# Do you use the safety bar when riding a chairlift?



## Conrad (Jan 18, 2013)

Just out of curiosity, do you use the safety bar on a chairlift whenever it is available?

Also, are there any chairlifts in New England or New York that don't have safety bars? I only know of one chairlift in the Northeast (at Mount Snow) that does not have a safety bar.







For more on this lift: http://www.remontees-mecaniques.net/bdd/reportage-3647.html


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## mriceyman (Jan 18, 2013)

only on sketchy lifts with height or serious vertical... but if anybody asks for the bar down i dont mind at all.


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## Smellytele (Jan 18, 2013)

sometimes. If other people want to. if I am w/ my kids. Or sometimes if it has a foot rest that isn't too high and i want to rest my legs. In VT isn't it the law - not that it is ever enforced.


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## snowmonster (Jan 18, 2013)

Unless the wind is blowing hard and the seat is swaying, I hardly ever use the bar but don't mind when people on the lift with me want to use it -- as long as they warn me that the bar is coming down. I don't even use the bar in VT (even if it is the law there). I will close the gate though on the MRG Single Chair. There's an ex-Vermonter on this board who always insists on using the bar -- to the confused looks of his fellow lift riders.


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## Puck it (Jan 18, 2013)

State Law in VT to use it!!! Alta lifts do not have even have them.


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## Conrad (Jan 18, 2013)

Puck it said:


> Alta lifts do not have even have them.



As of 2-3 years ago, some of the lifts at Alta do have safety bars. However, the center pole doubles still do not have safety bars.


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## Puck it (Jan 18, 2013)

Conrad said:


> As of 2-3 years ago, some of the lifts at Alta do have safety bars. However, the center pole doubles still do not have safety bars.


  I was ther three years ago and Sugarloaf and Collins did not, Supreme is the that I am unsure of.


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## Conrad (Jan 18, 2013)

Puck it said:


> I was ther three years ago and Sugarloaf and Collins did not, Supreme is the that I am unsure of.



Not 100% certain, but I believe bars were added to Sunnyside 3 years ago and to Collins, Sugarloaf, and Supreme 2 years ago.


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## abc (Jan 18, 2013)

There's probably an old thread about this every year... It's another of those "how much safety do we really need?" debate, though less heated than helmet debate.  

I generally don't but there're a couple of exceptions: windy day, and when I'm sitting in the middle of a 6 pack. Although on the latter, one out of the other 5 typically would have wanted the bar down so I rarely have to request it. 

Nor do I mind when others want the bar down.


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## ScottySkis (Jan 18, 2013)

Sent from my ADR6410LVW using Tapatalk 2

At Platty on slow double chair not so much on high speed chairs always.


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## Nick (Jan 18, 2013)

I normally don't bother. That said, feet rests are nice sometimes to take the pressure off, and if other people are on the seat, I will usually put it down or let it go down when they do it. Solo though, with a standard bar, I usually just leave it up.


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## Cheese (Jan 18, 2013)

Puck it said:


> State Law in VT to use it!!! Alta lifts do not have even have them.



Well duh, they don't allow snow boarders.


It doesn't bother me either way.  I'll use it when others want it or not when they don't.  Obviously with kids I put it down.

Incidentally, most of the dents in my helmet are from the safety bar.  :dunce:


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## drjeff (Jan 18, 2013)

I use it all the time (except for about 10 rides a weekend when my 7yr old son is lapping the beginner park at Mount Snow that is served by the Ski Baba double which is grandfathered in and doesn't have a safety bar (and even when there's no snow below is doesn't get much more than 5 feet off the ground for it's entire 2 minute ride) )

I'd be a bit of a hypocrit if what seems like 2 or 3 times a day when my kids ski by me on a trail below if they saw me on the lift riding bar up.  Plus if some unforseen event happens while i'm on the lift (sudden stop/mechnical issue/big wind gust/etc) why not keep the bar down just incase that 0.0001% event happens?? I figure that I buckle my seat belt everytime I get in my car, so putting the safety bar down isn't that much of a difference in my book


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## drjeff (Jan 18, 2013)

Cheese said:


> Incidentally, most of the dents in my helmet are from the safety bar. :dunce:



I still say that a dent in the helmet is better than a dent in one's head  :lol:


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## conwayeast (Jan 18, 2013)

Somtimes I pull the bar down when I' by myself just so I can lean on it. I also like have a nice arm rest sometimes. But 9/10 times I do not pull it down unless others ask for it.


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## boston_e (Jan 18, 2013)

Usually I use the bar... but didn't vote because I don't get what riding with strangers has to do with using the bar or not.


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## Cheese (Jan 18, 2013)

conwayeast said:


> Sometimes I pull the bar down when I'm by myself just so I can lean on it.



Off topic and dating myself but does anyone else remember the signs that warned of leaning on the safety bar?


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## shadyjay (Jan 18, 2013)

I always use the bar.  Never used to think it was a big deal, but after working on lifts for 4-5 years and knowing how quick an E-Stop can happen, I realized it is a big deal.  Plus in VT, it's the law!


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## emmaurice2 (Jan 18, 2013)

I have an irrational fear of sliding off the seat when the bar isn't down.  If there is no bar, I clutch the back and sides of the seat for dear life.


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## boston_e (Jan 18, 2013)

emmaurice2 said:


> I have an irrational fear of sliding off the seat when the bar isn't down. If there is no bar, I clutch the back and sides of the seat for dear life.



You must be used to riding the Snowdon Quad at Killington!


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## steamboat1 (Jan 18, 2013)

I always use the bar when available but don't insist others too. Therefore there is no answer that applies for me in the poll.


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## emmaurice2 (Jan 18, 2013)

boston_e said:


> You must be used to riding the Snowdon Quad at Killington!



I think my fear started there.  That's why I haven't been back since 1992.


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## snowmonster (Jan 18, 2013)

Puck it said:


> I was ther three years ago and Sugarloaf and Collins did not, Supreme is the that I am unsure of.



Collins definitely has a safety bar with those bars that go down between your legs to prevent you from slipping off the chair. Sugaroaf, I think, has a bar. Wildcat defintely has no bar.


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## dmc (Jan 18, 2013)

Cheese said:


> Well duh, they don't allow snow boarders.



WTF does that have to do with anything?
I've ridden PLENTY of barless lifts with a snowboard attached to my foot..


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## Cornhead (Jan 18, 2013)

I always do, unless sharing the chair with a stranger, I will ask if they want it down or not, and go which ever way they want. I use the foot rest to help raise my butt to slide my poles under my cheek. Last year at Greek I did this, and the foot rest broke off and fell to the ground, luckily it didn't hit anyone. I rarely use the foot rest solo, I will put one foot on it while sharing. It was weird skiing Santa Fe for the first time, I think only one of their chairs has bars, I felt kinda naked.


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## Puck it (Jan 18, 2013)

My bad. 

Collins as of last year does.






Alta was relatively slow to provide safety bars on its chairlifts, introducing them to the Sunnyside lift in 2010 and then adding bars on the Collins, Sugarloaf, and Supreme chairs in the summer of 2011.


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## Cannonball (Jan 18, 2013)

I usually don't use them unless I'm with kids or exceptionally high (physiologically or physically).

The only issues I have with them: 
- Getting whacked in the head due to bad lift op bump (eg Zoomer Chair at Cannon)
- Getting whacked in the head due to clueless fellow riders
- Footrests that you can't fit a snowboard through.  It's bad enough having your board hanging from one foot, but when it's leveraged under the bar it can be brutal.


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## bdfreetuna (Jan 18, 2013)

Most of the time. If I'm sitting on the side of the chair, and can hang on to the side rail, not always. If I get stuck in the middle where there's nothing to hold on to I always put it down / ask to have it lowered if I'm with randoms.

More likely to lower it in windy conditions or chairs with scary drops.

Some chairs like Magic's Red I will always lower the bar on after being stuck on it the day it broke and it kept slipping back and bouncing up and down while they were trying to get it going again.


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## Conrad (Jan 18, 2013)

steamboat1 said:


> I always use the bar when available but don't insist others too. Therefore there is no answer that applies for me in the poll.



I know the poll isn't fool-proof, but doesn't that put you into the category "Usually use bar, except when riding with strangers" since you always use the bar except sometimes when you are with other people?


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## Smellytele (Jan 18, 2013)

Cheese said:


> Off topic and dating myself but does anyone else remember the signs that warned of leaning on the safety bar?



There still may be one at MRG


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## Smellytele (Jan 18, 2013)

saw a quick snippet on the news this AM and 2 kids fell off a lift at Gunstock. I didn't see the full story just the teaser.


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## Cheese (Jan 18, 2013)

dmc said:


> WTF does that have to do with anything?
> I've ridden PLENTY of barless lifts with a snowboard attached to my foot..



It was a completely random correlation.  Sorry to set the hook so deep in your mouth.  Lighten up, there's a 3 ski/ride day weekend starting tomorrow.:beer:


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## Puck it (Jan 18, 2013)

Cannonball said:


> I usually don't use them unless I'm with kids or exceptionally high (physiologically or physically).
> 
> - Footrests that you can't fit a snowboard through. It's bad enough having your board hanging from one foot, but when it's leveraged under the bar it can be brutal.




Do you want some cheese too!!!:beer:


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## Cannonball (Jan 18, 2013)

Puck it said:


> Do you want some cheese too!!!:beer:



No thanks, watching my HDL.  Weed would be nice though.


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## Smellytele (Jan 18, 2013)

dmc said:


> WTF does that have to do with anything?
> I've ridden PLENTY of barless lifts with a snowboard attached to my foot..



Angry snowboarder alert! Angry snowboarder alert! :evil:


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## Puck it (Jan 18, 2013)

Cannonball said:


> No thanks, watching my HDL. Weed would be nice though.



I will bring the "Winter Jack" for the next meeting.


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## Puck it (Jan 18, 2013)

Smellytele said:


> Angry snowboarder alert! Angry snowboarder alert! :evil:



I thought about it but I won't do it!!!

There is an urban dictionary definition for what I refer to a him.


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## Cheese (Jan 18, 2013)

Puck it said:


> I will bring the "Winter Jack" for the next meeting.



That's good stuff although I've been too impatient to serve it warm as suggested.


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## dmc (Jan 18, 2013)

Smellytele said:


> Angry snowboarder alert! Angry snowboarder alert! :evil:



Seemed a bit off base... Wondering where it's coming from...


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## dmc (Jan 18, 2013)

Cheese said:


> It was a completely random correlation.  Sorry to set the hook so deep in your mouth.  Lighten up, there's a 3 ski/ride day weekend starting tomorrow.:beer:



Cool...  I don't get MLK off... boooooo!!!!


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## SIKSKIER (Jan 18, 2013)

Cannonball said:


> - Getting whacked in the head due to bad lift op bump (eg Zoomer Chair at Cannon)
> -.


It seems that Zoomer bar comes down on my head by itself everytime I load.


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## SIKSKIER (Jan 18, 2013)

I never use them unless requested.The one lift I put it down on my own was while riding up the Peak chair at Whistler.


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## Cannonball (Jan 18, 2013)

SIKSKIER said:


> It seems that Zoomer bar comes down on my head by itself everytime I load.



Totally.  Not sure if the bar is poorly weighed because of the footrests or if the ops give a consistently rough bump.


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## dmc (Jan 18, 2013)

All this being said -  I ALWAYS use a bar weather Im boarding or tele skiing...

The worst is is no bar - where the lift is attached to the center and not the sides...


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## Smellytele (Jan 18, 2013)

dmc said:


> All this being said -  I ALWAYS use a bar weather Im boarding or tele skiing...
> 
> The worst is is no bar - where the lift is attached to the center and not the sides...



The worst is no BAR - where the ski area has no pub. For the longest time I never knew there was a bar at Cannon when it was down stairs. I finally found it when I was 22 or so. :lol:  Are there any ski areas without pubs?


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## Conrad (Jan 18, 2013)

dmc said:


> The worst is is no bar - where the lift is attached to the center and not the sides...



I suppose you would not enjoy Wildcat Double at Alta:





http://www.skilifts.org/old/ut-alta.htm


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## Peter (Jan 18, 2013)

I always do, seeing how I have a fear of heights. I usually get pretty freaked out if the bar isn't down (especially if it's windy).


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## dmc (Jan 18, 2013)

Conrad said:


> I suppose you would not enjoy Wildcat Double at Alta:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yeah... I forget where Ive seen lifts like that...  But I'm always wrapping my arm around it...  
Strange that I have no problem with standing on a knife ridge..  OR climbing up a steep face...
But lifts do freak me out a bit...


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## gregnye (Jan 18, 2013)

SIKSKIER said:


> I never use them unless requested.The one lift I put it down on my own was while riding up the Peak chair at Whistler.



Oh yah, that lift. That sure is quite a wild chairlift terrain wise!


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## timm (Jan 18, 2013)

I always use the bar (when applicable), just out of habit. Let people know before I bring it down if riding up with strangers.


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## skisheep (Jan 18, 2013)

Usually pull the bar down footrest is nice and I figure 99.9% of the time there is no need but that one time when the lift does an E stop or that big gust of wind comes better safe than sorry. If others on chair will allow them to choose but atleast at Whiteface most people bring them down for the footrest, and also some of those chairs(Summit Quad in particular) can get WINDY!

-skisheep


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## Bobt2ski (Jan 18, 2013)

I always use the safety bar also.  Have seen a few people fall from a lift and not a good site.


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## o3jeff (Jan 18, 2013)

I always do cause I like to lean forward and rest on it.


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## dmw (Jan 18, 2013)

Today I was on a lift at Wachusett with a mom and a kid who was 4 or 5 and tiny. He was sitting so far forward on the edge of the seat I thought he might slip and fall thru even with the bar down. Very sketchy but she didn't seem worried...

I usually put the bar down, see no reason not to.


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