Letters: Out-of-control yobs are ruining French ski slopes

To the Editor,

I’ve just read your article about the rules of the piste. I’ve been teaching skiing professionally for over 50 years, and have spent the last 35 years teaching in Les 2 Alpes where I live.

The issue of dangerous skiers is becoming more and more serious on the piste, and particularly with regard to young male adults schussing through teaching areas with possible deaths if they hit someone. 

Given that good skiers never do this, it follows that the skiers concerned are poor skiers, skiing way beyond their ability to see and react to anyone in their path, or a beginner or child doing something unexpected in front of them.

Many years ago Val d’Isère tried to take away a lift pass from a dangerous skier who turned out to be an advocaat, who sued them, and won. 

The argument was that a) they had sold him an item, and therefore had no right to remove it; and b) that the item in question was the right to use the lifts, and had nothing to do with use of the pistes. 

Therefore a precedent was set in France which prevents anyone from removing the lift pass from a dangerous skier.

Given this, I feel that the only solution is to change what we sell, and to sell a permit or license to ski, which could obviously then be revoked. 

As I’m retiring, I wonder if any readers would be interested in helping to start a movement to help stop the very present danger of these out of control ‘yoofs’. 

Obviously, one elderly British ski teacher can’t do much alone, so I’m starting to contact groups to see if anyone would like to help with a campaign.

Charlotte Swift (Easiski) by email

Have you noticed people becoming more aggressive and less considerate on the ski slopes? Let us know at letters@connexionfrance.com or if you would like to join Ms Swift's campaign follow her at Easiski on Facebook