The first thing you learn when being taught to ski is how to stop. Now, ocaisionally, if a skier is otherwise adept, they may continue training even if he can't stop. I heard about one 4 out of 5 star skiier who only has this to learn! However, I am fully ensured this teacher knew perfectly well how to stop.

There are 2 ways of slowing down or stoping. The one taught to newbies on day one like him is to put your skis into a "snowplow" or "pizza wedge" formation, creating friction. This guy knew how to do this well.

So, the group goes down a ski slope for the first time. Everything was going fine until the instructer at the front stoped to make sure everyone was still with the group - and this teacher just skiied on past.

The instructer called to him to stop - but he can't! Now, I've been nearly killed once like this - the snow hadn't been smoothed properly, and the bumps were forcing my skis into parralel - the "acelerater" position. I was heading for a turn I couldn't make at that speed, folowed by a sharp drop to certain death. But I calmly rolled over, and suffered not a bruise to my name. So I would have expected him to do the same.

But he didn't.

Had he skied on and hit something, tragic accident. He thought about his predicament for a few seconds, then reached out and grabbed a tree. This spun him around, so that his skiis were perpendicular to direction of travel. This happens to be the other way of stoping. At this point he let go of the tree. However, since he had spun round, there was still momentum in the direction he was now facing, and he hit another tree.

He still thinks it a stupid stunt

Just in case you toss this as an accident, just think how stupid it is to grab something as you whiz past.

Finally, I know skiing accidents are common, but I did a search, and there are NONE on the site, so I feel this is worthy of inclusion.

Submitted on 08/21/2005

Submitted by:
Reference: N/A:PA

Copyright © 2005 DarwinAwards.com

Kelly said:
Definitely Keep: Personal Account
I seriously hope that teacher takes a few lessons before he tries to teach another class.

Jack said:
Neutral: Personal Account
Good enough for a Personal Account. And we have had several skiing PAs submitted within the last several months. I think that we even accepted a couple of them.

Tracy said:
Neutral: Personal Account
Certainly good enough for a PA

The Darwin Awards Gift Shop

The Darwin Awards Condom Keep yourself out of the gene pool! A condom in a matchbook, useful for emergency contraception, bachelor parties, frat parties, and important rites of passage. LOADED inside and out with funny quotes and stories. Everyone loves this item! Friends don't let friends reproduce! $13 for Pack of 4