We all have pet peeves. From loud chewing and messy roommates to tailgating drivers and tardiness, everyone has little things that get on their nerves. But what annoys skiers the most in their natural habitat out on the mountain?
To find out, we turned to Facebook to hear from SnowBrains readers about their biggest pet peeves on the slopes. We received over 600 responses with a wide variety of nerve-grating behavior and annoyances. Here are some of the most popular.
External Speakers
Without a shadow of doubt, external speakers annoy SnowBrains readers the most. “Bluetooth Speakers” was a runaway favorite comment, pulling in nearly 230 likes and making skiers’ feelings about them very clear.
Why do Bluetooth speakers annoy skiers so much? One reason is that they disrupt the natural, calming ambience that the mountains bring. Many skiers head for the mountains to enjoy the quiet outdoors and to escape noise-filled city landscapes. Bluetooth speakers can disrupt the experience, annoying skiers.
Bluetooth speakers can cause safety issues, too. Skiing requires active listening to avoid collisions and other dangerous situations. Loud external speakers can prevent skiers from hearing others, leading them to miss the sounds of carving, stopping, or someone shouting directions like “on your left!”
Finally, not everyone has the same taste in music. Not everyone likes heavy metal, rap, or dance music, so forcing others to listen can be very annoying to skiers. A few commenters noted a trend with Bluetooth speaker holders: their music is usually poor.
“Blasting Bluetooth speakers,” one commenter wrote. Usually terrible music too,”
Stopping in the Middle of a Run
Our second most popular pet peeve was skiers or snowboarders stopping in the middle of a run. Dozens of comments and over 100 likes let us know that SnowBrains readers are sick of others stopping on runs.
Stopping in the middle of a run is just plain dangerous for both the stopped skier and the skiers around them. Skiers are forced to swerve around, sometimes very quickly, which can cause crashes. If a skier is stopped at the bottom of a roller section, other skiers may not be able to see, which is another collision risk. This is especially dangerous in terrain parks when skiers stop in the landings of jumps. If a skier is stopped in the landing of a jump, skiers hitting that jump are at risk of landing on the stopped skier, which could injure both.
Stopped skiers also act as a roadblock. In narrow runs, stopped skiers force downhill traffic around them, creating bottlenecks and jams.
Skiers debated in the comments about the best place to sit. “You wanna sit, get to the side,” one wrote. “Disagree. The sides are where the snow is. If someone wants to take a breather, the middle of the trail is the best place to do it,” another wrote.
The answer that was agreed upon the most? “People should stop where it’s safest, really. But be mindful of the best place to do it.”
Littering
Keeping a small snack and drink in your pocket while skiing is a good way to get through a long day of skiing. However, pack out your trash or throw it in an appropriate receptacle. Don’t litter.
Like Bluetooth speakers, littering taints the natural mountain environment and aesthetic that skiers love. Empty cans and snack wrappers make pristine white runs look dirty. They can seep into the snow. Chemicals from littered garbage leech into the environment, which can harm local wildlife and vegetation.
Skiers view littering as blatant disrespect. Many view the sport as an immersive connection with nature, and some skiers pride themselves on being stewards of nature. For skiers, trash littered on runs feels like disrespect to them and to the mountain.
“Drinking Fireball on the chairlifts before throwing away the bottle,” one SnowBrains reader said. “Throwing trash off the lift!” another wrote.
Zigzagging Skiers
Other skiers and snowboarders taking up the run also get on the nerves of SnowBrains readers.
When skiers zigzag from side to side down the run, it can be hard for skiers to pass them, especially if the skier is not looking for uphill traffic. Zigzagging can frequently cut off faster downhill skiing. While it is typically understood that the downhill skier has the right-of-way, wide side-to-side skiing can make it difficult for others to safely pass.
“Skiers who take up the whole run going back and forth!” one commenter wrote. However, some grace must be given to beginner skiers and riders. The side-to-side approach is, after all, part of learning.
Other Pet Peeves
Skiers also noted a variety of pet peeves related to specific bad experiences.
“Missing me by an inch at 60mph,” one SnowBrains reader wrote. Reckless skiers are both annoying and dangerous.
“Taking your 4-year-old in the terrain park, where they side hit all the rails and stop on the lips of the jumps or the knuckles,” another said.
“Snowboarding! (Wait for the backlash).” Looks like the skiing-snowboarding beef is alive and well.
“Not bringing enough beer for everyone on the chair” and “Cooking bacon in the lift line. You need to share,” were our personal favorites.
