sheep and follow other sheep. Get your skis BEFORE going to breakfast. Bring your skis to ski lift before it opens. Place them on the first gate so you will be first up. Then go have breakfast,,,,in peace!

I know what you are wondering and thinking! Silly Pavel, he will get his skis lost or stolen. Never has happened in 30 years. But that is my secret which I will share later. It has to do with good manners and knowing how to respect your fellow man! ( and women)

7. The Sauna Sin.
One of the beauties of a ski trip is that you leave your small social bubble and meet people from all walks of life , from all cultures and opinions. It was a great way for me not only to teach my children the beauties of skiing, but also to "introduce" them to other people. We do not have the perfect society. Others might have a different norm or way to interact. That is why we have manners. To accept others.

The sauna is the perfect place to sin or to show you have manners. It is a healthy way to allow body muscles to relax and recuperate after a day of skiing. Many skiers have not been taught the "acceptable" behaviors in a sauna. Lack of parental guidance, lack of a sense of observation, I do not know but her is what happens:
-coming in with a glass full of ice and ?????. It shatters from heat.
-coming in sauna with sweat pants and shirt. Seems sinner has serious problems with showing skin!
-coming in sauna without taking a shower
- complaining that sauna is too hot
-having 4 teenagers giggling at all those "old" men
-having adolescent listening to Ipod full blast " The Wall"

I kept the worst sin last.
Keeping the door of the sauna open while you wait for your 10 friends. After 10 minutes you realize they are too embarrassed to come in ( and I am not talking about a real sauna with,,,, heavens ,,,,nude persons!!!!!!)

7. The piggy sin
At the hotel where I witnessed this sin, it had a "full ski holiday package". That is you paid one price and all services were included. In other words you served your breakfast and chose what and how much you ate.

Ha..I see you smiling now since you are getting the piggy sin!!!
Yes some skiers must their "money's" worth so pile their plate ( like the trolley) so that the food drops off as they walk to table.
Worst is the sinner who can not finish all the selected food and goes of skiing.

Now you know why on the side of ski runs you see these strange undigested "goobles" of matter every 30 meters.


Let however end this on a positive note. There are parents and skiers that understand that a "perfect" ski holiday is one in which we all enjoy ourselves. So we think of the "other" and what is so pleasant is to see children that are beginning to apply what their parents have taught them about manners. It is pleasant to see adolescents that understand that with freedom comes responsibility!

Your children are truly a mirror of your values skiers and they do not hide it.

Yes I did have a great ski holiday, once I learnt how to avoid the sinners!

Hope you enjoyed my sin list!!!

One thing that I know my Girlfriend hates (which as a man I couldn't possibly comment on) is when females on skiing holidays get their partners to carry their skis around for them. 'Girl Power' and all that I suppose.

ellistine wrote:One thing that I know my Girlfriend hates (which as a man I couldn't possibly comment on) is when females on skiing holidays get their partners to carry their skis around for them. 'Girl Power' and all that I suppose.

My partner insists on carrying my skis for me! and I'm more than happy to let him :D

The last two messages highlight an interesting issue. What is required male behavior when with women skier and what is not acceptable.

Many years ago when there were lace ski boots ( ok ok I am now revealing my age) you could see men on knees , like knights of the round table lacing women's ski boots. For you uninformed, there were two sets of laces. An inner lace system and a outer system.

I laced my girfriend's boots once ( now my wife) to show how to do it, but then she did it all herself . Not because of ego issues or social pressures but because you had to lace your own boots to get "feel" of lace pressure!

Very much like ski feel!!!!

I see a controversial message post soon on "acceptable" male female sharing of ski duties! Keep reading.

Befor snowboard (soft) boots became more user friendly, I had a son, a daughter and a wife, none of whom could get thier laces tight enough. I had calouses on my fingers from all the lace tightening.

Trencher

So, what is the proper method for carrying skis?? :)

There is a hard way and an easy way to carrying skis. I am just preparing a whole presentation with pictures on the many "inefective" way to carry skis.

It is a question of "balancing" the skis. Have you ever seen African women carrying 20 liters of water on their heads for 10 km. An American Army study reported that these women had a more efficient physiological motor movement than any soldier. They could out perform any soldier, even the "special forces" on carrying heavy loads over long distances.

Efficiency and safety is the rule in carrying water and in carrying skis.

Think of the skis as a see - saw. It has a fulcrum and the ski also has a special nook for carrying called the front binding.

If you take a pair of skis. Make sure they are bound together by ski brakes , tape or ski velcro. Place skis on shoulder so that tips are forward and dowmward. Front binding unit is on shoulder but behind . Did you ever wonder why hi-tech ski jackets had a "shoulder patch made of heavy black nylon? Now you know! It is to carry skis and since racers coaches tune their skis razor sharp, this patch is to protect the jacket!

Take your right arm and place it forward and over tail of skis. DO NOT hold ski with hand. Just use arms weight as counter weight to ski. That frees your hand.

You must at all times remember that now you have a pair of skis "following" you behind. Just place more pressure on arm to raise ski tips. Thus avoiding beheading others.

Of course this is for carrying outdoors.

That is why you never bring skis indoors!!!!!!

Yes I can tell you how to carry skis indoors, if you like.

Pavel

Before I get 100's of comments about my mistake, allow me to correct the above text about carrying skis.

In the text I mention, " Just place more pressure on arm to raise TIPS......."

The text should read, " to raise TAILS" since tips are forward of body and pointing down.

Here is an example of a picture which is worth thousand words. I will take picture and post it soon.

See if my picture is better than my poor text.

Pavel