Not the PR they would hope for.
We hope your Christmas was Merry and we at the Ogden Valley Forum wish you and yours a Happy and prosperous 2012. We have been taking a well deserved literary break for the holidays, but could not pass up on a video that has been making the rounds in the backrooms of Facebook and beyond.
Harassment at Snowbasin from Garden Stories. on Vimeo.
To set up the video, a local Snowboarder from Layton is stopped by a Snowbasin Instructor and Pro Patroller on what appears to be the speed trap known as Bear Hollow. Without so much as a warning, the patroller pulls the season pass of a teen who, to us, didn't seem to be going all that fast or out of control. In fact, he was able to stop abeam the Instructor with ease.
The teens politely queries the patroller, who at one points tells the second teen to "Shut the F--- Up." He then threatened the second teen would lose his pass too if he didn't shut up.
Of course, Barney Fife didn't know that the local kids were wearing a Go Pro and that they had captured the entire exchange on video.
We are guessing Barney should be walking the unemployment line. What is your take?
UPDATE: 12/28/11 @ 9:44 PM
Fox !3 is running the story tonight.
And from KSL.com
And The Standard Examiner has this story.
6 comments:
I certainly hope he is in the unemployment line. Also that Basin corrects this and does some PR.
Standard-Examiner: Video of Snowbasin Patroller Using Expletive Spurs Outrage
bummer for Basin...another nit wit with a badge...all too common...the kid handled himself well....funny how there were others blasting past in the background during the shakedown....
off to Powder Mountain
December 2011
Volume 4 Issue 12
The Sweep!
The NSP Month in Review
NATIONAL SKI PATROL
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From the Desk of Tim White
Unfortunately, it is a tough start to the ski season, with trails covered with only thin white bands of snow over most parts of the country. Fortunately in our business, hope springs eternal, and in this case our hope is for snow, and lots of it soon.
In the interim, patrollers need to be reminded to stay on task, get along with each other, and focus on getting the job done in the best way they know how. For years, I have been a proponent of three basic but important rules for patrollers and all mountain employees to follow: Look Smart, Know Your Stuff, and Be Compassionate. This worked well until the advent of small HD video cameras such the as GoPro, smart phones with video capability, and compact digital cameras that can record video. With the advent of such technology, a fourth rule to follow is to remember that your actions (either good or bad) as a patroller may be digitally captured at anytime and placed on YouTube that evening.
This was unfortunately the case when a patroller was caught on camera this week dropping the F-Bomb while lecturing a young man regarding reckless skiing. In a very short and regrettable moment, this incident created the potential for the good will and professionalism of all patrollers to be questioned. The good news is that the reputation of patrollers as the Good Samaritans of the slopes is still there, and the lesson has been reinforced (Rule #4) to act professionally, with courtesy and respect at all times.
Happy New Year, and I hope to see you on the slopes!
Sincerely,
Tim White
Executive Director, NSP
What does not show in this video is that a skier had just come within a foot of being hit in the head as the boarder flew over him doing a 360. This was not the first time that day that this boarder had been called on his reckless behavior. Kudos to the Snowbasin employees for stopping these boarders. These boarders displayed reckless, irresponsible, and out-of-control behavior. Harassed? No. These young men are spoiled, not held accountable for their behavior and lack respect for rules. (Nice parenting job, Mom and Dad).
The boarders should have immediately had their passes revoked and escorted off the mountain. Snowbasin should fully back their employees as they challenge this reckless behavior. If not, they will be opening themselves up to The Mother Of All Lawsuits when (NOT if) someone is killed or seriously maimed on their mountain because the behavior of reckless boarders is allowed to go unchecked and unchallenged
Amen to Idahogirl! I didn't condone how the patrolman handled the situation, but at the least he stopped the young men and made them think twice about their reckless riding. I would like to challenge anyone to say different given that a young child had her safety compromised by the riders who couldn't think beyond themselves for the safety of others.
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