Editorial Scott Stevens Issue 403 The big news of the week for Queenstown was undoubtedly the opening of Coronet Peak and what everyone is hoping will be a bumper ski season. Decent snow cover and excellent “spring” skiing conditions is bonus territory in early June. Take it, enjoy it and long may it continue. For business people, employees and job seekers, opening day signals the turning of the worm from what has been a particularly quiet shoulder season. But the ski season is already over for some with my first sighting of ‘arm in sling syndrome’ coming as I walked along Rees Street on Saturday within a few hours of first tracks. And this is just the beginning of what will be a steady stream of over enthusiastic skiers and boarders ending up in the emergency ward this winter. In the blink of an eye good times can turn bad. The M1 on Coronet Peak is a highway as busy as its namesake in London at times, but without road rules. People cutting and turning everywhere. Collisions are inevitable. Although the statisticians say a male snowboarder in his mid-20’s is most likely to end up in the back of an ambulance, accidents can happen to anyone. Even if it’s not your fault. In fact the simple act of getting on and off the chair lift is statistically a risky exercise. The medical profession are big benefactors of the ski industry, with the tax payer forking out millions in ACC payments. For the individual the impact of a cracked wrist or collarbone could be the loss of employment. With so many currently vying for so few jobs, employers can easily replace a broken worker if they have to. It’s particularly tough for backpackers on a working holiday, who can end up with no other option but cut the adventure short and head for home. That’s exactly what happened to me in Whistler when I was in the mid-20’s male snowboarder demographic. I snapped my collarbone being a daredevil and after dragging my sorry self back from the medical centre to my pub job workers accommodation, was given the hard word from the boss that I had to vacate my bed by 9am the next morning. He needed to fill my position and my replacement needed my bed. Out in the cold and unable to dress myself there was no option other than bus, airport, plane and home to mummy. Hitting the slopes in winter is what Queenstown is all about. The chances of the slopes hitting back might be small but still significant enough. Safety equipment like helmets and wrist guards make a huge difference when it all turn’s pear shaped. However, by far the best line of defence is self-awareness. If you don’t see an accident about to happen, it will happen and will probably hurt. lwb.co.nz
Posted on: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 00:02:07 +0000
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