Why do snowboarders invariably sit right in the middle of the piste?

Question

Why don't they go down the hill like your supposed to and then have their chat in the lodge? Don't their asses get cold doing that?

Answer 1

Hey, totally agree with you, Paul G! Snowboarders need to GET OUT OF THE WAY. I happen to know some really cool snowboarders who don't sit in the middle of the slope. Usually the people who do that are people who have never been on a mountain in their life and need to be on the bunny slope taking lessons. Sure, snow sports are tiring and it's fun to rest and chat with your friends. In case you haven't noticed, that is what the lifts are for. If you don't have enough endurance to make it down a run, ride the bunny slope!

I'm not just complaining about snowboarders; stopping in the middle of the slope is flat out dangerous. People can't see you and snowboarders with their back uphill can't see an out-of-control young skier/boarder. Even some of the most skilled skiers/riders can't avoid hitting some lazy snowboarder! At one of my home resorts, there is a large hump (in the middle of the hill, not in the terrain park) with just enough lip to catch a little air. There was a young snowboarder sitting just under it, so I was halfway off the jump before I realized that there was a person at my landing site. I had to add a little jump turn to avoid him. It is dangerous to the snowboarder. JUST DON'T DO IT!

Next time you out-of-shape snowboarders fancy a break, pull to the edge of the slope where all of the other people can see you. Make sure it is a low traffic area, not a place where the trails merge. NEVER EVER sit down in the middle of a crowded slope. I've seen ski patrol pull the tickets of snowboarders blocking a crowded area. Be considerate of the other people around you. That is the number one rule of snowsports. If we stopped paying attention, injuries would increase tenfold.

DON'T BE A STUPID SNOWBOARDER!

Answer 2

Usually if I snowboard by myself I don't sit there all day. Why do I do it? I'm usually waiting for a beginner snowboard to catch up to me and on the long runs, I will wait for them halfway (trust me, when you are just a beginner snowboarder, it is very frustrating and it makes it worse if the people you are with dont wait for you) but on the short runs i'll just wait for them at the bottom. Oh yeah, I might sit there right after getting off the lift to wait for my friends to strap in.

As for other people....I can guess as to why they sit there all day. I find snowboarding to be a more exhausting and draining activity than skiing (I can do both) and people that aren't so good and fall a lot get VERY tired. Their bodies are sore and they want to take a break. Another reason, on a snowboard it is much easier to fall. SNowboarders fall more often than skiiers, it's not as difficult getting up as it is on skis, and hell, sometimes I fall just for the hell of it. Point is, snowboarders fall a lot and so they think why not just take a quick break and sit there?

But there are some boarders that kinda just sit down on the slope in a huge group...and they look like they are just hanging out their for the day (I swear) and they comment to everyone going by. I don't get THAT. Well I take that back, I sit with my friends sometimes but we do it in the terrain park, right before we do a jump or something. We go one by one and watch each other but this shouldn't be a problem because usuallly the terrain park isn't so crowded.

Mostly though, the snowboarders that you find sitting down on the snow are beginners. Nothing wrong with that, they're learning. But if they get in your way, stay away from the bunny slope cause that's mostly where they are located.

Also to answer your last question, it does get a little cold I guess. Most of the time it's not so bad but sitting there for a long time will definitely numb your butt.

Answer 3

Okay, I've been snowboarding for 20 years and I NEVER sit in the middle of the piste. I don't sit to buckle up my bindings, I don't sit when talking with a friend, I don't sit when waiting for my skier buddies who just can't keep up, I DO sit and have a good time with my friends in the bar after a great day riding. What you have described aren't snowboarders, they are idiots who just happen to snowboard. It seems to me that if one sees an idiot on a pair of skis the general consensus is that they were an idiot. However, when someone sees an idiot on a snowboard all snowboarders are condemned as idiots. That's just wrong.

Snowboarding is definitely easier to learn than skiing and as such it becomes attractive to people who may not understand the etiquette of the hill. Many skiers have been skiing since they were very young and have been taught the proper on hill etiquette, like don't stop in the middle of a run or move away from the chair unload area before stopping to strap in. Also, many snowboarders seem to want to run before they can walk and get in over their head a lot of the time. What can I say? It happens and it happens with skiers as well, this isn't limited just to people who snowboard. Unfortunately it's more common with us.

I'd like to see people start to realize that while there are a high population of idiots who like to snowboard, we aren't all like that and there are plenty of idiot skiers in the world as well.

Answer 4

Why would you go into a lodge when it is funner to sit on the hill with your friends either admiring peoples' mad snowboarding skills, or making fun of the people who have the world's best wipeouts? Yeah, our butts get cold but hey it's worth it if you can see some wicked tricks or laugh at somebody doing a face plant.

Answer 5

Mmh... several reasons:

1. They like watching what other people can do and commenting with their other friends who are also sitting with them.

2. If you're not that good, you want to wait until there are MINIMAL amount of ppl watching because of ppl who do #1.

3. You're tired!

Answer 6

To balance them selves out so they have room on all sides.

Answer 7

because we can do whatever the **** we want we are snowboarders not Little skiing *******

Answer 8

they are waiting for another chance at the half pipe

get it half pipe??

ha ha

Answer 9

Have you ever thought that they get tired? (I'm not a SBer, but have you ever considered it?)

Answer 10

I wonder why too! Are they lazy?