Last year there were more than 70,000 accidents on Swiss ski slopes, many resulting in serious injuries and deaths. Swiss helicopter rescue teams were called out for serious accidents 300 times in December alone, and the total cost of rescue operations is expected to exceed £100 million.The state-controlled Swiss Accident Insurance (Suva), the country’s biggest provider of compulsory cover, has responded by introducing the speed controls as part of a safety campaign.
Angela Zobrist, a spokeswoman, said: “This is not another fun-spoiling campaign of the health and safety brigade and we don’t intend to raise a warning finger to all snow sport lovers. It is a genuine safety concern. You do not realise how fast you go, which can prove to be really dangerous if you impact with another skier or have any other incident.”
This is what happens when insurance companies are owned by the government. People who are ardent skiers tell me that avalanches and snowboarding cause most of the accidents, but avalanches are acts of God and snowboarders pay their way too, so when in doubt make another law. Instead of simply telling people that THEY must foot the hospital bill for going too fast and becoming injured, new rules are introduced that eventually will be accompanied by hefty fines.
Betcha.
And by the way, Angela dearest; if you don't realize how fast you're going then how can you know when its too fast?
Add radar guns to the list of new gear the nanny cops will soon be getting.
*Piste: French for ski trail. Taken from Italian which in turn was derived from the Latin for an idiot who tramples things. Think "bull in a china shop".
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