Why is there so much hostility from skiers?

[carguy77]

At all all the hills is have been to, I get harrased by skiers (especialy the Twin-Tip skiers) about using skiboards. Then when I ask them if they have even ever tryed a pair they say something like there too gay to try or there for pussys. So what the fuck is there problem?

[Paul]

Some people just aren't open minded.

[Smevans]

I have yet to experience any hostility from snowboarders or skiers. My friends used to give me crap but now they like skiboards too lol/

[CrazyBoy-1]

Some of it is ignorance. Some of it is elitism. Often, I find that people are either completely uninformed or they have gotten their information/opinions second-hand from jaded sources. We all deal with it to a certain extent once in a while.

[dcox20]

So maybe at one point in time someone took their mom and did her behind the lodge... and maybe that person happened to be on skiboards... and maybe he went by the name.....



DCOX20


that could explain it.

[SkaFreak]

Too many people who don't know what they are doing and were renting snowblades. The "extreme" crowd decided that they were obviously only for newbie gapers and didn't want to have anything to do with them. Also, the most prevalent boards were the skinny snowblade clones that performed like trash, which didn't help the case. In Colorado, even the pro Revel8 riders were getting comments, but for the most part from people who couldn't back up their talk.

Just don't let it get to you, they're just looking to feel superior.

[MitchK]

Yeah, I've never experienced it myself. Even with most of the twin-tip guys out this way, they're all really interested, and a bunch of them want to try it out.

But, that seems to be the Vancouver area, among all "action sports" enthusiats, everyone seems to get along all the time. Skateboarders, BMXers, Rollerbladers, and Mountainbikers all get along in the skate parks, and it seems to be much of the same on the mountains

[EmptiMind]

I haven't got any guff at all this year, a few real compliments though. Last year I got some sarcastic compliments, but I usually chatted with the guys who gave them, rode part of the day with them, and all the negative energy was dissolved.

[Levitation]

I've never gotten direct negative comments. The closest thing is some sarcastic stuff from lift operators like "Dude, did you leave your skis in the dryer too long?" but I think they're just trying to be funny and I always laugh along. Maybe that's because I don't do park stuff and that's where all the elitist types hang out? On the other hand, I've had tons of curious & positive comments.

Online is a different story. Awhile back, I made the mistake of going to the newschoolers.com forum looking for some twin tip info... wow. It's like a homophobic, racist junior high anytime skiboards are mentioned.

[mahatma]

carguy77,

Oh, my. I hear ya' but I want to ask to reduce the vulgar language. There is no doubt in my mind you can send the same message without reducing yourself in the way the people who said those things to you did.

To be honest, the place I've seen the most prejudice is at resort ski schools. Say, I want to sign up for a mogul class - I learned the hard way to say I am on twin tips (and sort of joke that they are shorter than regular sized skis) instead of skiboards. I've not once received a negative comment from any instructor once I was there. I've had instructors ask me where my poles are and sort of exhale heavily when I said I didn't have them with me (a gentle lie as I do not own poles). But, if I say the word "skiboard" at a school help desk I can't even get a park class like for boxes and rails.

On the slopes I've never received any negative feedback. Ever. I've gotten occasional looks and people commenting how I just look like I'm having fun but again, never a single negative comment on the slopes.

[JonnyRingo84]

I used to take crap from some friends and people I'd go skiing with, but after a couple years of them watching me beat them down the hill and look a hell of a lot smoother than them in doing so they shut up.

As long as we don't stoop to that level we'll be fine. Respect is earned, so get out there and show them why you deserve it and they'll get off your back.

[slow]

I used to take crap from some friends and people I'd go skiing with, but after a couple years of them watching me beat them down the hill and look a hell of a lot smoother than them in doing so they shut up.

As long as we don't stoop to that level we'll be fine. Respect is earned, so get out there and show them why you deserve it and they'll get off your back.

Good advice and it works.

Not only will they get off your back, they will start asking questions about skiboarding.

[DennisEvans]

I think it has to do with elitism, yesterday I was hitting a 35 footer. The first time somebody would see me they would make fun of me and tell me to do something like a 12 or 16 or something stupid like that and I would laugh and drop, I would hit it and do some nice grab like a nice smooth judo or a mute and land futher down the landing area than them without even going full speed. They would go and knuckle it after bombing and pumping hard the entire way, after that they were pretty cool with me.

[Karl]

I've gotten the, "you're a fag" a couple times at one hill last year but other than that the only guff I get is from the liftys. Usually that's more like the joking around thing, "so did you have to pay full price for those things?" but usually more inquisition like, "woa, what are those things?"

All in all, a person who has to degrade others to make themself feel better normally has low self confidence/esteem. I try to keep that in mind and just ignore them without showing them that they had any affect on me whatsoever.

[harrysiii]

I've never had a problem (never heard anything, that is...haha). I have had looks, compliments and questions and that's about it. I think if I ever did hear anything I'd just ignore them or just tell them to zip it...in a few different words....without giving skiboarders a bad name. haha

I don't really care when people say things, I guess is what I'm trying to say.