people oblivious to avy hazards please educate yourself!

[snopro]

They should offer a crash coarse at the bottom of the hill a couple times a week even. I feel AST1 is a must have for anyone in the backcountry, but just a simple dummy one hour lesson could be very helpful to some. An AST1 is a bit of a commitment taking a couple days, i think that's what strays some people away that only get to ride 1 or 2 trips a season that lead super busy lives. I know they should make the time, but in reality lots won't. A 1 or 2 hour crash coarse would be helpful and maybe push some people to realize how important the ast 1 is. As well as could save someone from a disaster.

I agree. Even if guys can get out to one of the 3 hour refresher/introductory course that BRP sponsors for there dealers would be a start. May entice them to take the AST 1 after they see someone like Lori Zac or Jeremy Hanke show them how things can go wrong and what they can do to maybe make there trip selection safer?

 

[Skegmeister]

Yep. Short for Avalanche Pack or back pack.

When you say 'avy pack' are you referring to an airbag pack?

 

[Modman]

No. That like almost every other one of your responses on this thread is retarded

Actually he's not far off. While some of you sensible folks might not use an air bag/avy pack as your "back up" safety system, lots don't. They think its something that will save their life so it now becomes a primary fail safe instead of a redundant back up like it should be. The term that's used in the safety culture is called Risk Compensation. Risk compensation is a theory which suggests that people typically adjust their behavior in response to the perceived level of risk, becoming more careful where they sense greater risk and less careful if they feel more protected. Risk compensation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Its been heavily supported in the automotive instances referenced for increased speed due to safety systems. Its exactly the same as parachutes in planes, pilots simply don't go start the engine and taxi down the runway, there is a huge amount of pre-flight (preparation) that is required before the starter switch is even engaged. Pilots wouldn't by-pass their prep simply because there is a parachute behind their seat. Yet I have seen sledders with avy packs do it. What's between your ears is what keeps you safe, not what's on your back.

Its the same reason I would probably disagree with the idea of hosting a 1-2 hr AST course at the bottom of the hill for people who simply can't be bothered to take the time to complete a standard AST 1 course. While I agree 100% fundamentally with Destroyers idea that it may expose some to the dangers they don't understand and raise a lot of peoples awareness, I think it has the potential to give just as many people just enough knowledge to be even more dangerous. Where they would have not exposed themselves to the risk before due to lack of understanding, with a little knowledge they might think they can assess the hazards better now and take greater risk. It will also absolve some of them (in their own mind anyway) of the responsibility felt to take the AST 1 course IMO.

Not taking the full course is just being lazy IMO, busy life or not. Everyone's life is "busy" - its about priorities - so if someone tells me their life is too busy, my first question to them would be - how much is the rest of your busy life worth to you? Read the Henry David Thoreau quote in my sig line and you'll see this is a philosophy I live with everyday and it guides a lot of my decisions. In the grand scheme - take the extra day of vacation on your next sled trip and do the full AST course. 1 day out of 365. If you want to sled in the mountains, take the time and do it right. I'm from Castlegar and ride there all the time. After 20+ yrs in the mountains and evaluating avalanche risk and seeing people die in avy's, I still learn something new all the time about avy's or avy research etc. There is so much more to it than just what can be taught in 2-3 hrs and checking your beacon.

 

[TylerG]

Yep. Short for Avalanche Pack or back pack.

I ask because many (including myself) refer to their riding backpack as an "avy pack" I do NOT have an airbag pack, and not sure that I ever will. Personal choice,

 

[maxwell]

I ask because many (including myself) refer to their riding backpack as an "avy pack" I do NOT have an airbag pack, and not sure that I ever will. Personal choice,

nope your going to hell and your a terrible person

 

[TylerG]

nope your going to hell and your a terrible person

okay, see you there!