So fed up of stories like this every single year. Stupid bloody Skiing.

[ExcessiveNumberOfNinjas]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14427223/British-schoolboy-14-killed-skiing-accident-northern-Italy.html

This poor lad, only 14 years old, crashes headlong into a tree at speed and dies of chest injuries right in front of his parents.

What's so fucking great about skiing? Every year without fail there are stories like this and I'm sick of them. I know someone who became permanently disabled and slightly brain damaged after a skiing accident in his 20s.

As parents we don't encourage our kids to get into cars and drive them at speed round a race track with very little training every half term in February do we? We don't stick them on the backs of race horses and slap their arses and watch them go over hurdles. We don't encourage them to dive off high cliffs into the sea below and hope that they manage to miss the rocks as they land. So why do we continually let them hurl down mountainsides at god knows how many miles an hour, hoping that they manage not to collide with a tree or hit their heads on a rock?

I don't get it. I never will. However 'fun' it might be it can't possibly be worth the stupid level of risk.

There is no essential training for horse riding. If you buy a horse you can do whatever you like with it. In affiliated competition you can be sanctioned if you are unsafe and there are qualification criteria (so you have to be safe at a lower level before moving up) but there are no controls on what you do elsewhere.

Personally, I couldn't think of anything worse than visiting a freezing climate to dress up like a marshmallow and hurtle down a hill whilst hoping not to end up a paraplegic. Each to their own.

I would actually love to holiday in a snowy mountain place, just not to ski!

Why shouldn't it be a big part of their lives? There's nothing odd about that whatsoever. Maybe they grew up around snow in Scotland? Maybe they grew up close to a dry ski slope or a snow dome? Maybe they learned to ski for winter warfare training in the military? Maybe their family have been skiing in the Alps for generations? Or maybe they tried it, loved it, and are now passionate and save their money and holiday time to be able to indulge their passion - what's wrong with that? Why is that odd? I've been skiing for 40 years and have lived in Norway, Canada and the UK. I've known people in each of these countries who are obsessed by skiing, and others who have never set foot in a ski binding in their entire lives. Just because your experience of skiing differs from someone else's, doesn't make theirs any less valid. Skiing and the British have a long, long history (see my previous post), and there are cultural norms that differ from yours. This arrogance of 'ah, I'm from the mountains so you lot can't possibly know about skiing' is pretty tired stuff.

When it's taught well, skiing is a great activity for someone to learn about risk and safety. When I first learned, lessons always included reading the slope, reading the conditions and making judgments about how you were going to ski something within your capabilities. Also what to do and not do around heavy machinery like lifts and piste bashers, where it's safe to stop and so on. I don't know whether this is the case now as I no longer have group lessons but given that so many people don't seem to ski with even basic common sense, I suspect not.

Edited to add that I crossposted with @Scottishskifun - very happy to see that it's still taught, at least in Scotland.

I'm no stranger to the great outdoors and adventure sports. I was a fell-walker, horse-rider and wave-rider - in some cases obsessively so.

An end came to most of that when I broke my spine in a riding accident a few years ago. I'm still struggling and hoping for an op in a year or so's time to fix some residual issues, then at the very least I hope I can go back to surfing and mountain-climbing.

All this shows I'm no shrinking violet. And I would never, ever have touched ski-ing with a bargepole, nor shall I be allowing my DC to go on any school skiing trips. As it happens, he's not interested. He's a lot less interpid than I am, a fact for which I'm devoutly thankful.

I've never forgotten the stories of poor Michael Schumacher and Natasha Richardson. A bit of 'kamikazeeing' is fun, but IMO, the benefits of skiing simply don't outweigh the risks.

I know those risks. I'm extremely fortunate that I'm still mobile and alive.

Everything we do in life carries some risk - you have to weigh up the risk versus the reward (or necessity) of doing each thing. For most everyday things we accept the risk unthinkingly, but when something unusual or out of routine comes along, we weigh it up (e.g. "should I make that 100 mile drive this afternoon when there's a weather warning in place?")

Skiing is no different - it's a risky sport, people have to weigh up that risk versus the pleasure of doing it, and make that calculation on behalf of their children if applicable.

Personally, I wouldn't go skiing if I was paid to, but I'm generally a very risk-averse person. If others want to take the risk, good for them - as long as they have insurance in place and don't start crowdfunding if one of their party breaks their neck.

Me too - wonder whether we work for the same company? I am also dealing with lots of these reports at the minute. I've never fancied skiing but this work would definitely put me off if I did.

Natasha Richardson had a freak accident. She was already at the bottom of the slope, with a ski school but lost her balance. She hit her head on the hard, impacted snow and crucially had no helmet. She got up and said she was fine but few hours later started to feel ill and was rushed to the hospital.

Michael Schumacher was skiing off piste and hit a big rock. I doubt he was skiing gingerly down the slope either. There’s a good reason why your travel insurance will be void if you ski off piste. Most average families on skiing trips won’t even dream off going off piste.

I was properly taught. I don't own horses - I have neither the time nor the commitment to do so - so I rode other people's in properly regulated conditions.

I was a highly experienced rider, having ridden since my teens. I still met with a freak accident - neither horse nor rider error - just a split-second, unfortunate occurrence that in the wrong circumstances could happen to anyone.

All riders have fallen off at some point. You accept those risks, and if I'd merely shattered an elbow or ankle I'd have been straight back in the saddle. But not after something like this. I'd need my bumps felt if I even considered riding again, although giving up was a wrench, I can tell you. If you go in for risky sports then involved in that participation is an acceptance of those risks.

Ski-ing is one I'd never have been willing to accept.

Quite. Freak accidents.

They happen. No one knows this better than I do.

I agree - it's a no from me. I tried it once and a friend crashed into me at slow speed and it still really hurt!

My ex-BIL went and on his first trip had to be airlifted off the side of the mountain after breaking his leg really badly and needed multiple operations and pins, etc.

A vlogger I watch is a really good and confident skier, but to see her in tears on a video because an arse had just taken her out and not even slowed down to apologise made me happy in my decision to never do it again!

It's swings and roundabouts though isn't it?

I've been skiing twice and loved it, no damage done but for the life of me, I will never go caving or rock climbing! Those sports/hobbies scare the crap out of me!

It's not a binary choice is it? Unless you are on a skiing holiday 365 days a year, your children could still be getting groomed over the internet.

As for childhood obesity...that's more prevalent in deprived areas. I wonder whether that's because they can't afford to go skiing, or if the reasons are a little more complex?

Well if we're going to go down that road...how about insurance for smokers, the overweight, alcohol users, or even the elderly... All huge users of the NHS.

It's a slippery slope when you start demanding charges from some parts of the population. Especially when those who do these sports are probably statistically most likely to use the NHS the least because of their level of fitness.

People take risks every day.

What triggers you so much about skiing in particular? Why be so angry about other people’s choices that have no bearing on your life?

@SerafinasGoose I'm really sorry to hear about your accident. I've seen some nasty accidents including a rotational fall where the horse came down on a child. Fortunately there was no lasting damage to the child (or horse), but that was only down to luck really. I love horses, but they do also terrify me! I'm very thankful that none of my DC got into serious riding and competitions and so forth.

I think our risk assessments are often based on what we know, rather than statistics. Every accident statistic I can find points to riding having a higher risk of death and serious injury compared to alpine skiing. Perhaps because your skis don't have a mind of their own, unlike horses!

I hope you get your operation soon and manage to get back to some of the activities you love - you sound like a really lovely, fun person!

This strange attitude to dangerous winter is prevalent in the UK - take ice-skating rinks popping up every winter - they invite novices to put on skates and proceed, without any training - shocking! The amount of injuries.....

Agreed, @Louisetheroux.You don't go skiing, you're kid's going to become obese: that's quite the leap.

There are myriad other physical activities which kids undertake regularly, and holidays don't have to involve two weeks' lying on a lounger.

As for grooming and dangerous online content, if the recent story of the two teenage killers didn't alert every parent to the kind of material their kids might be consuming online, it should have. The internet is one area in which, as a parent, I'm extremely risk averse and for this I make no apology. The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.

Life involves risk and it's all about assessing and managing that risk.

HOWEVER, I don't necessarily disagree re skiing.

There is a reason why travel insurance always specifically asks "will you be skiing?"

Agree with this.

My kids have severe food allergies. They also ski race train every week.

I worry far more about sending them to school than the skiing.

I go to the gym and do plenty of walking

There's no mandatory training for horse riding - anyone can buy a horse and get on.

As for driving, well, yes, ideally everyone should have a license but we all know that isn't true!

Thank you so much for that really kind post. It's given me a much-needed lift today. There are periods when the back pain flares and is definitely worse than others - now is one of those times - and I've just last week had confirmation that my consultant will remove the metalwork that's still causing these issues. So now perhaps at least an improvement is in sight and so I'm feeling a bit emotional today. I intend to frame those rods and screws and hang them in pride of place in my study at home - goodness knows they're causing a lot of pain and restricted mobility now - but they are what saved my mobility in the first place and I will never not be grateful.

Of course, everyone's risks vs. benefits assessments will differ. I've also taken some really crazy and unacceptable risks when I was young and stupid, and been fine. The bad accident happened well into maturity.

The positive side is that I will always find alternative passions!

Starts with 'treacherous conditions' when a bit of snow falls down and drivers being warned not to drive.
I remember it was c 2010 and about 5cm of snow fell down in London. Everything was shut. Trains/tube, people told to stock up. It was bonkers. Lasted about 3 days!